The Internet Part II
I was going on the other day about how wonderful the Internet is. About how the whole world’s joined together with a silver thread. And I’m not saying I’ve changed my mind. But there’s another side to it.
Have you ever seen that tv ad? I think it’s AOL. At the beginning of the break they talk about how wonderful the net is. How kids can learn so much and it can help them with their homework and all that. But then, later in the break there’s another ad talking about the risks, about how some people use the net for their own devious purposes. It’s that sort of two sidedness that I’ve been thinking about.
I’ve had so much pleasure from being on line but there are things there that don’t necessarily bring out the best side of people. In my case it’s the gambling. It’s so easy. I started at a time when I was lonely. It wasn’t long after I’d split up with Richard. I’d got used to being a couple and was finding it hard to adapt to being single again. I found a poker site one night and I went in to have a look. I had fun. Real fun. There was a buzz in playing and it stopped me feeling lonely. I won quite a bit of money.
For a couple of months I went on the site regularly. It filled the evenings and made me feel happy again. Maybe it was coincidence, I don’t know, but my social life improved around that time. I made some new friends and started going out again. I didn’t need to play poker to fill my evenings.
Then I met this guy at a party. Jez his name. He was a right laugh and I thought we’d make a great couple. When he said he’d call me I believed him and, like a fool, I sat in waiting for the phone to ring. But it didn’t. By the time I realised he wasn’t going to call I was back playing poker on a regular basis.
Gradually it stopped being fun. Where there’d been a buzz, there was now a leaden feeling, one that stopped me getting up and walking away. Plus I was losing which meant I had to carry on playing to cut my losses.
Not any more. Last night I unsubscribed from all the sites where I’ve been playing and I changed my email address so that they can’t send me emails inviting me back. I’m determined not to get involved again.
I’m going to have to find another interest. Look up old friends. Start going out again. I still have Jez’s number. I wonder if I should call him. Before I was being all girly. You know how it is. Saying I wouldn’t call him because he’d said he’d call me and had let me down. But maybe I should take that risk. He could have lost my number and be wishing I’d contact him. It might be worth a try.
Have you ever seen that tv ad? I think it’s AOL. At the beginning of the break they talk about how wonderful the net is. How kids can learn so much and it can help them with their homework and all that. But then, later in the break there’s another ad talking about the risks, about how some people use the net for their own devious purposes. It’s that sort of two sidedness that I’ve been thinking about.
I’ve had so much pleasure from being on line but there are things there that don’t necessarily bring out the best side of people. In my case it’s the gambling. It’s so easy. I started at a time when I was lonely. It wasn’t long after I’d split up with Richard. I’d got used to being a couple and was finding it hard to adapt to being single again. I found a poker site one night and I went in to have a look. I had fun. Real fun. There was a buzz in playing and it stopped me feeling lonely. I won quite a bit of money.
For a couple of months I went on the site regularly. It filled the evenings and made me feel happy again. Maybe it was coincidence, I don’t know, but my social life improved around that time. I made some new friends and started going out again. I didn’t need to play poker to fill my evenings.
Then I met this guy at a party. Jez his name. He was a right laugh and I thought we’d make a great couple. When he said he’d call me I believed him and, like a fool, I sat in waiting for the phone to ring. But it didn’t. By the time I realised he wasn’t going to call I was back playing poker on a regular basis.
Gradually it stopped being fun. Where there’d been a buzz, there was now a leaden feeling, one that stopped me getting up and walking away. Plus I was losing which meant I had to carry on playing to cut my losses.
Not any more. Last night I unsubscribed from all the sites where I’ve been playing and I changed my email address so that they can’t send me emails inviting me back. I’m determined not to get involved again.
I’m going to have to find another interest. Look up old friends. Start going out again. I still have Jez’s number. I wonder if I should call him. Before I was being all girly. You know how it is. Saying I wouldn’t call him because he’d said he’d call me and had let me down. But maybe I should take that risk. He could have lost my number and be wishing I’d contact him. It might be worth a try.
posted by Smooth Blue at 6:45 PM
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