[Makinus]

Your post made me remember my Stars! e-mail games... i never won a single game (i was that bad!) but i spent hundreds of hours playing it and having lots of fun....

I don´t consider it a waste of my time, since it helped me to develop strategy and planning, beyond exercizing (dos this word exists?) my mind...

My wife says i spend too much time at the computer, and i think thatm, in a way, she is right, but the computer (and literature) is my way of discharging my daily stresses and everyone knows me for a very calm and centered person, especially at court (i´m a lawyer), and i think my use of computer and my reading are the main things that allow me to reach my "inner peace" and to not become nervous in stressing situations...

So, while my wife is right that i spend too much time at the computer (and reading), i agree that, as a hobby, it consumes too much of my time, but that it´s not only a hobby, but a way of "centering" myself and, as such, is not excessive or a waste of time...

Just some rambles after a exaustive court session where i won (i think) because the other lawyer was too nervous to do a good defense (she was extremely nervous and upset, and forgot to point some issues that i would have pointed to the judge if i was in her place) and i showed to the judge all my clients proofs in a calm and patient manner...