thanks,
now can i go on monday and watch the simpsons? and Family Guy, and American Dad? please?

Hi!

The answer to that is a befeirusheh RMB"M. He writes that every person (referring to normal yidden) is free to do whatever they want. If you want to get sucked into erotica and then into good old lust-obsession, dissatisfaction, and confusion, who am I to pretend "you can't"? It's your choice, chaver. Hashem will love you whatever you choose....though He may not seem like He is being very 'nice' to you...

...unless you are an addict as I am (and many others). If you are not a normal yid/person but rather an addict, then you are sick, like I am. For then you cannot watch that stuff, just like you cannot jump off a high-rise building.

See, 'cannot' is a little relative, after all. Suicide is not really a 'preference' - for it is the one thing that is against our very survival instincts. Any addict who truly 'has' his or her 1st Step knows by definition that acting out their lust/drinking alcohol/gambling/snorting their coke is - for them - truly death. Not for normal people - for them it is just a choice, good or bad - for an addict who has his 1st Step, it is death.

That's not a speech or a great mussar schmooze - either you have it, or you don't. I cannot give the gift of acceptance to you. Only pain - or a Heavenly gift of great insight - can give it to you, I believe.

Hatzlocha my friend!! I am sober one day at a time for many years so far, and it is clear that Hashem can do it for anybody if He is doing it for a person like me.

Hi (I'm back!)

Hi (welcome back)

Thanks sweetie!

Here's the issue-
I'm not sure if you call me a hard core addict (i havent m*********** more than 4 times this year, although thats way to much, and the shmirat eynayim aint too great, as well as i think my mind revolves around "inyanei kedusha" way too much)

I'm i think an addict on the brink -

so here's the thing

i have internet at work which is pretty restricted (no youtube or facebook or worse, although you can have a bit of a wild time on image search)i recently discovered that i can watch most network tv programs online (abovementioned shows) plus a certain soap/thriller that i am TOTALY HOOKED on
i am a also big sports fan (HOCKEY) and feel a compulsion to keep up with all that is new there.

my biggest success has come with full internet strike (meaning no nonworkrelated internet) basicaly only my company website my bank website and google maps and maybe a few visits to clients websites.

this worked for around three months last fall, but eventually my sports interest got the better of me and i went to NHL.com (prettty boring place) BUT i thought to myself AHA! you loser you fell! cmon' i got some GOOD stuff for you- that day I fell after 121 days (longest sobriety in recent history) since then it's been a struggle

my question is
now that i have this huge addiction to a certain TV program is it better to just watch it every week (maybe as well as the other above mentioned programs?)and add a clause to my strike saying no nowork rrelated internet besides for BLANK on Fridays, and BLANK BLANK BLANK on mondays? in order to keep the lid from blowing off? or is COLD TURKEY the only way?

and can i add nhl.com to my mutar list?

i dunno i'm sorta confused

thanks for your concern

BTW this really should be on my Gaurden thread but whatever...

Well, it is only a matter of time before whoever started this "HI!" thread kicks our (biblical word for 'mules') for doing (a lot) more than just saying "Hi!"....just warning you.

It sounds like 'cold turkey' is wishful thinking for you. Madreigos, madreigos, aye, yay, yoy. Who needs that? And wishful thinking is just fantasy (aside from useless).

Is there any way you can take better care of Mr Emunah (whoever the heck that really is) and have play time that is really not the kind of play time that makes you (occasionally) miserable? You, me, the Rosh yeshivah, the Rebbe, and everyone else: NEEDS PLAYTIME.

Wadaya say?

Also, is there a way you can bring another person into this playtime? Can you only look at NHL with a friend, wife, (whoever) there with you? NOT as a 'safeguard' or anything like that, but as a partner? Playtime that is alone is nice and may be a necessity too. But if this bothers you, then why not bring someone else into it with you? It may sound ridiculous, but many people successfully bring another person into their stuff...and end up leaving the 'stuff' and discovering a new relationship instead!

At the very least, is there a way you can bring Hashem into this playtime with you in a meaningful way?

[PS. if this last suggestion is the only one you take up, then I'd suggest it it so because it it the least real. Invisible friends can be our secret 'yes men' - and Hashem is no exception! Real people is where it is really at. A real relationship with G-d is the end-game, [i]after[/i] real relationships with real people.]

have a great shabbos everyone

So...how was Shabbos?

Woops! I mean:

Hi!

Hi

Have a great week to all!

Dov wrote:


hi!
thanks for the response-
i can't really bring my wife in since i only got internet @ work (in addition she is pretty frummy and would probably not appreciate it. I can try to bring hashem into it, right now i have issued a 2 day extension on the total absistance (something special is happening on tuesday and this is sort of a hachana) AND i may extend it to the end of the week as a token to a pretty screwed up shovavim) once it's over i think i will consider adding nhl to my mutar list, the trick is to be tough and not to start going onto news sites for more problems (slippery slope!) but Dov, what do you think of the TV program issue is that treif? or is this a case of ruba tafasta?
thanks!
BTW i havent felt so happy in a good few weeks!

Hi

Hi!!!

hi

Hi!