Hi! My name is A. and I'm addicted to the internet

Is there an internet addictions anonymous group? Because I may have to sign up.

Facebook, iTunes, three e-mail accounts, MSN Messenger and a host of blogs: the list of oft visited sites is lengthy and increasing by the day. Checking all these sites is eating up all my free time. Is that wrong?

I decided to spend a little extra time online and fill out a questionnaire about whether I am indeed addicted to the World Wide Web.

The test deemed me an average internet user who sometimes goes online longer than anticipated, but still has control over usage. (Sigh of relief.)

If the result had accused me of addiction, I was prepared to accuse the questionnaire creators of failing to understand the role internet plays in the social lives of those my age and younger. (Don't they know our social lives rely on networking sites and IMing?) Thankfully, I didn't have to.

But, even though the result assuaged some of my worries, I still have this niggling sense that I should try to restrain my compulsion for Facebook poking, blog checking and emoticon-heavy messaging. Perhaps I could even call someone up instead.

Maybe I'll start tomorrow. For now, I'm going to check on my Facebook news feed. :) :) grin grin.