Falling...Into a Trap!

First, let me begin by saying that I love my little sister very much. I'm sure she had NO IDEA what she was doing when she told me to visit her little town in CityVille. CityVille is another fun game that you can play on Facebook.

The "city" that my sister created was named after my niece...my Godchild. Of course I'll go and visit the "city", right?

"How can I visit it without creating a town of my own?", I asked.

"You can't. You have to build your own city." my sister replied, coy like.

STOP! Oh, if I could only hit the rewind button and GO BACK! If I could only go back to the way life was before. I think you can see where this is headed...to Ohn Mamie Ville!

It all starts so innocently. It starts with a house. Then a few crops. Then a business that you can name what ever you want. Finally you get to visit the town that you just wanted to see to begin with. Oh, but wait. You have to shop in the shops...help with the crops...then back to your city to build more homes because you need to increase your population...then a cartoon of a nice old man tells you to build a City Hall for extra coins...And then- you get a message that your sister needs you to be on staff in HER City Hall. "Ding Dong" go the doorbells as you collect rent. "Weeeee!" scream the happy people as you send bus loads of people to your sister's fake city's pretend business.

The next decision was the blow to our family sanity as I can recall it. (Ok, we were a little nuts to begin with but just go with it) We...oh, the shame. Sigh. Truth be told, my sister and I involved the men in our lives. It sounded like a simple thing. A couple more neighbors...we could increase our populations, build more Community Centers. Hell, we could build schools for our "children".

Within a matter of hours the men were hooked. Soon the sounds of "Bling!" and "Ding Dong!" could be heard from other rooms. "Weeee!"  "Knock, knock, knock" "Chop, chop, chop" "Honk Honk, Weeee!"


My husband, the system architect had found a system by which he could time the crops, collect rent, stash goods and STILL have enough energy to visit neighbors.

In another part of the country my sister's husband was busy creating his little town, first with sarcastic sounding names. He clearly was just doing it for her. Then all of a sudden requests were coming in for this item and that item.

The four of us spent an entire night sending people to towns, building shops, making ourselves mayors and building our little cities.

It was bound to happen. A comment was made by my husband that he already had a Head Quarters built. Then my sister's husband said casually, "I'm almost at the same level as you."

I suppose you would have to know how very competitive my sister is to really understand the level of anxiety this created for her. In looking back it wasn't like the men taunted us...really. It just wasn't fair that's all. How could their cities have grown so in such a short amount of time?

My sister and I were talking on the phone while sending each other goods, energy and bus loads of happy people to our towns. It was really just a joke when we said that the pets could be our neighbors. What could the harm be?

"Bloop" and there is was. An invite from my sister's dog Zoebelle. Oh, I know, I know. Before you judge...Zoe's town is the cutest little town. So...Zoebelle needed more friends. That's when my cat joined in the fun too.

Take this as a fair warning. You must save yourself now if you haven't already. You'll have others beg you to be their neighbor. Your children will not be able to look you in the eyes without shame. It's a trap I tell you! A trap!

Ok...I'm off now to collect some rent.
P.S.- if you've already fallen under the spell of the ding dongs...will you be my neighbor?