Screen Sucking on CA

[TheRealJuliane]

The thread can be about you, too. That’s fine.

I’m confused about what to do next, too, although my husband has been telling me that I am discounting the things I do in real life too much…things that the kids need and that he can’t do, because he has a nutty schedule. I don’t get much done, but I keep my schedule flexible, and so when someone needs to step in, I often can.

I like your responses, too. I like you. I just don’t know, though. I have tried to balance this in, but I have never succeeded. If I stay off this site, I do waste time on the computer elsewhere, but not nearly as much. OTOH, I cannot say that I do much good anywhere else, either.

I think I’m kidding myself. Whatever I need to do, I need to do a lot less here. I just do. If I can’t manage to do a lot less here than I do, I need to just quit entirely.

Pffff. I would miss you, though.

This is me, too. On call “just in case” something happens. For example, our older son drove with his team to a competition in L.A. last Monday (spring break). He got somewhat ill and was exhausted, so we found him a flight home on Sunday, but he didn’t arrive until 11:45 p.m. Hubby had to work the next morning of course, so I picked him up at the airport and brought him home. Then the next day, I drove him back up to his campus (he had left from up there, so he didn’t have a car at home).

I’ve picked up our younger son from concerts at 2 a.m. Not my favorite thing to do but at least the highways are nice and empty!

I would miss you bunches if you really leave.

 

[EasterJoy]

I would miss you bunches if you really leave.

Our families might see more of us, though!

 

[Sarabande]

As my number of posts ought to make obvious (since I will admit that I am no longer stuck with doctor’s orders to do essentially nothing), I have a terrible habit of what Ed Hallowell called “screen sucking” in his book, Crazy Busy. I just spend too much time here.

Is it hopeless to think I can limit this, or should I just swear off entirely?

How do you limit your time online?

EasterJoy, I have always enjoyed and respected your posts and threads. You and others like you are reasons why I haven’t left CAF altogether.

This is actually the only forum I am currently a part of. My computer keeps me logged in even when I’m actually not on, but I do have waves when I believe I’m on here too much. When I realize that, I just don’t go on CAF at all for a while. I just stop going on for a month or so and I usually give it up for Lent. This is the first year I haven’t given it up for Lent, though, because I haven’t been on here as often as in the past. Although I do post, as my numbers show, I actually will lurk more than post and have often times typed up a post only to delete before posting after I realise that it’s just something I would have written in my journal. I don’t want things like that on cyberspace.

For a while, CAF was making me depressed. I came on here initially to just learn and to have discussions since I am mostly a SAHM when I’m not working as a musician and need some sort of intellectual stimulation. I have learned to word things specifically so as to not hit a nerve with certain people who are quick to think the worst of what others say. My problem was that I tried (and still do try) to think the best of others because we are only reading what’s on the screen and not seeing the expressions or hearing the tone of voice. I just assumed that everyone else was the same. Then, I’d get caught off guard and even I, when I first started posting here who rarely lost my cool in real life, would get all fired up because of the brewing negativity on-line. So, it has been a good learning experience to not allow myself be negatively affected by those kinds of people.

When I read posts by people like you, it also encourages me that not everyone on here are poised for a fight and can discuss and debate without being terse, cruel and holier-than-thou. It keeps me positive and, truly, your posts are always so well thought-out, intelligent and well-written with what I consider real love for all those who might be reading. I thank you for that. So, please don’t leave for good.