Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Do You Want to Play a Game?

Inspirational song: Your Body Is a Wonderland (John Mayer)

It's almost a certainty, if there is anything guaranteed to draw me out of my house when I don't want to or don't feel good enough to leave it, it is the opportunity to play games. I rarely miss my monthly Bunco night, even when I'm crabby or feeling particularly antisocial. When we had a different cadre of mah jongg players, I was a safe bet to show. When any party I'm attending breaks out in Cards Against Humanity, Apples to Apples, or even Rock Band, I really start having fun. I never got enough of playing games as a kid, and I keep trying to make up for the deficit as an adult. The only two that make me hesitate, depending on the situation and available players, are Risk and Monopoly. I flat out refuse to play the latter with my husband, or just about anyone, and I have to be cajoled into the former. I don't like the mean-spiritedness that both of those games reveal about people. I prefer games of chance or skill over bloodthirsty strategy. I'd much rather laugh and have fun and be able to celebrate other's wins instead of feeling picked on and singled out for destruction. I'm looking forward to receiving one of the inaugural sets of Exploding Kittens in a few weeks or months. I'm expecting it to be loads of fun.

I played mah jongg today, getting a ride to and from the master's house. The whole gang totally accommodated me. I sat in a wingback chair, with an available foot stool, and a card table pushed right up to the perfect distance so I didn't have to lean. We even had a fire going for ambiance. The ladies all doted on me, bringing me plates of food and refreshing my drinks. I was the center of attention of three sweet motherly types, and it was the greatest thing since I was a little kid. They never let me feel like I was a burden to anyone. None of these three is a native to this state, but they all embody what true southern charm is all about. I wore my body out, this early in the healing process, just by sitting and using my brain, but it was so worth it to feel slightly normal again and play games.

The man and I concluded our evening with another few rounds of that same tank game on the tablets. I could really get used to this. We ended in a draw for the match, each winning two and being ahead once when the wifi froze us out. This little bit of bonding is helping compensate for the loss of our mutual morning coffee overindulgence. (I'm taking a break from it. I'm not so crazy to have given it up completely.) I think I need to change the timing of the night, though, and blog before the battle. It makes me want to fall asleep immediately after.


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