Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Bated Breath

I got to expend some of the taper nerves this morning on a swift 27 mile ride with my cycling group. That’s me in the pink on the left. These girls are so strong. They pull me up hills, teach me how to be part of a pace line and never fail to give an encouraging word. Most of them race bikes, so I have a thing or two to learn from them.

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Thanks, Jen, for the picture!

I know you have been waiting with bated breath to hear more about my computer situation since the Lightening Strike of 2011. Where the hell did that phrase, “bated breath” come from anyway?  XLMIC would know off the top of her head, but I don’t, so I’m off to look it up.

Okay, that was boring. Too boring to even repeat, except to say that “bated”  just  means “restraint” and I can’t find where the expression came from. I think it had something to do with Shakespeare and I am just white trash enough that if you mention Shakespeare I immediately become a narcoleptic. Not to be confused with a necrolpetic, which is just WRONG!

I will say that my curiosity took me to the Straight Dope site and I learned some other very cool things. Like the answer to, “Why do hotdogs come in packs of ten, but hotdog buns come in packs of eight?” I’ve always pondered this. The reason? bakers just don't like tens. They prefer dozens, or more generally, multiples of three and four, notably four, six, eight, and twelve. These quantities lend themselves to compact packaging. Meat packers like to package hot dogs in ten packs because ten usually equals one pound and it is neat and tidy that way.

Don’t ever say you don’t learn things here. We are all about education and intellectual stimulation through the discussion of crapping, “that’s what she said” usage and the occasional story about balls.

Back to the computer. I am not at Starbucks, which is a good sign. We got a new cable modem and now have our Wi-Fi back. I am using Sam’s laptop and my iPad to get by because my computer is still inoperable. Today the new power supply arrives and I should be back in business. This is when I will find out if my hard drive got fried or not. Bated breath. If it got fried, we will hope the external hard drive saved all my stuff. Bated breath.

Here is my makeshift office. It has a window and lots of light and overlooks the golf course, so not half bad:

P1100623

I am Beth and I am a computer addict. There, I said it. Dr. Drew eat your heart out. I hate to admit how lost I am without my computer. In all seriousness, this has shown me that I have a problem. I am now working Step 1 of 12 Steps.  Maybe I am just a bit powerless over my addiction. I keep reminding myself it could be meth, so I am keeping it in perspective.

I had my second part of “You Asked, I Answer” ready to go when the computer burned down. So, I’ll have that up soon if it wasn’t lost. You guys had so many insightful questions that really made me think.

Are you a computer addict? I work from home. Between that and the blog and other writing I do, I spend tons of time on here. I don’t think that’s a bad thing in and of itself. I do think it’s negative, however, if you find yourself unable to breakaway or if you keep checking back every minute or so. Or, if you are constantly taken and away and distracted and not giving attention to important things like children. This is the reason I’ve never gotten a smart phone. I don’t want to be plugged in all the time, or tempted.

SUAR

34 comments:

  1. I check my emails in my sleep.

    yep,I have a problem.

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  2. Admitted junkie right here. The difference between you and I is that I'm not even going to try a 12 step program.

    I'm a rebel like that.

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  3. LOL @ Tricia, yep, I do that too. Im considering moving my phone to another room while I sleep, just so then maybe I'll sleep.

    I too am an addict. I'm an office manager for a construction company so I'm on it all day at work, and then blogging at night, and everything else...I do like to unplug from time to time though.

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  4. I'm not an addict. I work with them all day so I'm happy to leave them to the husband and kids when I get home. I wouldn't want to be without it though.

    I know, pretty boring... But there it is.

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  5. Total computer addict here too.

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  6. Pretty much totally addicted... I need to set some limits with myself. I actually thought that new car that came out with the hands-free status updater was a good idea! *Crash, scream, die.*

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  7. Not only do I have two computers and a laptop at work (I administer our website and serve as social media guru), I also have a separate work crackberry. And if I check that sucker in the morning and I didn't get at least three or four emails during the night, I start to get nervous that it's not working.

    I MIGHT have a problem.

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  8. Yesterday I tried those Honey Stinger waffles that you had mentioned previously and they were delicious but made me SO thirsty I had to double my water intake.

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  9. I'm way more attached than I like to admit! I did break away from blogging and computer work over the weekends (mostly). If I post it's a scheduled post that I pre-wrote throughout the week. If I read over the weekend I rarely comment. I had to set limits of when I'd be behind that screen in the evenings especially since not only is it more time away from the kids, it also is showing them what I value...and believe it is NOT the computer. So evenings are computer free and kid focused.
    It's a challenge but I try to keep it almost balanced. ;-)

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  10. Runner mommy... Weird! I've never had that happen before. Maybe tooo sweet?

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  11. Complete addict, until I'm forced out into the woods. I'm a grad student and I use my own laptop for 90% of my work, so I feel like I always need to have it with me. Our department goes on regular fieldwork or camping trips (we're environmental science/geology/ecology people), and it's hilarious that so many of our conversations start with "wouldn't this make a great picture for this website or this textbook or paper. I wish my phone got signal so I could text myself to remember this ..."

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  12. This topic has been hitting home lately! I am on the computer 8 hours a day for my full-time job. Then my part-time job is all computer work and then my blog is obviously computer work! BLARGH.

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  13. DEFINITELY a computer addict. Glad you are up and running for now and FX that all is well with the hard drive!!!

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  14. Two things - Group rides are one of my favorite activities of all time. I'm the "triathlete" of the group and as such an inferior cyclist in their eyes. I can pull whenever I want but should I drift to the back of the pack and stay there, they almost take pity on me, despite the fact I'll constantly make references "to the run I'll be doing once we get back to town".

    Second - back up to the cloud....

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  15. Sheesh…you're acting like I am some sort of freakin Cliff Claven (you're old enough to get that reference, I think)!

    I actually do use the original form, abated, rather often. ;-)

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  16. And I always thought it was "baited" breath - like a fishing reference? God, I'm such a hick...

    I am trying to kick the computer habit this week by instituting time limits (I've heard there's a website to help you do it but I think that's sort of defeating the purpose, no?).

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  17. And we need to let Ryan know the rule about prepositions and the use of 'I' vs. 'Me'. 'I' is the subject of the verb and so must be used in conjunction with a verb. 'Me' is used when indicating yourself as a prepositional object. 'Between you and me' is the grammatically correct expression. While I have a reputation for reigning supreme in the picky-about-words department, I regularly rein in my commentary ;-) but not today.

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  18. I have a major problem! My husband hides my iPhone all the time to make me "unplug!"

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  19. Oh my god, Beth. You kill me. Can't get enough.

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  20. XLMIC needs to be banned, at least until after Labor Day. No one cares about grammar on August 2nd of any given year.

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  21. Definitely an addict to the computer!! I kind of freak out when I don't have my laptop, my ipad can't find wireless, or my phone is out of battery...just kind of :)

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  22. Mac. iPad 2. iPhone 4. Wi-Fi network, back up drive. And yeah, I check stuff often, how else would you ever get to be the first comment on a new SUAR post?

    But I can unplugged and go away to do stuff, confident that it will be there when I get back. Plus, I figure if the world ends while I'm unplugged, I'll hear about it. Anything less can wait.

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  23. Cliff Caven... love the reference!!

    Addicted?? No! I think there are a few of us odd types around. While I do enjoy reading a few blogs (sorry Beth I do stray on occasion) and use a few websites to look things up, in general I don't use a computer much for personal stuff.

    Seems odd since I am a computer programmer but I work on old mainframe/MVS systems (programming in Assembler for anyone old enough to know that one) and I guess I still live in the dark ages. :)

    And good job Beth on the ride today. Would love to have the chance to ride with real riders one day, but I guess my grocery store saddlepacks my slow me down. :)

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  24. Hey! I was waiting with bated breath for my Stinger Waffles and my double shipment just arrived!!! Shared one with a fellow nut case (i.e avid runner) and I can't wait to take 'em along for my next long run.

    Thanks for the tip!!!

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  25. My addiction is the reason that I don't have a smart phone. When not at home, I am forced to unplug.

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  26. I'm a computer geek, so yeah I'm addicted. Duh.

    But here's the real question for you: Are you a master at bating your breath??

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  27. Mark...yes I call myself the master-bater.

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  29. When I first started my blog, I couldn't get off the computer. It caused fights between angela and me because I wasn't giving her enough attention... ahh, women.

    Now, I make sure to rarely check blog stuff when we are together and to not be so addicted to things like facebook and email, but man, it's hard!

    P.S. You look great in that picture at the bottom! I mean, you always look great but like super gorgeous! :) FYI.

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  30. I can understand why butchers would count in multiples of 3 or 4. That would have to do with playing with knives and self-amputation. Not sure about a baker though.

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  31. My question... Since you're looking for a career focus, have you ever thought of quitting your social work related job and going into coaching runners or triathletes instead (or something else running-related)?

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  32. Hi my name is Chris.. and I am a computeraholic. My wife even said I had an addiction to facebook... She might be right.

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  33. Is there some sort of rehab for people like us?

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