:: book bound

I have an incredible addiction to the Sims 2. Back in the good, old days of the original Sims, I would lose track of precious life minutes as they passed me by in a flurry of virtual happiness. One year, my mum bought me the Hot Date expansion pack for Christmas and it's safe to say that despite how slowly my computer ran the software, I persevered and lost a good chunk of that holiday to that game.

Things haven't really changed much. Sure, I've grown older, and arguably wiser, but not quite wise enough to stop wasting days on playing computerized versions of my real friends. Everyone has a vice, and mine seems to be the Sims.

A friend of mine came over on Sunday afternoon and I excitedly rattled off the happenings of my town. I was a disheveled, haven't-showered-in-a-couple-of-days mess. Despite all of this, he looked at me and said with a laugh, "You know, it's been a long time since we've seen that sparkle in your eye. That special kind of sparkle that only the Sims can bring out you."

It was a joke, and he was blatantly mocking me, but it was oh so sadly true.

Regardless, the moral of the story is, outside of work and attempting to get some sort of number of productive things accomplished, I've been playing the Sims. By the time I finally crawled into bed last night, my brain scolded me for wasting 48 perfectly good hours on ... well ... nothing. Or, if you prefer the argument I used with my co-workers earlier today: I did a lot. I raised four children, two of which who have now started University. I have experienced a number of career tracks ranging from journalist to nurse. I have lived in small, one bedroom homes and upgraded to ones with four. I have gardened. I had a dog, as well as a cat. I met the Grim Reaper. Lightning struck the tree behind my house - multiple times.

... I clearly just want an excuse to further talk about my problem.

It's a shame this whole rant is in no way related to the only quote I have so far made note of in the Night World series:

"Sometimes she was filled with so much awe and-and-and-and longing-that she thought she might break to pieces." (p. 273)

Then again, does longing to play the Sims count?
Or, longing to live life normally again? How about living life in general?

Oh, screw it, I get to do more in virtual reality. It's like being Barbie. One day I'm a doctor, and the next, I'm cruising the town in my Pink Convertible.