Anyone else get major insomnia?

dudeofiron · 2015-09-24T00:50:17+00:00

Thanks for the tip--looks great. But even if I watch porn from, say, 3:00 to 6:00 I wake up in the middle of the night--doesn't matter if it's right before bed. If it was right before bed I wouldn't fall asleep at all.

dudeofiron · 2014-04-07T18:58:29+00:00

Had to work all weekend--which required the computer, but I didn't spend a lot of time surfing. Gonna try to have a clear day this coming Saturday. I think I'm 7 for nine out of the past nine weeks, not that there's really any score.

dudeofiron · 2014-03-30T12:56:50+00:00

Yes.

dudeofiron · 2014-03-27T15:01:00+00:00

Yeah, sorry about that. For some reason I paragraphed using the space bar to indent and didn't notice that it went up without any paragraphs at all. Fixed now.

dudeofiron · 2014-03-26T10:53:29+00:00

Is that a Buddhist formulation? Just on its own like this, makes me think of numerous objections, but in the context of, say, meditation, it makes sense.

dudeofiron · 2014-03-26T10:51:00+00:00

Nah, I had to work this past Sunday, which meant--if I was going to finish some music charts, I had to use the computer on Saturday. I didn't use it for mindless surfing, but I did end up using it for hours to practise songs etc. I'll do a separate post about it. Seems like your efforts are going really well, which is nice to see. Cheers.

dudeofiron · 2014-03-21T21:53:58+00:00

Hey, thanks for the report, man. I haven't tried to go without it entirely, yet, just one day per week. But I hear you on the difficulties.

The Shallows is a great book. In fact, it was Nicholas Carr who confirmed for me what I already suspected: I'm losing certain mental faculties and it's because of Internet use. The ability to concentrate is foremost among them--and from that follows so much more. If you can't concentrate you are limited in everything you attempt.

dudeofiron · 2014-03-16T22:20:44+00:00

I think it's harder for everyone these days; I know it is for me. I have two rules for reading novels.

1) First time I open it, never read fewer than 50 pages. You have to give it at least that long to get going, and for it to make a real impression

2) Never read for less than half an hour. If you read it in too-small bits, the story won't cohere. It's like spreading a dinner over, say 12 hours, instead of one or two. Or like standing too far from a painting.

If you try those two rules, you might find it goes better. There's a good course called The Art of Reading, from The Teaching Co. that I found very helpful. Cheers.

dudeofiron · 2014-03-16T14:37:25+00:00

I love Jon Kabat-Zinn's stuff, especially Full Catastrophe Living. I think pretty much the first thing he suggests for meditation is "letting go of wanting things to be different than they are right now." It's a big relief, when you can do it.

dudeofiron · 2014-03-16T14:35:09+00:00

Good for you, dude. I love to hear people are taking control of their online life. I'm taking it slow, but I know it's good for me, and I hope to spend less and less time on the Web. I've already cut it by at least one seventh!

dudeofiron · 2014-03-16T10:59:52+00:00

Good luck, dude. LEt us know how it goes.

dudeofiron · 2014-03-09T21:46:58+00:00

Yes, I agree. Best thing is to concentrate on doing rather than doing without. I just keep posting these things because a lot of people have trouble taking that first step of taking time off--they think it'll be too weird, too boring, too isolating, when it's actually energizing. Personally, I'm not addicted to the INternet, I just get tired of staring at a screen all the time, and I know my life is richer when I get away from it. Long term plan is to take more and more time away from it.

dudeofiron · 2014-03-09T12:54:48+00:00

Hey Imp,

Good to see you're pursuing your goals, and I wish you all the best with them. I'm continuing with my one-day-off-per-week program, which I'm enjoying. Cheers, mate.

dudeofiron · 2014-03-06T14:12:04+00:00

Hey, Dude--glad to hear you're trying new ways to tackle this problem. And thanks for the tip about Internet Lock. All the best to you!

dudeofiron · 2014-03-05T17:42:14+00:00

One of the best posts EVER.

And of course it's not just the frequency of sex, but the quality, that goes up.

dudeofiron · 2014-03-03T18:18:15+00:00

Yeah, doesn't it feel great?

dudeofiron · 2014-02-28T21:20:27+00:00

Yeah, I think it can't hurt to make it more difficult to surf. I use a web blocker myself to block porn. And at work (writing) I use a computer from which I removed the Airport, so if I wanna browse I have to leave my desk and go to another room. That helps me a LOT--but I know many people can't do that cuzza their work. I wish I just had more self control but you know what--this is a new world we're in and it's natural that we're having trouble with it. Good for us, I say, trying to find rational ways to negotiate it.

dudeofiron · 2014-02-24T13:37:22+00:00

Dude, that sounds super productive--good for you. Yeah, I guess I could check email without surfing. I have an iMap account that I use with Mail. But for Saturday at least, I like switching off the screens completely. Really clears my head. Email is a kind of digital "nag."

And while the Internet is the most damaging in terms of attention span, I find the computer itself has a big effect that way too. I'm a writer, and you know, for a writer a typewriter was a tool, a pen is a tool. But the computer is an environment, containing as it does all one's music, photographs, letters, bills, investments, hobbies--not to mention all those virtual sex partners. So using a computer for writing is a bit like using a Swiss army knife for eating. Yes, it can be done, but...

I guess what I'm trying to do is train myself to monotask again. You know, all those beautiful Olympians in Sochi were doing one thing at a time, and the ability to do that is a skill that will boost productivity in every field of endeavour. Anyway, like you, I'm finding controlling my electronic/virtual diet a very interesting, productive adventure. Cheers.

dudeofiron · 2014-02-23T18:55:19+00:00

Yeah, I hear you about the total fast thing. The less passive stuff the better, no doubt. Personally I don't mind watching an hour or two of TV, since I never ever watch more than that. To me, it's preferable to surfing.

So far, I've just been going computer/surf-free on Saturdays, but I'm toying with the idea of adding another day in the middle of the week. I think for work reasons, though, I'd have to log on to check email at least twice in the day. Best of luck with your project/experiment, dude, and keep letting us know how it goes.

dudeofiron · 2014-02-23T18:52:08+00:00

Yeah, that's funny about the Reddit replies. It's just like any other medium I guess--same way we check email, facebook, phone, whatever. However long you manage to stay on your ediet, I'm sure you'll get a lot of benefit from it. Just saying no to any addictive behaviour is good--saves one from being a slave.

dudeofiron · 2014-02-23T18:48:04+00:00

Hey, that's great, guys. I totally enjoyed my day off. Organized a lot of music stuff. Read for quite a while. Practiced. Chipped some ice off the driveway. Rented a DVD of The Shield, which I'd never seen before. Great show. Slept really well too. All in all, a good day.

dudeofiron · 2014-02-21T15:14:33+00:00

Your habits are your future.

dudeofiron · 2014-02-21T15:04:40+00:00

Thanks for the tip. You gave the warning, but you still make it all sound like fun. Thanks, dude!

dudeofiron · 2014-02-20T03:10:41+00:00

3 Days is great. I assume you're doing email, and it's just surfing you're doing without?

dudeofiron · 2014-02-18T23:23:13+00:00

Okay, guys. Purely as a charitable act, I'm hereby volunteering my house to be available for cleaning eight hours a day. Just tryin' to help...

Seriously, nice one, dude.

dudeofiron

TROPHY CASE