Addicted or dependent?

I came across a blog post a few days ago that reminded me of a conversation I had with Js a while ago about internet addiction. My first reaction was "Guilty!" ... but then I got to thinking about what "addiction" really meant.

Source:
www.hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com

Who hasn't been a victim of sleepless Internet FOREVER night and days have gone by without even thinking of putting on a bra and going outside... by that definition, I think we could all say we're addicted. Yes? And I don't think that's fair. By that definition, I would be equally addicted to my cat, my dog, my couch, my bed, crochet, reading, working, sleeping and a bunch of other things that I wouldn't trade for the whole world. I know that an addiction doesn't have to be something that hinders your life or well being, it can be something positive too. I don't think I'm addicted to cats... or I'd have 20, my husband would leave me and I would throw the extra ones at the neighborhood kids. But I can't imagine my life without my Jacko... so what does it all mean?

I think the work I was looking for is "dependent". I have no issues admitting that I am totally dependent on the internet (and my cat for that matter... but that's a whole other post). Most the things I do daily either came into being because of or thanks to the internet.

This blog, for instance, I don't need it but I sure do enjoy it and love maintaining it and reading comments. Other websites I work on, I put them there and now I can't get rid of them like yesterday's garbage, they are my work and they help me and so many other people grow - at least I like to think so. I will lose track of time when I work on them because I love to. Yes, it sucks sometimes because Js would much rather I do dishes or the bank would much rather I pay bills... but... yeah I got no "but".

Source: Unknown. I found this image randomly on the
Internet (!!!) eons ago. I own nothing.

Like any other hobby or thing-used-to-stuff-a-boring-Sunday-morning, it has it's pros and cons. Mine just happen to be on the internet... I guess I could say I'm addicted to my projects which depend on a quality internet connection. There.

So now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go make coffee so that I can crochet until my fingers bleed...

Overload of Fall

Today, I enjoyed a nice and relaxing day off. I went to the MFRC this morning to hang out and had some pretty interesting conversation with some old friends and some new acquaintances. The weather was much nicer today than it's been over the last couple of days. It got colder and rainy only late in the afternoon.

I was supposed to go grocery shopping but I totally lazed on the couch and played scrabble with my neighbor all afternoon. We had a late dinner and when our company left I decided to finally make the trek out to town and get at least some fruit and veggies. Really, deep down in my heart,  I knew it was simply an excuse to go get a Starbucks coffee.

I moseyed on over in my sweats and a big woolen sweater and as I got closer to the Starbucks counter and started wondering what I wanted to order... I saw it there, on the menu board :  Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Now, I don't know if it's available year round because I think ordering a Pumpkin Spice Latte in July would be very very very wrong. Then, I realized it was September, it was cold and dark out and I just had to have one. Man, was it ever delicious!

I know people in Ontario are still roasting in summer heat but it's really starting to look like fall out here and I'm totally okay with that.

I like my coffee with a bit of warm crazy

Last night, I was having a conversation with a friend of mine and she asked me "How do you like your coffee?"

A normal person would be able to come up with a straight and relatively simple answer within seconds. I am not normal. I instantly knew exactly how I like my coffee... but the answer was far from simple.

Early morning, when I'm at home I like it with a bit of milk and sugar. I don't like heavy cream in the morning and I don't want too much milk because it makes it too cold too quick. I don't want too much sugar either, I enjoy sweets more later in the day.

At Starbucks or Second Cup, I like the raw sugar and milk - just because they have some and it's delicious. If the coffee's too strong or too bold, then I'll have cream instead. At Timmies, it's usually double-double. Unless we're in for a long car ride, then I'll take one cream, one sugar.

At work I'll have 2 sugars and one milk. It takes me ages to drink my coffee at work so a bit more sugar makes it taste better longer. Most time we have that coffee whitener thingy so I got used to not using a lot.

If I have a coffee after dinner or around dinner time at home I'll take it with just sugar - not quite sure why. If we're at the restaurant though, I'll add a milk in there.

Lattes are a whole other story but generally, skim milk - half sweet - no foam works best. Tea lattes are delicious with soy, no foam.

Yes, I'm OCD - mostly on little things like ordering coffee, organizing hair clips and other such random details.

I found a man who's learned to deal with it all - doesn't understand it, but puts up with it, bless his little soul.