CCD: Compulsive Caching Disorder By Calamity Kane
CCD
Compulsive Caching Disorder
There comes a time in many a geocacher's life when he or she no longer has the opportunity to "take it or leave it." Not only has caching become a way of life, it has become a powerful addiction. Now don't get me wrong, there are lots of worse things one could be addicted to, but geocaching can become an obsession. I can name several victims. If you've been caching very long, you can too. But the big question is: Are YOU addicted???? If you answer at least seven of the following questions with an affirmative, beware; you've probably crossed the line.
You know you're addicted to geocaching when:
- You call in sick in the morning and yet manage to summon up enough strength to go caching in the afternoon.
- You climb out of bed and run to the computer to check the new cache listings even before having your first cup of coffee.
- You promise your family you're just going after one cache and will be back in twenty minutes and then arrive home three hours and seven caches later.
- You're exhausted in the morning because you didn't sleep a wink all night trying to figure out the solution to the newest puzzle cache.
- The people at the local dollar store know you by name.
- Your family threatens to have you committed if you don't stay home long enough to ___________ (replace blank with whatever you're neglecting: mow the lawn, clean the house, do the laundry, etc.).
- You don't care if it's 97 degrees outside, the West Niles Virus and rabid skunks are at a peak, you've been offered tickets to a prestigious sports event, and your girlfriend is ready to call it quits. You just have to find that new local cache before someone else beats you to it!
- You find yourself spelling the word "cash" C-A-C-H-E instead of C-A-S-H.
- Depression sets in after you've learned you've been bumped off the top ten cachers on the leaderboard.
- Obsession sets in after you've learned you've been bumped off the top ten cachers on the leaderboard (your competition has declared WAR!).
As far as I know, there are no therapists currently treating "Compulsive Caching Disorder." Perhaps as a responsible organization, we should form a Geocachers' Anonymous. In the meantime, when you can no longer fight the urge, call me. I can be ready in a moment's notice!
