Number 6

One of my life goals (forget the 10 that I posted about earlier this year – I should really just whittle it down to this one) is to have an email account that has zero messages in it. Right now my personal yahoo shows 99 inbox items just hangin out, and that folks has been about as low as I can get it.

 

I save lots of articles and newsletters and just random things I mean to check out, but I simply can’t seem to find the time to fit in “all the things.” (Curious where that “all the things” phrase came from? I was too! Check out what I learned here).

One of the numerous ‘things’ that actually does make it out of my inbox (only to be reshuffled to a saved folder) is my Girlboss newsletter. It is written in an off handed steam of conscious blurb style (kinda like what I did above with the “all the things” comment). If you are seeking writers Girlboss I’m over here frantically waving my hand (the way I do when someone lets me over in traffic to say thank-you – like obnoxiously waving – pick me, pick me, thank you, thank you).

The most recent Girlboss newsletter is full of fab info. This one had me researching bed linens, and offered me an understanding of who the hell my ten-year-old is talking about when she mentions Charlie D’Amelio. It also inspired this blog post.

The last few weeks I have been writing about what I consider the top ten best gifts to give/receive this holiday season as we approach Black Friday.

The Girlboss newsletter referenced how we will all be staying home more in the coming months (thanks again Rona) and linked to Noel Murray’s article in Slate highlighting the best new board games we may want to consider to help pass the time. One of the games he cites is Machi Koro Legacy. I was never a D&D player, but was always intrigued when my childhood friend’s teen brother and his group of friends would disappear for hours in the basement to play. Murray highlights Machi’s similar “narrative-driven” approach. As a storyteller myself, I’m thinking it might be high time to give this game genre a go.  

In his article introduction Murray also alludes to a previous article where he gathered what he considers the 40 Greatest Family Games (are you seeing why I get nothing done! Of course I then had to see the list). He nailed some of my favorites including Guess Who? and Boggle (which I now just added to my amazon shopping cart), but Murray missed these ones that I also love: Old Maid, Chutes and Ladders, Perfection, Scattergories, and Chinese Checkers.

Since childhood I’ve also discovered these gems:

• Disney Eye Found It! – When Olivia was 5, this was my go to birthday gift for any parties we got invited to, and we still play the game today (she’s approaching 11!). I love that the game requires players to work as a team, and you win or you lose TOGETHER.
• Taboo – This is my go-to group party game (probably because my sister and I are sweeeeet at it. We use all of our history together to give great clues and sweep the competition).
• Chicken Foot – This is a game my dad taught me as an adult. Whenever we go visit him in Florida the dominos come out and generations gather in.  
• What’s your like? – As you can see by the cover this one can get dirty fast. That and Social Sabotage (a game like adult truth and dare without the truth part) might best be played with the older crowd unless you can count on your player’s club to keep it clean.
• Unbored Treasure Hunt was a hit the year Santa bought it and I’m always impressed by the cranium games. Our favorite being Balloon Lagoon.

Murray’s article also had me wanting to learn more about Rumminkub (I loved playing cards with ex in-laws and thought this might be a good way to introduce Olivia, and re-introduce myself to some oldies but goodies.) Mafia and Betrayal at House on the Hill sound equally as intriguing

Finally, I have to mention how eerie it was to see a game called Pandemic featured in Murray’s 2018 article. If only it could have remained in the box.