Internet Addictions....

In the news right now there is discussion about how Internet addictions.   "Internet as addictive as alcohol, tobacco - A new study shows that the Internet can be as addictive as alcohol and cigarettes as deprivation may lead to feelings of unhappiness."   This kind of hit home to me after Emery and I mused over the fact that last weekend, I was sitting in front of the PC with a laptop to my left, on and functioning, with my iPhone to my right.  On my chest, a motion sensor to see how much time each day I am active or just sitting.  I was surrounded.    Last week I read where there are now vacations you can book that are Internet/cell phone free.  You leave your gadgets at the desk and discover what we had before we had all this stuff.  These vacations are gaining popularity.   I could use some of that.  Here it is 10 am and I have accomplished very little other than my facebook updates and a few computer searches.  I am not happy about that, but the reality is, the Internet is really interesting, captivating and yes, I believe addictive.  Perhaps my family should plan an intervention, but if the truth be told, they are all as bad as I am and it would be hard for them to pull themselves away from their connections long enough to intervene.  Of course, I am exaggerating here but there is a seed of truth to most exaggerations as we all know.  I guess for me, I am just a bit too aware of my dependance of these gadgets to ignore.  I want to take back my productive time.  I want to walk away from "updates" and news stories and spend more time in the kitchen, or with my knitting needles.  Get back to the place where "instant" is not expected and demanded.    But...and here come my excuses....its such a hot summer, can't be outside in this record breaking heat spell and certainly its too hot to have the oven going.  "The heat has drained my energy".   So, logically, sitting in front of the computer makes good sense in this summer heat.  Well, there is such a thing as reading, crafting etc.  The reality, many of us have become slaves to modern technology.  Me included.  Its exciting stuff.   But, deep inside me is this nagging feeling that I am loosing more than I am gaining by sitting in front of a screen for so many hours a day.   The need to step back, look long and hard at my time spent and re-evaluatel things.   Simplify.  Be a bit more old fashioned once again.