A while back I blogged about how much I hate stress. My life is still entirely too stressful. However, tonight I discovered a great stress reliever. Well, actually, I re-discovered a great stress reliever. For all of you harried academics among us--your life is soon to become a much more relaxed place to be. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you, your friend and mine,

Bubble wrap.

Pop! You know you've done it. Isn't it irresistable? When a box comes in the mail (rare as the occurrence may be) that is fortunate enough to have its brown insides graced with some poppable plastic joy, I can't resist it. Recently, after recieving a box in the mail (it had shoes in it!), I didn't even get back to my room before the urge hit me.

I was at work at the time, and I carefully glanced right, and then left. Slowly I pulled it from the box. Pop! Ahhh. I can feel the stress melting away just thinking about it.

Only moments later, one of my bosses, Debbie, came out of her office. Seeing my treasure, she begged to also partake.

"Just one, please?" she pleaded. I graciously granted her request, sharing my bubble-bursting pleasure with her.

Just one problem. Those rare packages come in the mail so seldomly. And each brown joy-bringer encapsulates only one finite sheet of bubble wrap. Purchasing this pleasure could prove to be quite expensive. $76 for 300 feet seems a little steep to me.

What's a girl to do?

Tonight, I learned the answer. Yes, all of you stressed scholars, your sanity is saved.

Virtual Bubblewrap exists.

Not only can you infinately burst limitless amounts of bubbles right on your own computer, but the virtual bubble wrap sheet has a feature that you reality-poppers haven't experienced. Manic Mode. Manic Mode is what allowed me to, tonight, personally bust 196 bubbles in a mere 19.5 seconds.

Go ahead. Give it a try. You, too, can find yourself relaxed and rejuvinated via this guilt-free pleasure.

Happy popping!