I’m on my third day of a Facebook game related detox.
The rules are simple. No Facebook games.
I’ve only been playing three anyway, but they are all three of the click and hope variety. They are significantly less click happy than, say, Mafia Wars, and they do involve some sorts of decision making, but really, it’s just clicking and hoping.
What kind of game play is that anyway?
I got to a point in all three where I had accomplished what I wanted. (As if it can really be called an accomplishment… It’s just an accumulation of clicks over time.) And so I felt like I could let go.
The first day was a breeze, the second a little challenging, but today is not going so great. I apparently need those little dopamine squirts that come when I click my little rat brain buttons. I’ve also never had Facebook game-related nightmares until last night (although I think that might have been significantly influenced by a pair of Doctor Who episodes that I watched earlier in the evening with a similar character.)
In other news, I found a downloadable version of Race for the Galaxy, a board game I have recently been playing in real life. I’m using it to try to improve my understanding of how the game works, and it involves very complex decision making, so that’s good, right? I don’t get as much dopamine but I am improving actual skills (for example, evaluating trade offs, developing and deploying strategy, attempting to learn what
Also, my kitchen is approaching a clean state.
Amazing what a little less MouseHunt can do for you.
Anyone else have any experience with electronic detox? Do you know how long I have until the shakes start in?
The latest issue of the Ensign hit my mailbox a few weeks back and one of the cover stories was “Finding yourself in Lehi’s Dream.” I didn’t read the whole article, but the concept teased that we were all in there somewhere. Of course, we all want to be the type who are firmly grasping the iron rod and on our way toward that tree of life. We don’t want to be in that great and spacious shopping center. Easy, peasy. (Where am I? It’s hard to say… All I see is this fog!)
The concept stuck in my mind, even if I thought lightly of it at the time. (I mean, come on, what is the answer supposed to be?) I’d been stuck in my personal scripture study for a while, right up against Jacob 5. The allegory of the olive tree. It’s tough reading. I was reluctant to tackle it.
Finally, I took some fresh courage and tackled the beast. And wouldn’t you know it? I found myself in an olive tree.
And behold, saith the Lord of the vineyard, I take away many of these young and tender branches, and I will graft them whithersoever I will.
My vineyard is Ann Arbor, and many of the young and tender branches are being grafted elsewhere. That time of year comes, regularly as it turns out. But this time, I was really sad to see it come. Some of my closestfriends have taken themselves to nethermost parts of the vineyard.
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard went his way, and hid the natural branches of the tame olive-tree in the nethermost parts of the vineyard, some in one and some in another, according to his will and pleasure.
Yeah, I knew it would happen. Yeah, it’s happened before. And yeah, it still sucks.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I still have plenty of friends in the area. Plenty of really good ones.
And I’m really happy for my friends who have left. They are off in other parts of the vineyard, doing all of the wonderful things they do.
I will graft in unto them the branches of their mother tree, that I may preserve the roots also unto mine own self, that when they shall be sufficiently strong perhaps they may bring forth good fruit unto me, and I may yet have glory in the fruit of my vineyard
And there’s always some hope of a LOST-esque reunion, where (Spoiler Alert) we all get to hang out in a church after we realize we are dead.
Seriously though, Amy and Brian and Melanie. I am very excited for you! Enjoy your new parts of the vineyard. I’ll miss you, but that’s part of living in an olive vineyard, right?
I figure if Jessica can blog about her garden, so can I.
Last summer I grew some basil on my patio. I get only a little bit of afternoon sun, so most anything I’d like to grow (like tomatoes) just won’t work. Today, I finally got down to Coleman’s and got some more basil for this year. They always have so many varieties that I have a hard time choosing. Last year it was Lime Basil. This time I’ve got African Blue Basil. Should be delicious!
On the advice of my mom, I also picked up some Fuscia. They are shady loving, so they should do good. They’re the red ones below. While I was getting some potting soil and pots, I decided to get some white impatiens as well.
I still have a bunch of potting soil, so I might need to go back and pick up some more plants. Anyone have any ideas of what I should get?
Spring is here! I usually make a big deal about spring being here on March the First, but I kept it kind of quiet this year. March was definitely spring in SE Michigan this year. (Amy even admitted as much to me. That’s kind of a big deal. )
But the springtime transitions are always kind of awkward. How do you know when its time to stop wearing your winter coat, and just bring a jacket? I’ve actually put a lot of thought into this one over the past few years… There is a point, sometime after spring has begun, where you can trust it enough to actually stop wearing a coat, where there may be some more jacket days ahead, but the coat days are behind us. I think I overcalled it this year for Michigan, but I understand that day hasn’t come yet in Utah and Wyoming. (And quit your bellyachin’, it’s the moisture you’re always praying for. )
Image: Enchanted Stairs, by abekleinfel
I have identified several other transitions that mark my spring:
1- The transition back to short sleeve shirts. I really, really like wearing sweaters, and do so for most of the winter. Unfortunately, that means an awkward (for me) transition back to just short sleeves. My arms have been covered for most of the last four months, and they just feel… well… naked. Add to that that all of my work shirts are long sleeve, and the transition to T-shirts makes for plenty of goosebumps. The transition back to shorts won’t be for another month or two.
2- The transition of waking up in the night to Thunderstorms. Got that groove on this morning. It’s been awhile, Mother Nature, since you’ve woken me up. Thanks a lot. Now I have to worry about my upstairs neighbors and thunder waking me up at 3:30 in the morning.
3- The transition back to sunglasses. During the winter, I rarely need my sunglasses. I drive to work in the dark, I drive home in the dark. Ergo, I have no idea where I stashed my shades last fall. Until I find them, my eyes are burning.
4- The transition back to green. My favorite part of spring! Suddenly one day you wake up, and BAM! Everything is green. The grass, the trees, the sidewalk where the geese hang out. It’s a beautiful thing! And then the flowers start to pop out!
5- The transition back to mosquitoes. I’ve been grilling for weeks. Ever since before that last snowstorm. Or maybe right after, I don’t remember. On Monday, I forgot to close the screen door to my patio, only to be tormented by the mosquitoes I’d let in for the next few hours. Fortunately, they’re still pretty slow, so their eradication was quick and at zero loss of blood (to me). Now I’ll just have to remember to take my bug spray with me when I go hiking.
I’m sure I’m forgetting some important spring transitions. I only usually remember after they’ve backfired on me at least once. So, now the question… What am I forgetting?
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Cool blog update notes:
1) I think I’ve fixed the feed issues that were plaguing me over the last few weeks. You didn’t know that I was having them, because your feeds weren’t updating. They should now.
2) I updated the header with pictures that I actually took. It rotates, so keep looking for something new. I’ll try to add new ones occasionally, and remove some of the awful ones.
3) I added the Google Friend Connect box. I think it’s kind of like following, so you can, you know, follow me if you wants.
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