Addictions Can Sometimes Be a Good Thing....

April 30, 2010...


Sure, addiction to eating healthy or exercising is probably a good thing, but I'm talking about a better addiction: Farmville.

Initially, I thought what is this game? It's dumb, I dig plots and plant things, care for trees and animals and for what? Fake cash? Yes. But I now know there is so much more.

It's not that you move up to different levels in the game and become known as: "Brilliant Farmer" or "Big League Farmer", it's the comments each farmer leaves another when they snatch up special collectibles or mystery eggs.

Sure, 'thanks' would be the appropriate response, but how about "Maria is going to kick my butt for stealing her twine" or "You want me to fertilize your crops? That sounds so wrong."

The group of farmers I hang out with crack me up. I've been given great tips how to move up the farm ladder and have learned only on Farmville can I strategically line up my chickens and calves in confined quarters without fear of a documentary film crew recording the injustices I have created for my animals.

For me, Farmville has started conversations via Facebook's IM which have spring boarded into coffee with a friend I haven't seen since high school and an impromptu get together I initiated for tomorrow.

When I met with my friend, we discussed a Farmville intervention, but as I explained to her, many addiction programs are based on the 12 step premise and as farmers we love getting to the next level. We'd all be clamoring to get to the next step for all the wrong reasons defeating the purpose of the intervention.

I'm happy to report, unlike many of my friends playing Farmville or FV, I do not befriend people for the sake of having a FV neighbor. Of course, it means I don't have the same amount of opportunities to grab loot because most of my friends don't play FV. I feel sorry for them.