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Short piece from the Guardian, but it's also on the BBC web pages.
Wasting time surfing the net without purpose- like window shopping but you don't leave your desk.
I admit it, I have done this occasionally.
I don't know if this counts, but when I look something up on the web I catch sght of another thread and follow that then another and two hours have passed leaving me a long, long way from where I started
But why is it a problem? Unless it's being used as avoidance, how we spend our leisure time whether window shopping, channel hopping or wilfing is up to us, isnt it? As writers, we often do research and part of doing research is following all leads. I might think that the links and connections I follow when Im doing this are irrelevant to my main project but sometimes something pops up that is very relevant either to the project Im currently working on or it will set the seeds for a new one germinating. Without these connections, my research might be very linear, one-track and boring.
Jenny is so right, I get just as distracted wih an encyclopedia, British Hstory, Roget's and worst of all, Chambers dictionary. I wish I could believe that all the interesting tit bits would come in useful one day but I fear I am just an idle fact browser
Isn't Talkback addictive!!! But I'm only wasting my own time so, I suppose, it doesn't matter. At least I feel I'm among friends and, at times, it's quite enlightening and educational, as it's good to hear other writers' views and opinions and even, maybe, stretch one's imagination.
The difference is with Talkback, we are not wasting time, we are learning, networking and broadening our minds.
I have to admit when I'm looking for info I do get side-tracked, but often I will make a note of the website or put it in my favourites to come back to later on.
Comments
Wasting time surfing the net without purpose- like window shopping but you don't leave your desk.
I admit it, I have done this occasionally.
My favourite places to wilf are:
1. Guardian Notes and Queries (Google it)
2. http://www.amiright.com/ - click on Misheard Lyrics
3. http://www.thebookofdays.com/
4.http://www.houseoflime.com/dings.htm
So there you have it, you now know all my vices!
Heheheh
I have to admit when I'm looking for info I do get side-tracked, but often I will make a note of the website or put it in my favourites to come back to later on.