If you’re not in the know, you can check out this month’s Resolution Sunday.

It’s official. I’m addicted to the Internet

Addicted (def.): Physically and mentally dependent on a particular substance, and unable to stop taking it without incurring adverse effects; enthusiastically devoted to a particular thing or activity.

I had a very, very hard time staying offline that first Monday.  So hard of a time that I actually ended up logging on.

I had a good reason, though.

I had to reset my Islamic prayer clock because of the time change and the manual is online.

Yes, I got on the Internet for religious reasons.

Totally off the hook for that one.  God said it  was OK.  Well, just to clarify, he didn’t speak directly to me.  But, I’m assuming, based on previous information that my actions were divinely mandated.

Moving on.

The next Monday was equally hard.  Because Britt talked up her plans for her Monday post on Sunday, and, anyone who has ever heard Britt promote anything knows that resistance is futile.

So, I just logged on to read her post.  But, I can’t read Britt without reading Adam, because it’s a rule.  I swear, though, I was on for maybe 20 minutes.

I’m oh-for-two here, aren’t I?

The question arises, if you’re addicted to something and it’s not hurting you or anyone else, then who cares?

It’s not like my child is starving to death and my kitchen counters have fungus growing on them due to the neglect that arises out of my being on the Internet.

Maybe it’s an issue of control.

The need to flip open the laptop at random times during the day without really thinking about it feels unconscious.  I just don’t like being unconscious.  Unless there are stellar prescription drugs involved, in which case I’m open to it.

I like to know what I’m doing and why I’m doing it.  And, sometimes, I’ll be online for an hour and not even realize it.  I don’t like that feeling.  I don’t like how a plan to be online for fifteen minutes turns into an hour and half, sometimes.  I feel like it robs the presence out of my life.

Living conscious is not pretty.  Every thirty minutes or so on No Internet Monday, I feel twitchy.

Twitch, twitch. I really want to check my e-mail.

Twitch, twitch.  I need the number for my doctor.  Do we even have a phone book?

Twitch, twitch. I wonder what my awesome bloggy friends wrote about today.

Twitch, twitch.  I need to e-mail so and so about plans this week.

Twitch, twitch.  Is Photoshop really $700?

Twitch, twitch. Can you really order prescription drugs legally from Canada?

Twitch, twitch.  Hmmm, I really want to log in to Facebook.

Twitch, twitch. Damn, Barry, when are you going to get those girls a puppy?!

Twitch, twitch.  I’d really love to read some Twitter updates.

Twitch, twitch.  I’m starting to feel a little homicidal.

P.S. Tomorrow is the last No Internet Monday.  I’ll be switching over to Sundays from now on.

P.P.S Dear Britt, please don’t post anything good on Sunday.  Ever.  Again.

(See, the funny part about that sentence is that it was, like, two months ago.  And I only did three of them.)

One of the great things about making resolutions is that if you fall off track, you can just make a resolution to get back on track.

Brilliant.

That’s not my resolution, though, as that’s implicit in the fact that I’m doing this Sunday Resolution in the first place.  Perhaps, my resolution should be avoiding nonsensical-bore-you-to-tears-ramblings  in my blog?

(And the crowd goes wild.)

Sunday Resolution IV: A Day Off From the Internet.

I need to take a break once a week because I’m starting to feel kind of… addicted.  Is the Internet evil and bad?  No way.  And anyone who thinks it might be is, in fact, a bit of a neanderthal.

Still, I can take a break without any undue harm to myself or anyone else, so what the heck.  I hear that there is a whole wide world out there that has nothing to do with blogging, social networking and responding to an e-mail in sixty seconds flat.

I figure if that’s a fabrication, I can, at least, get caught up on my DVR.  Kidding.  That’s called irony.  Or sarcasm.  Or something.

I pick… Monday.

See you day after tomorrow.

Hope we can still be friends.

It’s easy to say thanks for the big stuff, but I think people need to hear thank you for the small stuff, too.  I also think we deserve thank you’s for simply fulfilling our responsibilities and obligations.  Just because you have to do something doesn’t mean you don’t deserve credit for doing it, you know?

Lately, I feel like I’m doing a poor job of showing my appreciation for my husband.  So, this week’s resolution is to write a small note on a 3×5 index card every day to him to tell him how much I appreciate the things he’s done that day to make my life easier, happier, and just plain amazing.  Why the handwritten note?

Documentation.  Kidding.  The note is because I think best on paper.

Check Up On Previous Resolution Sundays:

• Sunday Resolution II: Big fat failure.  I never got around to going to the ATM to withdraw the cash.  Who has time for that?

• Sunday Resolution I: Going strong, barring the occassional one busy day a week.  I’ve actually surpassed the goal of 90, and am at about 120.

Anyway, even though I slept through most of Sunday, I do, in fact, have a Resolution Sunday.  So here it goes: I hereby declare this week “CASH ONLY” week.  With the exception of fuel, I will pay for everything in cash this week.  Why?  Because I have a feeling that I’m swiping away my sense of how much things cost by using the Check Card instead.

As for last week’s resolution to drink at leat 90ozs of water, that was actually really easy.  I drank an average of 120 ozs every day.  Well, I’m not counting Sunday.

Every Sunday, I’ll resolve to do one simple thing in the coming week in an effort to change my life for the better.

Rules are simple for Resolution Sunday.

1. No incredibly unrealistic goals, such as “I will stop eating refined carbs.”
2. Resolutions must be small, small steps in an overall big picture, so as to minimize the pressure of having to accomplish anything meaningful.
3. Only ONE resolution per week.
4. Resolution Sunday posts have to be really short.  Otherwise, this will undermine the underlying point of Resolution Sunday which is to avoid writing a “real” post.
5. I reserve the right to add and delete rules as I see fit.

So, this week’s resolution?

• Drink 90 ounces of water every day this week.
• Why? Go see for yourself.