What is your life like outside of ATS,,,do you even have one?

I’ve been doing quite a bit of sitting back and just observing ATS since the day I first stumbled upon it. And for sure, life hasn’t really been the same since. But, I still have one. There are some members though, that I worry about. ATS has a lot of members whom, I can tell, spend a great deal of time here, I mean a GREAT DEAL OF TIME, mostly by the level of their participation, and the obviously great amount of time that they research and prepare their posts and threads, and I admire and appreciate their input and knowledge. But do they have much of a life outside of ATS? I really wonder.

I’m a stay at home mom as most of you know. I stay really busy, my husband travels so a great deal of time I am a ‘single mom’, or it feels like it anyway. I resigned from my job at a large bank when I had my first child and did go back to work for awhile, but because my husband traveled so much and both of my kids have some health concerns, I had to resigned again. That’s ok, there’s plenty of time for me to make up for that later. I do worry that there are times that I am on here too much, and when I recognize that I am I try to step back for awhile. As you could imagine, the kids constantly have me on the go (in my hot soccer mom van) hehe. And as soon as someone needs my attention, I am there. My work gets done and I have plenty of quality time with my husband and kids. We love to camp and take a lot of mini vacations. We love to play tennis together, star gaze and sky watch. We have a bazillion cookouts and family/friends get-togethers, play games and of course my teenage daughter loves my company at the mall…..no she doesn’t…she just loves my wallet. LOL Hubby and I get plenty of dates and I always make time for my girlfriends and our nights out.

I do look forward to going back to work at some point. I don’t know what I’m going to do, but it will be something I enjoy.

The only thing that has really suffered from my ATS addiction is my OCD. I only have about 5% of it left. I had to make sacrifices. hehe

Aw h*ll, who am I kidding? I spend way to much time here. I still do all of the things that I mentioned above, I love and enjoy life.....but I love ATS too and yeah, before any mods come on here and say "Oh Rush, we can see exactly how much time you spend here and don't act like you don't know it!", I admit it, probably a tad too much.

Do you have a life outside of ATS…what’s it like? If you don't have much of a life outside of ATS, would you admit it?

Come on amigos and staff, we want to hear from you too.

Rush

I have a busy enough life outside ATS
But its like half ATS half normal life lol
Not cause im a freak but cause when im at home im 90% of the time on my computer and when im on my computer i always have ATS open , been that way for almost 3 years now lol
Ive tried imcorprating my outside life into ATS life, I.E i made my girlfriend sign up and now she has an account (ridethespiral) and stuff like that
And most of the time i meet somone new i try to break the ice with somthing cool i heard on ATS heh

Originally posted by WERE_ALL_GONA_DIE
Not cause im a freak but cause when im at home im 90% of the time on my computer and when im on my computer i always have ATS open ,

Hi WERE_ALL_GONA_DIE. I'm glad to hear that you have at least half of a life outside of ATS. LOL And don't worry, we are all freaks here. HEHE

I'm with you though, When I'm home, my computer is usually on and half the time I just stay logged in.....too lazy to log in and out. (hangs head down) I'm pitiful.

Rush

edit for spelling

[edit on 18-7-2008 by hsur2112]

In my case I try to maintain a life outside of ATS.

While I realize that since my job has been very slow over the last 3 weeks or so I still maintain it. In fact things are picking up timewise at it and I'll have less time for ATS.

I play some online role playing games. And even some non online games as well. I've been busy recently with re-teaching myself on how to use Bryce since the last upgrade that I have. Bryce is a 3d graphics program that I use for fun and taught myself how to use. Thinking of graphics, I have a series of Spacecraft that I need to design for one of my friends role playing games to work on. I'll on occasion dig out a DVD from my collection and play it. Typically either a truly horrendous 50's SF flick or some cartoons.

Sometimes, (When the weather is cool) I'll simply sit outside and think. About what? I never know until I think of it. and then it sometimes surprises me what I think of.

Sometimes I'll even dig out the sketch book. That's the thing about me and drawing. I never know what I'm going to draw at first. I'll draw a line and then I'll add something that looks cool, and then it sorta develops from there. My only problem is knowing when to stop a drawing. I also cut myself down a lot concerning it. Although I'm guessing that someone saw something in it since a drawing of mine was selected for a calendar.

DESON, my friend, how are you? See, this is why I started this thread, to learn a little more about everyone and I did not know that you liked to draw. Sounds like you are very artistic. Have you ever posted any of your pictures? We'd love to see them.

It seems like every time we chat you are always busy doing different things. That's good. How many hours a day would you say you spend ats-ing?

Rush

Some of my computer artwork (It's the only time that I work in color due to color vision problems). As far as time as a bare minimum I would say 1/2 hour sometimes much, much longer. (chuckle)


Crystal Dreams

Amish dragster

Frigate (Star Trek Roleplaying game)

Amphibeous Vehicle

Older Raven design

Destroyer Design for villian

Battleship (civilisation 3) Design (Star Trek Role Playing game)

Older Raven with Gas Giant

Rescue Sub Remora

Space station Design (With Heavy Cruiser for scale)



Loopy (test animation)


[edit on 18-7-2008 by Deson]

Very cool Deson, and the animation seemed to work fine for me. But I especially love the Crystal Dreams. Very nice. Keep it up.

Rush

Outside of ATS, I tour for months at a time, so I get plenty of rest from ATS before I come back. But when I do get back, there is NOTHING to do, so I have spent quite literally most of my waking hours on here for about 3 days.

Eh, whatever, I'd be watching TV or going out to spend money on a night I won't remember otherwise, so this works out.

I am already beginning to get sick of it again, and will probably find a good "balance." I am all rested up now, so I'll be hitting the gym as much as I can, and I'll be finding a part time job to keep my mind from deteriorating.

Hah, I even started a thread on what video games I should try. I'm that bored at the moment. I haven't played a video game in almost a year and a half.

I dunno, I'm definitely an addictive personality. I have my flavor of the week, which I focus on until I can't take it anymore, then I move to another brainless activity.

I've been on here much too much lately, but it looks like I won't be able to come back til monday now because of a show we just picked up. See? Balance! haha

Hi SantaClaus and thanks for posting. Sounds like you know when to step back and make time for other things in your life. Good for you. I used to watch tv, but now I only use it to record the latest ufo shows, oh, and CSI. Then after the kids get to bed and I'm done ats-ing I only watch them long enough to put me to sleep. I have about 20 shows recorded with the last 15 minutes un-watched.

Keep enjoying life Santa!!

Rush

PS) I've been parental therapy-ing (lol) with Aerosmith GH. LOVE IT!

I sometimes wish I did not have so much of a life outside ATS..

Wife

40 to 60 hours a week at work'

Wife

Court constantly

Wife

New House and all that goes with that

Wife

Gym at least every other day

Wife

Mountain Biking at least every other day

Wife

Still working on the PHD

and of course...

Wife

Semper

i like these kinds of threads.

i'm here a lot myself. my life's pretty average. weights, internet, video games, music, books. i need some new books though..all the ones i have now i've read em all. rarely do i go out anymore. i used to go out alllllllllll the time last year..but i had to stop. i have my reasons and i'd rather not get into them. i'll put it like this..staying indoors (until i find a job) is prolly my best bet. i just can't be out and about like i used to anymore, just can't.

Well it seems you been here less than a year and half the post I have. So yes I can see you been on a lot as well.

I also don’t get how members who signed on the same year as me have over 20,000 post. a lot of people on here have well over 9000 post and they signed up when I did. I haven’t even hit 3000 post.

I thought I was on here a lot. I have no clue how they have the time to have 20,000 to what I have.

I do however enjoy having life outside computers. I have a family and enjoy every minute we spend together. However, with my husband working and kids school, you would think I would have the post others have but I don’t.

I don’t get it.

Say it isn't so!!!
There is LIFE outside of ATS!!!
OMG!
To me that's like saying you just found little purple dinosaurs on PLUTO!

I joined here March 2007.
I rarely miss a day..ALL DAY.
Yes Iam a stay at home mom.
ATS is my second home. It's my coffee break with friends. It's my daily gossip magazine. It's my headline news. It's where I come to learn, to be stimulated in debate, or to just relax and have a good laugh.
I NEED THAT DAILY.
Yes ATS is a HUGE part of my life and I wouldn't change that for anything.
My post count speaks for itself.

I like living in computer world more than the normal world,

Originally posted by Shar
have well over 9000 post and they signed up when I did. I haven’t even hit 3000 post.

Post counts, bah, means nothing. What ya write is what means something.

I just came back from a year or so gone, with a couple years active here previously. I find it's just not the same. Rampant goofball threads, same old religious bickering, on and on.

But when I was active, oh yeah ........ am? pm? food? heh

That's NOT to say that I do have a life anyway! heh.

Misfit

[edit on 19/7/08 by Misfit]

Well, I consider my life to be on pause until the beginning of next year. Explanation not needed or necassary. I have a wonderful life but circumstances like my disability prevents me from doing what I really want. Once again after the first month of the new year things will change.

So I spend a lot of my time with making small change on the internet and that keeps me online. I like to pop in and out of ATS when ever I can. I'm always busy on the internet so it makes it hard for me to read the long stuff here. That is why I'm participating in short threads. I like doing searches and posting pictures because My browser is always on Google.

I'm sure once my Disability Insurance is approved and I get into a more stable living environment I'll enjoy reading and posting more in depth comments. In California the Disability approval process takes four long struggling years and you can't work full time or you don't qualify. If you make too much money part-time you don't qualify. They have got the bureaucracy so tight that it is almost impossible to get.

That's pretty much it for me!

Life outside ATS ! Is there such a thing??

Well my life is a hectic one most of the time ATS for me is somewhere i can take the much needed breaks i need,

See I had to give up everything to live and look after my Grandmother, She is 82 has had cancer 2 times, Lukimuia, No speen, Diabetic, Feet that where operated on wrongly in the army which caused her to be unable to walk properly, She is wheelchair bound and due to her illnesss quite a heavy lady,

Im a 24 hour carer for her, She recently had Breast cancer again, Pnumonia and Broke her leg in a fall due to her Crumbling bones,

So my job is to do everything that she needs, Medical and otherwise,
I also love to keep Fit, I was a trained dancer and thats my main love, I hope to teach dance in the future when things calm down, I have done prom vids for Hip hop and been trained by teachers who teach uUsher Justin Timberlake ect, So my spare moments are filled with keeping my body fit to one day continue,

So ATS to me in my break each day, the place where i can come and just relax a bit, And just have a chat to friends,

What is odd is when I am having that bbq with family or what ever and slip on here to see what I am missing...

I do not have a handheld comp. so I have caught myself wishing I did on long drives or even short ones, which only means one thing, I spend too much time on or thinking about being on!

I used to really spread myself thin on many sites out there on a regular basis, but you know, they pale in comparison and I am always thinking 'should I bring this info to ats?' and then I log in and there it is!

Its hard to beat the fast pace of ats/bts and I somehow justify it in many ways to myself.

I will continue...

Although there are days I cannot be on for what ever reason, ats is like nothing I have ever experienced and I believe it is going to be the beginning of the way people connect in the future.

I have very little adult social life outside ats so I come here to refresh my adult ways of thinking. Yes I have family and my children, I stay very busy with my farm, and I do not lie to myself about 'friendships' here, although some of the people I have met through ats are on the same page as me and are exceptional people to know, we are all really travelers of our individual paths.

Ats seems to be the hub for me to connect with people around the world that other wise I would not be so rich to know. We may not always agree, but the different ways to see the same threads make me so much more than I would be other wise.

Well, I haven't been a member for that long - 6 months ish...but I am on ATS quite a bit. I usually try to pop in once a day - but It's quite often more than that. On my last Holiday I was gone for a week - I was itching to sign in. However - I resisted the urge past every Internet Cafe I saw.

I'm a University student, currently on Summer Break. I stumbled accross ATS when I wanted to subscribe to an Alternative News/Conspiracy Theory Newsletter. It was near the top when I searched in Google. I poked my head in, read a few threads, and decided I wanted to join.

In the mornings I have a good chat with my dad about the World Events, and then I sign in to check out whats going on here. I'm usually on when I come home after work in the Evenings. Don't even ask me what I did on my last two days off - I LIVED here... Part of that is due to the fact that I'm back in my hometown for the summer and most of my friends are back in the City where I attend University. Not many of my friends still live here. I read a lot, I write alot, and I think alot - so it only makes sense to be around Like-minded people. Not to mention the friends I have here too, that I like to keep in touch with.

Don't get me wrong, I have a life. I go out in the evenings for dinner with my friends, and I go out on the Weekends sometimes, and meet up with my friends and have a good time. I've gotten out of the "Party Stage" (last summer I knew all the Cab Drivers by name, as I frequented the local bars quite a bit). Now more often than not, I turn down a night of Drunk & Disorderly, for a night of reading the Debate Forum, Current Events, Breaking News, and the Various Fun Times on BTS. Oh and don't forget the Fun Times in Chat

- Carrot

reply to post by asala


Care giving is hard work, I feel for yah! I like to go to the joke section of forums, but unfortunately ATS is not that active in that section so I go to a different forum for a good laugh to lighten things up. ATS is good and all, but with the advertising they are pretty strict with what you can say.

I'm on another forum where you can be a little loser in the joke section. Over all the people are what make this forum the best to me so far!

Originally posted by CA_Orot
On my last Holiday I was gone for a week - I was itching to sign in. However - I resisted the urge past every Internet Cafe I saw.
- Carrot

You know your an Internet Junkie when you eye every cafe you drive by!



[edit on 19-7-2008 by MrMysticism]