So. I like technology. I enjoy the internet and all it has to offer. I shop online, I planned my wedding online, I have a MySpace and Facebook page, and I live on message boards. Two, actually.
I've been on WB for almost two years now. It's become a sizable part of my life. I've met some great people there - both just virtually due to geography and in person where our locations permit. I talk to these people on a daily basis. I see some of them on a weekly basis. I commiserate with them, get cheered up by them, and get great ideas from them. It's incredible to me just how important me being a part of the WB community has become in these two years.
As such, I spend a considerable amount of time on my cute little iBook. I sit on the couch, turn on the tv, and multitask. I'm a champion of the multitask.
Over time, Hubs has become increasingly disenchanted with my online presence. He was concerned that I was spending more time chatting with other people than actually interacting with him during our time together. I explained to him why my virtual world was important to me - that especially where the infertility issues were concerned, it's a bona fide lifeline. Keeps me sane.
And sane is good.
He understood a bit better...but it didn't really change his great dislike of all things WB related. I told him that I would pull back a bit while at home and would make a more concerted effort to spend quality 'us' time together. Compromise is key, yes?
So. I pulled back a bit. Things were better. And two days later, he was sucked into the void that is World of Warcraft (WoW).
Sigh.
I've lost my husband to his PC.
At least when I was surfing the net, I could do it from the same room as Hubs. We were watching tv, sitting on the same couch, able to have conversations and interact with one another.
His new addiction has him in a completely separate room for hours on end, usually at the other side of his sassy new headset so he can chat with his WoW buddies and play alongside them. It's now 9:40 and he's been on that computer since just after 7pm. I just had to remind him to call DeeDee.
Well, if nothing else I can type this blog entry in peace.
We'll see how long this level of commitment to the game continues. I'm hoping it's one of those things where the novelty will wear off a little bit. That the shine will eventually come off the rose. And that my husband will rejoin me on the couch to watch tv while I hold up my end of the bargain and compress my online time.
Guess you'll be able to tell how that all works out by the length and frequency of my blog posts and WB entries. Wanna take bets?
And that's your daily dash. How's your diva doin'?
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9 years ago
7 comments on "A taste of my own medicine..."
Eeesh. I hate WoW. I've never played the damn thing, but I hate it. I've seen it ruin marriages. I've seen it get people fired. I've seen it destroy friendships. Why? Because for some unknown reason it's freakin' addictive.
At least your online time had a purpose... it garnered something for you other than points (or whatever they play for). It was personal interactions (just minus the phsyical presence part).
Maybe you need to ration each other... say you're allowed 90 minutes of blogging and WB per evening and he's allowed THE SAME 90 minutes of WoW (or however long).
I must say... I a little surprised he'd get so sucked into it that he'd forget (or nearly forget) to call DeeDee. That's disturbing.
Compromise, baby... compromise is key. And on person can't compromise... we call that 'surrender'.
I hear ya girlfriend. My hubby wondered why I was always on Wedding Bells. But it was so helpful in planning a Wedding. I must admit after the Wedding I'm rarely on it. But I'm sure if we were trying to conceive I would be on it more often.
Yet he could spend an entire evening playing on google earth and not bat an eye at me...
But with most men the novelty wears off.
To Celtic Kitten: Marriages that are already spiraling in a downward vortex, get "ruined by WoW". People who already can't stand their jobs and want to quit get "fired because of WoW"
Time spent in WoW can have EXACTLY the same purpose as your time in WB and in forum chats. Some of my closest friends whom I can share anything with are people I have met in WoW. I will never personally meet most of them, due to geography... and thats ok. It doesn't stop us from enjoying the close bonds of friendship and interaction. It just happens to take place in the context of a game, an adventure.
You may not understand it, but that does not mean you have to fear it.
It's quite harmless, and a much better choice of entertainment than staring at the TV for the evening. After all, nothing stopping you from moving the computer to be near the TV room, right?
Both my DH and used to frequently play Wow, we had a blast. It is easy to get caught up when playing, but to be honest any video game can be like that. I say enjoy the extra WB time for a while ;)
Sorry Diva... I just can't not reply to this anonymous poster....
to "anonymous":
Don't ascribe emotions to me that don't apply... I never said I 'fear' WoW... I hate it. Different thing entirely.
As for your claim that only already doomed marriages would be ruined by it, and only already discontent workers would be fired for it. Untrue. It comes down to addictive personalities. An addiction is an addiction... and any addiction can destroy relationships that were otherwise sound, or result in loss of employment. And there aren't necessarily 'warning signs' of an addiction before it becomes a problem.
But... you're entitled to your opinion based on your experiences, and I'm entitled to my opinion based on mine.
Again... sorry Diva.
You are completely correct that addictive personalities can cause problems in a relationship. However, there is zero difference between WoW, football, gambling, drinking, smoking/substance abuse, strip bars etc. So trying to make WoW out to be the villain is ridiculous. If an addictive personality gets hooked on WoW, still better that the other vices that they could have.
heh. Wow! Hubs told be to read the post this week, now I know why!
Yes, I'm one of the dastardly people who have enticed Hubs into WoW. Its been a lot of fun, and apparently stirred a bit of controversy. Sorry bout that, Diva!
I've been playing WoW for 3+ years regularly. Generally, never less than 5 hours a week. At times its been over 20 hours a week. So, yes it can be addicting, I can certainly admit.
I have also been happily married for 16 years, and I can tell you that WoW does not strain anything between us. Typically, my wife is 10 feet away while I'm playing, and is quite content to watch her shows on TV, read or whatever.
Celtic Kitten: I'm not sure why you hate it, but obviously you have your reasons. Not sure I should agree with Anon, but it may not be WoW that you should hate. For myself, I agree with your first post that there ought to be balance. It was amusing to read Diva admitting that this is a taste of her own medicine. Meaning that maybe she's just reacting to something/anything that has Hubs attention that isn't her... just like Hubs has complained about same with WB.
Diva: I can say that I get the same enjoyment and benefit of relationships with people in WoW that you have in WB. In that respect, its not "just a game" anymore than WB is "just a wedding planning how-to website". I know exactly what you mean about close friends - never "met". Hubs is a good friend, and it's certainly easier to spend an hour in WoW than it is to just hike out there and see him.
Thats my 2 cents, for what its worth. (Are men even *allowed* to post on the Diva blog??) LOL
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