Facebook Games: My Obsession My Guilty Pleasure

This morning I sprung from bed with a quickness. Rushing through my morning routine one thought in mind, 'did anyone attack my backyard monsters?' My latest most favorite obsession on Facebook is a cartoon world of tiny monsters that are made for the purpose of attacking my neighbors.  It is intense.  Yesterday my entire town was wiped out.  All my hard work to save up twigs and pebbles for my new town hall were gone.  Some guy named Jeff took them all..urgghh Jeff! Incensed I was on a mission yesterday to reorganize and so far it is holding the possible attackers off and the new town hall plans are back on track.

As I write this I toggle back and forth checking my updates so I can move my little workers around and get the most from my time before I have to go off to work.  I know it is obsessive.  Wondering if I was alone in my obsession I went to facebook- where else would go for questions about the world.  I am not alone.  Friends tell me that they set their alarms to harvest crops in similar games on the same social network.  Still not satisfied I pulled out the big guns and googled it.  

CNN ran an article February 23, at that time Farmville had more active users then the entire population of France.  It is nice not to be alone.

The article then goes on to explain that the huge popularity is attributed to the type of games that Zynga (the genius company that came up with Farmtown and Monster Backyard) has created. Comes with their structure.  There aren't any prolonged stories or intricate computer skills needed.  These are the games that you can play while you are on the phone, they are the play and walk away games that we love.  Well some may play and walk away...I'm too busy plotting my revenge on this Jeff guy. 

 
 

Web writing VS. Novel writing

This summer I challenged myself to post daily and write in my novel daily.  They are more different than I ever believed. 

Novel writing

Writing in my novel is done is dark solitude. Typing for hours with no outside conversations.  Perfect sentences and amazing metaphors sit for only me to see.  I battle with characters, plot construction and the art of dropping clues that don't look like nuclear bombs but are instead slight and elusive like a wispy fog. Each chapter is determined by me.  I am the rule maker.  God of the pages before me. Omnipotence is lonely. 

Blog writing

This blog is a breathing beast.  I write and it talks back in a range of voices.  I post and link and before I know it the post has run off.  Gaining in speed and wreaking havoc all along the way. Like a good nursemaid I watch its stats and monitor its health in amazement.  Some days I think, 'ech...not bad' it thinks otherwise.  I sit and bleed out my soul and the post melts away into nothingness. There are no restrictions.  I post poems, research pieces, personal narratives whatever I am interested in for that day.  It is very seductive. alluring me with a daily freedom of choice. 

The summer goal fell apart briefly but the seductive call of free choice of subject and form have been pulling back at me.

Death: A party we are all garunteed

Ever feel that some times death is too close?  It is around every corner and haunting you when you at every turn.  It was one of those weeks for me. 

Two funerals in a single week and I was spent.  Too tear streaked to write.

In these times of loss and sadness I want to be ready for my own passing.  I want to know that my family will not have to scramble with the business of going on after I'm gone.  My Grandmother was a planner.  She had everything ready at her death.  Will written, letters to loved ones expressing her last feelings and good byes, service planned and plot purchased she had us taken care of even at her death and we could focus on the process of healing and missing her. She taught me how important it is to be there for your family even when you are gone.

God love the Internet, it has made this process so easy.

I have become a bit of a freak about being prepared.  I have a binder that I keep a copy of my life insurance policy, my health insurance, my identification, information about my death plan.  Did you stutter over that?  Death plan is what I want done with my body, and what kind of celebration I want at my death.  Even more importantly I have an updated will.  Probate court is not how you want to have your loved ones remember you. 
There are websites (http://www.deadmansswitch.net/ or http://www.ifidie.com/ )  that you can join and get a log in and it will allow you to type up emails that you want sent following your death.  The site will check in with you every month by sending an email that you respond to testing if you are still...well alive.  If there is no response then it will fire off a total of three tries before it sends the emails to your loved ones that you want them to receive at your death.  You can include passwords that your loved ones may need to access your accounts. http://www.thedigitalbeyond.com/online-services-list/ Has a giant list of additional sites that have similar accounts that you can set up.

It is better to live a life that is prepared for the end.  Your survivors will thank you for it.

Too early to go

Death is a suit that does not fit the young.

It is to big, the seams are all wrong.

The shade is too dark for lives that are so bright.

The suit would be more fitted on some one of my stature.

Not you.

You were mine for a year in my heart of a lifetime. 

Childlessness vanished for a moment with your smile.

Teacher's nightmare- energetic with always something to say. 

I wouldn't, couldn't imagine you any other way. 

I will miss you dear friend. 

Does your neighborhood make you fat?

Does where you live impact your physical health? Researchers are looking for a link to just that. Physical health, measured through body mass index (BMI) is a combination of several complex relationships in a person’s life. Researchers have linked it to living environment and neighborhood driving conditions are just a handful of influencing factors for BMI.


What is BMI?

The body mass index is a number that is a ratio of weight to height. Calculators can be found anywhere online. A BMI of less than 18 is seen as being underweight. Normal range is anywhere from 18.5 to 24.9. The overweight range is 25-29.9. The extremely dangerous range is the obese with a BMI of 30 or more. Recent reports from the CDC states that Americans have grown from the average BMI of 25 to 28. As a nation we went from the edge of normal to the edge of overweight bordering on obese. This increase has scientist in a scramble to discover what is driving the dramatic gain.

What relationship to your neighborhood and your health?

Scientists are looking for connections to out BMI and our environment. The most recent was conducted in a neighborhood study by a team of researchers in various fields of at the University of Buffalo. They had three significant findings. First, the larger the number of restaurants within a five minute walk of the person’s house results has a higher BMI. Second, women who reside closer to supermarkets and grocery stores tend to have lower BMIs. Third, they found that the interaction of food environment and the structural environment has a huge impact on obesity. If the land is used diversely meaning there are parks and trails near home it is beneficial for promoting physical activity but when there are more restaurants then the BMI increases.

Another study, related to a person’s physical environment was published earlier in the year by the University of Alberta. They focused on the perceived traffic in a neighborhood and its relation to BMI. The biggest surprise for researchers was when people believed that traffic was bad in their neighborhoods they had a higher BMI. Researchers failed to connect the participant’s level of physical activity to the study. They did find that the neighborhoods social economic status and the age of did have a connection. The oldest and poorest neighborhoods had the highest BMI.

Tanya Berry, leader of the UA study suggest that there are three D’s of a neighborhoods walkability: diversity, density and design. Berry explained that lower income neighborhoods many times would rank high in all of the three D’s but it is their perception of their environment that keeps them from going out into it. They fear for their safety and stay inside. Combining the studies, it is not only your environment but how you see your environment.  See the benefits and use them and your body will reap the benefits. 
In conclusion

Environment and the how we see our environment impacts our health. Instead of walking to that nearby restaurant go to the grocery store next door. The key is to walk. Walking in your neighborhood and other regular physical activity is what can keep us all healthy.

Stumbleuponed...Live what you love

"...as an exercise for myself and you, I’ve created a list of questions to ask ourselves to help define that passion."

Have you ever played on with www.stumbleupon.com?  It is the most genius!   You click a button and then random (registered) sites pop up in no particular order.  I shockingly picked history, art, writing and a random selection of things.  This has become a secret passion of mine.  (There is a link to it on the bottom of this site.)

You see the most random bizarre and most amazing things that I would have never searched for, and most likely don't have the google rating to even show if I did search for them.  In my reckless random wandering last night I found 'Living Legacy' by Tia.  She was featuring the top 50 questions to ask yourself to define your passion.  50 questions are a lot!  I got overwhelmed just looking at it.  I have chopped the list.  Enjoy!   

Life Questions:
How do you really feel about what you are doing right now at this exact moment?


What is your fondest childhood memory? Who was there? What was going on?


How comfortable are you in your home?


What is one quality about your parent(s) that you really loved?


What is one quality about your parent(s) that you really do not like?


Do you like what you are doing for money?


What do you feel is your greatest skill?


What do you feel is your greatest personality trait?


Do you feel like anything in your life is holding you back from ultimate joy? List everything.


Write a paragraph or two about your ideal weekend/time away from work. Include location, sights, smells, food, activities, and people.


How close are you in proximity to the people you absolutely adore the most?


What do you want out of life?


How do you think people will remember you, when you die?


Write your epitaph - the sentence you would want to appear on your grave.


Do you have a hobby that you like to do but you don’t get paid for? What is it?


Does money hold you back from anything? What does it hold you back from? Be very specific.


Do you know anyone who you feel is living their dream? Who? What do they do all day and night? Be very specific.


Do you think you can be completely satisfied living where you do right now?


What do you want to accomplish?



What are three things that you do everyday that make you totally happy?


What do you want to pass on to your children?


What is something you have never tried but would like to?


Are there things in life you wish you could reverse or make right?


Do you feel like you have enough money to live the way you want to?


Are you happy when you think about the upcoming day and all that it comes with?


What do you find challenging?


What do you find thrilling?


What are three memories you haven’t yet created but you would like to?


Do you feel energized when you work?


Do you feel creative when you work?


Describe what you consider work, and what you consider play. What are the differences?


Do you feel blessed or lucky to wake up each day? How can you get to that point?


If all of your debt was forgiven tomorrow, and you had a completely clean slate, what is the very FIRST thing you would change about your life?


Where are three places you have always thought about living but never did?


When do you want to retire?


Is there an award or accolade you have always dreamed of winning or being recognized for?


If you could learn how and money was not an issue, is there anything else you would do for work besides what you are doing now? Be specific.


List three things you would immediately change about your work day if you were the boss (assumes you are not the boss).


List three things you would immediately start doing on the weekends if you had the money.


Imagine it is a big holiday and you are with your loved ones and you are living what you truly love. When they ask what you have been doing, what do you say in reply?

Hope you take a little time and think about what your legacy will be. 

Creativity Part II: How do you get it jump started?

Writing daily is draining.  I am starting to think that the screen's fluid light is sucking my powers to create.  Working in creative mode all day means that you have to give yourself a chance to refuel. 

When I was working on my MBA, in marketing I would hear of these marketing agencies with bicycles, air soft guns, meditation rooms, walls made completely of sticky notes where the atmosphere was constant party and adults were expected to play.  My work environment is a little different.  The television is on with some day time rubbish about some desperate female trying to find the baby daddy. The dogs battle with the laptop for lap space.  Instead of a sticky notes I have a pretty scary stack of old mail that beckons me to go through and file or toss. If I need a moment of meditation I do dishes...not quiet the same.

I decided I would not go into marketing I chose this.  I keep telling myself that in hopes that it makes it easier.  With this as my chosen life path I have to find ways to motivate and ignite creativity for myself.  In this constant search I have turned up a few jewels. 

• 201 Ways to Arouse Your Creativity is a funny treasure trove of ideas.  
• Upcycled Artwork look at the stuff around you in a different way.  Turn your prospective upside down.
• Look at the scenic route sometimes it is good to have a visual of what your creative path looks like. 
• Remember that even the most mundane can be art.

Enjoy your meditative creative break.  Now grab a cup of coffee and get back to work.