internet is a full-time job

Posted on 07. Apr, 2008 by admin in Grab Bag

So what do I do all day, exactly, that makes me so busy? After Professor Lasertron was incredulous and totally IRRATIONALLY WIGGING OUT at the lack of housework I do as an unemployed graduate, I mentally asked myself this question since I had verbally given such a lame answer–um, I do tons of other work.

I do lots of Princess Lasertron stuff, of course (I will have four new pins in the store tomorrow)…. But really what I do all day is MySpace, Facebook, LiveJournal, mess around in my pirated version of photoshop, check out the new jobs posted on Careerlink and various other spam-sending job sites, and finally read apartment listings and personal ads on Craigslist (don’t go to those personal ads unless you want to be really disappointed in my moral character) . I even went through a long World of Warcraft phase. (if you are old and clueless, just google it.)

Then I go back through the cycle and reload every page so I dont miss any new developments. I am cool.

BUT IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE.

I recently received a gift that has become even more of a timesink in my incredibly busy day. The thing that has horrified and confused many conscientious parents. The thing that has caused children to fight to the death for the SECRET CODE.

Yeah I am playing a game designed for six-year-olds. Every day. For hours. My Webkinz is named Olive, and she is a pink cat, and she sits on my lap as I play good educational games like Cash Cow, where I have to fill up a pickup truck with bags of money before it is driven away by an anthropomorphic cow.

Webkinz are plush animals that come with a secret code that kids can enter into the Webkinz website to “adopt” the pet and take care of it online. Virtual pet, I guess. Lots of parents are concerned about their kids getting caught up in the hype and becoming computer zombies (like me), or they are just sick of their spawn yelling and crying for rare and “valuable” Webkinz (umm, beanie babies anyone?) There’s a great new article on Slate about it.

So um do you have a Webkinz? If so, will you be my virtual friend?