I tend to jump into things with both feet--if something gets its teeth into me, it will probably end up tearing me to shreds. This hobby has done so.
Starting in late December, I began to wander down a cardboard road full of tiles, chits, meeples, and bits. I had no idea what I was in for when I placed my first order at an online retailer with a chunk of Christmas money. It was fairly innocuous at first, and I thought that I just might like the games I had ordered (which included Memoir '44, Samurai, Power Grid, Bohnanza, Bang!, and Thurn and Taxis--which I soon traded for Age of Steam....). And then the box arrived. Not since my youngest days had I torn open something with such vigor and anxiety. I was not disappointed.
Fact was I was hooked. Little compares to tracking numbers, chock boxes, and shrink wrap. The potential that lies within a new game is staggering. The hours of thought and fellowship that are waiting, dormant, inside that colorful (or drab) cardboard container is unmatched. I came from the world of video games, and, little did I know, I was soon to burn my green card and take up permanent residence here.
Ask Carmen--she has seen the "mania" firsthand. She endures my stories, my thoughts, and the fact that I somehow find a way to sell something to get more games. Unused tools, baseball cards, and now--my Xbox 360. The big white box of whirring electronic wonder is now gone. And in its place: Tide of Iron, Age of Empires III, Twilight Struggle, Citadels, and a nice chunk of change. I felt a slight twinge as I boxed it up and realized that my video game days are finally over. But, as I left FedEx, a burden was lifted. It was gone. I am officially unplugged.
Boardgames have hit me like a skyscraper wave.
My name is Jason. I am a weirdo, a boardgamer.
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4 comments:
oh my - wait till those games come...and then the next wave when you unload some of that dough!
Wait until you start doing little things to your games. First its just some plastic boxes to store all the chits. Then you become the reason that ziplock stays in business. Then you get cold sweats about playing a game so much that the cards wear out and you have no way to replace them, so you sleeve cards to every game. Oh, but then you realize that you can buy a bag of glass stones to become gems in that game you have where the "gems" are cardboard chits. Oh, then you'll see a picture of someone's replacement pieces for Twilight Struggle on the geek and realize that you too need to order $50 worth of wooden bits from a German game company so that you don't have to play Twilight Struggle like the peasants do...
Charles, it is too late. I am nearly at the verge of leaving the Stone Age of actual ziploc brand bags, and purchasing the size that actually work better with bits. I have not been able to play much this week, as our youngest son, Henry, has not been sleeping very well at night. But Power Grid is finally going to appear tonight. Finally.
alreay bought the plastic cases. was very close to getting the plastic sleeves (after i saw Charles do it with his cards in AoE3)...but didn't because i wanted that extra couple of bucks to go into my budget for my next game!! and i've already pondered the bits for TS...and i haven't even played a real round!!
i keep telling myself they're just games. they're just games.
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