(Editor’s Note: We thank Peter Altschul for this excellent 12-step New Year’s Resolution for the new millennium! Now, where did we put those talking books, the knitting needles, the cookie cutters ... all the things we used to do before we became addicted to e-mail and ACB Radio??? And who are these strange children, and do they live here?)
1. I will have a cup of coffee in the morning and read my newspaper like I used to, before the Internet.
2. I will eat breakfast with a knife and fork and not with one hand typing.
3. I will get dressed before noon.
4. I will make an attempt to clean the house, wash clothes, and plan dinner before turning on my computer.
5. I will sit down and write a letter to those unfortunate few friends and family that are Internet-deprived.
6. I will call someone on the phone who I cannot contact via e-mail.
7. I will read a book...if I still remember how. (Let’s see now. Dots 1, 3, 5 ... Oh, that’s an “o!”)
8. I will listen to those around me and try to pay attention to their needs and stop telling them to turn the TV down so I can hear what my screen-reader is saying.
9. I will not be tempted during TV commercials to check for e-mail.
10. I will try and get out of the house at least once a week, whether it’s necessary or not.
11. I will remember that my bank is not forgiving if I forget to balance my checkbook because I was too busy on the Internet.
12. Last, but not least, I will remember that I must go to bed sometime and the Internet will always be there tomorrow!