One Ticked Off Old Bird

Angry Birds

I have a slight addiction.  And if I were really honest, I'd admit I probably have a few.  But for the purposes of this confessional, I am only divulging one. It all started back in August when my sister’s facebook status warned others of falling into the deadly nest of a game that is otherwise known as Angry Birds. I, of course, immediately downloaded it to my iPad. 

As it happened, we were just about to embark on a massive road trip to take our son back to school in Vermont and then make a stop in Chautauqua to enjoy a few last fading days of summer.  And if I was going to be spending the next week mostly sitting in the passenger seat of a car, I figured I owed myself some options of entertainment.  Enter Angry Birds.

Over the course of 2680 miles traveled, I worked my way through poached eggs and a mighty hoax. I looked out for danger above and landed somewhere in the midst of a big setup before pulling back into my garage.  Several months later, I had smashed and bashed my way through every level and every scene, taking out pigs left and right, collecting all the golden eggs along the way.  And since I wasn’t always a three-star academic, I have to admit that seeing my three-star achievements on every screen gave me a sense of pride, warped as it was.

Then last week my iPad had syncing issues.  I should have known right then and there this wasn't going to turn out well.  But I didn’t even think twice when I hit “restore.”  It never crossed my mind as I watched the bars reload and fill.  With syncing issues resolved and updates updated, I was very pleased with my techno-assuredness. 

Jump forward a day or two when I went searching for the latest Angry Bird level.  Imagine my surprise (read horror) to find that it was like I had downloaded the game just yesterday!  What remained were screens and screens of padlocks!  All that progress!  All those Golden Eggs!  All those Stars!  Gone. Gone! GONE!!  Who’d have thought a silly game would cause such angst and dismay?  Well, had I even thought of it, I surely would have.  After all, "know thyself" is one of those things I've been working on for close to 50 years.

So after a few choice words that proved that I had indeed become an angry old bird myself, I’ve now started again… slowly collecting the eggs (in which I’ve saved time because I know where they are - as if "saving time" is any part of this endeavor).  And earning the illusive triple star is slightly easier this time around, but only slightly.  However, hours upon hours have been lost accomplishing a whole lot of nothing else, made even more obvious since there has been no road to travel on this particular trip.  The reality is that on a couple of levels, I've gotten exactly nowhere.  Fortunately(?), my obsession is usually concentrated to the evenings.  But that I can hear those stupid birds chirping in my brain as I drift off to sleep has let me know that its time to back away from the screaming flock.  

I hear them calling my name.. there are eggs to collect, stars to amass and levels to clear.  I am thinking I might have to plan a road trip to get me there.  Anyone else care to drive?