Redo!

I redid this one. I think I like it better this way!

Been Busy!

Hey everyone! Sorry it's been awhile! I have just been busy. As it is Melanie is sitting next to me wanting me to hurry so we can go to the store! I have been learning new things! I am going to show you some pictures I have learned how to enhance!

Of course everything else is the same...slugging away everyday to get the kids raised and the bills paid! I am still reading. I don't get in as much time as I would like, but I sure am trying!

IA

IA: Internet Annonymous...Hi, my name is Kim and I am addicted to the internet. This realization hit me hard yesterday.

I log on daily to surf, chat, check email, bank account, ebay, my book swapping sites...any number of things catch my fancy. I have numerous friends online that I can talk to since I home everyday with the kids. Adult conversation is addictive!

I also love having it when Tom isn't at home. After the kids have gone to bed it's nice to have someone to talk to so I don't feel so alone.

Anyways, my internet went down yesterday afternoon about 4. I couldn't figure out what the deal was. I called my internet provider and they gave me several things to do and assured me that they had a good signal going to my house so it had to be something wrong with my computer. So I hung up and followed all their instructions and still got nothing.

Now I am starting to sweat. I felt like I was missing an arm or something! I just knew I was missing something profound. Someone somewhere was going to post something and I was going to MISS it!

What if I have contracted a virus? My virus program expired in February and I haven't had the money to update it. I couldn't update it lastnight because I had no internet! I just knew that that virus was eatting my poor laptop from the inside out and any minute it was going to go poof! After a few hours of fiddling with it and doing several system restores I gave up. Decided to call it a night and just read until I finally fell asleep. I figured it would be up and running again this morning like has done in the past.So, I get up this morning and...yep...no internet. Nothing. Just a message that says "Internet site can not be displayed." WTHeck?

NOOOOOO...I started feeling like I was missing my right arm again. All those lonely feelings come rushing back. What if my friends are worried about me? Nobody has heard anything from me since yesterday! So I got back on the phone with my internet provider. This time I got a really nice guy who walked me through several other different steps to see what it could be. He then tells me to make sure all my cables are pushed all the way into the back of my wireless router. So I did...and they are. He asks me if all 4 of my green lights are flashing on the front...they are. Good so far. But wait...hold on...should that blue cable be plugged into the LAN1 connection? So I asked him and he says nope...should be plugged into the Internet connection!

Now I'm getting a little upset. I have gone for almost 24 hours without my lifeline because my son Wyatt played with my wireless router box again! It is in his room (mistake 1) behind his firetruck bed. He has done this before, but never plugged and unplugged cables.

So I have a nice laugh with the tech on the phone and get it all straightened out. I feel like I can breathe again. I get it all connected back right, restart my computer, and log on. I am free! I go to check my email...only 1 from a friend, and 8 junk. I go to check my book swapping site...only 1 personal message. I check my myspace account...nothing. I check my ebay account...nothing.

So I start questioning myself. Why was I sooo worried about not being logged in? Why the nagging feeling that I was missing something? I survived almost 24 hours without the internet. A few years ago, loosing my internet wouldn't have fazed me at all. Yesterday you would have thought my life was over. I think I put WAY too much stock into my internet life! Wow, I think I need to log on less! Oh, well...back to surfing...

HEY...even IA takes time! I can't just quit. Don't judge me! I see you here too! Uh...hu...see...you're here.

I mean...do I smell or something?

I am beginning to think something is wrong with me. Do I smell? Bother people? Get on their nerves?

We found out Thursday night that some more of our friends are moving back out of state. First, Drew and Amanda. Now, Rob and Valorie. Granted, they moved here last year and they are going back because Rob got a good job there. Still...what am I supposed to do now? I won't be able to walk across the street to visit if I get bored. I won't be able to let the kids run over and play for a bit when they are driving me nuts. Everyone is moving! Geez.

When we moved, I wasn't sure if I would have any neighbors I got along with and then I met Valorie. I thanked God that I had a friend so close. And they are so easy to get along with. It's been nice to be able to hang out with someone. Go into town and have lunch. Enjoy shopping. All the things I didn't do before.

I will probably never finish my scrapbooks once they move! Well, crap...I don't know what we will do. There aren't many people in our town (as you can see by the population sign Valorie took a picture of). Who will be my friend now ?!?!? Everyone else I know either works or lives too far away. *sigh*