Hmm.... Why must I always sign onto AIM when I'm at my computer even though I have no intention to talking to people? Doesn't that defeat the point of instant messanger? I do talk to people a lot, but a lot of the time I have my away message up so I can focus on work and actually get things done. I sorta feel like being signed on makes me part of a community... I'm validating my existance to the world in a small way. Somehow I feel less alone in this huge world when I'm connected to this vast net of communication. I guess it's just like Jean-Paul Sartre (and existentialists in general if I can remember correctly) said... our existance is defined by those around us... Hmmm... well considering who I am surround by sometimes, I hope not.