Remember the good old days, when you only used the internet for things like checking email, internet datingand maybe buying some odd collectible item from eBay? Now we spend hours on the World Wide Waste of Time, checking out photos from our second-cousin’s roommate’s bridal shower, or Googling our own names to see what pops up, doing whatever else that throws utilization of time right out the window. I admit it… I have a hard time turning my computer off! Here are my top seven Internet time-wasters (not including online video games, which are so numerous they’ve made their own list)…
Photo Credit: ∆ toma01
I know a lot of people who have a Facebook wall, a MySpace page, and they tweet on Twitter too! How do they find the time to sort through friend requests, upload and tag photos, choose background and songs, not to mention stalking ex-boyfriends? Social networking is probably the number-one time-waster on the Internet, but it is handy for keeping in touch with the girl whose mother drove the car-pool in third grade…
Photo Credit: MissyV110
This is really a category of its own. If you love cats and they are your favorite pets, and have always thought they were aloof and disdainful of humans, then this is the site for you! LOLCATS have horrible grammar and spelling, love cheezburgers, and hate goggies. They look up to Ceiling Cat, and fear Basement Cat. This original site has launched spin-offs, like LOLDOGS. I love it! It’s my favorite way to waste an hour.
Photo Credit: Herodoto
What, the Facebook photos of your second-cousin’s roommate’s bridal shower weren’t enough, so you want to see the video, too? Or how about that risqué old commercial for Little Caesar’s pizza from the 1980’s? Or how about just acute animal video to make you go Awww? Then check out YouTube, a site with literally millions of video clips of everything you can think of, and lot of things you really shouldn’t be thinking of.
Photo Credit: tishay
If you’re any sort of collector worth your salt, you’ve probably spent hours (and lots of dollars) on eBay. Where else can you find that Deery Lou coin purse, the blue fanged TokiDoki, or the last coin or Pokemon card to compete your collection? If it’s not on eBay, amazon.com, or craigslist, then it doesn’t exist. Simply type in what you’re looking for, from cars to cameras to clothes, and you’ll see who is selling it, where, and for how much, from California to Canada to Crete. Almost makes you want to start a new hobby collecting stuff doesn't it?
Photo Credit: evaxebra
Ah, what better way to use the awesome power of the internet than to spend an hour catching up on celebrity gossip! See who was wearing what, sleeping with whom, or spotted with which exotic pet. Sites like TMZ and Perez Hilton are famous for their juicy tidbits and moment-by-moment, play-by-play updates. Definitely one of my guilty Internet time-wasting pleasures!
Photo Credit: blurb
Everyone knows someone who considers themselves a top-notch blogger. I’m one of them, actually, but my favorite blog, even more than my own, is hands-down dooce.com. (Mine, by the way, is One Evolution, which you can find at jennkstep.com…) I love hearing the details of someone else’s crazy life, because it makes me feel a little more normal.
Photo Credit: goenetix (...)
The Onion started as a weekly print publication in Chicago, and has grown to become an empire in satire of all sorts. They roast politicians, athletes, celebrities, religious leaders, and regular folks. They’re fashioned after a newspaper, with made-up articles, quotes, and obviously doctored photos and charts. Not for the under-18 crowd, or the faint of heart (obscenities and sexual innuendo abound)… but still one of my favorite ways to waste an hour or more.
Photo Credit: zero g
If you’re a movie fan or just a trivia buff, then you’re likely to be already addicted to Rotten Tomatoes and imdb. There’s no better site than imdb for tracking down which actor appeared in which romantic movie or TV show. And if you want an honest, straight-forward movie review, then you need to check out Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes is also a cable show now, so you can waste time in the Internet, and in front of the television! Hooray!
Okay, so now you know where you can waste an hour or two on the Internet and still get some entertainment value from it. Honestly, I spend about an hour each day on Facebook, including my time playing FarmVille (I’m totally addicted) and about an hour on the other sites I mentioned. That’s two hours I could be using for something, er, useful! Which of these sites is your favorite? How do you like to waste time online? Please let me know!
Top Photo Credit: alfanhuí