How to Co-Exist Peacefully While Feeding Your Addiction.
Ok, I'll admit it, I've become addicted. First it started off with a way to keep our families updated, then it progressed to maintaining entries on my weight loss, then it was recipes and cooking. It get's worse. It wasn't enough, not nearly enough. I haunted the crafters blogs, and then, oh my, EBay's, and now I've plunged into the deep end and it's politics. Yes, DKos, feeds a daily addiction. I can't get enough of blogging and diarying. It's the first thing I bring up in the morning, even before going to the bathroom and getting coffee. It's up all day at work. It's what I go to when I get home from work. And this morning, I joined another blog.
It was my husband that introduced me to it. He made me co-dependent. I would sit and watch him, listen to him while he commented, created his own and then, stepped into DKos. At first, I stayed away from where he posted, it worked for awhile, but then he whispered to me "join Daily Kos".
So I'll blame it on him, he's the one who introduced me to this addiction. At first the blogging was something to do to pass time while he sat on the sites he haunted. At first, I was a "blog widow" (you know, kind of like a football-widow on football Saturdays and Sundays). I started feeling lonely, so I swore that I'd show him. It's just so, so, so, tough to admit, we're co-dependent.
I know I'm not alone, we're not unique. I've noticed numerous couples, husbands and wives, significant others, life partners, participating together on blogging sites. They each have their own id's, they each express their own opinions. Yes, even here on DKos, they're there, waiting to post their comments, have their diaries published or just lurking. As I think about starting a 12-step program for bloggers-anonymous, I wonder if other couples face the same things we do. The fight for computer time, the inevitably burnt dinners because neither paid attention, the futile seduction attempts when one was in the mood and the other was in the middle of posting.
Rather then actually creating "Bloggers Anonymous" and going through the hassle of financing, advertising, finding church basements to hide, I mean, meet in, I thought I would share ten tips that has kept our relationship happy and cohesive while in the process of blogging.
- Two computers are a must in a household like this. Only one computer can lead to major domestic dispute or worse, manslaughter charges. Two computers may be costly, however, well worth it in the long run (unless you really enjoy having a knife in your back).
- The state of the house can create major arguments, to avoid this, it's imperative that the house is in order. The best way to ensure your house is clean is to assign the housework to your kids. Explain to them that to be responsible adults in a corporate environment, they need to understand how it feels to be an indentured servant so they'll be more compassionate as they grow.
- Take turns making dinner. Determine who will be responsible for making dinner that evening and agree only to peruse the blogs and not respond until dinner is safely out of the over. Failure to do this could create a new dish called "blackened chicken" or "burnt beef". Should you disagree on who's turn it is to cook, have pizza delivered.
- Schedule some romantic time together. Since both are addicted, there may be a need for an intermediary to assist with this. Contact the phone, cable, satellite company to see if they would be willing to disrupt your service for a period between 10 minutes and 4 hours (see the Viagra ads), depending. Do not attempt to disconnect the modem while in use, this could land you in divorce court.
- Never, ever, create diaries or blogs referencing weight problems or size issues, unless you're the one with the issue (or you know for a fact your partner does not frequent that site). It can create arguments not only on the blogs but also in the home.
- Be understanding and don't interrupt while your partner is posting. Thinking destroys alot of brain cells so it requires maximum focus. So if your partner is quiet or seems to be ignoring you, don't worry that something is wrong. Just wait until they're finished, they'll start talking to you again.
- If you're both on the same site, do not post to diaries or blogs that involve insects, if they happen to be pet names for your partner (or parts of their anatomy). Could create confusion on between you're blogging discussions and your discussions in the home.
- And finally, although it's okay to remind your partner that you weren't the one who voted for Bush in 2000, it's not okay to keep reminding him or her that you're more popular then they are.
Well, okay, so maybe only 8 tips. Hopefully these will help other couples who are suffering from the same compulsions we are. This can be a lonely condition, however, if we support one an another, we can learn to coexist within the same space as our partners.
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Note: This diary was inspired as my husband was jokingly accusing me of eviscerating him in my diaries. Figured it would make a somewhat amusing snark.