Results tagged "Games"

I’m using a writing prompt today from Studio30+ — a site for bloggers that are over 30 years old. It’s kind of like that show that used to be on in the late 80′s — Thirtysomething. Remember? NO? Why, how old ARE YOU? I guess you can tell that I’m over 30. On the other side of 35, but not yet half way to 40. I’m hoping to stay here for like ten more years by completely avoiding reality. And if you don’t remember, Thirtysomething was really annoying. It was a bunch of thirty something people mulling about in their own lives complaining about being thirty something… and other stuff. Because that’s the total opposite of what bloggers do, right? Not that Studio30+ is annoying…. it’s actually quite nice, and if you’re a blogger over 30 — I highly recommend.

The writing prompt for this week is MOMENT OF TRUTH (truth truth truth). Kind of like an ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ moment, but you know, without an orgy. And while I’ve had plenty of these moments in my life, I can only think of one really appropriate truth-be-told thing to focus on, and that is WORDS WITH FRIENDS. Because, dear friends, it’s time for me to PUT THE CRACK DOWN.

And I know. This is supposed to be serious. But while I was playing the other night I completely missed Obama’s speech about…. stuff. I did, however, look up from my iPad long enough to notice the orange toned pancake makeup that all three — Obama, Boehner, and Biden were wearing… making them all the same color and therefore, PERHAPS the same race. Is that what the speech was about? I took the time to jump over to Facebook to acknowledge this discovery, but that was it. Within seconds I was back losing to like 20 different games — mostly being played with people I don’t know. Dammit.

But I’m beginning to think that this is kind of a serious condition. I mean I haven’t played a lot of games… ever, and I think the last time I played Scrabble (which is really what ‘Words with Friends’ is), I was just out of college on a train headed to a town on the Mediterranean called Sète. And, ooooo, I can here you now. She’s so CULTURED. But no, Sète, although beautiful, totally sucked and everyone there was mean. MEAN. Never go there.

Because, you see, I just downloaded Words With Friends a few days ago, and in that time I have successfully ignored everything and everyone around me. Not to mention, I think Mr. Sal said something about burning the iPad in a massive fire pit he started constructing the very second I downloaded the game. And also, I hate to say it, but even the nine-month old seems to squeal in opposition when I start to glance over to where I keep the mobile devices. Earlier, I became frustrated when I hit the game limit on how many you can play at once, and I just got up to go check to see where we are with over using the word ZA. Which, apparently is allowed because it’s slang for pizza….and now I’m hungry.

But something has to end the madness. So as soon as I finish playing these last 27 games, I might think about stopping. And that, my friends, is a serious Moment of Truth.

In other news, my good friend Sue has published a brilliant post about bullying entitled “Don’t try to Bully Me”. Sue, who agrees that the pancake usage on our WORLD LEADERS was a bit off last night, is/was a professional model. I know she won’t mind my posting some of here pictures here:

Go there and read her post, and maybe… JUST MAYBE, she’ll make out with you.

Getting back into IT.

And by “IT” I mean multiple things.

Anything resembling a routine is laughable, but I am finding the time to sit at my desk for a few minutes. {My desk which has now moved to our living room. Because moving my office to the basement was a huge mistake. I’m pretty sure that we’ve discussed this many many times. Yes, I like having a serious living room where you aren’t supposed to touch anything but I’m finding that rather unrealistic given the size of our accommodations. And kids too — they touch everything. No, the toys only become a bother when they try to strangle me. The basement was nice, but the amount of dust was irritating. Whatever, things will get back to normal eventually. Everything is in a constant state of motion. This is my life — get over it.}  I’m getting into it. I’m even working on a few design and blog projects WITHOUT procrastination. And while it might take a little bit longer than it used to, completing a project kind of feels like winning the lottery. Not that I’ve ever won… well… anything, but I would imagine that it has nothing to do with Charlie Sheen, and everything to do with feeling accomplished while enjoying the task at hand.

The other thing that I’m getting back to is regular life. That is to say — doing the mundane ritualistic things that one ordinarily does but pays absolutely no attention to. For example, laundry — which is now neatly folded in various baskets throughout the house… putting the clothes away has yet to be addressed. Dishes, cooking, cleaning… For a while — with the almost 3 month old and almost 4 year old — these things were nearly impossible. Finding the time to fit them in — between feedings, playing, and tantrum control has also become a task wrapped up within itself… Homemaking. Good times. Hello Sisyphus.

But I’m not the only one talking about this… Why just the other day my BFF Gretchen Rubin of Happiness fame and whom I’ve been known to stalk, posted a list of “If I Can’t Accomplish Anything Else Today, I Can Do These 10 Things”. I read her list which includes several obvious things like wearing her seatbelt and making her bed, and realized that I don’t really start my day with a goal in mind, but if these were the only things that I was able to accomplish in a day — I might drive myself insane. That, perhaps, I need my list to include something that leads to satisfaction, which in my mind might make for a pretty nice day…. She also mentions things like touching with affection, which (ew) we all do, but do we really need to TALK ABOUT IT? So, I’m taking it up a notch with my own list. A list of ten ITS that I need to do in order to keep my world order — which perhaps defeats Gretchen’s point entirely, but whatevs — MY BAG.

1. Make sure that my family is happy — and not just with me, but with everything going on with them. If they aren’t happy, I, in turn, will not be happy and the rest of this list will be useless…
2. Read something interesting…
3. Talk to someone on the outside — having kids sometimes leads to living in a sheltered cocoon where time stands still…
4. Caffinate…
5. Eat something yummy…
6. Straighten something… which goes back to #1, but if there is unrest, it must be solved immediately. If all is well, then I’m sure there’s something around here that needs to be TENDED.
7. Stretch… believe it or not, this is the easiest to forget about…
8. Go outside…
9. Laugh…
10. Take a picture.

And without leaving this post totally unended… and just hanging out there like some 90′s grunge junkie that didn’t overdose, what about you? What is your IT?

Afterthought: Bonus # 11. Internet… as a verb, noun and adjective.

And just like that, it was Spring.

The End.

No, not really. I just wanted to end a perfect thought before starting a new one…. Because I still have a TO DO list consolidated into a bunch of little notebooks that all look alike… And although the list is ongoing, I have noticed a very sharp turn of events… A hairpin, if you’d like. Things like, DESIGN LOGO FOR NEW CLIENT THAT YOU HATE, have been replaced with words like PLAYGROUND, ENGAGEMENT PARTY, BUY MORE SHORTS, BLOG ABOUT THIS. But you know what hasn’t changed? My ability to put pressure on myself to complete all things on the list immediately. I mean now. RIGHT NOW. And although I find great peace and quiet in most of the things that I choose to do, I can also equate the pleasure of it all to that of the bane of my existence. Because I’m like that. I’m THAT PERSON. Very quickly, I can loathe that of which I love…. and then vice verse.

But I’m not writing about this because I’m loathing anything right now… Other than the TO DO list, which I think I mentioned is in a constant state of ongoing. Which means that it will never stop. Like doing dishes or laundry or STAGE MOMS. And the perpetual need to accomplish, start something new, end something old and move on. Even the designs and illustrations of days past… wanting to open them up and turn them into something else. Or buy that new Martha book about crafting EVERYTHING and decide that, yes, glue guns and glitter ARE good. I mean, what is it? What is GOING ON HERE? Spring has sprung and suddenly we need to DO, and if you aren’t as annoyed by me as I am right now… just hold on a sec because the daffodils are in bloom — and that one on the edge over there is WAY OUT OF CONTROL.

It all used to be so easy… if I didn’t want to go, I wouldn’t. If I wanted to go, sometimes I still wouldn’t. I guess that’s the problem with being a pseudo-introvert… That writes a very public account of everything–hypocrisy is SO much fun.

But today is Saturday, so no one is reading this, right? I can just sneak this in and whisper softly… because nothing has changed.

And I’m just using this visual because Sting called me and told me to write about my insecurity issues.

It remains the same.. if I have a meeting, I wait until the very last second thinking about how much I don’t want to go even though it will be painless and probably result in good things… How I am invited to parties and events and asked to be in on important causes… and I don’t participate and/or attend even though I want to and plan on it. How I am rather well connected but refuse to admit it. It isn’t unlike 13 years ago (dear god!) in college when I adopted the mantra of “Just Don’t Go” and would suggest it to friends… like it was THAT easy. You don’t want to go, so don’t. It was all very freeing and simple… Just Don’t Go. I remember thinking it when I was about to walk down the aisle… when I went into labor with Will, when all of the great things that have happened to me occurred… And look at me now.. I am already climbing over the fence… Running away… Hiding under my dining room table… In other words, I just bought my tickets to Blogher 2010, which is in August. And the fact that I just spent actual dollars might be the only thing that pushes me through the door. That and the idea of meeting some of you… FACE TO FACE. EYES TO EYES. So… if you are going… and you happen to glance out windows of the NYC Hilton and you see someone outside pasted up against the glass –  just leave me there and note that I went, but I didn’t at the same time. Let the games begin. 

This horribly pathetic post was deleted by RY M. SAL.

I can take a smack down better than most, but when LZ aka My Messy Paradise and Eric Striffler aka http://www.striffler.com & http://www.striffler.com/weddings.html, both answered HAWAII within the same 1/2 hour, I was floored.  LZ answered via comments and Eric via Facebook – I’ve tried to decipher which answered first but all I can get is within that same 1/2 hour… so CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH. Interviews will proceed sometime in the next 2 weeks. Okay okay… so perhaps this was a little obvious, but wasn’t it fun too?

Soooo… Now what? I was hoping that this contest would last longer than 1 hour into publishing time. smart-asses, so here’s another Guessing Game for the long weekend.

WHERE IS THIS?

What STATE, in the great U S of A was this picture taken?

1. Guesstimate the closest STATE this picture was taken in.
2. Guess as many times as you would like.
3. The first person to answer correctly will be interviewed for an upcoming For The Birds “Bird Watcher Profile” post. Read the most recently published, it was a blast!
4. Then I will promote the hell out of your story for a week.
5. All about you. 
6. I am no joke about promotion. 
7. Game ends November 29, 2009 – the closest guesstimate location wins… exact preferred.
8. If you won the last guessing game here at For the Birds (LZ & Eric), you can play but you can’t win– you can suggest the right answers (if you can’t control yourself).
9. If you were with me when this was taken, you can’t play–I promise to be more original next time.

Bogus Original Post:

Can you find me?

1. Find me in this picture.
2. Name the city that I am in.
3. Guesstimate the closest year this picture was taken.
4. Guess as many times as you would like.
5. If you answer correctly, I will interview you for an upcoming For The Birds “Bird Watcher Profile” post.
6. Then I will promote the hell out of your story for a week.
7. All about you. 
8. I am no joke about promotion. 
9. Game ends with the right answers.
10. If you were with me when this photo was taken, you can’t play.
11. Mom, Dad… You can’t play either.

Photography by Photog Melanie Zobian

Meanwhile, I’m guesting over at Guest Bird Robin’s blog.. I like her, she’s spunky.