by Christie KelleyThanks to my sons, I have a new time waster (okay, addiction) that is taking up way too much of my time. They got me hooked on the Angry Birds game on my Droid phone.
I tried not to let this game into my life. But the more they played it, the more I wanted to see what it was all about.
Why?
Why do I let myself get sucked into such silly games that waste my time? I could be reading a great romance. I could be watching an educational program on TV. I could be involved in a great hobby. Instead, I spend my spare time flinging birds at pigs. There is something terribly wrong with this.
I've decided I must break this addiction. But how? How do I say no to those little birds? And if I stop playing Angry Birds, what will I do on
those long commercial breaks?So I'm looking for advice. Please tell me how you broke a habit (or addiction) and the best way for me to do the same.
Since I'm so determined to break this addic--habit, I am giving away an arc of my June release, One Night Scandal. So 'fess up.
52 comments:
Christie, I finally broke the Farmville game addiction on Facebook by blocking anything about the game and then just never going back to my farm. I was spending hours tending virtual crops!
Well done Trish have fun with him
Christie
I am rolling around laughing at the moment I got a new phone today a Samsung galaxy and it is android phone my first and one of the first things I did was get angry birds and my 5 year old grandson Jayden taught me how to play it LOL I have just forced myself of to check out the blog and then I need to get dinner ready for visitors but I am dying to get back on maybe I shouldn't :)
Trish I still play farmville but I am really starting to get annoyed about the time I waste there as well.
I do hope that someone comes up with a way to break with time wasting addictions because I am so sorry Christie but I have none I still play bejewelled blitz as often as I ever have.
Have Fun
Helen
The only way I have ever been able to break any addiction is just by refusing to do it again. Unfortunately, I got sucked back into Farmville on facebook.
My most recent addiction break was quitting smoking. Over 4 months ago and I will NEVER EVER smoke again. Way too hard to quit after over 20 years and I feel so much better since I quit! Now I can't hardly stand to be around it.
Congrats on the GR, Trish.
Hi Christie,
You just have to quit cold turkey. It's going to be super hard in the beginning, but hopefully you'll break this addiction.
Did you know Angry Birds is a Finnish game?
Avoidance is the best way. For example, I knew early on that I get sucked into games too easily so I don't own any game consoles: Xbox, Nintendo, Sega, etc. I also have a "free with activation" phone which does not have games on it, and I won't put any games on it. Perhaps you can delete Angry Birds?
Of course, I'm in the midst of my current obsession - the cover model, Paul Marron, on your book "One Night Scandal" - so I'm not qualified to advise you on any addictive behavior.
LOL Christie - I've never heard of angry birds, but then I don't have a droid. I guess my current addiction is suduku. I play that much too much. While I've refused to buy another suduku book - they publish those addictive puzzles in the newspapers, and yes - it's on my phone.
I think the only way to break the addiction is to have a really burdensome deadline - that's what works for me. The trick is not to resume the habit once the book is in.
I have never played angry birds but have known other people who are addicted to it. I think you are going to have to go cold turkey with the birds. Keep a book with you and read during the commercial breaks, that's what I do.
well done trish
Hi Christie.... I like Helen am hooked on bejewelled blitz but I try not to put the computer on til later on in the afternoon and I don't have a phone that I can get on the net with... a very basic phone and plan LOL
Sorry, I can't really help. I go from one addiction to another. I was addicted to pogo online games to the point that if I wasn't sleeping or working I had it playing on my computer - timing bathroom breaks between games, finally I cancelled my account...but now I am addicted to reading and blogs...can't win...
Trish, congrats on nabbing the GR!
I'm going to have to delete the app from my phone :(
But it is a great way to spend a commercial break.
Christie, I feel your pain. I'm hooked on bookworm on my iphone. I console myself that I'm teaching my 4 yo to spell because I can't break up with it. I love it too much. I just cracked 750,000 points. I'm a Lexasaurus Rex.
Gah.
Helen, be very careful with Angry Birds. I have no idea why it's so addicting, but it is!
I have only a few online games that I play. I used to play Bejewelled 2 and of course the solitaire app on my phone.
June, major congrats on quitting smoking!! You should be very proud of yourself. It's a huge accomplishment!
Oh, Jane, I really know that I have to go cold turkey. I'm just not ready for that yet!
Hi Minna, no I didn't know Angry Birds was a Finnish game. How cool!
LOL, Sheree. I know I have to delete the app. But I don't want to yet.
And thanks for letting me know who's on One Night Scandal. I had no idea. They never let us authors know.
Christie, sometimes I get that way with mah jjong (which came installed on my computer, so it's always there). I don't know what it is about that game draws me in every time. But sometimes, you've just got to turn your back on it, forget it's even there. Thankfully, that's the only kind of computer game that I really get hooked on. I have no interest in the ones on Facebook, so I just ignore the requests to join.
Donna, that must be my problem. I'm not under deadline right now. Hopefully soon!
I also played Suduko for years. I've moved on to crossword puzzles for a change.
Maureen, thanks for the tip. I've never tried reading during the commercials. I'll have to tried that.
Barb, the droid was my downfall. But I do love all the other things on it, especially the ability to check my emails.
I know it's time to put the birds away.
Dtchycat, I know your pain! Maybe we can combat this addiction together. No more online games!
LOL, Susan! I used to play Bookworm on the PC. That was a fun game. But at least you're using your brain to come up with words. I'm just flinging birds at pigs. Not much brain power needed.
Margay, I've never played the FB games either. I just ignore those invites too. This sucked me in when I was watching my boys play it. Okay, no more bird flinging.
I am so sorry Christie but I can't get rid of my addictions. Farmville nailed me and like Helen even though I get aggravated at the time involved I can't seem to quit.
Dianna, I think we need a 12 step program for these addiction.
Hello, my name is Christie and I'm an Angry Birds addict.
Hey Christie! I'm LOL about your post. I have a friend who just adores Angry Birds. She's always doing it on...yep...you guessed it...those long commercial breaks. :>
Trish, you got the Chook! Too bad you don't still tend the farm, he could count the chickens for you. *wink, wink*
Hey June! CONGRATS!!! I know that it's terrifically difficult to quit smoking, so GO YOU!!!!
WOOT-WOOT! (Sven, give that girl a drink and a massage, because she deserves it!)
Sheree said: Of course, I'm in the midst of my current obsession - the cover model, Paul Marron, on your book "One Night Scandal" - so I'm not qualified to advise you on any addictive behavior.
Hahahah! Well, that addiction...its more like a...
Okay, so it's an addiction. It's one I can live with. Ha!
Margay, you and Nancy and your Majongg. Nancy turned me onto that and it is addicting. It's also quite helpful when you need to just turn your brain off for a bit and let a plot problem - or personal problem! - brew.
Games are my downfall lol. I am hooked on bejeweled and majhong on facebook lol. Sometimes I tell myself in the beginning that I will play a certain amount and no more, sometimes I pay attention to myself roflmao.
June, huge congrats on quitting smoking!
Wow, Trish, you nabbed our favorite addiction! Or maybe the Banditas and Buddies are the GR's addiction!
Oh, Christie, I heard all about the addictive power of Angry Birds from my nephew and forewarned I decided never to even LOOK at it. I just KNEW I would become obsessed!
Some of my worst addictions are food addictions. Each time I have given something up I did a day-by-day deal. Every day I managed to live without my addiction I put a quarter in a jar. And after ninety days I used to money to buy myself a research book or something else I REALLY wanted. They say it takes ninety days to break a bad habit or to establish a good habit.
Oh, and if you cheat, you have to empty the jar, donate it to charity and start all over.
I will never cure my addiction for reading romance or collecting regency era research books. Some things are just inevitable!
Ah, you're asking the wrong person! I tend to break a habit/addiction by getting tired of it and swapping it for a different habit/addiction! LOL What can I say? It works! :D
I was once addicted to playing videogames, I broke the circle by becoming addicted to reading romance. I know, I know ... one replaced the other. But I don't mind my "new" hobby it makes me very happy.
Catslady, I do the same thing. I tell myself I'll only play for 10 minutes. That does work...sometimes :)
Louisa, don't download Angry Birds. It is terribly addictive.
I love your idea for the money jar. I think I'll try it.
Pissenlit, I kind of do the same thing. I just feel like the birds are taking over my life more than most of my other addictions. It's not good.
Trish, a chook for you. Will he be your new addiction?
Christie, laughed at you fighting this new addiction! I have to say I've decided my best and only defense is not to start. I've learnt through bitter experience!
Kirsten, I think your new addiction of reading is far better than the video games :)
Anna, I should have known that this would happen after seeing my sons playing it so much. But I didn't listen to myself :)
Trish, have fun minding the GR!!
Christie, please know you are not alone. I have had to turn away from Farmville, Bejewelled, Chuzzle and Animal Crossing. These games are addictive because they're bright and fast and give you an immediate (yet false) sense of accomplishment.
Cold turkey is best, but it's hard to resist temptation. One thing you can do is make sure you have something else to fill the time you normally fill with Angry Birds. If commercial breaks are a temptation, either have something else handy to occupy your hands (knitting, a book, popcorn, writing longhand, etc.) OR stop watching commercial television. You can watch almost everything relatively commercial-free on Hulu or the network channels. If, like me, you have to TiVo, this is a great option.
Best of luck and JUST SAY NO!
The only way I've ever been able to stop something is to stop cold turkey.
I think I'm lucky that my phone isn't compatible with Angry Birds. I would probably be just as addicted as everyone else is with it.
I remember when I had started playing Farm Town/Farmville. I was just as addicted-having to check my crops constantly. For me I just let myself get tired with it. After about a week it lost its luster. I started looking at it as if it were a job and not a fun game. I just started doing other things to occupy my time-like reading and visiting blogs.
LOL, Caren. I love the just say NO philosophy. We'll see what happens.
Chey, I know cold turkey is the only way. I just don't want to give it up completely yet!
Danielle, I never tried Farmville because I'd heard how addictive it was. My boys didn't tell me that about Angry Birds.
Christie, I can say that luckily I have not gotten addicted to Angry Birds, yet.
Advice for quitting, take up another habit. That is how I broke away from Farmville. I got sucked into blogger and the Banditas, which led to other blogs.
I like to think blogging is more productive because I am learning and reading vs. mindless dribble.
Another way is to force yourself to only indulge at certain times. I have a bubble game on my phone that I only play during commercials and on the couch. If I'm not on the couch I don't play.
Congrats Trish on the rooster.
Slush, I like your idea of only having certain times of day to play :)
Yep! I'm addicted to it too. Some levels are just so hard! I'd spent like 2 hours on just one screen, thinking it was only about 10 minutes!
LOL! I find myself terribly addicted to all kinds of virtual stuff, Christie! I think I personally have had to go cold turkey on stuff; I can't "just one more round" this kind of thing... guess that says volumes about my personality... ;p
Good luck!
Have fun with the GR, Trish! He's a bit addictive as well :)
Christie - I wish I could help you out but I don't do a very good job getting rid of my addicitons! According to my husband my biggest addiction is reading! He always used to complain about having to take an extra suitcase along on vacation just for holding my books! At Christmas he finally gave up when he heard rumors that our local Waldenbooks was closing and bought me a Kindle. Smart man - better a wife with an an addiction than a cranky one!
PS - He reads too so since I'm the bookbuyer in the family I think his motive was to make sure I kept buying his reading material for him!
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