Come Play With Me
You can’t beat the thrill of game night, especially when it takes place at home, with friends and the games aren’t electronic. Your hands are in constant motion, rolling the dice, pitching a card and grabbing a token. Your mind sets the pace, calculating a move, planning a strategy, and on occasion calling a bluff.
Last night I enjoyed game night with a friend, playing Scrabble, backgammon and Chinese checkers. Usually I am undefeated in Scrabble (pardon my modesty), thanks to my two letters words, my competitive nature and perfectly executed tactics. Sadly, I had to throw in the towel. My friend, Brian played a skillful game and beat me by four points… Four! Kudos to you, friend!
There was a time when I liked winning by a large margin. When I play Scrabble I’m typically 50 to 100 points ahead, but not last night. I can honestly say now I prefer when it’s close. There’s an adrenaline rush you can’t beat.
When playing any game at any time I am easily transported back in time (if only for a brief moment) reliving fond memories of family and friends, and the many games we played over the years.
As a young boy, I can’t say we played too many board games as a family, but my parents did encourage other activities through sports. On the off chance my brothers did play games, I was never asked to participate because I was too young (or so they say). Why wouldn’t you allow me to play Battleship, Stratego, Othello or Yatazee, Robert and Michael?! I can recall playing cards (WAR) with my one grandmother, but my mother frowned on the idea because of religion and this grandmother was somewhat of a rebel (that’s a nice way of saying sinner).
The real fun came later in school and with friends, engaging all sorts of board games, competitively and for fun. I can still recall playing Monopoly with Heather. She was good… Very good! I loved playing games with my friend Karen, but sadly she was often a poor loser and would kick me out of her house when she lost. (Not a nice incident at the time, but a cute memory to have in the databank.) Needless to say, Dawn and I played physical games... Badminton, SPUD (dodge ball), etc. Loads of fun there!
It wasn’t too long after when computer games made their debut. Do you remember Atari? (I am dating myself.) And then there was Nintendo, which I could play for hours and did with my friends Roxanne and Tina. How I loved Pac Man and Donkey Kong.
Probably the most fabulous time I have ever had playing an electronic game was with my friends Marlene and Antoinette (M & A). I would hangout at M & A’s house a few times each week and play Nintendo a few hours after school in their kitchen, and with their Mom… Yes, their Mom! I just thought she was the coolest thing. Her name escapes me at the moment, but she was one amazing lady. I never laughed so hard in my life. (To M & A, know that I adored your mother more than anything, and she was one of those wonderful, absolutely positive memories of childhood I will never forget.)
As time passed, my sister became my mentor for games. She introduced me to many, but our favorite was always backgammon. We played for hours, talking often and laughing endlessly. I spent summer breaks with my brother Robert and his wife in South Carolina, where we often played games, especially Uno. There was constant belly laughter – always!
When I finally made it to adulthood, games changed. Well, not so much the game but the ambiance. My friend Pam and I were religious Canasta players, and with that came awesome sustenance and alcohol. Here’s to Sangria Saturdays.
I could go on forever and ever – Scrabble in the park with Michael, cards with Katie in Miami, Scrabble with BDL in Arizona, Marbles with Steve at the beach, Checkers with Wendy, etc. With all that I mentioned, now you know why I am a lover of games, a seeker of quality time and, more importantly, why I have a competitive streak.
These days it’s all about the Wii, which is super amazing and I love it, but more often than not, I prefer a board game because in my view they are better at teaching confidence, social skills, sportsmanship, as well as, math and English. They reaffirm strategy and planning, counting and linear progressions, and so much more. Let’s not forget their role in quality time, creating relationships and memories to last a lifetime. I know!
These days I am always on the lookout for a new game. Just this past weekend I stumbled across a wonderful toy story in Fell’s Point, aMuse. I am so glad I ventured inside. There were games I have never seen before, and there are many meant for young children, but that won’t stop me from buying, playing and loving them. They have some awe-inspiring building sets, and yes, I will be purchasing one very soon. You really need to check this place out, and you will be glad you did. No disappointments here.
What I also like about aMuse is their contribution to community, giving back through sponsorship, supporting family friendly events around town. How wonderful is that?!
Here’s to board games, the quintessential amusement, bridging the gap between young and old, and at the same time providing everyone with enough fun, laughs and good times to last a lifetime. Anyone up for a game? If you are, come play with me. – paerki
Last night I enjoyed game night with a friend, playing Scrabble, backgammon and Chinese checkers. Usually I am undefeated in Scrabble (pardon my modesty), thanks to my two letters words, my competitive nature and perfectly executed tactics. Sadly, I had to throw in the towel. My friend, Brian played a skillful game and beat me by four points… Four! Kudos to you, friend!
There was a time when I liked winning by a large margin. When I play Scrabble I’m typically 50 to 100 points ahead, but not last night. I can honestly say now I prefer when it’s close. There’s an adrenaline rush you can’t beat.
When playing any game at any time I am easily transported back in time (if only for a brief moment) reliving fond memories of family and friends, and the many games we played over the years.
As a young boy, I can’t say we played too many board games as a family, but my parents did encourage other activities through sports. On the off chance my brothers did play games, I was never asked to participate because I was too young (or so they say). Why wouldn’t you allow me to play Battleship, Stratego, Othello or Yatazee, Robert and Michael?! I can recall playing cards (WAR) with my one grandmother, but my mother frowned on the idea because of religion and this grandmother was somewhat of a rebel (that’s a nice way of saying sinner).
The real fun came later in school and with friends, engaging all sorts of board games, competitively and for fun. I can still recall playing Monopoly with Heather. She was good… Very good! I loved playing games with my friend Karen, but sadly she was often a poor loser and would kick me out of her house when she lost. (Not a nice incident at the time, but a cute memory to have in the databank.) Needless to say, Dawn and I played physical games... Badminton, SPUD (dodge ball), etc. Loads of fun there!
It wasn’t too long after when computer games made their debut. Do you remember Atari? (I am dating myself.) And then there was Nintendo, which I could play for hours and did with my friends Roxanne and Tina. How I loved Pac Man and Donkey Kong.
Probably the most fabulous time I have ever had playing an electronic game was with my friends Marlene and Antoinette (M & A). I would hangout at M & A’s house a few times each week and play Nintendo a few hours after school in their kitchen, and with their Mom… Yes, their Mom! I just thought she was the coolest thing. Her name escapes me at the moment, but she was one amazing lady. I never laughed so hard in my life. (To M & A, know that I adored your mother more than anything, and she was one of those wonderful, absolutely positive memories of childhood I will never forget.)
As time passed, my sister became my mentor for games. She introduced me to many, but our favorite was always backgammon. We played for hours, talking often and laughing endlessly. I spent summer breaks with my brother Robert and his wife in South Carolina, where we often played games, especially Uno. There was constant belly laughter – always!
When I finally made it to adulthood, games changed. Well, not so much the game but the ambiance. My friend Pam and I were religious Canasta players, and with that came awesome sustenance and alcohol. Here’s to Sangria Saturdays.
I could go on forever and ever – Scrabble in the park with Michael, cards with Katie in Miami, Scrabble with BDL in Arizona, Marbles with Steve at the beach, Checkers with Wendy, etc. With all that I mentioned, now you know why I am a lover of games, a seeker of quality time and, more importantly, why I have a competitive streak.
These days it’s all about the Wii, which is super amazing and I love it, but more often than not, I prefer a board game because in my view they are better at teaching confidence, social skills, sportsmanship, as well as, math and English. They reaffirm strategy and planning, counting and linear progressions, and so much more. Let’s not forget their role in quality time, creating relationships and memories to last a lifetime. I know!
These days I am always on the lookout for a new game. Just this past weekend I stumbled across a wonderful toy story in Fell’s Point, aMuse. I am so glad I ventured inside. There were games I have never seen before, and there are many meant for young children, but that won’t stop me from buying, playing and loving them. They have some awe-inspiring building sets, and yes, I will be purchasing one very soon. You really need to check this place out, and you will be glad you did. No disappointments here.
What I also like about aMuse is their contribution to community, giving back through sponsorship, supporting family friendly events around town. How wonderful is that?!
Here’s to board games, the quintessential amusement, bridging the gap between young and old, and at the same time providing everyone with enough fun, laughs and good times to last a lifetime. Anyone up for a game? If you are, come play with me. – paerki
