The internet was a marvelous invention. I remember in high school when we first started using the internet, the one question I kept having was “If all those websites exist out there, how are you supposed to find them?” It’s come a long way since then. Here are some ways that the internet made my life better.

1. It gave me a job building websites.
   I’ve been developing sites for about the last 5 years. I first taught myself while working the weekend graveyard shift at IBM. There was a lot of time to spare.
2. I no longer have to take the salesman’s word for it.
   If I want to buy something, I can do my own research. I can read hundreds of other consumer reviews, find newer/better products, and find the cheapest prices. Get thou behind me salesman!
3. I can get directions to anyplace easily.
   Mapquest was one of the first, but now Google Maps is amazing. Now they have street view… It’s kinda scary that not only can people find my house, they can see it too.
4. I can throw away my yellow pages.
   I still have people dropping off phone books at my front door. What a waste of paper! What’s even funnier though is that when my parents come and stay with me, they ask for a phonebook.
5. I can look busy at work when there is nothing to do.
   Sometimes when I have downtime at work, I just surf the internet… play games, read comics, post blog articles. The nice thing is that without looking at my screen, my activity looks just like it always does.
6. I can give away my junk for free on Craigslist.
   A couple of weeks ago we cleaned out some stuff in our house. I didn’t know how in the world we would get rid of all that stuff, but I posted it for free on Craigslist. Within 2 hours everything was gone. I didn’t even have to worry about recycling that old CRT computer monitor! It’s like free trash collecting.
7. I finally found a date.
   I used to do a lot of internet dating. I had some dates that were really awful. Fortunately though, I wouldn’t have met my wife if it hadn’t been for a blind internet date (no, I didn’t meet my wife on the internet, I was introduced to her through the person I dated from the internet).
8. I was able to break-up without a face-to-face conversation.
   Email is an amazing way to communicate. I can tell someone whatever I want and don’t have to worry about being slapped for it (at least immediatly). Warning: Consequences for telling someone whatever you want might not happen immediately, but they will happen. People still have feelings.
9. I can buy things without leaving my house.
   Online shopping is a must for today’s busy lifestyles. I can do an afternoon of shopping without putting my pants on! In the meantime my wife has to primp herself for an afternoon at the mall. I think we know who’s having more fun.
10. I can share my opinions with others.
    You’re reading it… what can I say?