I don't track which games I play any more. It got to be more effort than it was worth, and it also ended up being a meta game of sorts. I'd check to see what I "had" to play because I hadn't played it in an while. So basically I'm not sure exactly what I played at Gulf Games. I'll comment on a few things.
7 Wonders
Build an ancient wonder of the world using a hand of cards that you pass to your neighbor after choosing one card. Competition with your neighbors means you sometimes want to keep them from having a card you would otherwise pass. I like games that present you with a dilemma like this. Unfortunately, this game is "temporarily out of print" so impossible to find. I will buy it ASAP (have reserved a copy from Game Surplus).
F something
New 2F game. Breweries want your goods (water, hops, barley). You produce some to start, your production changes as you add cards to your 2x3 board. Supply and demand sort of happens at the breweries. Turn order favors those who made the least money. Boring. I'm not sure if I played it or if it played me. I won't give it another chance.
Zombie Dice
Fun push-your-luck dice game that I wish had a slightly different theme, but I'll be buying it anyway.
Auf Achse
Of course I played this.
Knot Five
Outstanding deduction game designed by James Miller as the "game of the day" at the Gathering a few years ago. Won't ever be published, but someone had done a nice ArtsCow version. If I was any better at this type of game I'd consider doing the same thing.
Tichu
I played two or three games of this, and won each time. One incredible steamroller win that lasted five hands and included a 1-2 Tichu on two separate occasions. Plus a blown Grand on the second-to-last hand that would have worked if I hadn't passed my partner a 6...which created a bomb.
Lemming Mafia
Really fun game where you're the mafia attempting to get some lemmings to go in the water first, even if you have to put concrete boots on them, drive them in cars toward the water, etc. Plus you are betting on who you think will be last alive, and asking the Don for favors (discarding special objective cards that are no longer possible because some other mafioso at your table sent the "wrong" lemming to sleep with the fishes). Lots of laughs. My first pick from the prize table, to the delight of my son.
What else?
I know I played more than this. I was something like fourth place on the friendliest person chart so I must have played more than this. Even though I can't remember everything right now, I had a blast, so I'm not worried about it. I won't start logging games again.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Gulf Games: The Trip
We traveled to Chattanooga, Tennessee last week, to participate in Gulf Games 27. Theresa and I have participated in Gulf Games almost every year since 2001, when the two of us traveled to Nashville for our first Gulf Games.
Our trip down was relaxed. We drove two lane roads south of Kalamazoo through Indiana, staying off the freeway until we reached Indianapolis. This was slow, but fun. We always enjoy back road travel, even though we ended up spending extra time driving through small towns, stuck behind slow trucks, and sitting at traffic lights. You see houses, stores, schools, and many other things that are so different from the franchise chains at every freeway overpass.
My goal was to reach Franklin, Kentucky (almost to the Tennessee line), but we ended up stopping at midnight in Bowling Green, about 25 miles from Tennessee. We stayed at a nice hotel for $40, using a rest area coupon.
Thursday morning we spent over an hour shopping in Bowling Green. We found lots of clearance clothing and other things. This was fun, even though we could have been on the road to Gulf Games. But, the games aren't important. Getting away from home is.
As we worked our way through Tennessee, we found the factory store for Lodge Cast Iron cookware. That was a fun detour. We picked up a couple of pans at a great price. Then we looked some products that aren't legal in Michigan at the Tennessee-Alabama Fireworks outlet.
We didn't end up in the game room in Chattanooga until after 3 on Thursday. We could have been there before 11. That's OK. We had a fun, relaxing trip.
Our trip down was relaxed. We drove two lane roads south of Kalamazoo through Indiana, staying off the freeway until we reached Indianapolis. This was slow, but fun. We always enjoy back road travel, even though we ended up spending extra time driving through small towns, stuck behind slow trucks, and sitting at traffic lights. You see houses, stores, schools, and many other things that are so different from the franchise chains at every freeway overpass.
My goal was to reach Franklin, Kentucky (almost to the Tennessee line), but we ended up stopping at midnight in Bowling Green, about 25 miles from Tennessee. We stayed at a nice hotel for $40, using a rest area coupon.
Thursday morning we spent over an hour shopping in Bowling Green. We found lots of clearance clothing and other things. This was fun, even though we could have been on the road to Gulf Games. But, the games aren't important. Getting away from home is.
As we worked our way through Tennessee, we found the factory store for Lodge Cast Iron cookware. That was a fun detour. We picked up a couple of pans at a great price. Then we looked some products that aren't legal in Michigan at the Tennessee-Alabama Fireworks outlet.
We didn't end up in the game room in Chattanooga until after 3 on Thursday. We could have been there before 11. That's OK. We had a fun, relaxing trip.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
I Want to Be Somewhere Else
We're going to Gulf Games in Chattanooga, Tennessee this week. I'm making travel plans, deciding on what route to take, how to avoid big city traffic, and what to do on our mini vacation besides sit and play games for three or four straight days.
I have spent a lot of time planning for summer backpacking trips. This includes things like shopping for new backpacking equipment. Shopping includes just looking at things and trying to decide what I want.
Jeanette gets married July 1, and we're planning a short getaway up north that following week. I have been checking out lodging around Sleeping Bear Dunes. Lots of nice looking places to stay. Lots if interesting things to do.
I went to the Golf Show last weekend. Picked up a lot of brochures from different golf courses and resorts. Bought some new equipment. I want to go golfing.
It's mid-February and even though it was sunny and warm part of last week, it's still winter. I really love the winter season, but all of my recent free times seems to be focused on getting away, doing something besides being in Michigan in the winter.
I have spent a lot of time planning for summer backpacking trips. This includes things like shopping for new backpacking equipment. Shopping includes just looking at things and trying to decide what I want.
Jeanette gets married July 1, and we're planning a short getaway up north that following week. I have been checking out lodging around Sleeping Bear Dunes. Lots of nice looking places to stay. Lots if interesting things to do.
I went to the Golf Show last weekend. Picked up a lot of brochures from different golf courses and resorts. Bought some new equipment. I want to go golfing.
It's mid-February and even though it was sunny and warm part of last week, it's still winter. I really love the winter season, but all of my recent free times seems to be focused on getting away, doing something besides being in Michigan in the winter.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Blizzard
We got hit with a blizzard overnight. This massive storm has been all over the news the past couple of days, even before it started snowing here. Supposedly it stretched from New Mexico to Maine. Which is meaningless information, because every person it affected is probably only concerned with how it affected him or her.
How did it effect me? I was eating supper last night near Muskegon watching light snow flurries (hooray for lake effect snow) when I got the notification that GVSU had canceled classes for today. That was nice. Driving home after the snowfall picked up and the winds started whipping it around was not nice. Couldn't go faster than 50 on the freeway, and there wasn't much of a left lane.
This morning I had to walk through a knee-high (or higher) drift over the steps to take the dogs out. We had a house full of people, and had fun being snowbound. I got out with the kids and actually shoveled for a little bit. I was really cautious because of my back, but it was fun.
I worked from home for Saint Mary's this afternoon. I have six plus hours of online training to complete to be able to apply for IRB approval for the research project we're doing on PMU. So there was no need to drive at all today, which was a lot of fun.
Tonight I sat by the fire after working on paperwork for teaching tomorrow. It stopped snowing by noon, and the forecast says no snow until Saturday, so tomorrow things go back to normal.
Too bad. This unexpected blizzard day off from the normal routine was wonderful!
How did it effect me? I was eating supper last night near Muskegon watching light snow flurries (hooray for lake effect snow) when I got the notification that GVSU had canceled classes for today. That was nice. Driving home after the snowfall picked up and the winds started whipping it around was not nice. Couldn't go faster than 50 on the freeway, and there wasn't much of a left lane.
This morning I had to walk through a knee-high (or higher) drift over the steps to take the dogs out. We had a house full of people, and had fun being snowbound. I got out with the kids and actually shoveled for a little bit. I was really cautious because of my back, but it was fun.
I worked from home for Saint Mary's this afternoon. I have six plus hours of online training to complete to be able to apply for IRB approval for the research project we're doing on PMU. So there was no need to drive at all today, which was a lot of fun.
Tonight I sat by the fire after working on paperwork for teaching tomorrow. It stopped snowing by noon, and the forecast says no snow until Saturday, so tomorrow things go back to normal.
Too bad. This unexpected blizzard day off from the normal routine was wonderful!
The drift over the steps onto the porch I had to walk through with the dogs this morning
The rest of the porch, with the drift extending full length...behind the posts!
Drift up to the middle of the garage door. I took half of this down by myself.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Winter Walking
Today was one of those beautiful winter days that just about take my breath away. The thinnest top layer of snow had frozen overnight, so the morning sun created an amazing dazzle of light. The sky was clear, cloudless, and an indescribable blue. All of us commented on how beautiful it was on our ride to church this morning.
Theresa had some things to do after church, and I didn't feel like waiting. It was too nice outside! So I talked Nick into joining me and we walked toward home. The walk just magnified the beauty of the day.
After a few minutes I didn't notice the cold, even though it was about 25 and there was a bit of a breeze. The smell of the clean, crisp air, the crunching sounds of our steps in the snow, and the brilliance of the sun made for a wonderful sensory experience.
We had walked about a mile and a half when Theresa drove by and gave us a ride the last half mile home. Even though the walk was beautiful, the ride was welcome. My ears were starting to get cold.
Nick and I talked about hiking plans for the summer while we walked. It's fun to make backpacking plans during a cold winter's walk.
Theresa had some things to do after church, and I didn't feel like waiting. It was too nice outside! So I talked Nick into joining me and we walked toward home. The walk just magnified the beauty of the day.
After a few minutes I didn't notice the cold, even though it was about 25 and there was a bit of a breeze. The smell of the clean, crisp air, the crunching sounds of our steps in the snow, and the brilliance of the sun made for a wonderful sensory experience.
We had walked about a mile and a half when Theresa drove by and gave us a ride the last half mile home. Even though the walk was beautiful, the ride was welcome. My ears were starting to get cold.
Nick and I talked about hiking plans for the summer while we walked. It's fun to make backpacking plans during a cold winter's walk.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Moving Day
I made some resolutions for this year, for a change. Usually I don't bother with things like that.
One of these was to blog more. So I tried to sign in to my blog and couldn't for the life of me remember my password. Figures, I haven't used it much since 2007. Funny how busy I have been the past three years.
So I created an account on Live Journal, which was OK, except every time I signed in I had to watch a video commercial first. The price I pay for a free service.
Tonight I found my account information for my old blog. So I moved everything I had written there, only to find out that I had a Google account associated with an old email address, and that caused a conflict with my current Google account, which is connected to my email address, which means more hassles getting things posted. Since one of my resolutions was to write more, it's weird that posting my third blog post (first on this new blog with my correct email address) on the 29th, almost 30th is a way to keep that resolution.
When you don't write at all, posting three things in a month is significant.
I'm moving to this account for the rest of the year. I might go through the hassle of logging out, copying my other two posts and bringing them here. No promises.
I have, however, officially moved to this spot. I'll be here all year, posting off and on.
One of these was to blog more. So I tried to sign in to my blog and couldn't for the life of me remember my password. Figures, I haven't used it much since 2007. Funny how busy I have been the past three years.
So I created an account on Live Journal, which was OK, except every time I signed in I had to watch a video commercial first. The price I pay for a free service.
Tonight I found my account information for my old blog. So I moved everything I had written there, only to find out that I had a Google account associated with an old email address, and that caused a conflict with my current Google account, which is connected to my email address, which means more hassles getting things posted. Since one of my resolutions was to write more, it's weird that posting my third blog post (first on this new blog with my correct email address) on the 29th, almost 30th is a way to keep that resolution.
When you don't write at all, posting three things in a month is significant.
I'm moving to this account for the rest of the year. I might go through the hassle of logging out, copying my other two posts and bringing them here. No promises.
I have, however, officially moved to this spot. I'll be here all year, posting off and on.
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