Hi. My name is Ben, and I'm an internet addict.
Life without my own computer SUCKS!!!!!! It royally blows!!! And not even a good blow!!! Kind of like the blow you would get using a freaking hoover vacuum cleaner!!!!! AAAGGHH!!!!
Okay, it's offcial, the BIOS on my Toshiba is abso-fucking-lutely fried. Nothing boots at all - hardware or software. My computer is warrantied through the end of the month, but can you reach Toshibe via the internet (on someone elses computer), NO!! You have to use an 800 number. Well enough, WHEN YOU HAVE A FUCKING PHONE!!!!!!!!
So, trying the MWR facility phone, in which I am allowed a free 15 minute call home per week. It's set up through a military operator, but canthey conect you to an 800 number? No, just a goddamn AT&T operator who can then connect you to home!! (And will cut off your call after 15 minutes with no warning. Learned that one in Iraq.) Okay, so then you try the AT&T worldwide number that lets you use your calling card, but guess what? You can't call an 800 number on a gaddamn calling card!!!!! And Toshiba has no contact number that isn't preceded by a fucking 800!!!!! Well FUCK-A-DOODLE-DOO!!!!!!!!!
I hate having to beg, and borrow time on friends computers just to complete my classes. I always feel guilty about it so I just check my e-mail and do my classes. Why? In case they might their machines to contact THEIR families. They are giving up their connections to home for me, so I minimize it. (That's why I walked the 1/2 mile in the snow and 15 degree fog to the MWR building to use a freaking ancient Dell to log in and do this as well as check on a few other things.)
And the addict part, is so fucking true. I hate myself for it as much as I realize it's just a product of our times. I was so used to simply hopping on my computer and researching SCA stuff, authors, or just catching up on the news that I'm lost without it. It actually takes an effort to figure out just how I'm going to spend any spare time I may have. Not to mention the connection home. It feels like it was just cut of, like I just fell off the faceof the earth. Having to rely on snail-mail is a pain, too. It takes a minimum of 10 days for letters to go back and forth. After the instant gratification of e-mail, it's painful!!! Ugh!!!!
Anyway, that's my rant and my half hour on the MWR machine is up. SHIT!!!