Is the Internet included with that?

Ahh yes, the Internet. One of the first things I do as soon as I sign online is turn on my computer and then connect to the wireless network. After that, I fire up my mail client and wait for all my e-mails to download. After that, I checked a few news feeds and a few of my websites such as comments for Tweaked for Your Pleasure, new questions on Ask a Jew, new submissions on Submit for your Pleasure and a few other websites.

After that is done I would let Windows Live Messenger sign and then wonder if to do something else (during this time, people send me tons of messages which I never will see). Now this article is not about how I start my morning but rather that I am sure most people here would agree that the Internet forms such a major part of their lives and likely could not function without it.

Now everyone is aware that I can be online 24 hours a day, seven days a week if I want to be but the question I bring is why should I be. Let us take a few people who heard I finally got a working phone sorted and guess what the first thing they wanted to know, that is right, was that they wanted to know my number so they could contact me at any time of the day at any hour for whatever reason they wanted and this applies the same to the Internet.

As soon as I talk about signing off, everyone suddenly starts to moan (actually, I can only think of THREE people on my contact lists who do not whine when I sign off and that is it). They all are saying the same thing because I COULD be online that I should be online and spend all my time chatting with them online.

Throwing another example, most people on my contact lists expect that as soon as I turn on my computer or laptop I suddenly must get on Windows Live Messenger and then chat to everyone regardless if I am busy or whatever reason I have not to sign on. I would know how many will get pissed off when I say that I appear offline half the time when I am using a computer.

The point of this article is simple. Just because you can be online, does not mean you have to be. Just because I could be signed on Windows Live Messenger all the time, does not mean you have to be.

There is a reason e-mail was created and used on the Internet. If you have something to want to say to me and I am not online that you do not bitch about it when I sign online and suddenly start spamming me but you e-mail me and WAIT until I reply to it.