Played Out

This evening i officially quit Cafe World, after approximately 4 months of playing. Over 120 consecutive days.

I'd never been addicted to a video game before. I'd never even cared much for video games. None holds my interest long enough, if it does at all. Most of them just make me question, "'What's the point?"

But with Cafe World, with all the instant approval and gratification of achieving goals and all the baby steps in each stage, got me hooked in no time flat. I started to schedule real life activities around what needed to be done in this virtual realm. Around the same time, i stopped cooking (real food) altogether. Even ceased reading recipes, a hobby of mine.

This is what happens when one didn't get a lot of atta-girl's in childhood. No only was i getting kudos from Zynga, i was also encouraged by my "neighbors" - fellow gamers, who mutually depended on this network to get what it takes to advance (unless you're crazy loaded and enjoy burning those greens). Lone effort was not enough. I hated that aspect actually. I wished to work alone, not needing anyone. But sometimes when i'd receive a gift, i'd think, "This world is not so bad if there is kindness around." On cynical days i'd be convinced that nobody cared; they just wanted something from me.

I took the game very seriously. I timed dishes right to avoid the mistake of spoiling food. I memorized those time intervals before one could ask a neighbor for a favor again. I'd be enraged when connection to the server would be lost, which was frequent, a known issue much lamented about by other gamers. I'm talking i'd feel deepy distraught, exasperated, as if my life was unjustly disrupted.

I realized i had a problem.

I'm no stranger to addiction. It can be very powerful. And ridiculous. Someone who is not addicted simply cannot fathom.

One day, the ridiculous aspect boiled over and overpowered the, uh, Power. Bottom line: the game was not making me happy. In fact it turned me miserable at times. Some days, instead of blissfully sleeping in, i'd be anxious to get up to tend to the cafe.

Look, V. This is not REAL!

With an upcoming trip to the East Coast, the timing couldn't have been more perfect to resign. While away from the mundane, i'm not gonna worry my pretty head over trivial matters such as email, Facebook, or stupid Cafe World. In fact i'm not gonna worry about that last one again, ever.

Buh-bye.