Blogaholics Anonymous blog: Behind the Scenes of Recovery

The New Member, Finally

2006-06-08T10:19:00.000-04:00

Howdy everyone. Yes, I am the new member/contributor. It's taken a little while to get over here and introduce myself so I need to make amends (step 9) already before I even get started over here. You know how addicts can be, or do you? Perhaps this is your first visit here? I hope you keep coming back, learn a little something, and then go out and help carry the message to other blogging addicts.

OK, I'm a nearly 40-year old female blogger and I am totally addicted to blogging. It's been unfortunate of late because I have not had cable/internet access for the last few months. I suppose one could really call it a blessing in disguise. The withdrawals were not as bad as I thought they might be. And next week I will have cable/internet access back after pawning the family china.

I love blogging so much that I have started several and then abandoned them only to start yet a new blog somewhere else. But this time I have stuck with Alabama Improper for at least six months now, but ah yes, I have started yet another blog - Sober Knitting. Not to worry, I maintain them both. It's progress not perfection. In the past I would have abandoned the other one completely but I have learned to multi-task so to speak. I can run two blogs at once now. Wait, I don't know if that's progress or a relapse? Heh, whatever.

Blog on and keep coming back.

Technorati Tags: New Member Blog Addict

New Member

2006-03-16T23:12:00.000-05:00

This will become a team blog when the new member who just joined as a team member blogs their introductory post.

Sure, most people thought this blog and maybe even its blogger was dead and buried, however I was simply preoccupied with a whole lot of other things elsewhere. Heck, even a blogaholic has a life or, rather, certainly deserves to attempt to get a life anyway: i.e., other than just what they have existing within the blogosphere.

Maybe with a different or fresher blogaholic joining this blog may help breath new life into it and get it going once again.

After they begin posting on the blog, pull up a seat and welcome them on board.

Vermont Blogger Conference '04

2004-10-16T14:54:00.000-04:00

Cathy Resmer is:

... organizing a Vermont Bloggercon for Saturday, October 23rd, at Vermont Technical College in Randolph. Actually, I'm making all the arrangements and hoping it will sort of organize itself. If you're a blogger who lives in Vermont or any of the surrounding areas, you're invited! ...

[...]

We will meet at the college, in Conant 102. It's a lecture room, and it has wi-fi. The time and agenda are still up for discussion, so please comment to this post with your suggestions.

Time: We have the room from 9-2, but I'm thinking of starting at 10 or 11 to give stragglers from various parts of our rural state enough time to get out there.

[...]

Read Cathy's entire blog post, here.

For those not so familiar with where or how to get to Vermont Technical College (VTC), they do have a page with directions to the Randolph campus.

In addition, for the more visually-oriented like myself, they do have a good Randolph VTC campus map, as well as a state map, birds eye view and a to and from I-89 map available online, which may prove helpful to some.

This is one Vermont-based blogger who is planning on attending as early as is possible to get myself there, since I should have wheels to use on that particular day.

After having recently checked the Central Vermont Blog Addiction Rehab Treatment Center Website to see what if anything new was posted there, I came across this particular item (see below) of possible interest to anyone interested in the Vermont Bloggercon or otherwise simply blogs and blogging in general:

Open Letter to the Organizers & Attendees of the 2004 Vermont Bloggercon by Our Founder, Ira Asa McIntosh

Meet Joe Blog

2004-06-15T11:59:00.000-04:00

Must-read article from Time Magazine on blogs and blogging, here.

Why are more and more people getting their news from amateur websites called blogs? Because they're fast, funny and totally biased

[...]

via Ryan: as I live the questions blog, here.

fyi: Gmail Swap Community Service Challenge

2004-06-14T20:14:00.000-04:00

Helping People Who Are Living Homeless ...

One Gmail Invitation at a Time

Community Service Challenge Gmail Swap Anyone?

***Updated***

This is an account of a recent Gmail Swap Community Service Challenge initiative.

[...]

The fact is that most of us have at least something to give or offer to others, especially to those who among the most in need living either within or nearby our own communities.

That is if we take a little time to really think about it and are able to recognize the worth of doing something that may be of benefit and value to someone else who is in need and, then, be willing enough to actually follow through by acting upon it in a meaningful manner.

[...]

Read this entire blog post of mine here, which I blogged on my personal blog late this afternoon: i.e., Norsehorse's Home Turf.

In addition, read another blog post of mine about (complete with photo's of course):

Another Community Service Gmail Swap: This one for a "good deed".

***Update***

All future updates and information concerning the initative will be posted on the Community Service Challenge Gmail Swap Initiative blog, which has been set up solely for these purposes.

That is the blog to visit if you want to read about any news regarding the status of my available Gmail invitations or additional posts about the other swaps, how they worked out and what may have been brought about as a result of them.

*Note*: Deleted the previous updates concerning what had been earlier invitation status and, then, posted a new update giving notice as well as a link to a new blog dedicated to providing news and information regarding this particular initative: last updated on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 at 3:50 PM [EDT].

The Blog Police

2004-06-14T11:09:00.000-04:00

Ugh! Help, it's the Blog Police!
(via #1 Free Clip Art, here)

*Updated*

Hot on my blogging trail are those who think I am just far too obsessed with blogging and blogs and whom have also been suggesting interventions for my own good or, so they say.

This week I am being made to attend a special day-long seminar presentation on blog addiction, so I will not have as much time to blog as I would like.

On top of this I have also been assigned a blogging case manager, who intends to supervise my blogging and blog *habits*, so they can try to help come up with the proper diagnosis, treatment plan, etc.

This person and others have decided that I should go back into the blog rehab center (here) as soon as is possible. However this time they want me in for a prolonged stay, with fewer liberties than I had before, if you can believe that.

Luckily for me there are no beds available there at this time.

The soonest opening will be on July 2nd, though they will *only* be able to let me stay for no longer than ten days straight.

It looks like I won't be able to get out of this one either and may end up having to go off to rehab the full ten days and, maybe, even longer next month.

*Only?* Ten entire days (and, of course, nights too) of blog rehab, with little or even no blogging allowed? Can you imagine?! Ugh! What do they expect of me anyway?

The fact is that recovery takes time and it should not be this one size fits all nonsense being shoved on me either.

It should be up to each individual how they best see fit to do. It is enough to cause me to relapse again, which is really ironic because this is what they say is exactly what they want to help prevent. Huh?

To my way of thinking, the blogaholic that I am of course, it seems they are the one's who are being too obsessed about this, as I am only doing something I enjoy and, which puts some of my skills to good use.

Don't try telling that to some people though, as they do not think much about blogging and have no good use for them anyway (funny though, as some of them seem to read them none-the-less). Go figure!

Then there are those who, in actuality, know nothing whatsoever about blogs and blogging, yet think they do. To them it is suggested that they not knock something they know absolutely nothing about.

Looks like just a bunch of well-meaning do good'ers with yet another solution looking for a problem to solve or, simply people with nothing better to do with their time or, otherwise, they have nothing better to complain or obsess about, if you ask me.

Ahhh, the blog police. Don't cha' just love them. Hmmm.

Oh, and they don't like it one bit when I say, who do you think you are anyway, the blog police?

;->

*Note*: Made several, mostly minor edits and additions for the purposes of clarification and readability as well as to add a few afterthoughts; in addition, have added a cartoon graphic as well: last updated on Monday, June 14, 2004 at 1:15 PM [EDT].

AC: Call Center Purgatory blog

2004-06-13T14:09:00.000-04:00

An Anonymous Cog
(via #1 Free Clip Art, here)

*Updated*

Call Center Purgatory is the blog of someone known within the blogosphere only as Anonymous Cog -- whom, as their name already states, chooses to blog anonymously.

Their blog description reads in part:

Exploring the mind numbing insanity and childish corporate culture of an unknown call center employee.

In AC's very first post to their blog (Friday, February 13, 2004), they wrote (here):

Why it's like purgatory. My boss only screamed a little today. That was good. I didn't piss off any customers, another plus point. But my barely-there coworker came closer and closer to losing their job-at least we all keep thinking thats how its going. This person has a history of incredible clerical errors(ones that involve money and billing problems) and slow downs that would make even a license branch employee impatient (no offense-but you guys wouldn't move fast for any reason...). My co-worker has a myriad of physical and other problems that interfere with their work. They took my fellow employee in the glass walled office and had a long talk again-but the person still has their job. That was some real drama for us-because office confrontations rarely happen around here-it's almost always indirect discipline.

That's what makes this place so much like purgatory, no one ever fired, no one held accountable for their actions. We are all just waiting for something, anything, to change. We see people do really stupid things, but they never get wrote up, the results of any of your actions is a tersely worded memo to everybody, instead of, God forbid, dealing with people directly, like we actually saw today.

You see them keep track of numbers, and from time to time mention the call volume, but they never talk to you about your numbers or give any targets. Because of a corporate problems raises are frozen. But for some reason that has caused performance reviews to be frozen also. It would really be great to get feedback good or bad in a really quantified manner, not just a vague memo that you wonder if may be pointed in your directions, or the boss yelling that you are on the phone too long, but the rant ending there.

I sometimes wonder what I would have to do to get a trip to the glass torture chamber....

Over two months ago (Thursday, April 08, 2004), AC wrote and blogged this telling poem (here):

A sea of yellow.....

A sea of yellow floods my desk,
my keyboard drifting like a grey raft
in the sea of yellow,
beached on the sandbar of my wrist pad.

The tide of yellow undulates throughout the day,
reaching full tide after string cheese, yogurt, and a diet coke,
and finally abating when my day is done,

Looking closer there are black squiggles in the waves.
black squiggles swimming from left to right, east to west,
circles and squares and angles swim through the sea,
like jellyfish, prawns, sting-rays and octupi.

Even deeper I dive, kicking my fins into what becomes,
symbols, letters, and numbers.
Scribbled quickly with my hypodermic needle sharp,
extra fine,Pilot precise, black roller pen.

Faxes, complaints, account numbers,
toll free phone numbers, cell phones and email.
Names of people I will never meet,
addresses of places I will never visit,
swim through my mind, out my fingers,
onto yellow squares like a school of black tuna,
in a canary yellow sticky sea.....

I'm drowning in post-it notes,
damn you 3M.....

Later that same month (Friday, April 23, 2004), in one brief blog post, AC shared the following (here):

Volunteering...

I recently started a new volunteer position after work once a week. It's great. I'm doing something that I like and helping people. That's the dream. Getting paid for what you love to do and leaving the world a better place.

(Great, big, stinking, wadges of cash would be cool too...)

Among one of AC must-read posts is #@*&$%$*%$ you!! (here).

A more recent (Friday, June 11, 2004) blog post of theirs examined their obsession with blogging, among other things [here]:

Obsessed with blogging

[...]

I've been blogging since February and found that it quickly became a real obsession. Nothing new for me, I have a real obsessive personality, and rarely seem to be able to obsess about good things. But blogging is a different type of obsession.

It's not like video games, where you can finish, or you get an adrenaline rush. Nor is it like trying to find some killer app or new toy, it has more to do with one's identity.

Everyone wants to be distinctive in some way. They want to be known for something besides the boring things in their life. Even if they do a boring job, they will go on and on how they do it better than other people(deja vu..). Or they will have pursuits outside of work like sports or art that allow them distinction.

I remember reading an essay by Berger about art that stated that portraits in the past were "meant to show people in their established social roles, but had nothing to do with the lonely modern desire to be known for what we really are."(forgive me if I misquoted-that was from memory).

Blogs are a vehicle where we can express who we really are fully without the baggage of our established social roles. We can finally be known for who we really are. We can express the anger, angst, agony and adulation that goes on between our ears while the rest of the world only notices our haircuts.

Thats whats so captivating about blogs. For once in my life people don't see my dippy hair, or less than perfect body, they see into my soul and can see whats real. Nothing gets in the way, not social status, not money, not even educational background. As long as you have relavant content to share, you can be known as you believe yourself to be outside of the roles that society has placed you in.

In my humble opinion, even if it may seem to some people that AC has not been blogging for very long -- on this particular blog anyway, it is safe to say that this is a blogger who has recognized a major addiction of theirs and, is in recovery for it sooner rather than later, which they are also aware that they need a lot of support for from others in order to help them stay on track.

So please make sure to lend support to yet another recovering blogaholic, by visiting AC's blog today as well as also revisiting it regularly: i.e., Call Center Purgatory.

*Note*: Made a couple very minor edits of the first paragraph for the purposes of clarification and readability: last updated on Monday, June 14, 2004 at 1:08 PM [EDT].

Blogwidow & Blogaholic Husband Cartoon: "Step away from the laptop"; New Yorker Magazine

2004-06-13T12:10:00.000-04:00

Just could not resist posting up a copy of this cartoon from New Yorker Magazine, which illustrates how some poor frustrated blogwidow is finally driven to confront her blogaholic husband with an ultimatum he simply could not dare refuse.

Cartoon of a blogwidow & her blogaholic husband: New Yorker Magazine

via Weblogg-ed, here
(which was via McGee's Musings, here [...]).

Internet Addiction Survey

2004-06-10T14:07:00.000-04:00

*Updated*

Yet another resource offered elsewhere online, this one appears to be designed to help in testing whether an individual is inclined to become addicted to the Internet in general and, if so, how severely, is the Internet Addiction Survey:

This nine item survey is designed to test your tendency to become addicted to the 'Net.

In addition, another such resource -- this one available at a different Website focused on Net addiction in general as well -- offers this Internet Addiction Test.

How do you know if you're already addicted or rapidly tumbling toward trouble? Everyone's situation is different, and it's not simply a matter of time spent on-line. Some people indicate they are addicted with only twenty hours of Internet use, while others who spent forty hours on-line insist it is not a problem to them. It's more important to measure the damage your Internet use causes in your life. What conflicts have emerged in family, relationships, work, or school?

Unlike the Central Vermont Blog Addiction Rehab Treatment Center and even this particular blog however, these tests happen to be for real and, as such, are not intended to be spoofs.

Of course whether or not anyone takes any of the results it may offer seriously is completely up to each individual person themselves, as it is only offered here as an informational resource fyi, nothing more, nothing less.

*Update*

Then there is the must-read Internet Addiction guide (available at Dr. Grohol's Psych Central) [emphasis mine]:

John M. Grohol, Psy.D.
February, 1999; Last revision: March, 2003

A resource for objective, useful information
about Internet addiction, a theorized disorder.

What is Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD)?

What "Internet addiction disorder" (IAD) is still difficult to define at this time. Much of the original research was based upon the weakest type of research methodology, namely exploratory surveys with no clear hypothesis or rationale backing them. Coming from an atheoretical approach has some benefits, but also is not typically recognized as being a strong way to approach a new disorder. More recent research has expanded upon the original surveys and anecdotal case study reports. However, as I will illustrate below later, even these studies don't support the conclusions the authors claim.

The original research into this disorder began with exploratory surveys, which cannot establish causal relationships between specific behaviors and their cause. While surveys can help establish descriptions of how people feel about themselves and their behaviors, they cannot draw conclusions about whether a specific technology, such as the Internet, has actually caused those behaviors. Those conclusions that are drawn are purely speculative and subjective made by the researchers themselves. Researchers have a name for this logical fallacy, ignoring a common cause. It's one of the oldest fallacies in science, and one still regularly perpetrated in psychological research today.

Do some people have problems with spending too much time online? Sure they do. Some people also spend too much time reading, watching television, and working, and ignore family, friendships, and social activities. But do we have TV addiction disorder, book addiction, and work addiction being suggested as legitimate mental disorders in the same category as schizophrenia and depression? I think not. It's the tendency of some mental health professionals and researchers to want to label everything they see as potentially harmful with a new diagnostic category. Unfortunately, this causes more harm than it helps people. (The road to "discovering" IAD is filled with many logical fallacies, not the least of which is the confusion between cause and effect.)

[...]

Read Dr. Grohol's entire Internet Addiction guide, here.

Central Vermont Blog Addiction Rehab Treatment Center Website

2004-06-09T15:13:00.000-04:00

The Central Vermont Blog Addiction Rehab Treatment Center just got their Website up, here.

Their site description reads:

Our treatment center offers a safe harbor of hope to those suffering from blog addiction or blogaholism, no matter how severe or long lasting.

Out of Rehab

2004-06-08T15:47:00.000-04:00

*Updated*

After spending most of Saturday-(due to limited online access) as well as all day both Sunday and Monday away from the blogosphere, I am finally done with my short, initial, stay at the local blog addiction rehab treatment center (here).

*Last week I thought I overheard someone say it was going to be named the Howard Dean Blog Addiction Rehab Treatment Center in honor of the former Governor and former presidential candidate, as was rumored earlier. However I have just learned from someone that it now seems this was either incorrect and I heard wrong or someone was playing a joke on us newbies again. Ugh! Who knows? (don't answer this either)*

Yes, I ended up staying in rehab one additional day. In fact I was forced to stay put there the entire day and night, before they allowed me to leave late this morning. Go figure!

Let me tell you, going cold turkey for two and a half days straight without any blogging fix whatsoever, is certainly painful.

It may take me a little while just to recover (or at least transition) from having been at rehab as well as continuing through what is for me, the beginning stages, of my ongoing process that is the journey of recovery.

;->

(here)

*Note*: Made a few, mostly minor, edits of the last paragraph for the purposes of clarification and readability; edited the first paragraph and added a *new paragraph* following the first for clarification and to present updated information [ ;-> ]: last updated on Wednesday, June 9, 2004 at 3:48 PM [EDT].

fyi

2004-06-08T15:44:00.000-04:00

At least one person, someone whom I intend to profile their blog when I am next able to, was concerned that I would end up being cured of my blogaholism before blogging the post about their blog.

Not to worry though, not only is recovery from blog addiction a prolonged process, but a cure for us blogaholics is not yet even on the horizon, let alone anywhere insight.

When I have more energy than now is the case, as well as also having enough online access and time to do them too, I will try to get to work on blogging some additional blog and blogger profiles for posting.

Though I will most likely be spreading the blog/blogger profiles out a little more than has been the case up until now.

Day One, On and On Anon: One Day @ a Time

2004-06-04T18:17:00.000-04:00

(with apologies to BillW)

***Updated Yet Again***
(bottom of post: ***Update***)

Well today is day one or, was that yesterday? Hmmm, maybe that was last week, I can't remember.

Sidetracking

This seems much too like being stuck in that movie Groundhog Day over and over (here, here, here-[via here] and, here).

Yes, I saw the movie when it first came out, when it was shown in this area on what was a first date for me and a woman I had known at the time only as a casual acquaintance up until then. We had scheduled the date in advance, prior to my going on a short trip, plus they had to set up baby sitting on their end and all.

By the time the evening rolled along, we were being hit by a blizzard. We went anyway and, as it turned out, it was just perfect for putting into the best frame of mind to have in order to view this particular movie, especially for the first time while watching it with someone you're romantically interested in as well.

Back on Track

After struggling to tear myself away from the computer and my further explorations of the blogosphere yesterday (Thursday, June 3, 2004), I finally made it over to the blogaholics rehab center (here).

In doing so, during our shared mealtime I found out that, believe it or not, it in fact will soon be named the Howard Dean Blog Addiction Rehab Treatment Center.

When I blogged about this yesterday I thought it was only a rumor, well it actually still was then really.

As I mentioned within my post on this same subject (i.e., Off to Rehab yesterday, here) the official naming of this particular secretly located Vermont-based rehab center is:

... in honor of the former Democratic Presidential candidate and former Governor from Vermont who put his campaign on the map with his (former) official campaign blog.

Of course Blog for America continues on as the blog for Howard Dean's very own PAC (political action committee) or, what I refer to as being the Howard Dean wing of the Democratic Party.

[...]

Cool.

There is no word yet on who other than the former governor (and former presidential candidate) will be showing up, if anyone, for the ceremonies other than several hundred grateful and adoring recovering blogaholics -- **as well as a throng of rabid, screaming, Deaniacs (can't forget them, can we?)** -- though.

Who knows, maybe the official naming ceremony will even be streamed live via several different blogs. Even cooler, huh?

After eating a fine supper and enjoying the company of recovering blogaholics last night at the Howard Dean Blog Addiction Rehab Treatment Center, as I was so completely exhausted I went to my room, flopped on the comfortable bed and quickly crashed, falling asleep nearly the moment my head hit the pillow.

*(I only know that because I woke a few moments later of course, before falling back to sleep for good, after finally managing to turn off the television - which was only on so I could see if the news had anything on about blogging. Hmmmm, I wonder if someone might create a Blogging Channel for cable and satellite television dedicated to nothing else but news and information, etc., related to blogging, bloggers and blogs? That would be truly great if that happened, especially for those times when I am away from an online computer, like for example, when I am at rehab)*

Though I did dream a lot about blogging however, so I have a long ways to go of course.

Did not notice it last evening as I was so very tired then, but when I awoke this morning, I noticed a sign on the wall of my room, which read "Joe T. Slept Here."

Whoa! Do they mean Joe T., as in Joe T., ya' know. Yes, that Joe T.?

Oh my gawd, that would mean I slept in the exact same room as Joe T., the almighty Joe T (here)? Wow!

But, wait, he could not have, as he did not have to. What I mean is, heck, the fact is he went straight down to his ranch (he has such a big beautiful place were he lives) and, if I am correct, I recall having read something blogged about it somewhere a while back after he (i.e., yes, that Joe T.) left the Dean campaign (here, here and, here).

So this morning I went around asking everyone at the rehab center whether Joe T. had indeed truly slept here or not.

No one would or rather on one could say (- they said), with confidentially rules and all.

Yeah, I respect that, but why put a sign up then, huh? No one could answer that question for me either.

Finally someone suggested that I should focus more on my own recovery and not on what others are doing. Talk about a set up, yet if I say anything about it they will get down on me about my poor attitude.

What attitude? There was that sign and I was just curious and ...

Next thing I know when I return to my room, before taking a local public transit bus into Montpelier, the sign had been removed.

*When I asked about that too, like they probably knew I would (who me, paranoid? nah), someone eventually took me aside and quietly mentioned that I was missing the point, stating to me that the object of the sign was to let newbie's know that becoming a blogaholic can happen to anyone and so we won't give up hope and all. Duh!*

If you ask me however, I think someone is pulling a fast one on any newbie sleeping in their room for the very first time. You see my room is one of those set aside for us newbie's in recovery and, of course, I am a newbie (what else?)

What a cruel joke to play on a recovering blogaholic, if a joke is indeed what it was in the first place.

Hmmm, a mystery.

More tomorrow ...

;->

(here [first six, plus the P.S. -- which follows the trailing three (of the initial nine) paragraphs])

***Update***

Except for a little bit of editing and updating of certain blog posts -- like this one -- and, reading some other blogs really quick, I am otherwise taking Saturday off from blogging and related tasks.

In fact I am not even checking my e-mail even once, until Monday anyway -- when I can make up for it bigtime (actually, truth be told, this has more to do with limited online access and browser limitations than anything else), once I am out of rehab.

;->

*Note*: Made several, mostly minor, edits for the purposes of clarification and readability; plus added additional links as well; in addition, just added a few, mostly minor, embellishments with certain paragraphs -- such as with those marked with *'s on either side; yup, and had to insert another such addition -- this one marked with **'s on either side within the paragraph about the official naming ceremony of the rehab center, as it was realized last night, that we cannot forget the Deaniacs either for that matter, as Howard Dean would not have made it as far as he did in his former 2004 presidential campaign without them and their ever loyal support: last updated on Tuesday, June 8, 2004 at 4:22 PM [EDT].

Off to Rehab

2004-06-03T16:37:00.000-04:00

As my blogaholism has recently relapsed, to the point of being in danger of binge blogging once again actually (like I did one day last week), very shortly I will be heading off to spend the next four days and four nights at a local rehab center for blog addicts and blogaholics (here).

Yes, bloggers from all over the world are flocking to this particular haven, which is at an undisclosed location within this area of Central Vermont.

This particular rehab clinic is solely dedicated for the treatment of those of us with a major blog addiction. Hopefully this just work in curing my blogaholism.

It has been rumored that they might name it the Howard Dean Blog Addiction Rehab Treatment Center, in honor of the former Democratic Presidential candidate and former Governor from Vermont who put his campaign on the map with his (former) official campaign blog.

Of course Blog for America continues on as the blog for Howard Dean's very own PAC (political action committee) or, what I refer to as being the Howard Dean wing of the Democratic Party.

Anyway, as I am back in recovery mode, I won't be off-line for the entire time. They are letting me take time both tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday to come into Montpelier so I can do some personal errands as well as being able to get online once during the day to check my e-mail, along with even allowing me to do some blogging, though my time will be strickly limited and monitored of course.

Wish me luck.

More tomorrow ...

;->

(here [first two (of three) paragraphs])

Stef, NTodd and Cairo: Our Vermont Travelblog

2004-06-03T14:34:00.000-04:00

Photo: Stef, NTodd and Cairo
visit Vermont's 251 towns
Our Vermont Travelblog

*Updated*

As someone who is an especially dedicated blogger -- obviously so and, yes, this is quite the understatement, NTodd is of course not a new face to the blogosphere, by any means.

His personal blog is Dohiyi Mir: In which NTodd says his peace.

In fact I came across his most recent blog creation via a blog based within Vermont, of which NTodd is one of several contributors: Candleblog.

What caught my, fine tuned and alert recovering blogaholic's, eye was NTodd's Our Vermont Travelblog, in which Stef, NTodd and Cairo visit Vermont's 251 towns.

Why is this such a big deal, you ask?

In his first blog post to this Vermont Travelblog, blogged on Saturday (May 29, 2004) of this past week, NTodd wrote:

Start Your Engines

Stef and I have wanted to join the 251 Club for quite some time, and finally are taking our first step down the long road of visiting every one of Vermont's towns. More to come...

Their first trip was to the town of Cabot (here).

Our First Trip

Sorta spur of the moment today, we decided to go to Cabot (history, demographics). Of course, normally we anticipate doing multiple towns per trip, but we wanted to kick things off with just one place. We chose Cabot because it wasn't overly far a drive, was more or less a central starting point, and was off a state route we've passed by many times, but have never taken. Plus that's where Cabot cheese comes from!

[...]

Make certain to check out the rest of this blog post though (here), as the photo's they have up there from their Cabot visit are excellent.

By the way, Cabot Creamery Cooperative's products are the best too! It is my understanding that the company even donates a lot of their high quality products to the Vermont Food Bank as well as to programs serving Vermont's homeless population.

This giving back to the community on the part of the Cabot Creamery helps plenty of people in the state. Way to go! -- to the big cheese's (i.e., everyone) at Cabot!

Mentioned in yet another blog post, blogged on the same day as the above posts as well, (Where Next?), NTodd, Stef and Cairo were:

... hoping to head up to our camp in the Northeast Kingdom later this week, and plan on stopping by Glover (home of Bread and Puppet Theater) on the way. We are also thinking about doing a loop of routes 114, 102 and 105 to hit East Burke, Island Pond, Norton, Averill, West Stewartstown and Colebrook. We'll see!

However, in a post blogged today, NTodd wrote concerning a change of plans, which will postpone their next trip.

Stef's, NTodd's and Cairo's Vermont Travelblog is a must-read -- visit-often blog in my opinion.

It appears to be clear to this particular observer that his newest blog creation is part of one (i.e., NTodd) heavily addicted blogger's recovery process, as he comes to terms with his addiction.

Help support NTodd's recovery today, as well as supporting Stef and Cairo as they help him too of course, by visiting their travelblog both now and, then hereafter, every so often during each and every *week* in order to keep up with their journey(s), along with the plans for each of their next trips.

*Note*: Made a *single* edit (so far anyway), within the last paragraph, for the purposes of clarification: last updated on Friday, June 4, 2004 at 1:39 PM [EDT].

Behind the scenes with your friendly recovering blogaholic @ work

2004-06-01T15:28:00.000-04:00

Had been hoping for a way to get some sort of actual or even a virtual picture or image of myself posted on this particular blog, as well as having one for use on my personal blog too, but up until now I was unable to do so.

Fortunately, thank's to a Melanie: Althaea Originalis blog post today (here [who came across it via dyfferent]) that provided me with the heads up about an excellent virtual Portrait Illustration Maker, I finally have created a virtual image of myself using this fun, easy and simple to use site.

In fact, I have one virtual image for use on this blog and yet another (which is only just slightly different of course) for use on Norsehorse's Home Turf. The other image I am using on my personal blog is:

Thank you Melanie and dyfferent! Much appreciated!

fyi: One Day @ a Time Chip

2004-05-31T20:23:00.000-04:00

(with apologies to BillW)

While I have posted the above Desire -- One Day @ a Time -- Chip on the top of the pages of the Blogaholics Anonymous blog and, have of course added the caption of (with apologies to BillW) beneath it, I posted the chip with a certain amount of trepidation (for the lack of a better or more fitting word) as well.

It is not my intention of doing anyway to take away from the seriousness of alcoholism or any type of addiction whatsoever or one's sobriety and recovery from them. If one knew me in person as well as life experiences and history, one would be able to possibly know and understand this about me.

That said, this does not excuse anything that may be considered by some to be done in poor taste or to be a disservice, regardless of intent.

My sincere and deep apologies, in advance, to anyone who may at all be offended by the use of the one day @ a time chip on this blog's pages, as I actually do take such matters very seriously.

It is my hope that this will not prove to be an affront or stumbling block to anyone and that, instead, it can possibly be taken in the humor and spirit it was posted with.

Have blogged this particular blog post to give notice to make it known that, if there are those who believe my choice to use the AA one day at a time medallion (i.e., desire chip) is in rather poor taste and a serious affront and, if enough concern is raised and brought to my attention, I would then reconsider the matter and decide whether to remove it from the pages of this blog (though if I were to remove it from the top of the pages, this post would remain and serve as an archive of the matter).

Comments can be left at this particular post here or sent to morganbrown at gmail dot com

Any thoughts?

fyi:

For anyone who is a recovering alcoholic or a recovering addict of any type and, are not already aware of it yet, for those with their own blogs or Websites, etc., I came across the desire chip on a Web page offering free Cybriety Medallions clip art.

The page has everything from the desire chip (i.e., 1 day @ a time) used above to 30 day chips all the way through to 75 years of sobriety and recovery that can be easily downloaded and use accordingly.

Please also note that the desire chip will be the only one used on these pages and none other, no matter how long this blog may continue.

Blogaholics Anonymous blog -- Behind the Scenes of Recovery

2004-05-31T17:05:00.000-04:00

Been busy of late working on this new blog creation of mine: i.e., the Blogaholics Anonymous blog.

An example of this work is my latest recovering bloggers profile I wrote, off and on, during both late yesterday afternoon and early evening.

Finally, once I managed to pull myself away long enough from the computer keyboard, I got something to eat. However do not believe for a moment that this was done for the benefit of myself or my body's needs. No, because this was only the selfish and desparate act of a blog addict who had to acquire some energy in order to help feed his rabid addiction, not himself really.

Turns out I was rather hungry, as I let myself go without any food for a little too long, being that I was helpless to pull myself away from my blogging and related work online.

Of course, do you think I ate my meal away from the computer. Heck no! What did you expect. Yes, I consumed my food while I continued blogging. Even to the point that I let it get cold and I do not like eating my hot meals cold, but did that stop me. No! It did not. Did I warm up the food in order to finish? No, I was so bad off, I ate every last bit of it anyway and we are speaking about quite a lot of food too, enough for at least two or three normal-sized servings - I kid you not! Yet I am not one to ever claim to be normal either. No thanks, been there, done that.

Well, at least I am in recovery finally and am trying my best -- step by step, even if sometimes I actually happen to be going backwards and sideways with my blogging addiction -- a little progress is better than none I suppose.

The food was what I needed to do what I had to finally get the profile I was working on punched out, do a quick review, re-edit, post it and then when it was up, spend even more time going over it and doing several edits that were mainly minor in nature.

To read the results of the process I went through last night and, then, continuing into the early hours of the morning, go to my recovering blogaholic profile on Kevin: The Homeless Guy blog.

If you read the work featured on the Blogaholics Anonymous blog, please know that you will be helping to support my own recovery process.

Thank you for reading, I could not do it without you!

:-) [smile]

Kevin: The Homeless Guy blog

2004-05-31T02:46:00.000-04:00

Photo: Kevin: The Homeless Guy blog
Yes, that is a Blogger hoodie underneath his winter coat!

*Updated Yet Again*

[*Update*: Read an update on Kevin's housing situation, here]

Kevin lives homeless in Nashville, Tennessee.

However someone must have forgotten to tell him that if and when a person becomes homeless, there are simply certain things that would be impossible for them to do because of the various limitations involved. Or say, even if they were to bother trying, would not be all that good at doing.

Take establishing and maintaining a blog for example. Besides what would someone who is living homeless have to blog about, if anything at all, which would be of value and interest enough in order to attract either seriously minded netizens or those of us who are merely ordinary Internet users to visit and read such for that matter?

As it turns out, based on his own personal experience of having lived homeless on and off over a twenty-two year period (beginning back in 1982, at the age of 21), he knew all too well that people living homeless indeed had something meaningful to share with others, those who were willing and able to listen and learn anyway.

What would that be? Take just for starters their own perspectives and experiences, including their understanding and knowledge of what their basic needs are, of why people really end up becoming homeless, what it takes to survive and, generally speaking, what the experience is actually like for someone.

It of course makes sense that someone who has experienced homelessness for themselves are the one's who are most and better aware of what works and what does not work in preventing homelessness in the first place, not to mention their knowing well what would also be required to properly support a person to become housed once again and then remain so. If one thinks about it for long enough though, who else would know, but those persons whom have lived and struggled with these experience(s) themselves, like Kevin has.

Back in August of 2002 Kevin sat down at an online access computer one day, logged onto Blogger and began creating his own blog in order to help spread the word on the Internet -- through the medium of blogs -- that, in his words, there's more to homeless people than being homeless.

His very first blog post read(s) (here):

Well, here I am. I've done it - gone blog. Now what happens?

Thusly The Homeless Guy introduced himself and, during most of the last twenty one months now, he has been blogging away ever since.

Within a period of less than a couple of months from the time of that initial blog post of his however, people began to take notice. Many of them had never had the opportunity to hear the perspective of the type his posts provided, especially those concerning homelessness and related matters. It took some by surprise that not only was Kevin homeless, but that he indeed was blogging regularly.

Not only did he begin gaining regular visitors to his site on either a daily or weekly basis, but word was getting out within the blogoshpere and via e-mail that The Homeless Guy was a must-read blog. Soon the number of new readers drawn to his blog grew.

As the traffic to his blog along with the resultant buzz continued to grow, it did not take long until he was contacted by members of the press who wanted to interview him.

The first news article was published in the October 2, 2002 edition of USA Today: A homeless guy finds a refuge on the Internet

By Janet Kornblum, USA TODAY

He sits in a secluded corner at the Nashville Public Library, next to a window that overlooks glass-and-steel buildings and a small park. In front of him is a computer screen, which is a different kind of window — a window into the world where he sends his words, his thoughts, his ideas.

He writes about God, Jung and the symphony. But mostly he writes about what he knows best: life as a homeless man in urban America, a world so far beneath the social radar that many step right over it.

By day, Kevin Barbieux writes in the free-form diarist style of Web logs — known in Internet circles as "blogs" — as "The Homeless Guy." His Web site (www.thehomelessguy.blogspot.com) has developed a worldwide following.

By night, the balding, blue-eyed 41-year-old stays in a shelter, a car or sometimes a new spot that he has heard might be safe.

Writing about his life is not new to Barbieux, who has lived on and off the streets for 20 years. In 1997 he started a newspaper about the homeless, but it lasted only two issues. Over the ensuing five years, he spent much of his time on computers in cafes and at the public library. Then, on Aug. 20, he became a blogger, using free software offered through a Web service called Blog Spot.

[...]

Soon other newspapers and news outlets were reprinting the story. More interviews and additional articles followed. It took off from there, at least for a while.

Another Tennessee-based blogger, Eric Janssen who lives in Memphis and works for a newspaper in that city called the Commerical Appeal, later caught up with Kevin. Eric interviewed him and in March of 2003 published an article on his blog, webraw: Talking With The Homeless Guy.

Kevin was right of course, he not only had something of value to say, but there were those who were eager to learn more. He was receiving lots of posted comments as well as e-mails, answering back when he could either directly or within follow-up blog posts, responding to all sorts of questions and inquiries. There were so many that he finally put up a faq page: The Homeless Guy Answers.

More recently, on Thursday (May 27, 2004) of this previous week, Kevin blogged this must-read post (here):

Cotton

It's 7:35 am. I am at Provence (the cafe at the library) and I am at a table near a window. Through this window I can see the park. It is a small park, occupying about 1/3 of a city block. And there are a dozen or so homeless people there, milling about or sitting on benches. There is no bench in the park without some homeless person/people on it. It is by all rights a 'homeless people's' park. And there is no doubt that the occupation of this park by homeless people bothers many of the good citizens of Nashville. But what did they expect? Even I knew, when they first announced that the park would be built, that this would happen. Did the city's good citizens not consider the homeless when they decided to build the park?

It really is a beautiful park, nicely designed, nicely maintained, and nice to look at from a distance. Now, some good citizens use the park, but there are many others who avoid it because of the presence of homeless people.

I believe there is a solution to this. And, I'm finishing up a proposal that I think will be this workable solution - that is, if the city would be willing to pay for it. Everyone admits that something needs to be done about the homeless issue, but no one wants to pay for it.

It seems to me that the costs associated with my proposal will be recouped as more people/businesses/conventions come to Nashville, based in part on the realization that Nashville has the homeless situation under control.

Being that I am homeless, people have dismissed my ideas on how to deal with homelessness. They don't believe a homeless person would know such things. It is funny how some of my suggestions have returned, after initally being dismissed, in the form of someone else's suggestion (that of a "good" citizen). Like the old saying goes, "It's amazing what you can accomplish, when you don't care who gets the credit."

[...]

Read the rest of the Kevin's post, here.

To date The Homeless Guy has had 361,979 visitors since the day when it started with that short post of his.

Little did he know at the time however, when he wrote I've done it - gone blog, that it would lead to him experiencing a major blog addiction.

If you have not done so prior to now, make sure to visit Kevin's blog (here), revisiting it often and, by doing so, help provide support to yet another recovering blogaholic.

*Note*: Made several edits, which were mostly minor in nature, for the purposes of *clarification and readability*; added a link, to the Official Nashville Government Website, within the *leading* single sentence paragraph; edited and reworded the 7th paragraph for the *usual* purposes; added an update and link concerning Kevin's housing situation: last updated on Tuesday, June 8, 2004 at 7:01 PM [EDT].

Melanie: Althaea Originalis blog(s)

2004-05-30T00:07:00.000-04:00

Photo: Melanie
Althaea Originalis blog(s)

*Updated*

Take your pick of Althaea's choice blog offerings.

If you prefer a blog ... unfettered by careful thought, good impulse control and consistent punctuation, Melanie (here, here and, here) offers such a raw and uncensored blog, here.

Melanie states on the above blog, that her Althaea Officinalis blog at Salon.com (here) is where one can find her more conscientious writings.

Elsewhere, in her own words, as found within her bio (here):

If you're more into my writings and stories, check out the Salon blog. If you're more interested in the trainwreck that is me, personally, this is the place to be.

What else can I say? What I see in the mirror is bound to be different from what you will see. Biographies are very innacurate that way.

During a rather quick as well as very random sampling of the numerous posts found on her more unfettered blog, one example of this is found in the first of two posts from September 16, 2003: Reflections On Chronic Pain, Denial and Fear. (Or: Why Melanie Doesn't Schedule A Chiro Appt.)

Yet another must-read post is this one from last month: What I've Been Doing Lately Instead Of Writing (April 22, 2004).

She has developed quite a faithful following as well, as comments posted on her various blog posts from her readers illustrate of course. Yet no matter how busy Melanie seems to be though, she usually manages to somehow find the time and energy to interact with them as well.

Earlier this month, in one of two posts on May 7th (2004), Melanie wrote (here):

By The Way....
I promise, this isn't going to turn into the Nothing But Soap Journal.

It's just that it's *new*, and I have to immerse myself to get it started off right. Especially while I'm still getting the hang of the many details. I don't want to leave anything held together with bubble gum and twine, you know?

This has my name on it. I want to do it right. I want people to come away feeling happy with things. So, for a while, until I stop having spontaneous panic attacks about it ten times a day, I need to pay *very* close attention.

That's all. :)

Melanie's Business:

Small Business Website Banner:
Althaea Soaps And Herbals

She has set up a brand new Website for herself recently as well, which is of course commercial in nature, for her home-grown business: http://www.althaea.biz.

Althaea Soaps And Herbals offers MallowDramatic Skin Treats, from Melanie's very own line of natural, olive oil castile soaps designed for sensitive skins of many varieties.

If you visit either (or both) of these two blogs, as well as the above mentioned Website, you will help support yet another recovering blogaholic. Right Melanie?!

*Note*: Made several edits for the purposes of clarification and readability; deleted the word Originalis within the first paragraph, provided an informational link as well as reworded the paragraph to better reflect my original thinking and draft for both that particular paragraph and the entire post overall when I was initially writing it (i.e., on Saturday, May 29, 2004); in addition, added three links within the second paragraph that leads to must-read information Melanie shared about herself, her life, writing, blogging as well as her life's work: last updated on Sunday, May 30, 2004 at 12:54 PM [EDT].

Gordon: Real Live Preacher blog

2004-05-28T14:29:00.000-04:00

blog Banner: Real Live Preacher

*Updated Yet Again*

Until only recently (here), Gordon -- who happens to be a real live preacher (rlp) in the flesh, with a blog no less -- has for eighteen months been an anonymous blogger, sort of anyway, as several people had managed to find out his identity and, in certain cases, also the city where he lives as well as the church of which is he pastor.

An earlier blog post of his this month (Tuesday, May 18, 2004) shared the deeply personal struggle he was experiencing concerning his blogging, what he intended to do about it and for how long (here).

As, in my opinion, the entire post illustrates a classic example of some of the several dilemmas bloggers face, especially those of us most addicted -- or, rather, let us say extremely dedicated -- to blogging and, since what Gordon shared in it is expressed in an unmistakably clear and straightforward fashion, it is reprinted here in full.

I need to disappear for a short time. That's the best way to say it.

I have many desires in life and many journeys. One of them is the continued search for me. I am trying to know myself.

Right now I find that I am a little too concerned with the comments and the whole "blog thing," whatever that is. Try to imagine that you are a regular guy who suddenly finds all these people having such strong reactions to your writing. Honestly, what would you make of it? I'm still trying to sort out how I feel about all this. Pride is always a danger, of course, but right now pride is not the problem.

For some reason obsession, fear and depression are the wolves at my door. I have no idea why this is. It's one of the things I want to know about myself.

Also - and I'll say this simply and leave it at that - my wife needs me right now. And I need her. Blogging can take over your life if you're not careful. I want to be careful and not let that happen.

And I need to get away and do some writing. I have two things I want to write, but I keep putting them aside to read comments, fret over them, and answer them as best I can. "Doing the blog" is fun, but I need to disappear for a time. I long to go to my quiet place, just me and my keyboard. I want to go to New Orleans with Foy and see what happens to us there.

And I want very badly to write another Real Live Preacher dramatized version of a gospel story. This one will feature Thaddaeus and Judas. I think I will call it, "Not Even a Rich Woman."

The point is, I need to be with the people who know me in the flesh. Church and family, mostly. And I need to write. So I'm going to disappear for awhile. I'll probably drop by to say hello or post something silly, but I won't be posting any serious writing for a time. I don't know exactly how long. One week. Maybe two.

I'll see you when I see you.

Not to put a label on anyone else, especially if they might not be personally inclined to accept such, but this sounds very much like a recovering blog addict to me.

Although he does not blog each and every day, nor to my knowledge has yet to publicly pronounce himself to be anything more than the extremely dedicated blogger he obviously is, the Blogaholics Anonymous blog welcomes Gordon: Real Live Preacher and highly recommends that his blog be visited and read often.

If you have not already done so, make sure to blogroll or bookmark the Real Live Preacher blog today!

*Update*

As posted recently on his blog, Gordon lives in San Antonio, Texas, and is the pastor of Covenant Baptist Church.

*Yet Another Update*

Yesterday a comment was to this particular blog post from Gordon himself, which reads [emphasis mine](here):

This is Real Live Preacher commenting.

You know, I wrote that stuff and even I didn't see the cry for help that it was until now. You are right. Those were the words of someone coming to grips with his blog addiction.

My name is Gordon and I am a blogaholic.

[all together now...HI GORDON!]

*Note*: Made several edits (too numerous to detail) for the purpose of clarification and readability; uploaded RLP's banner with permission for use in the post; in addition, posted up a comment posted within the comments section of this post from Gordon (which I of course confirmed with him first about, to ensure it was indeed his comments); edited the first paragraph (only the trailing end however, after the last comma within that paragraph), in order to best reflect what had been my original intent at wording and phrasing it -- at least when it was initially going around within my mind anyway, as yet another thing can sometimes happen however and even seems to take on a life of its own, ocassionally causing me to wonder what I meant, losing track of it and, then, forgetting altogether what I intended to write and communicate [anxiety and panic attacks, anyone?]. luckily, like in this particular situation, once and a while those very same (or otherwise similar) thoughts and words may eventually return for a visit and, if so, try to make themselves known to me again -- being the gentle, good, steady and ever faithful old friends such thoughts and words have been to me over the years, just as these were the first time around the other day. [smile].

Last updated on Sunday, May 30, 2004 at 2:53 PM [EDT].

Sharon: Watermark blog

2004-05-28T11:52:00.000-04:00

Photo: Gold Fish
Watermark blog

*Updated*

Within a recent post on her blog, Watermark - a poet's notebook, Sharon wrote (here):

Hi, I'm Sharon, and I'm a BlogAddict

A Must-Read, from BLAUGUSTINE. She suggests some (very unrealistic) treatments, including:

1. Blog only once a week, choose a day (haven't decided which day yet).
2. Check stats only once a week (you cannot be serious??)

[...]

There might be those who would question whether or not a BlogAddict is the same as a Addicted Blogger, as one could infer that a Blog Addict (*1) -- if taken literally anyway -- merely means someone who mostly reads blogs all the time, yet are not a blogger themselves (or, if they are a reader of blogs and also have their own blog too, they do not blog to it on a regular basis however): e.g., Diana Wichtel: Confessions of a blog addict (New Zealand Herald, 01.05.2004).

Whereas an Addicted Blogger could be assumed to be someone who mostly blogs all the time, though they could also be readers of others' blogs as well.

Sharon's use of the words (very unrealistic) in reference to the treatment suggestions certainly makes it clear she is of course both however.

For what it is worth, I think Blog Addict means both and should be taken as such.

Sharon is a writer and poet living in Western Montana.

Make Watermark your next stop within the blogosphere and support yet another recovering blogaholic today!

(*1: A term also mentioned within the particular Blaugustine post in question (first paragraph, last sentence [emphasis mine]: "But since there are not, as yet, rehab clinics for blogaddicts, ... [available here])

*Update*

Since the time this post was originally blogged (Friday, May 28, 2004), Sharon has twice since posted to Watermark.

Her post on Saturday evening (May 29, 2004) was intensely deep and powerful in my opinion.

While the text of her post is shared below, one must however be sure to visit this particular post (here) as it appears on Watermark in order to best appreciate and understand the context of what is written of, as there is a drawing that goes along with the post. In fact if one clicks onto the drawing a small pop up version appears to help aid improved viewing.

Sharon wrote (here):

Rage Monster

This was drawn nearly 20 years ago, but is suitable for today. I seem to be riding emotional waves lately. Relationships can be so . . . difficult.

Anger, especially, with all its relatives: judgement, self-pity, despair. But also, sometimes: clarity, resolution, action. Always that fear, though, that it will overcome me; overwhelm others -- that, once roused, it will consume us all.

See it there, waiting, sinister, hungry?

Once again, as a reminder, be sure to visit the post at Watermark to view (and also click onto) the drawing for yourself.

*Note*: Added some additional information, words and (in 6th & 5th to last pgh) a link (i.e., "e.g.,") to the sixth and the fifth to the last paragraph for the purposes of clarification and readability; also added a link to the last paragraph too; uploaded Sharon's *Gold Fish* photo - with direct permission - from her Watermark blog; opps, just spotted the *es* and, took them off the end of the "Gold Fish" within the photo caption [smile]; for easier reading, especially considering that I decided to add something more to it, I opted to move my wordy sidetrack notes down the page and out of the paragraph it was originally posted within above: i.e., (*1).

Last updated on Sunday, May 30, 2004 at 2:36 AM [EDT].

Are You Addicted to Blogging?

2004-05-27T15:27:00.000-04:00

*Updated*

In Search of Blogging Addicts:

Calling All Blogaholics!

Do you have a blog of your own?

Do you post regularly to it?

Do you consider yourself a seriously addicted blogger or, do others perceive you as such?

Have you ever blogged a post, even only in jest, in which you said something along the lines of the following?: My name is [_________] and I am an addict, a blogging addict. *1

If you have answered at least three of the above four questions with a yes, are you interested in having yourself (first names only, of course) and your blogging habits (i.e., what you generally blog about on your blog of course) considered for possible mention within a future blog post(s) on this particular blog?

If so, let me know at morganbrown at gmail dot com

List your full name and location (state, province or general region), blog name and url, as well a brief description of your blog, along with a short summary of your blogging both now and as it has evolved since you first started blogging.

You may also opt to include a *short* summary of other information as well.

While I make no promises whatsoever and, most likely will not be able to answer every e-mail received, I will read all each of them as time, energy, online access and other limitations or demands allow(s).

*1: Quoted sentence via Blaugustine: Addicted to Blogging? (May 22, 2004), posted recently here.

*Note*: Added two top lines in red; made, mostly minor edits for the purposes of clarification and readability: last updated on Friday, May 28, 2004 at 11:33 AM [EDT].

Quiz for Bloggers Wondering What to Blog About

2004-05-27T11:42:00.000-04:00

Came across an older blog post written by Natalie d'Arbeloff (December 11, 2003).

1. Should I blog about what makes me angry?
2. Or should I blog about what makes me happy and/or sad?
3. Or should I blog about what I do and see and hear in my day-to-day life?
4. Or should I report on what others are doing in their everyday lives?
5. Or should I blog about the Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything?
6. Or should I see if there are Bloggers Anonymous meetings to cure my addiction to blogging?

Check out her Answers to the above Quiz (via The Blog Herald).

Yet another, more recent, (excerpted) blog post of Natalie's: Addicted to Blogging? via Blaugustine (May 22, 2004).

So How Much of a Blogaholic am I, You Ask?

2004-05-26T23:19:00.000-04:00

x2
(i.e., tests and results)

Updated Yet Again

When I came across the Are You A Blogaholic test earlier, I wanted to post up the link to it (previous post) first prior to taking it myself.

Once I blogged that post, I took the test twice, with several hours of down in between the first and second testing.

Presented here, for all to view, are the results of when I took the test the first time, followed by the scoring of second round:

Are You A Blogaholic? Results

Your Score: 56 / 100

YOUR SCORE

56.0% 56.0 points out of 100

AVG SCORE

42.9% 42.9 points out of 100

12670 people have taken this silly test so far.

2432 people have scored higher than you.

9405 people have scored lower than you.

833 people made the same grade as you.

What does this mean? *

56 points is in the 51 through 80 precent
You are a dedicated weblogger. You post frequently because you enjoy weblogging a lot, yet you still manage to have a social life. You're the best kind of weblogger. Way to go!

* These results are just for fun. Do not sue me. Have a sense of humour.

So either the test is flawed or, most likely: at worst, I fibbed a little; or, at best, I might have made a few mistakes in answering (e.g., when in doubt, just pick an answer when there are only two ways to answer a question, you are bound to get it correct at least half the time, right?).

Who knows? Don't ask me either!

Remember, it is of course all in good natured fun however!

It is never very good or healthy to take ourselves too seriously, no matter whether we are blogging or doing something altogether different.

Thank you Firda Beka

*Update*

Round two came after a couple of long walks, catching a quick rest, eating a little food and reading another chapter or so of the book I am currently working on.

Of course, being the badly bitten blogging addict I am, I could not help but to think quite a bit about blogging then too.

So, here I am and, well, you can ponder the results that were achieved after refreshing myself a small amount, which for an avid blogger is long enough to cause one to turn blue from due to a lack of oxygen.

Of course that is because for a blogaholic, blogging is second nature and takes on a life of its own out of a need for pure survival, just like breathing itself.

Are You A Blogaholic? Results

Your Score: 80 / 100

YOUR SCORE

80.0% 80.0 points out of 100

AVG SCORE

42.9% 42.9 points out of 100

12675 people have taken this silly test so far.

465 people have scored higher than you.

12108 people have scored lower than you.

102 people made the same grade as you.

What does this mean? *

80 points is in the 51 through 80 precent

--snip, snip, snip--
[this portion I am omitting here, had been exactly the same as the first test results, not a word or phrasing different.]

Like it says above, it is a rather silly test, isn't it?

At least I did not break through the 80% border into what must be real hard core terrority. Yet I am closer than I would like to be all the same.

However if I am not careful and do something about it, that might happen in another six months, when I intend on testing myself once more.

Oh, by the way, the truth is plain as the nose on my face. It is time for me to finally admit it, as there is no longer an excuse to deny what has become obvious long enough to be able to avoid any more.

My name is Morgan and I am a blogaholic, a bonafide blogging addict.

Ahhh, relief. It actually feels like a burden has lifted from my shoulders and I no longer am as concerned as before.

Wow, a little acceptance of one's limitations and oneself, as well as one's abilities, sure does wonders for the old self-esteem and seems to go a long way, doesn't it?

Or, is it only my blogging that keeps going on and on anon.

Oh no, 80.005% anyone or, it is much worse than that already?

Ugh!

*[as an afterthought (expressed within a comment post on another blog): does scoring 80% make me a borderline blogaholic or what?]*

*Updated Yet Again*

So, next you ask yourself, well what does the severity (or outlook) statement say when someone's score or rating is 81 through 100 percent?

Having been deeply curious about this very question, I went and found out what the answer was for myself.

It read:

[...] points is in the 81 through 100 precent
You're definitely a blogaholic. You dedicate most of your time to weblogging that you forget to have a social life. There's still life outside Bloggerville, you know. Try to go out more, 'kay?

[...]

Who would have guessed?!

*Note*: added an updated section after taking the silly test for a second time around several hours apart; made lots and lots of edits to the lower portion for the sake of clarification and improving readability (note to self, do not blog anything, unless you saved in the drafts folder for later possibly posting, once you are better rested, etc.; also added a *late afterthought*: last updated on Tuesday, June 1, 2004 at 3:37 PM [EDT].

Are You A Blogaholic?

2004-05-26T23:02:00.000-04:00

*Updated*

Are you a blogger?

Do you blog a lot, even when you have nothing of actual import to blog about?

Do you find yourself thinking about something to blog about, or otherwise blogging in general, during your off-line time?

Are family and friends showing concern or even alarm about your blogging habits?

Can't stop blogging, no matter what you try to give it up?

Do you want to find out if you are a Blogaholic and, if you are, just how bad your addiction is?

If you should answer yes to two or more of the above questions, then it is highly recommended that you consider taking this painless online test to find out if you are a blogging addict or not and, if so, how much of one you are.

In taking the test, please remember that their are no wrong or incorrect answers. Simply answer each of the questions honestly and to the best of your personal judgment, knowledge and abilities.

Even if you may have taken this exact same online test before however, if it has been at least six months since you took it last, it may be time once again to retest yourself to find out how you are doing since your last test.

Test via weblog wannabe - not wannabe weblog.

*Update*

So how much of a Blogaholic am I (i.e., Morgan), you ask?

The answer to that particular question is posted here.

*Note*: Made several edits for the purposes of clarification and readability: last updated on Thursday, May 27, 2004 at 6:17 AM [EDT].

Addicted to Blogging?

2004-05-26T20:34:00.000-04:00

*Updated*

Ahhh, blog humor.

This excellent cartoon and humorous post (posted here by express permission granted) by Natalie d'Arbeloff on Blaugustine is what was responsible, at least in part, for inspiring the Blogaholics Anonymous blog.

Enjoy!

Cartoon & Graphic by Natalie d'Arbeloff
Caption: Addicted to Blogging?
via Blaugustine

My name is Augustine and I am an addict, a blogging addict. I dream at night of things I have blogged, should blog or did not blog. I ruminate on comments that have been made or have not been made on my blog or that I might make or will make in other blogs. I check my stats more than once a day. More than twice a day. Allright, I check my stats a lot. I also check my Technorati rati quite a lot. I read the newspapers and feel guilty that I am not blogging about the news because nobody will know what's going on in the world if I don't blog about it. It's my duty to blog about all the injustice and lies and horror because if people don't read it in my blog then they won't know it's happening. It's also my duty to blog about the meaning of life and everything because if it's not in my blog then where are people going to find out? It's also my duty to translate my every passing thought and observation and experience into bloggish because if I don't then, well, then I'm not a good and frequent blogger and nobody will visit me. I get withdrawal symptoms if I am away from my screen for more than a day even when I'm not blogging - I tap my fingers aimlessly on tables or armchairs and look pale and withdrawn. Enough already. I have decided to go into rehab. But since there are not, as yet, rehab clinics for blogaddicts, I have drawn up my own rehabilitation regime. Feel free to adapt it to your own needs.

1. Blog only once a week, choose a day (haven't decided which day yet).
2. Check stats only once a week (you cannot be serious??)
3. Visit fave blogs/new blogs only once a week (not the same day I do my blog)
4. Blog only about what I'm good at - eg interviewing God etc.
5. Spend more quality time with real life.

Before I start my cure, I have a message for George W. Bush, Tony Blair, Ariel Sharon and all those who, under whatever flag or pretext or ideology or lie or fanaticism or blindness, are driving the world to ruin:
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO !!!!!!!!!!

[...]

As the above [...] indicates, Augustine (i.e., Natalie) had a little more to say -- along with links elsewhere of course -- within this particular post as blogged on Blaugustine.

Augustine is the cartoon alter ego of artist as well as cartoonist Natalie d'Arbeloff.

In fact, the blog description reads:

I am Natalie's cartoon alter ego and this is my blog, not hers.

Natalie d'Arbeloff is the author of: BLAUGUSTINE and a regular contributor to the Blog Herald.

While the particular blog post in question is not yet available on the Blaugustine blog in archive form (no permalinks) yet, it is also posted on The Blog Herald, here (via EduBlog Insights, here).

*Updated*: Made a few mostly minor edits for the purposes of clarification and readability: last updated on Sunday, May 30, 2004 at 1:45 PM [EDT].

To Blog or Not to Blog, is that the Question?

2004-05-26T18:07:00.000-04:00

My name is Morgan, I'm a blogger too and, well, some people in my life have become truly concerned about my online blogging behavior(s). There are those who have indeed begun to question whether I am a blogging addict or not.

None of these individuals are at all persuaded by my steady insistence that I am in no way a blogging addict either, which is what some of them now openly refer to me as. My denials, they reply, are yet another clue pointing toward what could only be habitual blogging.

In fact it only makes matters worse when I voice my disagreement with their opinions and assumptions about what are merely typical blogging habits. Opps, someone is surely to take that for being nothing less than a Freudian slip.

Some of my friends act as if my denials were proof positive that I am so seriously addicted to blogging, that I may be far beyond any hope of help and that I should not be enabled any longer no matter what I say, promise or do.

A few have told my closest associates that I may end up having to finally bottom out well before I am ready to get the help they say I need.

Then there are some of the old tried and true tough love techniques being used, including some creative new ones, too. What love has to do with such practices, is highly suspect, if you ask me.

So how does one practice tough love on someone who may be addicted to blogging.

One example is how some of these friends of mine have started to ignore me or keep switching the subject anytime I talk about blogging, the blogosphere, other blogs and bloggers or anything that seems the littlest bit related, even if it isn't.

Yet another example is when we are watching the television or listening to the radio together and something about blogging or even the Internet comes on, either another station is tuned in or off it goes just like that and if I try to put it back or turn it back on, they start in on me with a rant of how they care too much for me to watch me suffer as I am allowing myself to do and that I should go get some professional help. Ouch.

A couple of these well-intentioned friends have suggested that a self-help support group may actually be helpful.

Would it really though?

What do you call a self-help support group for people who can't stop blogging?

Bloggers Anonymous?

Nah. That would much too stereotypical for the average blogging addict or blogaholic, wouldn't it?

In addition, if one were to consider for at a least a moment, that given there are those who are possibly not even functional enough to take a few steps anywhere in one direction long enough, unless it is of course to amble their way toward the closest online access computer in order to get a much needed blogging fix or otherwise heading off hastily to the toilet or the fridge before they are ready to drop dead one way or another, the name Bloggers Anonymous would not truly fit anyway.

What I mean by this is, if they have this much trouble taking only a mere few steps away from the nearest online access computer, how could they ever faithfully attempt to take (as well as eventually follow) twelve (12) steps (count them, twelve steps) anywhere, consistently, on their own?

It could prove to be a difficult, if not an impossible, task even with support of some kind, no?

This would be a definite set up for failure, would it not? As such, it would be an easy copout for them to use too of course.

Anyway, even though these friends of mine say they no longer read my blog, I bet they probably do anyway and, if so, when they read this post, they will only point to it as being further evidence of my addiction and the need for some type of intervention. Ugh I hate the thought of that.

Okay, okay, just for the sake of avoiding argument, let's assume for a moment that I do need help. There must be another type of self-help support program for people who can't stop blogging, right?

Well, if not a different program then, how about choosing another name for it. Who knows? It might even work.

Hmmm, I have a thought, how about simply calling it,

Blogging On and On Anon?

;->

Drawn from a recent post of mine posted on Norsehorse's Home Turf, here.

Not to Be Confused

2004-05-26T16:21:00.000-04:00

This blog and its seriously addicted blogger, along with other blogaholics or addicted bloggers in general -- at least those blogging with their identities out in open anyway, should not be confused whatsoever with anonymous bloggers (I know you are but who am I?; Salon, Arts & Entertainment section, February 4, 2004) however: i.e., as mentioned in a blog post, entitled Bloggers Anonymous, posted on Blog Critics back in February of this year.

The Twelve Steps of Blogaholics Anonymous

2004-05-26T16:01:00.000-04:00

What would the 12 steps look like for a recovering blogaholic?

(with apologies to BillW).

[...]

Check it out here.

Blogaholics Anonymous Webring

2004-05-26T15:15:00.000-04:00

Came across this particular Webring, which is dedicated to addicted bloggers everywhere.

*Update*

Membership Guidelines:

Can't go a day without updating your blog? Do you constantly think about what to write all day long? Frustrated when the server is down and you can't update?

Never fear- help is here. The first step to solving your addiction is to recognize that blogging can be a disease if taken in excess. The second step is to join a help group like ourselves, Blogaholics Anonymous and share your stories with each other. Group support is a big part in helping you solve your addiction.

Whether your choice of poison is b2, Greymatter, Moveable Type, Blogger, Livejournal, or other types of blogging software, remember that Blogaholics Anonymous will always be there to help you 24/7.

Rules to join:
[1] Admit your addiction
[2] Own a personal blog.
[3] Have the code up in a visible place when I visit.
[4] Frequently update your blog.
[5] No excess cussing, supporting hate sites, bashing, etc.

If this sounds too much like you and your blogging habits, maybe you should consider adding your own blog to the Blogaholics Anonymous Webring.

*Disclaimer*: The Blogaholics Anonymous Webring was founded by someone else and, as such, is independent of this blog and while this blog is independent of the Webring as well, I have just applied for inclusion of the Blogaholics Anonymous aka Bloggers Anonymous aka Blog On and On Anon blog within the Webring.

Introducing the Blogaholics Anonymous aka Bloggers Anonymous aka Blog On & On Anon blog

2004-05-26T13:51:00.000-04:00

*Updated*

Welcome to the Blogaholics Anonymous aka Bloggers Anonymous aka Blog On and On Anon blog.

Well, per a *lawyer's* advice to indicate the following: Actually this is not really the official blog for Blogaholics Anonymous, Bloggers Anonymous or Blog On and On Anon of course (hmmm, lawyers, as if people would not have known or otherwise guessed it already).

Truth be told, this is simply just an (i.e., one) unofficial blog by, for, about and in support of recovering blogaholics and blog addicts everywhere, blogged by one seriously, yet recovering, addicted blogger.

In the future, if there is one to be had for this particular blog, hopefully additional addicted bloggers will join to contribute as part of a blogging team as well.

Hopefully this blog is but one step, merely a beginning, in a number of crucial steps to eventually be taken in the *right* direction toward helping to *cure* or otherwise attempt at managing, what has up to now been, an incurable addiction.

Until an actual, proven, safe and equally fulfilling cure is found however, blog on and on anon!

fyi: Please Read re: Desire Chip: One Day @ a Time.

*Note*: Made a few, mostly minor, edits for the purposes of clarification and readability; added last paragraph, fyi, concerning use of Desire Chip: last updated on Friday, June 11, 2004 at 8:17 AM [EDT].