Words With Friend?

 

Words With Friends?

Do friends encourage and enable friends’ addictions? Do friends become co-dependents? Do sons encourage mothers to engage in unhealthy activities? My son did – he got me on Words With Friends and the downward spiral began.

WWF is Scrabble played on line with “friends”. Numerous games can be played with several different “friends”. These games can take time, time away from other pursuits such as reading, responding to emails, paying bills and when really becoming unhealthy, personal hygiene can suffer.

I’m still somewhat taking care of business and still showering, I guess I haven’t yet reached rock bottom. However the New Yorkers are on the coffee table enhancing the décor and giving the illusion of sophistication. They are unread. The book on my night table hasn’t been opened in months. I’m delaying going shopping for food – I’ll cobble something together from what I have in the freezer or……...what’s so bad about wine and popcorn? (Throw in a salad and you have the three food groups.)

I always said that as long as I can read, I’ll never be bored. For me reading was such a pleasure that it almost seemed immoral. Now, in a very short time this is not longer true – I have WWF! WWF along with the necessity, many times of online shopping, has me in front of a computer a good part of the day. And, OMG all the news on Microsoft news is irresistible. I’m hooked!

Instant gratification becomes the norm and lack of patience goes along with this. Patience to read a book, do a crossword puzzle. Or spending time doing a jigsaw puzzle with the radio on. I understand why parents don’t want their kids perpetually on their phones, iPads, and computers. They want their children to slow down and enjoy the slow.

Can instant gratification cause ADHD? I don’t know, but I do know that these past few months have changed me. I’m starting to think that I’m beginning to suffer from a mild case of attention deficit disorder – symptoms of which I found on line, of course.

Like all addictions, WWF feels so good when engaging in it. Not so much when the realization comes that there is a downside. In the case of WWF a lot of time is gone. So, my plan is to set aside a certain amount of time per day to indulge and absolutely no more! Will I be able to shake the WWF monkey off my back?!

Epilogue

First World Problems that are now Unsolved Problems.

Promised new water softener tank never came

Still no propane at Home Depot

One week later, no return email from the bank

CPA still hasn’t advised

But good news -

Ants are gone and so is the RV.