International Cupcake

Well, I missed a day or two in blog-world. That's not good! What to ramble on about tonight...so many topics so little time! I could babble about Farm Town (a Facebook app), corn-on-the-cob, BLT's (really????....a RECIPE for BLT's...and I thought I couldn't cook!), endearing reasons why I like my job, crunch-time at work, dreams of being on a card design team, thoughts on being a college dorm floor 'parent', blog hops, continue the TOC (Transfer of Crap) saga, or explain the fundamental differences between genetic ToC and humanitarian ToF (Transfer of Fabric).

Let's see - I choose……..
Facebook and the Farm Town app. I first got started on Facebook because a trustee on the board of directors at my place of employment added me as a Facebook friend. At the time I was aware of Facebook - but the extent of my awareness was flimsy at best. How could I tell a trustee, "No, I don't want to be your 'friend'"? I was actually pleased she asked me, so naturally I 'Googled' my way into this massive online social network and set up my account. For about 6 months I had 1 (ONE) Facebook friend. I would occasionally log in to check up on my singular friend. That was the extent of my socializing via the www.

I frequently have students stopping by my office. My office seems to be a gathering place between classes, after classes, and sometimes long after the time I should even still be IN my office. They stop by for chats, for candy, for laughs, for all kinds of “college-kid” things. Frequently there is an entire 'gang' in my office - some on chairs, some sitting on the floor - and usually one of them logged in to the student computer.

One day they (freshmen) were discussing Facebook. I asked a question about Facebook. They looked at me in amazement, "Nancy – YOU’RE on Facebook????" (What do I look like...Grandma Moses, Maxine of Hallmark fame, the ‘little Mrs’. in Grant Wood's American Gothic????) I indignantly replied. “YES, I’m on Facebook! I even have a FRIEND on Facebook!” After the peals of laughter – I’m not sure what they thought was funnier – the fact that I had a Facebook account or that I had a Facebook friend or that I only had ONE Facebook friend! Well they answered my question and all logged into the computer to ‘add’ me as their friend. So…I now have several student Facebook friends! I could go on and on about this subject but I have to now get to the Farm Town portion of this monologue.

Miss Amy introduced me to Farm Town. I reluctantly added the application. [She had already forced me at dagger point (kidding) to join her Pirate crew – a PIRATE??? Me??? But, hey…. it was Miss Amy – so of course I did my best, “sure me matey – shiver me timbers, and all that rot!”] I occasionally and reluctantly performed my pirate duties to keep Miss Amy at bay – but Farm Town???? I LOVE Farm Town! I have whole-heartily traded ‘me peg-leg’ for seeds and a scythe! I could very possibly be addicted to Farm Town!

I have a secret desire to get to a higher farming level than my sister-in-law, one of my Farm Town ‘neighbors’, I NEEDED more ‘neighbors’ so I asked a couple of STUDENTS to be my ‘neighbors’ (they laughed at me – Farm Town is evidently NOT college cool! – but they did it anyway – and guess what - now they are HOOKED TOO!!), I even admit to reading Farm Town Q&A’s and tips!!! Is it this Midwestern blood coursing through my veins? Is it the gardening that I can do and not break a sweat? What is it about Farm Town????

NOW – there really IS a point to all this. Tonight I was ‘in’ the Farm Town marketplace. I randomly clicked on another ‘farmer’ to harvest some of my crops. Farmer Paula agreed to harvest for me. I ‘told’ her (in chat) that I didn’t know what to click or how to enable her to also ‘plow’ for me and she chatted back that she asked her daughter how to do it. I replied – “my daughter is who taught me how to ‘farm’”, we both had a virtual laugh and she informed me that her daughter informed HER that you have to have 10 ‘neighbors’ to use the plow function. I replied, “darn, I’m one neighbor short’. She ‘said’, “ add me as your friend” and before I could mentally process “oh my – now what do I do – this is weird!”, she inserted her email address!!!!!

I saw that the email address was a UK extension. So…. I replied – “COOL – you will be my first international Facebook friend!” Then SHE replied (probably after thinking – OMG what did I just do?), where ARE you?” I chatted, “IOWA, where some SERIOUS farming goes on”!

So guess what?? I now have an international Facebook friend! Not only that but during our chat – she ‘laughed’ that when she asked her daughter the plowing question, her daughter was actually sitting across from her in the same room and they were both on Facebook Farm Town. Now, not only is Paula my new best Facebook friend but so is her daughter! I think I’m looking forward to this new long-distance ‘friendship’.

Now I don’t want to hear from any of you asking how I could waste my time on Farm Town – cuz YOU just waste a HUGE chunk of time reading THIS!

I do have to mention ONE little item regarding ToC. Today I received an email from Sista G. Evidently now friend NILA is adding to the pile designated as the 'Sioux City Basket' (a.k.a. ToC).

And of course I have a card to share. Drum roll please……… Number three in the Cupcake Card Series! You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.