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Addicted to the "Net"

   I'm a nerd.
   A computer nerd that is; and I never dreamed that it would happen to me.
   When I entered college, I hadn't even touched a computer. In fact, I was afraid of them. I'd hand write my papers any day instead of sitting in front of a computer.
   Now, six years later, I'm transformed.
   Not only, do I sit in front of a computer all day long at work, I now have my own computer to sit in front of all night!
   My newest addiction while working on the computer is being "Online."
   So much talk of the Internet and the information highway, and everyone saying how great it was, had me feeling pretty left out. So a couple of nights ago, I tried it out for myself. I had my first experience on the Internet. If I wasn't hooked enough before, now I'm totally addicted.
   Now, instead of going out and meeting people, I found myself sitting at home talking to people from all over the country via my computer. It is truely amazing! Who needs to go out these days when you have a computer hooked up to the Internet?
   Oh, don't get me wrong, I still love playing tennis and being outside on a nice day but now I have a second love that is fighting for my time.
   The old me would be praying for nice days so I could get out there with my friends and whack the ball around.
   The new me sometimes prays for rain. At times all I can think about is sitting in front of the computer - and being "Online." It scares me what I've become.
   People at work make fun of me. They have little sympathy when I complain of being tired at work, then find out later on that I was up until the wee hours of the morning pecking away on my computer! I know they think I'm crazy. I say, who cares what they think. It is fun. I like it; the people I'm communicating with must also like it; and, besides my quickly growing phone bill, what harm is done?
   Yet, my parents are worried about me. They know me as their active, athlete daughter who would do anything to be out in the sunshine, on the tennis court, walking or simply going out.
   The other night they asked me what my plans were and to my amazement I replied: playing on my computer and surfing the "Net!"
   The scary thing was - I was excited about it!!!
   Out of concern, my own loving mom wrote me an e-mail commenting on my usage of the computer and my addiction to the internet, She said, (and I quote) "You are the biggest nerd. You will turn deathly white and shrivel up and wither away to a speck of yourself." Pretty harsh words from my own mother!
   I can understand my parent's concern about using the computer and the internet too often. I too used to be wary of people who spent too much time on the computer. I felt that it was a bad thing and I thought it would hurt the way people communicated - no longer talking face to face.
   Now, I think I may have been wrong.
   If anything, I think using the Internet will pull people closer together. For me, it's just another way of communicating and it expands the number of people I meet immensely! And somehow, meeting people over the computer, is easier than meeting them face to face.
   I don't know, on the other hand maybe mom is right. Not going out and actively participating in things couldn't be healthy for anyone.
   I don't know. I'll worry about the hazards later; for now, I think I'll keep on being a nerd and continue "cruising the net!"

The Herald-Dispatch, May 1995

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