And She Writes too

Hey you, move your eyes slowly from the screen take your hands off the keyboard and back away from the computer with your hands on top of your head. If being on the computer more than eight hours a day were against the law; then I am guilty.

I bought my first computer in 1996 and since then my life has been filled with never ending emails, instant messaging, chat rooms and Google. At work, I am on the computer four hours a day. After work, I am on the computer for another 4 to 6 hours. You can say that I am obsessed.

My computer obsession at first was just a hobby, learning graphic design, web design and dabbling in digital scrap booking. Then after my daughter was born in 1998, my computer has become my lifeline. Without my computer, I would have never learned that children with my daughter's disease do live. Without my computer, I would have never met my network of friends who have helped me understand my daughter's disease and how to take care of her. Without my computer, I would not be able to research the medications my daughter takes so that I can better understand what they are doing to her body. Without my computer, I would not be able to communicate effectively with my daughter's doctors because they are located in two different cities, two hours apart. Without my computer, I would be alone in a world of pediatric liver disease.

However, I am not just using the computer as a research tool. Today, I have turned my love for my computer into a money making venture. Currently, I am writing articles for Helium.com. My love for web design has encouraged me to start my own small web design business and I am making a little bit of money doing some graphic design. There are so many ways to make extra money online that your computer doesn't have to be just a place to send and receive emails. Your computer can make money for you.

As you can see my computer for me is more than just a way to communicate, it's helps me earn a living. The computer to me is more than just a bunch of hardware and software, the computer is my peace of mind. With my computer, people will learn about my daughter's disease and have hope. With my computer, I can make money while staying home with my children. With my computer, I am not alone.

Stepping away from my computer for even 24 hours is not an option. My computer is extension of me, it keeps me sane and it takes me away from my sometimes very stressful life. The only way you can pull me away from the computer is by handcuffing me and putting me in jail. The charge, mishandling the computer and computer overuse; guilty as charged. Go ahead throw the book at me but first give me my laptop so I can Google a good lawyer.