> The operating life of CFLs is more affected by the number of times they are switched on and off. You can generally extend the life of a CFL bulb more by switching it on and off less frequently than if you simply use it less.
> In any case, the relatively higher "inrush" current required lasts for half a cycle, or 1/120th of a second. The amount of electricity consumed to supply the inrush current is equal to a few seconds or less of normal light operation. Turning off fluorescent lights for more than 5 seconds will save more energy than will be consumed in turning them back on again.
For this specific discussion about turning lights off while you blink, yes, you do actually burn more electricity in addition to wearing the bulb out if you're cycling it off for just 200ms.
But for real world use by normal people, turning off for 5 seconds will save energy, and turning it off for 15 minutes will save money.