Internet Withdrawal Symptoms

The Internet Addict

For the last four months, it has been my daily habit as soon as I woke up, while drinking coffee, to read news in the Internet( CNN, Philippines Inquirer, COMCAST, etc..) as well as read my e-mail. In addition, I have to check for new and interesting articles and responses to my comments from several of my favorite blog sites. Weekly, I will also check the balances of my bank account and investments and monthly, I pay my bills via the Internet or sometimes purchase items in the Internet. In addition to the news, I usually check what is new in You Tube. By the time I finish all these, it is almost lunch time.
Today, we have an electric outage which lasted for three hours from 9:00 AM to 12 Noon. Power outage is rare here in Sacramento, compared to Marinduque. In Marinduque, it occurs daily or weekly, for 30 minutes or less.If there is a typhoon it will last for a few days. Needless to say I have a generator in Marinduque, because of my resort business So if there is a "blackout", I will have emergency electric power for my clients.

Now back to my withdrawal symptoms: I feel depressed. I do not know what to do with myself and appears a little bit confused. Since there is no power, I tried to put on my battery operated radio, but there is no battery, so I started looking for magazines to read. I was still uneasy though after I finished reading all of RD. So, I decided to do yoga exercises, do a little push up and then I started to sweat a little bit. After a while I took a shower and I felt good. It was about 11:00AM and the power was still out. My restlessness started again, so I realized I was really missing the Internet. Luckily an hour later the power was on. Without any hesitation, my PC was on and the results is the blog you are reading now. So fellow bloggers, and Internet addicts, have you experience Internet or blogger withdrawal symptoms? I would like to hear of your experience and how you overcome or controlled it.

Wedding Entourage

Dave and Macrine Katague Wedding, May, 8, 1957


Golden Wedding Entourage,December,2007

This is the wedding entourage during our Golden Wedding Anniversary celebration at the Boac Cathedral, December, 2007. If you are reading this blog and you are over 65, you are indeed a rare human being. Let me explain why. Based on the current survey, the majority of blog users ranged in ages from 12 to 40. Only a minority of blog users (filipino or filipino-Americans,and others) are over 65 years old. Anyway, thank you for visiting my blog site.I hope to see you soon in Marinduque-my island paradise and Heaven on Earth.
NOTE:Today,I found out there are over seven million bloggers in the world and blogging started in 2003.I just started last May,and really enjoying this activity. Currently,I have seven blog sites on various topics. I hope you enjoy visiting at least one of my site.

Survivor Philippines-Golden Wedding Anniversary

Altar of the Boac Cathedral and Group Wedding Picture
Last year we celebrated our 50th Wedding Anniversary at the Boac Cathedral ( the same church where we were married in 1957) in Boac, Marinduque, Philippines. All of our four children and three of our grandchildren, a son-in-law and two nieces from the United States were in attendance. In addition about 150 friends and relatives from Manila and Marinduque were also present. A friend from Vancouver, B.C., Canada also attended this memorable event.
The Bishop of Boac officiated the renewal of vows and mass. The Governor and his wife with about 150 guests attended the reception held at our conference hall( Chateau Du Mer Conference Center)

The following is a write-up of my daughter experiences. She titled it " Survivor Philippines and my Parents Golden Wedding Anniversary.

" Resembling the journey survivor contestants make to get to their island, after 47 hours of travel -planes, trains, automobiles and a long ferry ride-- Carenna and I finally arrived on the peaceful island of Marinduque. Staying at my parents winter home and resort, we were joined by all my siblings, brother-in-law Dave, nephew Ian, niece Elaine, and first cousins, Ella and Lanie and Alex ( Lanie's S.O. and Carenna's personal "bee killer"). It was quite an experience getting there and being there." Here are the 12 memorable things about the Philippines during my trip:

1 (One) Great performance- Carenna sings "New World" at the Anniversary reception

2. (Two) Happily married parents ( renewed vows after 50 years)

3. Three Hours of holding Carenna (50 lbs), sweating during midnight mass in an ancient (no A/C) cathedral built in 1660 with 1000+ mass attendees( imagine survivor LOG HOLD challenge)

4. Four Roasted Pigs -aka Lechon . Carenna got to meet the live pigs the day before they appeared at the party ( albeit with tan).

5. Five guys eating balut- Ian, Dave, Alex, Dodie and David E had a christmas day Balut eating contest-- yes that's the fertilized duck embryo boiled eggs that they eat in Survivor and Fear Factor TV shows

6. Six aquamarine bridesmaid dresses that did not fit

7. Seven words in tagalog that Carenna knows, ( Tabi po Nono', tubig, paroparo, salamat po, maganda and Kain na)

8. Eight bouts of prickly heat-poor Carenna

9. Nine hours of marathon shopping in Metro Manila with Cousin Cindy Nieva ( professional shopper)

10. Ten asthma attacks in Manila-not known for air quality

11. Eleven types of rice cakes ( 11 hour hangover for Ella)

12. Twelve of us crammed in a van during the round Marinduque Island Tour


Yes, at that time there was no air transportation available from Manila to Marinduque. There are rumors that air transportation will be available around October, 2008. I hope these rumors will become a reality.

May I reiterate to the provincials officials of Marinduque, that if one of their goals is to make Marinduque a world -wide tourist destination like Boracay Island in Aklan, it is imperative that air transportation services from Manila should be their number one priority. Otherwise, the island will remain as if it was in the 1970's with exception of course of new roads and one modern hotel and resort such as East Point and Chateau Du Mer.