wEb blues!

No marks for guessing how I kick start my day.... Reading and replying mails (first gmail, office thunderbird at last), online news, updating & reading Facebook status, tweets or other posts.

What brings me in good spirit..... Facebook or Orkut friend requests.. testimonial.. feedbacks on my blogs.. add on to my follower & fan list, getting tagged.. (I know all the exhilaration is absolutely unnecessary but still it makes me blush.... now don't gape at my profile picture).

What pisses me off.... When I can see lot of contacts are online but none responds when I ping them (what can be more agonizing.. people see me as weird ?? or Do I need to join torture management classes?)... when someone declines my friend request (incredibly blasting my self esteem)... When result of online IQ quiz is "Have you ever been to school?" or when mail indicator pops up with subject "Bug ###### got assigned to you"... But I still keep myself hang on there.. things can only get better :)

And when everything else become weary.... I take a dekho at web albums (at times zooming in) or peep into profiles of friends, friends of friends (scrapbooks also :D)... chatting with multiple people simultaneously, striking the keyboard at speed (sorry force) of 50 Newton without even caring what I type... watching youtube videos (very very educational ones :P)..listen to online music (French, Spanish,.. point is nothing should disturb my brain penetrating through ear-holes) on my kingfisher headphones...
Ummm..usually ONLY freshers use them.. everyone fly kingfisher when they join Oracle (no they don't become rich..company reimburses it). But I (after more than 1.5 yrs) still give them worth.. (you know how I am.. love to play modest).

Hey but hold on.. am I sounding like internet addict to you... excuse me.. I think u need to catch up.. I agree this is primarily because I work in IT sector but don't forget this is WEB age we are in.

Somebody has given the right Mantra “If you’re not on MySpace, you don’t exist”.

Where as Elmes-Crahall believes "Every hour spent on social networks is one less hour spent learning how to effectively communicate face-to-face." (:O Is it so ??) I don't agree with this.

So what if I spend around 12 hours (that is almost 95% of my time) everyday in virtual digital world. This online world is just a reproduction of my real offline world.. it is mesmerizing. It has automate my day dreaming. I can reach out to anything I can name it and which otherwise I would have never been able to.

I also learn valuable social skills by instantly messaging (even people whom I haven't met in last 15 years). And the best part is only words get across the network.. not the expressions (so I can be paranormal throughout and still make u feel pleasant).

It prevents social dehydration.. frequent but supposedly meaningless interactions ("whats up?", "hows life?", etc) reassures my friends that yess I care..

It curbs my over-eating habits unlike TV, also keep a corner of my room enlightened even when power goes off.

And doesn't this new social order trivially sponsors democracy across the world... exceptions being China, Syria, Iran where Facebook, twitter, Blogging and the like are banned (China should forget competing with India).

I should also confess that both my bachelors & masters degree and fact that I am still employed.. credit goes to one and only one savior on this earth "Google"!

Though there are certain side effects also..

Like my online buddies are many.. but only few offline companions (my lappy, mobile, TV, my scooter..... no I didn't miss anything.. I don't have Ipod).

Cyber world is PUBLIC by default.. private only when necessary (I go private only to humiliate my friends).

Context switching between regular-space and cyber-space can take you back to square one.

One feels frustrated & sore headed when one can't connect to internet.

Another big disadvantage which you guys bear the burden of.. is my BlOGs! (am not apologetic about it)

Drawbacks may exceed.. but we love this change!! And We can't backtrack.

So whatever be the pros and cons.. let us all, being responsible digital natives or immigrants should pledge to keep things in moderation. I think this can only be the key. Go ahead.. let your mind wander over tangible and virtual cosmos equally.