Why are you online?

When I was 10 or so, the internet (Prodigy) was mainly for playing games on my parent's Commodore 64 computer. I also recall something about "bulletin boards," but I'm not sure if I used those when I was that young.

When I was 11 or so, the internet was for giggling with my friend over comments made in AOL chat rooms. A/S/L check, anyone? It was the thing our parents didn't want us to do (talk to strangers), but safer because you were behind the comfortable confines of a computer screen. Also, I got my first email address: cran11@aol.com (because I was 11, and I liked the Cranberries).

When I was in middle school, the internet was for communicating with friends I had in the real world. I had my second email address, KERMIT4474@aol.com (because I liked the muppets, and AOL generated some random numbers for me).

When I was in high school, the internet was for goofing off with my friends, emailing with boys I was too shy to talk to in person, and researching (a little).

When I was in college, the internet was for so much:

• Friendster (R.I.P.)
• MySpace (almost R.I.P.)
• Dowloading tons and tons of music
• Finding out when / where shows were playing and stalking Jump, Little Children in particular
• Blogging (2002-2004, 2004-2007), and usually being a bit emo about it
• IMing all of my college friends with my latest screenname (TorchSongHero - because I loved Jump, Little Children) to organize meet-ups outside of the dorm, express myself in my away messages, communicate with my roomie who sat a few feet away from me, and flirt with boys
• Research
• Homestarrunner, among other web entertainment
• Photo sharing
• Emailing friends from home while studying overseas

In the following years, the internet continued to be for all of those things, and more. Now, the internet is for work and play. Isn't that kind of crazy? I think so. And I like it that way.

The internet and I have been having a love affair since Prodigy, and old internety has aged very gracefully.

I'm online for lots of reasons. (Hey, you're reading one of them now!) True, I do enjoy a little shameless self-promotion, but I read my fair share of personal blogs to offset my egomania, I think. And perhaps I overshare on the internet sometimes. But, you know what, I'm really not that worried about it.

What about you? Why are YOU online?

Old tunic, Old Navy cardigan, jeans & flats, Gap scarf - Can I just say that I'm really digging this outfit? This is quite me.