Pub quiz, TV game show, Trivial Pursuit...any time, any place, I will take anyone on, and lose spectacularly.

That is, in every single category but one. Ask me a-ny-thing about a-ny celebrity, and I'll take you down. I will take you right down to China Town.

I know a lot about celebrities and their goings-on. Too much. So much that I could probably update my LinkedIn profile with this as one of my specialities.

I'm addicted to knowing all the finer details of the lifestyles of the rich and famous, so much so I spend my days surfing the internet for the latest scandalous pictures, the adultery rumours and baby bump speculations.

I can tell you everything you could possibly want to know about Jude Law and Sienna Miller's sordid relationship history, I can name every one of Jennifer Aniston's rumoured man-friends, and I can list the birthplace and entry date of every child welcomed into the Pitt-Jolie household.

I've got a problem.

Stop Being Crap: Celebrity Knowledge is Not Real Knowledge.

I can remember exactly when I got hooked on celebrity gossip. And it's all Peter Andre's fault.

As a teeny-booper starved of real-life boy attention, I turned to Peter; with his greasily exposed abdominal muscles, his over-styled undercut, and his cheeky Australian accent, as the subject of my slightly obsessive lust.

Well, ok, slightly is an understatement.

I watched his every move, collected video clips of interviews, snipped out pictures from magazines, and scoured the internet for any extra tidbit of information I could find on this amazing stud of a man (don't ask).

I knew everything there was to know. I would spout little-known facts to my friends, and I relished in the glory of being the resident Andre aficionado.

So, when the Spice Girls sensation hits New Zealand shores, I wanted to repeat my success with this new next big thing.

I went about my studies, learning all I could about the two Mels, Geri, Victoria and Emma, and in the process, became simply swept up in them (with a little less lust this time 'round).

Their lives were more glamorous and exciting than mine, and the more I knew about them, the more I felt like I knew them.

I was a creepy little kid, obviously.

Celeb-obsessed tweens don't always grow out of it.

Turns out my foray into the world of celebrity worship was only the beginning.

Twelve years later, and my knowledge has grown to encapsulate hundreds of Hollywood stars. PerezHilton.com, eOnline and TMZ are forever bookmarked on my browser, while Hello, OK, and People are my dog-eared resources.

Not only do I enjoy the pleasure of rivalling anyone with my encyclopedic celeb education, I still love to get lost in their ridiculous realities to forget my own for a minute - day-dreaming of their mansions, their wardrobes, and their red-carpet engagements.

However, after more than a decade worth of study, I have come to realise my time may be better spent elsewhere. Maybe.

I'd give up meat, but then I'd have to give up meat.

Lent. Some sort of religious thing where people give up stuff ahead of Easter, and a perfect excuse for non-religious people to jump on the bandwagon without knowing exactly what they're doing, or why.

On Ash Wednesday (thanks Wikipedia!), my housemate asked me if I was giving up anything for Lent. She said that the year before, she'd given up meat for the six weeks, and to great 'success' - as she had barely craved a juicy meat treat since.

For a moment, I pondered the idea of going meatless.

Just a moment.

And then I came up with a better - far more interesting concept...I would attempt to abstain from all celebrity content for the entire period.

I figured I was wasting a fair amount of time and energy following the affairs of all these shiny, pretty people I don't know - surely I could find a better use of my time if I gave it all up?

Kim Kardashi-who?

So, it's just gone Easter weekend.

A lot has happened in the past six weeks. A lot.

But if it happened in the world of celebrity - then I wouldn't have the foggiest.

Yes. I did it. I went the distance, with zero celeb-binges for a total of six full weeks.

I didn't visit any of my favourite gossipy websites, I didn't read any celebrity magazines, and I refused to listen or engage when my friends tried to talk about the latest scandals and sensations.

I still can't quite believe I managed it - but of course, the question is: does this mean I'm done with star gazing for good?

Is there a life after celeb-obsession?

It's been an interesting few weeks. And I probably only noticed how interesting it has been because I haven't had my nose pressed to a gossip rag's pages.

Who would have known the profound effect giving up gossip would have on me? I've spent more time learning about 'real' news, become more 'present' with friends, I've been more productive, and I even have better body image.

Sure, I was crazed - but I wonder if it would have the same positive effects on women the world over?

Find the juicy goss in the world around you

After giving up on celebrities, I found myself becoming more interested in my friends' lives. Ok, that sounds really bad, but you know what I mean, right? Sometimes it's hard to keep up with everything that's happening for all of them, their love interests, their jobs and their hobbies...well, it is when you've got hundreds of celebrities to keep tabs on.

But cut out the celebs, and you'll find you have a better memory for your friends' current events, and you'll enjoy every chance to catch up on their lives more and more. You still get that distraction from your own life, but with people that actually matter.

No stylist, hairdresser or make up artist? No problem!

If you avoid celebrity news, you inevitably avoid seeing all those beautiful people and their beautifully airbrushed, professionally-styled appearances.

That's a good thing. As a girl, you tend to compare yourself to these impossibly thin and gorgeous famous women, and it's rather destructive to the soul. We don't need to measure up to these ladies - in fact, we can't, because they're bloody cheating and it's not fair.

Bugger 'em.

Just focus on yourself. Be the best, most gorgeous woman you can be, by getting fit and healthy, and create your own style instead of copying theirs.

It feels sh*tloads better than the alternative.

Hello my old friend, Productivity

Wow. I wasted a lot of time on this crap. Turns out, it was one of the biggest distractions in my day. 

Every morning, the moment I opened my eyes, I would pick up my iPhone, and thumb through the latest news that had come in overnight to wake up to. There goes 15 minutes.

On my way to work, I'd read the free newspaper - heading straight to the gossip section.

At work, I'd often get sucked into my favourite fame blogs in a quiet moment.

In the evening, I'd spend TV time following Lauren Conrad, Kim Kardashian and Snookie around mindlessly.

Well, turns out that when I used to complain that I had no time in my day, it was complete crap, and I had all the time in the world...I was just wasting it!

I'm so much more productive and focused without my celebrity distraction. I can actually use my time for good now - like learning new things, or working on projects that get my mind ticking.

Not a crap idea: Can't go cold turkey? Try celebrity replacement therapy! If you're having a lull at the office, or a moment of weakness in front of the TV, try browsing through CNN.com, or The Huffington Post. Both are well written, and will suck you into the stories, even though there are no famous people involved. This is real current events, and stimulating information on really interesting subjects - you might learn a little something!