–noun
the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.
Origin: 1595–1605; < L addictiōn- (s. of addictiō) a giving over, surrender. See addict, -ion
Related Words for : addiction
dependence, dependency, habituation
I've been mulling this topic over for quite a while. When I admit to being a biblioholic (my word), most people smile. Some laugh. Others reassure me that there's nothing wrong with that. I beg to differ.
Right now, I have, within sight of my desk, about 20 stacks of books of varying amounts per stack. That's just within sight of my desk. Were I to go to my reading chair, there would be an additional ten or 12 stacks. That does NOT include the four good sized boxes of books that are stored in my closet. And these are just the books I haven't read yet. Downstairs there are two, tall shelving units filled with books that I or my mother (or both of us) have already read. Well, there's a few classics down there that I haven't gotten to yet. Oh, and the Harry Potter series that I haven't finished.
Now, I am a frequent visitor to Half-Price Books. They pay cash for used books. Then there's Paperback Trading Company, who gives you store credit for books you bring in, making most of your purchases about 20% of the retail price. I also donate quite regularly to the Justice Public Library. So I get rid of almost as many books as I bring in. It's that almost that accounts for the surfeit of books in my home.
I used to read a book a day. That would be a "standard" paperback of approximately 350 pages. Harlequin books I could do three over two days. I would be taking books out just as much as I was bringing them in. That has changed.
I am now, wholly, unresistingly addicted to Facebook. Or, more specifically, Facebook applications such as Zoo World and FarmVille. There are a couple of less time consuming apps that I also play. I have also, on occasion, succumbed to the "chat' feature, although, not too much since it is a lot like talking on the phone, except you can edit your words!
Instead of reading as much, I spend my time feeding virtual baby animals in my zoo, scavenging for treasure in other people's zoos, harvesting crops on my farm and helping chase away raccoons, get rid of weeds and fertilize crops on other people's farms. That's just the most time consuming stuff. Then there's decorating, building and expanding.
I really enjoy these apps. I have made Facebook friends solely on the basis of what games they play. I now boast of friends in the U.K., Belgium, Germany, Australia and more. I've met up with old school friends. Some respond, others don't. The ones who do are very friendly and glad to hear from me. I've found people who were friends through a job I had over 20 years ago.
I get brief glimpses into the lives of many of my cousins, with whom I have caught up these last few months. It's great hearing about one cousin's baby taking his first steps. Or finding out another cousin (whom I hadn't heard from in 35 years) is a grandfather four times over. Or the cousin who moved from Oklahoma to Maine and I knew before most of my family did. Oh, there are a couple of cousins who haven't responded to my friend requests, but that's okay.
I get to see pictures of these people and their families. Many times their pets and homes, too. It really is a "social" website. I've laughed, sighed, and commiserated with these people. We sent Christmas and Valentine's greetings to each other. It will never replace my friends that I go to lunch with, or those I visit with each autumn, but it certainly helps to keep me from being too self-absorbed.
So, when I'm reading, I think about my farm or my zoo and when I'm working my farm or zoo, I'm thinking about the book I'm reading. Weird, huh? What can I say? If someone asks which I'd give up--reading or Facebook--I think I'd have a nervous breakdown before I came up with a decision!
The "I'm Addicted to Facebook" Smile courtesy of iSmile (on Facebook, of course!):
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