I pressed some strange button when I was opening up the game of hearts (which I am definitely NOT addicted to!) and up popped a list of files which included both my nemeses Freecell and Spider Solitaire, and like a junkie fresh out of rehab, I have been indulging far too much!

I did get two chapters revised today. Perhaps that should show that I was not completely unproductive.

I also got the laundry folded and made chicken chow mein for supper.

I even wrote up some notes for my talk at tomorrow’s York university mini-conference.

But I didn’t get to walk on the treadmill for an hour, and I’ve spent three hours at one sitting just now, playing Spider Solitaire and Freecell.

You know you’re addicted when you keep on playing even when it’s been ten games without a win!

I checked my win percentage and it’s a paltry 13%!

In freecell it’s 98%. 370 out of 374 or 5 games, I can’t remember, but doesn’t that 2% just drive me crazy! And that’s only 375 games since I last cleared the statistics! And I cleared them because I came across a game I couldn’t win and it spoiled my 500 games, 100% win rate.

Well, now before I decided to post here, I went onto the list of file/games and saw an option for ‘hide this game’.

Hmm. Maybe I’m not the only one with this addiction.

So I hid both games! And techno klutz that I am, I know I can’t figure out how to make them reappear.

Let them stay gone.

My dealer has left town–literally.

My right arm is already tingling and I think I feel stiffness in my left shoulder. I think I quit just in time.

I wonder if they have rehab for spider solitaire junkies.

Mind you, once it’s off my desktop, I really don’t have a problem with it. There’s a bit of withdrawal.

I’ll be watching Oprah or Dr. Phil and my fingers will twitch like they’re itching to play, but it only lasts a day or so.

And then I’m perfectly fine.

Really I am.

I’m not in denial.

I can lick this any time. And you can bet I will NOT be hitting the help icon, that little paperclip thingie and asking it how to find the games.

They’re probably still there.

If they’re hidden it means they’re not deleted right?

Oh dear.

I must not think such things.

I will be strong. I will.

I have more IMPORTANT things to do!

I’m not like those pathetic kids of friends and relatives that come over. You know the kind who sit there twitching because they’re not plugged into a video game? You can’t even have a conversation with those kids! They they look at you like you’re not even there.

(Come to think of it, it was a little like that when I was hooked on Tetris. I’d be talking to people and see the little shape thingies coming down my mind’s inner screen.

But not any more! I haven’t played Tetris for at least a decade. I stopped when I hit high score. Got to the jets, or was it the olympics and they were coming down so fast! I licked that game real good!)

But that was long ago. I’ve never gone back to it.

Nope. Those kids are really hooked!

Not me!