A Priceless Gift

If you're like me, you work a lot, at some time or another. If you're like me, you're bored out of your mind an excessive amount while on the job. If you're lucky, you have a computer available and an internet connection you're able to use (if nothing else, when the boss isn't watching). I now give you my top 5 ways to waste time at work.

Honorable Mention. Windows Games
It's true, Solitaire and Minesweeper are not the most high tech games in the world. However, an average expert game on Minesweeper can take you up to 10 minutes, and that really makes the time fly. Nothing more addicting than almost setting a record, only to misclick and have to start all over. Then there's Freecell, and on most computers at places of employment, Hearts as well. These are equally fun when you're that bored, and there's nothing like winning 13 Freecell games in a row (although I've heard of records much higher than that), or managing to shoot the moon 4 times in a row for a perfect game of hearts (I've never done it, but hey). This must really be telling you what kind of life I lead... Honestly I don't play these games for fun, I only play them when there is literally nothing else to keep me awake, so that keeps them out of the top 5.

5. E-mail everyone you know.
Doesn't have to be long, just go down the list and catch up with all those e-mails sitting in your inbox you haven't replied to in two weeks. Then e-mail old friends, maybe some you knew in high school, some you haven't seen for a while, or some you talk to every day.

4. www.prizegames.com
Basically about 50 little games that are as addictive as they are fun. A lot of the classic card and arcade games, with some great new ones like the one where the mole has to eat up the garden before the farmer catches him (my personal favorite, it gets harder as you go believe me).

3. www.liquid.se/pong.html
This one is perhaps the coolest shockwave game I've played, even though its from the stone age. We're talkin the Atari days folks, point of the game to get the ball past your opponent, tennis style using a paddle you move around with the mouse. Highly addictive, but also very difficult without practice. If you can beat my personal high score of 420, then I salute you (you must have a lot more free time than I do). :)

2. www.yahoo.com and www.zone.com
These sites are pretty similar, sign up for a free account and have loads of fun playing just about every board or card game imaginable, with people all over the world. There's your typical Chess and Checkers, a great version of Scrabble called Literati, Poker, Bridge, Spades, Hearts, and a ton of others guaranteed to waste your time and help 5:00 come faster than usual.

1. Chat
Whether you fill up your screen with Instant Messages from AIM, spam a bunch of friends over ICQ, or download mIRC (www.mirc.com) and join your favorite channel, there is always guaranteed to be someone somewhere who is just as bored as you. I've spent a great deal of time chatting over the years, generally with people I already know IRL (In Real Life, tm) but occasionally with random ones I don't. I started collecting quotes a while back from some of the most hysterical conversations I've ever witnessed, and believe me I've got some doozies. Maybe I'll bust them out on a rainy day.