I'm trying

I never play any of computer games... or almost never. Simply I don`t have a time for it. Also, I like my real life too.
Twelve years ago, while I was still learning how to use computer, we used to play Tetris implemented in Dos Navigator, a file manager program very similar to Northon Commander. And at one moment I was a champion, reached few million points and no one could get me. Then one day, system administrator formatted HD on taht computer and everything has gone All of the hours of my playing has gone forever Then I realised futility of PC games. One simple command and there will be no traces it ever existed....
I have a friend who spends most of his time in Second Life. He is addicted no matter what he says...

i went to second life once, invited by a girlfriend, open minded as usual but also with the wisdom of time, threw myself into it and quickly discovered that second life is ruled by more selfishness and egotism than life itself. i am still interested in the person though. the real live flesh and blood and skin person.

and on the subject of opera community of friends sharing ideas and experiences, it's just as real as letter writing in any time; talking to each other, that's as real as rain.
my god, if you can't separate the dross from the gold, what's the sense then? in person or online. it's the same thing. discrimination. don't waste your time, that's all.

On Facebook it´s possible for you to tend a virtual farm, buy seeds, sell crops, buy houses and get more and more setteled. In the beginning I felt it was quite innocent. But one day on the way home from work, I registrated I was a kind of stressed. Why?, I thought. I found out I hurried because there was a harvest deadline on my fields on the virtual farm and if I didnt get home in time, the crops would be lost!! But we are talking fictive imaginable stuff here. I got really pi***d at my self and decided to let it rest. It took more and more of my time. MY VALUABLE TIME!!
But it goes for other matters too San. TV...stupid magazines etc.
The good things in my life always starts when I have time. Time to be bored. Everything our civilization try to flee..I seek. If the day is gray, cold and humid, I go out! HELLO DAY, what´s up!
Sometimes it´s like tickling yourself to sit totally still when you´re bored stiff. No TV, books, computer. Just you and your life and thoughts..sitting on my sofatable doing absolutely nothing for an hour or two. It´s a rebirth.
Sometimes you can clean the head like cleaning your domicile
For me simple, simple living has been the ultimate goal. I know when I´m happy, I don´t need much

Originally posted by sanshan:

Are these real relationships?

Well, this is questionable - I hope this is correct word. It can`t be THAT real while we are all sitting in front of our computers. Most of us are getting very well together, but I can`t be sure we would go that good if we live in a same building or are colleagues. There are too many things we don`t know about each other and, as in real life, here we try to show only the best side of our characters - the facade we show to every other person we meet outside our homes. It need time to know someone. And, like in real life, people change.
A picture we have about someone here is not the same in real life.
I guess this is the same as in Second Life. People are trying to escape out of boredome of their everyday life. Or from problems they may have.
On the other hand, I like Opera because it has that possibility to write stuff. It gives better insight into someone`s character.

There´s only one way to find out! Travel

in response to edare,
right on, friend, you follow up on my idea that we can be honest with each other as well online as we would in life with our best friends in so-called 'real life' because we know somehow deep down that that is the only way to be real. and it is the same discrimination in the mind which separates the wolves from the lambs. and i would postulate that cyber relationships are real life as long as we remain real ourselves. that is, true to ourselves with no masks except those we haven't yet dropped in our tactile existences. because all our lives are beset with the particular illusions of our personal natures.

Please try to find that essay, San. Would very much like to read it.

I´m honoured San. That could be great.

We could train doing Uncapricornic stuff. Like doing things without lists and scedules. I try to do that at the moment

@L ArtMan - "as long as we remain real ourselves" - and that is exactly the hardest part; people in general, like to be liked - so, sometimes they are making things up to look nice to others; luckily, for a careful reader, it could be possible to see things "hidden in leaves"; no one can be that careful and if making charcter out of a lies, there are glitches, inconsistencies, here and there
I must admit, I pretend I am Predator here and there

San, when I started blogging here, I`ve found a post made by a girl from USA who fall in love with a man from Eastern Europe. They decided to live together, and she admitted that, even though they knew each other for some time, it was completely different when they met. The other mistake they made was that they decided to live together immediately, without even trying to see how it could be - and it proved to be a disaster. In a lot of levels, because he left his job and sold everything he had, so he could not return. After a while she realised it is not what she wanted, what she imagined it will be and they separated. She said how sorry she was for destroying his life, even though there was his part in all of it, too.
On the other hand, I know for some of my friends here who met on line and are doing good so far. I cross my fingers for them because I think they have a good chance to stay together

I've been surprised to find that I can be more "me" in the MyOpera community than I can with the people I know in the real world. I think it's perhaps because there is less to lose online, in terms of vital supportive--and maybe not so supportive--relationships. While I have developed real affection for the people I meet online, what they think of me is not as important to me as how I'm thought of by, say, my mother or next-door neighbor. With people in the real world, we tend to censor ourselves more in order to not adversely affect relationships, I think. We have roles we assume or are assigned in our families and friendships, and we play those roles with little deviation for the most part.

But online, there are no assumptions and pre-assigned roles. I can be who I am, with all my different facets, and participate in conversations, debates, speculations, and various other forms of communication without endangering someone's paradigms--mine or anyone else's--and being perceived as a threat or feeling threatened. I CAN be my best self.

It's actually kind of freeing.

But when it comes to online games like Second Life, World of Warcraft and the like, that seems to me like a type of escapism. The relationships developed in these games seem to be relationships between fictional characters--everybody is living a fantasy of some sort. Seems superficial. And dangerous.

I've never played those types of games, but I know people who have. I sense a deep depression within them.

I know San. It´s just a training exercise for me, because I´ve been very stressed at work. I try to have my lists, only in my head. The things I forget are low prioritated. It´s a good filter
I´ve shopped several times without a list. I´m very proud of that

Denmark has a severe lack of mountains. You even needn´t gear on the bicycles. My goatland is the rim rising along the north coast here

Originally posted by nopanic:

I´ve shopped several times without a list.

don´t do that, San. Your buys look very creative Mind expanding

@ Darko

none. even valerian can mess up your natural sleep cycle. just lie there and wait and disconnect. that's all there is to it. no help except common sense.

If I cant sleep. I sit in my comfy chair with the lights out and think. Sometimes all through the night. sitting absolutely still and doing nothing is as close to sleep one can get

I started having huge problems sleeping after I was divorced several years ago so did some research to see if there was anything I could do to help myself. I haven't solved the problem but following is what I have gleaned.
Alcohol before bed will indeed help put you to sleep, but many people won't stay asleep.
Keep your bed and bedroom for sleep only - no computer, work or TV in bed.
Exercise is good but should be done several hours before you intend to sleep.
Relax for 45 minutes before bed with something that doesn't use your brain - sitcoms, a dull book etc.
Good luck and let us know if you find something that works!

There is a lot being said so far and the comment that represent best my thoughts, it's the one of Stardancer.

I know that there are many persons who blog like they live their lives, behind a big mask. But for me who tries hard to be as real as possible in the "real life", it's easier for me to do it here because no one expect anything from me and I don't expect anything from anybody but as long as I feel the persons I'm interacting with is true, I will be interested to keep that contact alive.

I once had a teacher who gave me some good advice about how to get to sleep at night. I formerly knew the physical explanation, why it worked. And It ALWAYS worked at me. I´ve tried to google a lot about insomnia / sleeplessness but couldnt find the exact explanation. BUT the trick is to discover when, during your day you feel really really tired. I´m sure we all have these periods during the day. Sitting nodding, almost falling asleep. The trick is to mark a period in the afternoon, where you feel very tired. It´s proved that you feel the same way one and a half hour after. And one and a half hour after that again. You can actually determin when to go to sleep that way. It worked for me

It makes But you sound groggy like you woke up 3 minutes ago

I think to keep things safe...you must be able to live your life without thinking of online friends and games. If you are out there at work and your mind is constantly on "Second Life" or "that friend" then I believe that is TOO MUCH. Time to step back and say, wait a minute here!

There was a time when I was so addicted to my Opera friends. I felt like, if I didn't get in here and tell them what was going on then they would stress out.

Those days are over, with the help of prayer!

Now, I just visit for the simple fact of entertainment..in a healthy way. Instead of watching a mindless show on TV, I'll drop in here instead.

Hmmm maybe if you counted goats in stead of sheep

Interesting about the periods of 1 1/2 hours. Our natural sleep cycle takes about 1 1/2 hours to complete as we go through the 5 stages of sleep. It would definately make sense to count from that point.

I´m glad you back that up Lois, ´cos it really works on me

When my son lived at home, he would work late and when he was ready to be picked up, he would call me, and wake me so I could pick him up. If I told him I was dreaming when he called, he would be able to tell me what time I fell asleep, by the position of the sleep cycle I was in!

wow. Great