Adventures in Internet Conversations or How I Wasted My Saturday Night

After much interspection, foreplanning, and a moment of blind financial terror I decide that it is best that I stay in this weekend. I have to save money for the holidays after all. I have presents to buy for my mother and her husband, and at this point I'm completely clueless. My brother on the other hand is a much easier mark. Atari is releasing a retro console with something like twenty of the old Atari classics preloaded on it. Since my brother's video game skills never progressed past the 2600, I have decided that it will be a welcome change to the usual DVD purchase. The last on the list is my niece. She's only five, so this won't be too hard. Anyway, the thought of all of this, and a glance at my budget has forced me to supress the urge to go to Town Hall tonight. I do, after all, have a new computer to play with.

I start playing Civilization III for the third time about 7:00. I've restarted again, because I was losing. If I can't rule the world, then I don't want to play to the end, goddammit! I eat my grilled fish, steamed green beans, and baked potato while pointing and clicking. Alas, the damn French are so much more advanced than my Greeks, and I haven't even come across any other civilizations yet. I'm not in the mood to lose tonight. I send all of my Greeks into oblivion by exiting without saving. Damn French.

I decide to try something I haven't attempted in a very long time. I'm going to a chat room. That'll pass the time. I'll just talk to some people. I start out in the 20's room. My screen name is quietguy, because I don't always talk. I am not in the room for a minute before a private message pops up.

"hi"

Should I use proper grammar here, does it matter? Just type something dumbass!

"hello."

"full load of fun in my head :) is it fun there?"

What the hell does that mean?

"not yet"

I suck at this.

"i'm so excited :) just agood day 2day. . let chat? :)"

What the hell am I doing?

"ok"

"well. . . 22/f/us here. . you?"

"26/m/chicago"

"yeah. . hmm. . wanna see me on webcam? now? you do not need a cam."

Dammit, this is an ad, isn't it?

"If this is an ad for a cam site, I'm not interested."

Looks like my grammar came back, damn education.

"Lets meet http://grin.dot7.org/members/cintia_ehuer"

I close the message window. Of course the entire time this conversation is occuring more private messages pop up with more links. At least these people don't waste my time pretending that they want to talk. I switch rooms hoping that I can find one with real people in it. But, everytime I hit the same experience. There are a few people actually chatting, but from what they are saying, it sounds like they're a lot younger than I am. Oh well, I tried. I suppose I can attempt to rule the world again.