One Tiny Tower Takes Over My Day!

In the eighth grade, when graduating from junior high school, I won the award for "Most Diligent." At the time, I didn't know what the heck it meant until the teacher explained it while presenting it - I'm a hard worker. This is pretty much true.

They don't, however, hand out the awards on that day pointing out your greatest weaknesses. That honor was left to my college professor who taught me Spanish for three years - she had me pegged. She called me "La Princesa de Procrastinacíon." I may work hard, but there are times, in between, when I am hardly working.

Today was one such day.

Diligence 
 
I woke up bustling with all types of energy - I packed up three bags worth of stuff to get picked up by a donation truck tomorrow (you should definitely check out www.vvapickup.org if you are in the US and have stuff to donate!). Then I took off all of the blankets and sheets from the guest best for washing (I actually needed help with this one - sheet and blankets make me dizzy, thank you IIH). Finally, I shredded a ridiculous amount of paper using our shredding machine, it took about 45 minutes (that's a lot of paper!).

Crash 

Of course, after 45 minutes of shredding machine noises, my head was out for the count. I needed to lie down... This is not in any way a method of procrastination, mind you, this part is a medical necessity. If you know anyone with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension, then this sudden, overwhelming, "I can do no more..." springing up out of no where is not foreign to you. It is what I chose to do next, when the world stopped spinning, my head stopped pounding but my energy level was screaming, "You better NOT try to get vertical yet!" that lead to the procrastination of the day that I am so famous for.

Burn

I grabbed my iPad, with every intention to continue reading my book Kafka on the Shore when something else entirely caught my eye: Tiny Tower. I don't know if it was last week or the week before, but as my husband was watching Attack of The Show I overheard Kevin Pereira review a FREE iPad APP that was reminiscent of Sim Tower. My husband paused the show, looked at me and said, "Did you hear that?"

"Yes, and I don't know if I should listen any more!"

But I did. Then I downloaded it. I have been strong enough not to touch it, not to try it, not even to peek. That was, of course, until today. You may be wondering why. Well, it is quite simple, you see: Sim Tower came out in 1994, the same year I started college. I'm not claiming it is the only reason I won the title "La princesa de procrastinacíon," but it is definitely one of them. In my first year of teaching, I forced myself to DELETE and UNINSTALL the game from my computer and LOSE THE DISC.

This is the top of my Tiny Tower.

Needless to say, I did continue to listen and got lost in my tower world for hours. I was on a mission - to build more floors, create great apartments, work so that all my bitizens could have as close to their dream job as possible! As I was working toward upgrading the elevator systems and building a better restaurant so the bitizens could have some variety in their meal choices, I heard a voice, "Ummm... it's already 7:30. When are we going to have dinner?" Oops. It was the husband - you know, from real life!

Here's a snapshot of my "BitBook". It's the FaceBook of the Tiny Tower world. This gives me a perspective on who likes their job, who might need to be evicted and how I'm doing in the eyes of bitizens!

 I had to stop. I had to cook. Then I realized I didn't even write today either! So I am here now, but you can tell what I am thinking about can't you? I'm worried about my bitizens! I need to build my tower. I need a better elevator system before I go to bed tonight!

Therefore, I am off! My Tiny Tower awaits and my bitizens might be hungry - I have to make sure everyone is stocked up! I am hoping this is some passing fad that will burn out quickly with me, without the need of any intervention services, but I will keep you apprised of my progress either way.

My virtual playground - for FREE!

Is there some game, or activity, that has the power to sweep you away from the time/space continuum and simply play your day away?

How do you deal with it and continue to lead a normal life?

I Just Want a Letter

This post was written for the Red Riding Hood Prompt. This week's prompt is all about character development.

We'd like you to write about what your character wants most. 




 We got together back in July 2006. I remember it well. I loved her, and, my God, did she love me. She was in school then and we were inseparable. I worked for her - whatever she was looking for or needed prepared for her classes, I would make sure she'd get it done.

As the Fall approached she began teaching again. I couldn't believe that she got permission for me to come into her classroom with her. It was a whole new role for me, "teacher's assistant", but if that's what she wanted from me, then I wanted to provide that for her. Everyone had questions about the arrangement. Students, teachers, even administrators wanted to know how I was doing in the classroom, if she regretted the decision, what types of things I could and couldn't do. It was cute how proud she was of me, how she would show me off and gush over the simplest of things I did for her.

The years passed like this and doors seemed to burst open for us. We applied and were admitted into the Google Teacher Academy. We were granted permission to visit my home town of SanFrancisco for MacWorld. We presented everything we learned to the school staff when we returned. Then, for her classes and for her own personal use, we began blogging.

I was happy that she was writing and that I could be there with her as she began, but at the end of last year, after a year of her being so sick, I, too, fell ill. She couldn't help me in her state and I couldn't help her in mine. We both escaped to our respective quiet hibernation until the time was right.

About a month ago, after her own respite, she found me and rescued me from my solitude. She brought me to professionals who could set me straight again. It worked, and although we were both out of the classroom due to our respective disabilities, we got back to work on her writing. We started blogging together again and, with it, began to feel useful.

But I have a secret that I don't want to tell her. I think we may be losing our E. I feel her tap and I want to respond to her every wish as I have always done, but I keep failing her when it comes to this ever-so-prevalent vowel. She must be starting to notice. Her proofreads are taking longer. I know with her limited vision a missing e in the word "the" is exactly the type of thing that can go unnoticed. How can I repair my own ravaged key so that she does not have to worry about such mundane details in a swirl of creativity?

We have had such a beautiful love affair. But can she accept that my "lov" is as deep as my "lovE" has always been? The last thing I want to be is another broken thing for her to fix, so I keep hoping, wishing and praying to the Apple gods that my E will come back.

You ask me what I want. It's so simple and yet so complex - I would like 1/26th of the alphabet. One letter, a vowel. It's actually a number, too. On my keyboard it also controls the accent mark. It is all these things, but what's more, it is the key to a seamless relationship of shared joy over the creative process. It's an E and, yes, it is that important.