I doubt there have ever been this many games of Settlers of Catan played in El Salvador, in the history of the country. I'm starting to wonder if bringing it here was such a good idea.
This Thanksgiving my brother-in-law, Andrew, introduced the game to my parents and cousins. It was the hit of the weekend. We got snowed in, and it became kind of an obsession. We had to start a wait list to maintain a civilized method for deciding who got to play next. If you know my family, you know that we love games...some (apparently including some of my ex-boyfriends...for whom i was recently informed, by a source that shall remain nameless, that this affinity for games, specifically Canasta, proved traumatic) would say an unhealthy amount. And I can understand where they are coming from...we're all really competitive, and if you're not used to that, it's overwhelming. It took me many years to build thick enough skin to survive. I can be pretty sensitive and used to be brought to tears easily. But you get conditioned overtime. At this point, many of you are probably wondering how my family missed the memo that games are supposed to provide enjoyment. A valid question. And ordinarily, I'd argue that despite the smack talk, we find joy/ in playing games and a little competitive spirit...it has a bonding effect.
But...I'm starting to think that Settlers of Catan is bringing out the worst in all of us. If anyone overheard us , they'd probably have a difficult time understanding why we persist...game after game. Just ask Grandpa Doug and Jeanne. If you've never played before, it's kind of like a combination of Risk and Monopoly. The goal is to be the first player to gain 10 points through acquiring different resources needed to build settlements on the island of Catan, while simultaneously foiling your opponents plans. It can be an extremely frustrating game, especially for those who are rather competitive...and it's easy to find yourself taking things personally. It's caused many arguments between Mike and I, and I trust, for our relationship sake, it'd be best for us to spend our quality time together in the waves instead.
What's the saying? Too much of a good thing...? Whatever it is...it's fitting. Most of my dreams of late have been about this game and developing better/more complex strategies. I think that qualifies as an unhealthy amount. We're going to have to retire Settlers for a while. Everything in moderation.
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Ok I did not have any idea that there was a family out there similar to mine. Canasta, as a little boy, caused me many angry episodes. And the person to cause it....my grandmother. Yep, grandma loved seeing her grandsons leave the table in defeat. You would think a sweet little old lady standing 5 foot nothing would want to see her grandsons smile. Now many years later it is a Thanksgiving tradition at my parents house. Now my mother has taken my grandmothers place at the war table. Take no Prisoners! My brother must always be next to me so I can torture him.
ReplyDeleteDefinition of Canasta: the act of gathering family members together around a card table during a warm loving holiday event in order to release all built up tension between family members.
Of course that excludes Mom in my family though. She can do no wrong...it is her house.
Thank you for that story Becky. Let me know if you need a shipment of sourcandy.
So glad to know there are others out there...you're either a gamer, or you're not. We'll have to get a Canasta game together when i get back to CA.
ReplyDeleteAnd...if I had an address for you to send sour candy, I'd be all over that...sadly, the Pony Express doesn't deliver here. You could however find El Zonte on Google Earth and then show a carrier pigeon where to fly to...that might work.
Think of El Zonte like sour candy rehab. Work out the demons inside of you that cause you to go back to sour candy and face them. Pounce on them like the ninja that you are...(could not resist the ninja comment after seeing another comment with the Ninja reference. Had me cracking up.)
ReplyDeleteCanasta would be great. We could learn how to glare and be mean to each other and still be friends. Those moments are crucial to find whether or not someone is a true friend.
You know you want to give me that queen in your hand...you're dying to give me that queen...oh! ok a nine?...that's fine I have 6 of those already and that makes 7!!! Canasta! HAHAHAHAHA! (glare...curse quietly to self)
I LOVE THAT GAME!
Buz-
ReplyDeleteSettlers has been a Nashville past time for almost a decade now. I can speak with wisdom since I've gone through this cycle many time, having to leave my passions (and natural skills) of conquering Catan with Sheep, Wheat and Ore so that marriages and friendships remain intact. I played again for the first time in about a year the other day...felt good, felt real good. I'm okay though. Cool and controlled.
i've found myself in MANY frustrating settler's situations, but i too keep coming back for more. i may even have a relationship or two (cough, cough, bret klop...) that have actually resulted in a settlers-DTR during which it has been established that it might just be best for our relationship if we didn't play together any more.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty amazing how many responses I've received about the relationship trials that this game has caused. One of my friends compared it to heroine...ridiculously addictive and destructive. So true. And even though I said we were going to have to retire the game, until yesterday, we hadn't gone one whole day without a game. And the only reason we didn't was because we were all beat from the long day of physical activity. We woke up shaking this morning...need to get our fix soon.
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