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Wednesday, November 12, 2008  

Secret Obsession

Hey, all - Trash was kind enough to come up with a guest entry for tonight. After I made her. Bright lights may have been involved, but a confession is a confession. Enjoy.

My secret obsession? I love stupid computer games. No, no shoot-em-ups or role playing. No, I love these ridiculous time management games you can buy from Big Fish games where you pretend to be a waitress or a daycare worker or a hotel manager, and then you spend increasingly frantic hours trying to serve your customers and make them happy despite idiotic obstacles that in reality no self-respecting person would ever endure. I know, I make it sound so appealing.

And I do understand that the average person wouldn't want to spend several hours - or in my case days, since I don't have much time - managing a fake ranch or building new towns, but I am obsessed. I am happy to fork over my hard-earned cash to escape into a world that requires me to be far more organized about my time than I get to be in real life. I excitedly spend hours determining the order to complete office tasks in The Office (with actual characters from the show) or the best order to serve my coffee house clients. No, the games aren't all the same (so shut it, Mr. Giant head). The Diner Dash series (now on its fifth version!) is far superior to the boring Cake Mania offerings (yawn).

M. Giant would argue that I am making them sound more fun than they actually are, but he is stubborn and blind and wrong. For some reason, they are actually fun - and not just to me, as is supported by the ever-lengthening list of available games. There is something deeply satisfying about a job where you have specific goals and activities, and when you screw up you simply start over.

You could argue that it seems as though being a research librarian would offer the same satisfaction of a job well done, not to mention an incredible amount of organizational skills, and you would be correct, but it's different. I can't explain it, but nothing brings a stressful day to a close better than a quick round of Diner Dash. And no, they aren't paying me to say any of this.

You don't think they would, do you?

Labels:

posted by M. Giant 7:28 PM 15 comments

15 Comments:

I love Diner Dash, and am too cheap to buy it. But I love it. You are awesome.

P.S. FYI, I wound up saying no to the thing.

By Blogger Linda, at November 12, 2008 at 7:36 PM  

I too am addicted to these games. I think it's because I'm a control freak and I can decide how many pigs to raise or who gets served first. But I could easily spend HOURS in one of these "clicky clicky" games. I figured it was me and a bunch of retirees playing them. I get really mad when I download one and it's super boring or poorly programmed.

I might have a problem.

By Blogger Kim Reed, at November 12, 2008 at 9:22 PM  

I knew I wasn't the only one who's addicted to games like these or else they wouldn't be releasing new versions of Diner Dash so often. I'm addicted to time management games like these too.

It all began, when I got hooked on Lemonade Tycoon. I was excited watching little cartoon people buy lemonade from my stand and watching amount of money I have grow.

The "serious gamers" around me often laugh at me for my addiction.

By Blogger restlessly, at November 12, 2008 at 10:13 PM  

I lurve those kinds of games! If you go to friv.com, there's a pizza making game that I was obsessed with for several weeks that I think you might like. Long live stupid gaming!

By Blogger notanillusion, at November 13, 2008 at 4:55 AM  

Yep, I'm addicted to these, too! Diner Dash is great--I must be behind, though, I didn't know we were only version 5! I actually like Cake Mania, also, for some inexplicable reason.

By Blogger dancing_lemur, at November 13, 2008 at 5:26 AM  

I enjoy the hidden object games, such as the Mystery Case Files. I really wish the new one was available for the PC. I also like the ones that require you to solve a puzzle, like Mushroom Age (which is wonderfully silly-I love it!) and Escape from the Museum. Great way to relax in the evening while semi-listening to the TV.

By Anonymous Anonymous, at November 13, 2008 at 7:26 AM  

My name is Jennifer and I am a Big Fish Game Addict.

:hi Jennifer!:

I hate to admit this, but I have a Wii, and I still prefer Big Fish games. Mostly because I can play them and not feel completely uncoordinated and inept. Which I may be, but at least Big Fish doesn't rub my nose in it the way my Wii does.

I do wonder who comes up with some of those games, though. The creator of Mushroom Age was probably on the mushrooms at the time. There's just no other explanation...

By Anonymous Anonymous, at November 13, 2008 at 8:46 AM  

Oh! Don't forget Farm Frenzy - I can spend hours trying to save poor chickens from bears. I am also a slave to Big Fish.

By Anonymous Anonymous, at November 13, 2008 at 9:14 AM  

Interesting "secret obsession", Trash, thanks for sharing. (Although a tad tame, I must say; are you immune to bright white confession-inducing lights?)
Also, thanks for filling in for M. Giant-head. I understand from his comments in past posts that you are largely responsible for the frequency of his communication with us, and we DO appreciate you.

Also, Happy Birthday! Hope you gets lots of fun fun stuff.

By Blogger stripeymeow, at November 13, 2008 at 10:51 AM  

Ohhhh - I am going to love these games. I had never heard of them!

- JeniMull

By Anonymous Anonymous, at November 13, 2008 at 11:26 AM  

Count me in on the "Farm Frenzy" love. I especially am tickled when the "AAAARRRRRRRnnnnHHHH, AAAARRRRRRRRnnnnnHHHHH, AAAARRRRRRRRnnnnnHHHHH" sound of the invading bear comes in and I have to run to the rescue!

Big Fish Games is my lunchtime time sink.

By Anonymous Anonymous, at November 13, 2008 at 1:48 PM  

Yay! Trash wrote an entry!!!

I'm right there with you.

I'm an Office Manager, so all I do all day is organize stuff, and when I can't focus? I'll play games such as Diner Dash (I agree with you about Cake Mania) to help reset my brain.

By the way, congrats on "Work With Me." :)

By Blogger shrinking indigo, at November 13, 2008 at 3:29 PM  

I'm going to start inventing games for people like you. Watching Paint Dry! Extreme Standing! Pinwheel Holding! Rocking Chair Championships! Competitive Staring!

By Blogger Chao, at November 14, 2008 at 7:02 AM  

I LOVE Diner Dash! Yeah Trash!

By Anonymous Anonymous, at November 14, 2008 at 11:38 AM  

This comment has nothing to do with the post subject, but everything to do with the post author:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR TRAAAAASH!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

By Blogger Heather, at November 15, 2008 at 7:53 AM  

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