What does the Internet mean to you?

Just curious what the membership thinks about their time on the Internet. What do you use it for mainly? Because it is on at work and convenient, or are you a homebody and just like it on all the time? Do you consider it a pipeline to friends, is it your life, or are you just simply addicted?


I use it for research, plus it is my job at the moment to be on it as much as I am. I have met some great people online and hope to perhaps meet them in the future in real time.

I think I'm addicted. I check out The Cat Site, Several Kiss sites, Several My Little Pony sites, and ebay to see if there are any ponies I might want to purchase.

I love the internet! Since I'm the odd woman that hates to shop in stores, I do a lot of my shopping online. Also do a lot of research online on just about any topic of interest. There is so much information available to you at your fingertips these days, that I no longer keep my home reference books current (medical, scientific, atlases, etc). Of course you also need to be very wary of what you find out there.

I belong to Petfinder and I think it is a GODSEND for homeless animals. No longer are people confined to find an adoptable animal at their community shelter...they can now reach out and adopt from across the country. The same holds true for rescue...rescues can now pull from states that clearly are in need of assistance. Also...I have seen an increase in individuals reaching out for assistance with pet related problems instead of possibly giving up their pet....soo much good stuff going on.

Katie

I am definately a homebody, and I have a laptop that I use all the time. I check out TCS all the time, a horse game called virtual horse ranch, and I do research whenever something comes to mind. Lately I have been looking at homes in Colorado, and other stuff like that.

I guess I am a addict to TCS . But I also do searching in differend areas . Also I stay in contact with a lot of friends and family through email and I got the pc on all the time . My husband it using it mostly in the morning , typing reports ect ect for work . I guess our computer is hot every day lol .

Education, Friends and a little bit of livlihood.

Because of the internet I have seen the problems that face our companion animals and have become an advocate for them, with Laurie and Christy and Barbara on www.SaveSamoa.org and www.StrayPetAdvocacy.org .

Because of that, I've found that I have a knack for designing web pages and have a few clients through that, which supplements my income nicely.

And I've made some incredible friends because of the internet. The only one I've been priviledged enough to meet in person so far is Christy.

I am 100% adicted to the internet - no doubt. It got me through college without ever setting foot into the library, and I use it for everything you could imagine in my life. From finding a recipe for tonights dinner to looking up the phone number of the woman who cuts my hair to asking you fine folks about my kitty cats - I could not live without the internet. Right now I am a temp in a very boring office with nothing to do, so it entertains me alllll day long. In my previous job I did all kinds of research on it because my job entailed lots of purchasing and merchandising. The internet made it SO easy and it made me a wiz at finding the best deals and most unique products. They thought I was a genius (who clearly can't spell LOL!) but in reality I was just really good at finding what I was looking for on the internet. It's a marketable skill that no everyone has, you know!

I also rely on the net for communication with everyone..... if my friends don't check their email, we don't talk! haha I love AIM and that's about the only way I talk to my Mother these days, and we talk every day. I have "trillian" which allows me to use yahoo messanger, MSN messanger, AIM, ICQ, and IRC all in one program so I can talk to anyone and everyone without running a million programs on my PC. (www.trillian.cc) We also use AIM in my office instead of the intercom - it's easier and a great way to pass on phone messages or ask a quick question.

I am COMPLETELY dependent on my computer and could not live without it or the internet. Absolutely.

something to do other then watch tv. now I use it to find things on Ebay, like Cake toppers, Cake cutters and knives, things of that sort for my wedding, but usually it's something to play on nothing more really. (mostly cause I'm computer stupid!)

I have had the internet from a very young age so it's like I grew up with it. My dad was a "computer guy" before they were called IT professionals and we had the slowest modem in the world in 86.. I couldn't imagine being without an internet connection. I never had cable tv or anything until I was in my 20s so instead of watching beavis and butthead or lifetime movies I would play on the net. Right now it's mainly a "when I can" thing but when I had a lot of time on my hands I really enjoyed being on and often. My friends think I'm a computer geek and they're right

I'm a homebody and completely addicted to the internet. I don't have much interest in television so this is a godsend to me. I get bored very easily and I find I'm never too bored while on the net. It's the perfect pastime for me. I love to connect with other cat lovers like myself and really enjoy making websites, now that I finally made my first one for Sash. I also find it a very wonderful place to get support for issues that I might be dealing with in my personal life. I could never be without it.

Lisa & Sash
http://pages.ivillage.com/lisalee992 (Sash's website)

addicted to it

I don't know what I would do without it! I could probably get by a few days, but it would make life a LOT less enjoyable! I go to several forums, which I love, and I do a LOT of shopping online b/c I life in a small town and would have to drive about 2 hours to get to good stores. I talk to friends a lot too, either e-friends or 3D friends who have hectic schedules and I don't get to see a lot.

The internet is the best thing ever. I've been actively using it since about '95 when I still lived at home, and my parents would lock the computer as punishment instead of grounding me. It was a nightmare I tell you!

Definately addicted. There's so much information out there, it's ridiculous.

At work, it provides a nice distraction; at home, I download tons of music. I learned HTML, Flash, Photoshop, 3D Studio Max, Guitar, music theory, all online. Of course I learned a ton about cats on this site

I want to learn the differences and similarities of the way people around the globe think and live,and the internet is the best way to do it without spending too much on airfare and hotels. I love research and thank God for the internet's quick access to all types of information.
I don't think I am addicted YET!

Well, I don't think I'd go so far as "addicted", but I'd sure miss it if it weren't available to me!

I haven't ever needed to do really heavy research, but it's grand to be able to chase something down without having to go to the library. I don't do a LOT of shopping on line, but there are certainly times when that's a godsend, not to mention the ability to do the comparison shopping that way and then go finalize the purchase in the flesh.

Then there are the forums, and newsletter subscriptions, cat related, food related, and assorted others -- which also, bringing together, as they do, people of common interests, sometimes result in new friendships.

And who could forget email. I'm a totally abysmal correspondent, but it's not about the writing, it's the ****** envelope, stamp and mailbox! The fact that I can write it while I'm thinking it and send it now -- knowing that the recipient will get it as soon as he is in the right space to pay attention to it, but not before -- means that people I hadn't written to in literally years, nor phoned, I now have a healthy correspondence with.

Some of the above also applies to my work.

Oh, I'd miss it, all right!

It should be work which is priority but the first thing i log on to is TCS!.
Work, Internet Banking, Mobile Phone Account, The UK Cat Website i go on to, e-mailing my friend who lives in France, The Cat Protection Charity.

Do i do 'any' work?!.

When the internet first came to Australia, my housemate's brother was the first to get it in his family. He would speak excitedly about it, telling us that you could look up anything, find schoolfriends, even chat live with other people from all over the world in the chat rooms. He kept going on about "the spokes in the wheels". What he meant by this was going to a web site, seeing a link or an ad for something that interested him, clicking on that, seeing a link to something else in the second web site, clicking on that and basically getting further and further away from the original reason for looking at the first web site by following links.

We all used to listen to him and and kind-of say to each other, "Mark is so into that internet thing but it sounds weird or too hard or even stupid."

Needless to say, it wasn't too long before I had the internet and could see exactly why Mark enjoyed it so much.

To give you a bit of background first, I'm a bit of a hermit. I very rarely answer the door, dislike answering the phone and only leave the house once a week or so and that's only when I have to, to do shopping or pick up kitten supplies. I am socially akward, I'm the person you see at parties in the corner, on thier own, either pretending their not there and wishing they could go home or else quietly 'people-watching'. I had a very, very rough childhood, which has left me with both physical and emotional scars. Because of this, I suffer depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic insomnia just to name a few. I have an IQ of 130 but cannot hold down a job or attend University. So you can see where my hermit-like behaviour comes from.

I do use the internet for all the usual stuff - looking up prices, researching medical conditions, reading up about my cats and kittens etc. The most important aspect of the internet for me is contact with real people in a situation that isn't threatening to me. I can type away and not have to worry that others think I am ugly or stupid or weird - things I continually obsess about in the 'real world'. I have very few friends and very little family but I have people like you guys on the internet. I feel more secure e-mailing my Grandmother, for example, than going to see her and even though I know she would prefer to see me, an e-mail now and then is better than no contact at all, for her. I do see her on rare occassions though.

I can use e-mail to ask internet or RL (real life) friends how they're doing without fear of rejection or judgement. For me, the internet is just about my only regular contact with others. I see my housemate every day but, apart from her, I can go days without seeing anyone, but still have contact with people over the internet. Don't get me wrong, I realise people can lie about who they are or perhaps act nastily on the internet just as in RL but there are a lot of good people out there too. You can see why the internet is my lifeline.

Awwwww Just want to send you (((((((huge hugs))))))) after reading that!.

I mainly use the internet for research. It's amazing how much information you can find out about products...anything from pet foods, electronics, music, news, reviews, etc. I love to browse the internet for product information so I know exactly what I buying when I go to the store. So many workers at stores have NO CLUE about the products they are selling.

A few weeks ago, a repairman went to my grandmother's home to fix her refrigerator. He told her that the part she needed was no longer availabe. HOWEVER, I got online and found the part!!! ....hhhmmmm...not availabe to whom?....is the question.