Angry at Angry Birds!

That title sounds like a Dear Abby handle!  But yes, I'm angry at Angry Birds.  Well, okay, maybe angry is too strong a sentiment.  It's more like I'm annoyed.  No, that's not right either.  What am I?  I'm addicted!  Yes, that's it! 

Approximately 8 or 9 months ago, some co-workers were discussing this new game called Angry Birds.  I had never heard of it and was given the advice not to download this game because it was a stupid game and completely addicting.  I laughed at that notion and, being the curious girl that I am, I downloaded the game right then and there to see what the hype was all about.  I spent the next 6 hours straight playing this game, thinking that it was the dumbest game I'd ever played.  Months later and I have all 3 Angry Birds games (the original, Seasons and Rio).  I am obsessed with getting 3 stars on all levels and finding all the golden eggs, bananas and whatnot.  I am constantly vigilant on checking to see if there are new levels to be downloaded and immediately have to play when there are.  Why is this game so addicting?  It really is a pretty dumb game and yet everyone I know who purchases it, ends up addicted. 

I don't know how Rovio did it, but I wish I had come up with something just as brilliant as they did.  Angry Birds influence is now seen everywhere in media.  Sprint, Bing, Nokia, T-Mobile have all jumped on the AB bandwagon.  AB was even featured in an Israeli comedy show called "Eretz Nehederet (in English: A Wonderful Country), one of the nation's most popular TV programs, [which] satirized recent failed Israeli-Palestinian peace attempts by featuring the Angry Birds in peace negotiations with the pigs" (Wikipedia).  See below for the clip.  It's flipping hilarious!

Now am I angry at Rovio because I'm addicted to this game or because they were so smart in creating something so dumb that's making them millions of dollars?  It's a toss up!   I don't know what Rovio has up their sleeves next, but you can be sure that I will be breathlessly awaiting the next release of AB and obsessively playing!!  Thanks, Rovio, for screwing up my social life...wait, what social life.