I am a bit of a geek. I love word games. Like millions of other people I got slightly addicted to words with friends. I love that it is an app that doesn’t rot brain cells (read: angry birds) and something you can whip out whenever you have a dull moment – train, dentist waiting room, over a coffee. But lately I have played more of the app type of word game rather than the real life ones. And tonight I got a lovely reminder.
Real life games are fun.
I had forgotten how much better trying to make words out of a random batch of letters is when you are with others and not flying solo squinting at your phone. It is hard to beat sitting around the table with friends and family, feeling content after a good meal and a couple of glasses of red and playing some competitive scrabble. The sort of board game competitiveness that can only come out in a crowd that you know well. Swearing over a Q, three A’s in a row or trying to get away with LOL as a word. It is a chance to get some of the real life connectedness that too often gets missed these days.
Apps are great, but so are dinner parties and board games. Put down the phone and play word games with real friends. Anyway the app practise pays off and people actually get to see you win. If old school connection doesn’t draw you in, surely winning in front of the home crowd does.
Sarah Försterling 
When I was a teenager before the local neighbor hood kids discovered booze and pot. We’d create carnage playing Warhammer 40K, Space Marines and anything else involving creatures of battle.
We grew up, moved away and stopped having time. I’m unsure what changed. Getting the crew together in one place? Substitutes like the pub a better return on investment? The discomfort “learning a new tool” ~ Steve Hopkins. I’m not sure.
So I tried an experiment. Last year for my birthday day, I decided to have a party and instead of booze I invited my closest school mates for a board game night. It was a failure. What did I learn? There are too many substitutes competing for our attention and many we apply too much value.
Months later, I was surprised to be invited to a game of the Puerto Rico board game (try it!) with friends of Kinyei.org while visiting Cambodia. It was just as you described and the characters, roles and banter that can only come out in person was invigorating and relaxing. The experience highlighted how much I cared and valued my existing relationships and forged new friendships and gave me a taste to do it again.
Thanks Sarah, your post affirms my instincts that playing with friends is fundamental to happiness and I want to do a whole lot more!
Thanks for sharing Cam and awesome that your love for the board game has been re-ignited! The accessibility of the app does sometimes by default win out over the commitment required for real life interaction. But I do think it is worth putting the effort in. There is total return on investment in a quality night of scrabble! Next birthday you should try again – I had a mean Yahtzee party last year! 🙂
Pingback: It sounds corny – but sharing makes everything better. | Social 4 Social
Pingback: What I (and you?) got out of blogging every day in March. | Social 4 Social