I found out today that my computer as a potentially fatal problem. It's inoperable. It could "go" any minute, or it could last for years. Kinda like an computer aneurysm. The thought of losing Dell is very worrisome. He has been with me for three years now and we've become quite attached. In fact, one might say that I'm addicted to my computer. I spend an inordinate amount of time surfing, reading, doing puzzles (I did hear that doing word puzzles can help prevent Alzheimer's) and writing on my various blogs and forums. But I jest - about something that is very serious.
When my computer was opened up (I was terrified to try this at home,) it was discovered that it needed a good cleaning (thanks in part to Harley who enjoys sleeping on top of the monitor,) so I purchased a can of spray and it was soon clean and dust-free inside. Afterwards, my mind wandered to a recent episode of Intervention, the Emmy-nominated reality show on the A&E network. The episode was about Allison, a so-called "huffer" who was addicted to computer cleaners like the one I had just purchased. She "scores her drugs" at the local Office Max or Wal-Mart and takes a few hits before she's even out of the parking lot. Someone on a forum I visit noted her resemblance to the actress Anne Hathaway and she soon became known as Anne Huffaway. Some enterprising soul made a tribute to her that was posted on You Tube. Here it the link is for your horror and enjoyment: Allison is Walking on Sunshine.
Jeff (We Love You Like Crazy) VanVonderen finally got her agree to rehab, but only after her cats were confiscated by the local SPCA and she was taken into custody and later hospitalized for threatening suicide.
She's now clean and sober, but only for a couple of months, so it's too early to see if the rehab worked and to determine if an how much brain damage occurred.
What is it that causes some people to become addicted while others make it through life without becoming a slave to a substance, person or activity? Allison has a sister Erica. Both were allegedly sexually abused by a male relative when they were little. Charges were dismissed after a traumatic trial, but Erica is okay and Allison is a hot mess, married twice and currently prostituting herself to a sugar daddy for funds for her addiction. Most of the Intervention subjects start out perfectly normal and sometime in their teen years they go off the rails. Most are alcoholics or drug abusers, but Intervention has also showcased gamblers, anorectics, bulemics and even a compulsive shopper. Allison is the first huffer in the five seasons that Intervention has been on A&E. I sincerely hope she is the only one. The humour of the Allison parody aside, addiction is a nasty, tragic business. It destroys the lives of the addict and those around the addict. To the addict, nothing and no one matters except the object of his or her addiction. An addict will lie, steal, cheat and manipulate to support his or her habit.
Think about that the next time you have dealings with someone who is addicted. I learned all this the hard way - long before Intervention.
