Tuesday, March 20, 2007

And the winner is ...


... Google - by far the most constant and entertaining way I distract myself. Like my nicotine and caffeine addictions, I am beginning to wonder whether there is such a thing as a Google-addict. I think there is and I think I am one.

Many years ago I was addicted to playing the pokies. Admittedly it was symptomatic of the personal misery I was accommodating during the death-throes of a particularly heart- and soul-destroying relationship. All the same, the final straw for me came when I lost an entire week's pay in a little under two hours. It was a Friday night and I remember walking home so impossibly depressed about not having a cent to my name over the weekend. You know that kind of internal pain that actually elicits an audible response, even when there's no-one nearby to hear it? Some people punch fences, cars, their partners or complete strangers. I just remember exhaling a hideous moan of utter despair. I will never forget it.

The Gambling Helpline was very helpful ... and today I am entirely cured. Today I deal with misery in a totally different fashion ... by distracting myself online with the help of my new best friend - Google!

Just lately I have discovered (and not in any particular order): my ex-business partner is being wound-up by a printing company in Newcastle; my ex-business partner is being bankrupted in The Federal Court; one of my best girlfriends Jane is a published author with Scholastic; that one of her friends spent lots of money on his 40th birthday party; that my ex-business partner still uses all of the design work I did before we went into business together to promote her business; and people might confuse me with someone who lost his eye in a shooting accident.

Is it ironic that I may need to consult Google to search for a Google-addict helpline?

What have you learned from Google?

7 comments:

Unknown said...

wow, what can I say!

that is such great news about your ex business partner!!!!!!!!!!

and nice to hear about Jane, too!

Geoffrey said...

Thanks metal_petal. It couldn't happen to more deserving people, in both instances.

Unknown said...

Loving your blog. It is so interesting and well written. Maintain the commitment!

Unknown said...

Also if the Red Cross Society saw that unattributed Medi Time logo, they'd be suing your ex business partner as well!

Geoffrey said...

Thank you metal_petal! I hope to remain as enthusiastic about this creative outlet as possible.

And by all means, send the Red Cross Society a link.

Anonymous said...

I remember when one of my favouite exes, a very cute computer geek, (an oxymoron, I know)first mentioned the term 'google' to me, (sometime before the dinosaurs I'm sure)... he said 'use google, it's new but the best', I asked him to repeat the name a few times and hoped that I could still remember to spell it by the time I was seated at my PC ... who would've thought it would make it's way into the dictionary and be used as a daily adverb! Now I wonder what's newest thing in the world wide web that my ex knows that the rest of us are still to discover... and if he's still that cute...
Enough distration, back to work now! JD

Geoffrey said...

Clever AND cute is a wickedly addictive combination isn't it?