Step 1

All right, I admit it, I have a bit of an addiction, and I hear that admitting to the problem is the first step in recovery, so here goes. Since starting my current job, I’ve become something of a news junkie. Well, among other things. It’s easy to become an internet/google/blog/entertainment junkie when you’re always looking for reasons not to work.

As I mentioned in my last post, my particular addiction over the last year or so has been the Huffington Post. You know, because it’s a liberal and extremely thorough news source - i.e. I’m just as likely to be able to satisfy my craving to see pictures of Tiger’s latest skanks as I am to read about the primary elections. Celebrity gossip, White House pictures of the Obamas walking their dog before their annual picnic (ok, I also admit to this fascination with the Obamas’ daily lives, to the point where even their nightly dinner menu is a source of HUGE interest), and in-depth news coverage, the Huff has it all.

I won’t lie, I tend to go to the fluffy stuff first. And my biggest gripe about the site is that they often link to videos that I can’t view at work because our firewalls block pretty much anything fun. On Friday, for example, I was so bummed that I couldn’t view Lady Gaga’s new video. Katy Perry apparently slammed it for being blasphemous, but why should I have to take Katy Perry’s word for it? A few weeks ago, I was sad to not be able to see another video where a guy reunited 5 years later with a gorilla that he raised from a gorilla-baby. I was so determined to see that one that I even went home later and looked it up on my own time (you know, because I usually like to do as much surfing on the government’s time as possible).

Once the fluffy stuff gets repetitive, though, I move onto the weightier stuff, and I have to say, it’s just as addictive. I didn’t really realize how hooked I’ve gotten until recently. It used to be that my co-worker C and I would chat about various Huff posts as we came across them. Now, of course, she’s on maternity leave, and lately, I’ve found myself sending G link after link, complete with my angry commentary. Because OMG, I’m so ready to line up the BP execs at this point and get a firing squad going (what, they’re doing it in Utah!?!). One more picture of an oil-soaked pelican (cuz it’s like an accident, I can’t look away)and I might be waddling over there myself to try to kick some ass. And those stupid parents that let their 16yo go off on an around the world sailing trip by herself? Really? Between the Australian rescue mission and the French ship that went out to bring her home, I’m wondering how much she cost all the countries involved. But more than that, now that she seems to be safely home, I can say that those parents were CRAAA-ZY letting her do it in the first place. And I don’t know what to make of that Israel flotilla debacle, but I can’t seem to get enough of it.

And the funny thing about addictions is that they really do start to impinge on other aspects of your life. This one certainly has. Because suddenly, I find myself listening to NPR more than my fluffy morning talk shows (unless of course, they’re dishing on celebrities in which case it becomes a total dilemma, and I'm stuck biting my nails wondering what I'm missing on the other station). Or occasionally opening the Economist that G started subscribing to ages ago and I’m pretty sure has NEVER read. Or most often, tuning into the Daily Show and Colbert Report, because come on, isn’t that where everyone goes for their news source? The whole thing has become something of a problem.

Anyway, I’m working through it. But in the meantime, I figure it’s only a matter of time before G stops responding to my ranting emails, in which case I might need another outlet. Just to prep everyone. :)