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7.5 days without touching a computer

May 19, 2008 · 50 Comments

yes.

and i lived to tell about it.

vacation was WON-DER-FUL. beach. family. friends. and computers. 4 to be exact.

FOUR COMPUTERS IN THE CONDO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and EVERY-STINKING-DAY somebody brought up blogging. why? why? why??????????

here’s an anthology of my 7.5 days without blogging or emailing (i kept a mental diary just for you):

  1. dreamed about blogging (am i the only one who does this?).
  2. dreamed about blogging again. thought about all the blogs i should be reading.every.single.day.
  3. didn’t dream about blogs, until my nap that day. then i only dreamed about alece’s blog. then i REALLY REALLY wanted to check my blog.
  4. came into the condo by myself. realized i could check all the email and blogs i wanted to, and drew (the blog nazi) wouldn’t know. but still didn’t. and felt good about it.
  5. (this would be wednesday) - didn’t even THINK about whatever wednesday until lunchtime. then had a near-heart attack from the shock that i hadn’t thought about it.
  6. enjoyed the fact that i wasn’t checking emails and/or blogging. then scribbled down the 4 blog-posts i’d thought of while we were on vacation. :shock: does this count?
  7. flight delays led to a rush of anxiety. DON’T MESS WITH ME, AIRLINE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!! but i was ok. i was SO ok that i decided to fore go the much anticipated sit down with my laptop, and spend friday night on the couch with drew. i will not be mastered by anything.
  8. well, 7.5 to be exact. i read my bible before turning on the computer. dang right i did! it’s a rule of mine, and i actually follow it about 85% of the time.

my conclusion? if i were addicted, i would’ve succumbed to the temptation afforded me on day #4.

thankyouverymuch…

what do you think are tell-tale signs of blog-addicts? go ahead, you know we ALL fit the description when we’re really honest with ourselves.

Categories: blogging · confession · culture · my world · thoughts on life · vacation · world
Tagged: , , ,

50 responses so far ↓

  • jonsquared // May 19, 2008 at 8:25 am

    Hahaha! I get made fun of right now by some of my family members for blogging but those same family members are quoting lines that I wrote on my blog. Obviously, they’re reading it. :) Congrats on going “no tech” during your vacation. Although, I don’t envy you your withdrawal pains. ;)

  • mandythompson // May 19, 2008 at 9:14 am

    Jon2: i’m actually quite proud of myself. but, yes, i get SO thrown off when people from my real life refer to stuff on my blog - its like: whoa - how did you know that??? i forget that my readers aren’t just blog-addicts floating around the net… some of the people that really know me read as well…

  • Heather // May 19, 2008 at 9:36 am

    I’m proud of you! I couldnt go 7.5 days … when we went on vacation i checked in the mornings. I didn’t respond but I checked and posted on my blog.

    However, I think when #3 comes in August my blogging will be a bit more sporatic! :)

  • TheNorEaster // May 19, 2008 at 9:49 am

    I’m not addicted to blogging. Heck, I only subscribe to one. And I only have about 15 blogs booksdmarked. And some of them I don’t even read anymore. But don’t worry. I always follow “The Six Tips For Blogging” from MTTV. I never comment about a blog on someone else’s blog. Nope. Never. Not me. So AW YAW don’t need none to fret none no more ’bout that. No sirree!

    By the way, Mandy–in response to your suggestion over at my blog–I know everybody likes the videos. The ones I put up sent my stats through the roof. Well, at least compared to what they were–as it stands now, I just might break 1,000 visits this month; 88 to go, not that I’m keeping track, mind you (remember, I am NOT addicted to blogging)–but I’ve still got some “stuff in the basement” to sort out before I move on to making another video. Assuming I even remember how to make a video…I mean, Where is the record button on my computer anyway?

    Oh, one more thing…”Hope Youse Guys…” has been renamed. It is now “Sunshine & Rainbows.” (I’ll let you and Tam decide who’s the sunshine and who’s the rainbow.)

    Yeah. Another one more thing…check your e-mail later today. ;)

  • mandythompson // May 19, 2008 at 9:54 am

    I’M SO TOTALLY SUNSHINE!!!!!!!!!!!!

    and you ARE addicted - you just don’t know it yet. ;)

  • tam // May 19, 2008 at 10:33 am

    i know im addicted because nothing is safe around me. no conversation, no incident, no special talk with my kids, nothing is safe from me asking myself first, “Can i blog about this?”

    Hey! at least I ask!

  • tam // May 19, 2008 at 10:33 am

    i’m rainbow????

  • danielle allison // May 19, 2008 at 10:36 am

    good for you!

  • jon // May 19, 2008 at 10:38 am

    telltale signs of a blog addict…i can think of a couple…

    when a conversation comes up, no matter what the topic, it reminds them of a post they read the other day!!!

    they have more people in their blog roll than in their contacts on their cell phone…

  • mandythompson // May 19, 2008 at 10:45 am

    Jon: blogroll = OUCH!!!!

    Tam: ditto that. and yes, you are obviously rainbow. is this a problem?

  • TheNorEaster // May 19, 2008 at 11:01 am

    With so many addicts around here, I think I’m going to watch what I say just a little bit more from now on. I mean, you can already see the “Sunshine & Rainbows” discussion becoming a debacle. And, Gosh, I sure don’t want THAT now, do I?

  • mandythompson // May 19, 2008 at 11:27 am

    puh-leeeze!!!

    like you weren’t TRYING to start something!

  • Michelle // May 19, 2008 at 11:47 am

    I’m an addict…I try to get away…go work in the yard…and have conversations (out loud) with my blog buddies.

    Maybe this isn’t addiction…

    Am I crazy?

  • TheNorEaster // May 19, 2008 at 11:51 am

    Me? Start something? No WAY!!! :smile:

  • TheNorEaster // May 19, 2008 at 11:52 am

    Michelle:

    Nah. You’re not crazy. Talking to yourself is just thinking out loud. Thinking is just talking to yourself silently. Now, ME…I was crazy, but WE are all okay now.

  • mandythompson // May 19, 2008 at 12:10 pm

    Michelle: if you’re crazy, then I’M crazy. i’m really crazy!

  • Michelle // May 19, 2008 at 12:50 pm

    uuummmmmm………

    I feel better?

  • mandythompson // May 19, 2008 at 1:00 pm

    me too…??

  • bransblahg // May 19, 2008 at 1:06 pm

    tell tale sign of a blog/computer addict:

    A messy house and piles of laundry. :shock:

    And girl, I SOOOOO would have caved on that fourth day. Seriously. I’m starting to think my blogging addiction is quite unhealthy. And it’s not just the posting, it’s the reading and reading and reading and reading and……. it’s SO time consuming!

    It really sucks that for someone like me who is TOTALLY social, to have not met anyone here yet, that really my only connections right now are online. :shock: Kinda sucks that I like you all so much. :lol: HA!!

  • TheNorEaster // May 19, 2008 at 1:08 pm

    Me 3………..?

  • tam // May 19, 2008 at 1:12 pm

    being a rainbow isn’t a problem but you always seem to get first pick with things.

    dang.

    i’m never first.

  • mandythompson // May 19, 2008 at 1:29 pm

    Tammy Jo: why do i always have to remind you that you’re ALWAYS first because you were BORN first??!??!?

    Brandy: you hang in there - friends will come. i just faced a similar transition in 2007. they will come.

  • mandythompson // May 19, 2008 at 1:30 pm

    you know. on second thought: i think the two of us are the sunshine and TheNor is the rainbow. check his avatar.

  • TheNorEaster // May 19, 2008 at 2:10 pm

    ^^^^^—-In case youse guys missed it! ;)

  • mandythompson // May 19, 2008 at 2:13 pm

    yes sir. you three.
    :)

  • Heather // May 19, 2008 at 2:41 pm

    Should we play a prank on Mandy … maybe here on the blawg … oh dern she’s back and can see these posts in real time :)

  • mandythompson // May 19, 2008 at 2:45 pm

    heather: he he! go for it - i’m not looking! ;) we can do this like hide-n-go-seek: i’ll start counting:
    one mississippi
    two mississippi
    three mississippi
    four mississippi
    see
    not looking

  • cathi stegall // May 19, 2008 at 3:33 pm

    I’m not a blogging addict. I’m just here to see what all you other blogging addicts do. Yep. That’s it.

  • mandythompson // May 19, 2008 at 3:36 pm

    ah huh.
    and you’re fooling WHO, cathi??!!

  • cathi stegall // May 19, 2008 at 5:10 pm

    well, my mom thinks I’m nice and I like watermellon gum.
    does that count?

  • mandythompson // May 19, 2008 at 5:13 pm

    me thinks your in denial!
    they say “admitting you have a problem” is the first step to recovery.
    but you already know this.

  • cathi stegall // May 19, 2008 at 6:16 pm

    your check is in the mail.
    If I remember what real mail is.
    I think it is a state of being rather than something literal. “In the Mail”, i.e., a lot slower than blogging.

  • Sharon // May 19, 2008 at 6:17 pm

    O.K, soon I will have the real test. We are moving out of our house saying goodbye to DSL and moving into our camper until we get our new home. NO INTERNET! For I don’t know HOW LONG!
    I could drive to Mom’s 45 minutes away–or go visit a friend 15 minutes away.
    What will I do….:0

  • mandythompson // May 19, 2008 at 6:20 pm

    Sharon: :shock:

    Cathi: you could just deposit the money directly in my pay-pal account - i’m just sayin. i’ll see you at the same time next week. until then, you work on “admitting” by having a talk with your husband and bff. they will be your blogaholic support system. ;)

  • cathi stegall // May 19, 2008 at 6:40 pm

    fine.
    Exept paypal will begin sending me notices “Payment to account exceeded limit, please try again”

  • cathi stegall // May 19, 2008 at 6:42 pm

    ooohhh-ooooo, then Hooked on Phonics will send me a letter, “Please don’t comment if you can’t spell. Please.”

  • mandythompson // May 19, 2008 at 8:03 pm

    good point - you should go with the check. just make sure it doesn’t bounce.

    and make the check out to: A-M-A-N-D-A T-H-O-M-P-S-O-N.
    spell it correctly.
    ;)
    k
    thx

  • cathi stegall // May 19, 2008 at 8:43 pm

    you sure they won’t understand Mandy Mac??? B/c I already sent the payment.
    Darn. We’ll have to forget it then.
    Can I pay you in skittles?

  • mandythompson // May 19, 2008 at 8:56 pm

    i also accept chips-ahoy cookies

  • cathi stegall // May 19, 2008 at 9:11 pm

    how in the world were we separated at birth? How?

  • mandythompson // May 19, 2008 at 9:14 pm

    i hate to break it to you, but my “twin” role has already been claimed by met-on-the-net.
    sorry….

    but i’m SURE we are long-lost sisters or something. i mean, i was born in Jax, Fla. close enough, right?

  • cathi stegall // May 19, 2008 at 9:19 pm

    Oh, we can’t be twins…I’m younger! ;)

  • mandythompson // May 19, 2008 at 9:21 pm

    way to rub it in.
    here you go acting younger, too!

  • cathi stegall // May 19, 2008 at 9:52 pm

    I’m telling maT!

  • lovewillbringustogether // May 19, 2008 at 11:30 pm

    Cathi’s younger??? Oh Man I’m so Lovin this!
    Old Mand Old Mandy Good Old Mandy!

    Yup that sounds right to me :-)

    <B

  • lovewillbringustogether // May 19, 2008 at 11:32 pm

    And since Tam came first she must be the Sunshine - you can’t have a rainbow without first having the Sunshine and some ‘raindrops’. ;-)

    <B

  • lovewillbringustogether // May 19, 2008 at 11:38 pm

    You might be addicted to blogs if…. you get someone to blog-sit for you while you are on vacation!

    … you spend half an hour typing comments on another persons blog one after the other, like up to 200 comments, say?

    … You make a video about blogging rules and post it on it’s own website and have blog-arguments about what to call it.

    … People know you intimately from half a planet away who have never met you!

    I could go on but my therapist appointment is due!

    And i am not psychotic - a slim majority of the panel voted in my favour! :-) :p :-)

    <B

  • mandythompson // May 20, 2008 at 8:07 am

    MrLove: HAHAH!!!! if you get someone to blog-sit. dang. i can’t argue with that one! BUSTED!!!!!

  • i actually read a whole entire book « just a girl // May 20, 2008 at 2:01 pm

    [...] proud of myself. see - this is what i can accomplish when not on the computer. amazing! (granted, this means i’ve accomplished dang-near-nothing since cracking open the [...]

  • alece // May 21, 2008 at 12:22 am

    i still chuckle at the thought of you dreaming about my blog.

    i miss you.

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