I am reminded of a shirt I have seen around a lot lately, it is a review for adulting with one star and the comment “Would not recommend.” This is how I feel this year. Because of work I have been absent from the Meeple Nation podcast. I mean it helps that you members of Meeple Nation have a much better-looking replacement with Douglas, but it still makes me sad how much time I used to spend with my friends compared to now.
My time this year has been really interesting in that way, from the struggles of Covid to the makeup of game night changing. When game night started to go back to normal is when I started working nights. I have been forced to adjust my life accordingly. To give you all a peek behind the curtain, between game nights at Andy’s and Nathan’s we also get together to record the podcast. I have only been able to attend one night since working nights. It makes a difference in my daily life.
I was out of town this year and was making small talk with someone I met. She had small kids and when Covid hit she and her husband were at a loss for what to do with the kids at home all the time. They jumped on Amazon and picked up a board game, I don’t recall the name. She explained that it was a dexterity game with orcs. Her kids loved it. She loved getting kids to do more family activities without forcing it upon them. Being able to connect to her from our one shared interest was such a great thing! This got me thinking about when I connect to someone how I love common experiences.
One thing I have hoped would become cool and more common again would be playing board games. It is amazing to have something to connect to strangers with. It is great to spend time with friends and family in a social setting. I was so happy to see Doug’s and Andy’s daughters become friends. It helps that they have raised great mini adults so, of course, they would be friends! Andy’s daughter shared with him that on every group date that the girls have been on they ended up playing board games somewhere. I like to see in-reality in-person social interaction coming back.
I have never been one for Board Game Arena. To me, board games are in person. The online never really calls out to me. So, when Covid happened I spent time hiking out alone. I was so happy when Nathan and I started coming back in person even when it was just the two of us. Shortly after that time is when Andy joined the cast and he invited me to game nights with him at his place. I went from no game nights or getting together to three nights a week. Then I started working nights and most of that was taken away.
I have come to a greater appreciation for the social aspect of board games going from day to night schedule. It would probably be different if I was younger and I had more friends working odd hours. Alas, I am old and my friends are old, all but me work mostly regular day hours. So, I am banished to adulting while they game and record. I don’t help Nathan nearly as much with his gaming goals. (Which is ok when you don’t have to play Space Base 100 times in a month.)
Yet, I miss them. I am not sure if you know this, but my friends are awesome. If you get a chance to meet them and play a game I am sure you will know how I feel. Overall I do not recommend adulting (Laughing out loud). But I do appreciate the perspective it has given me for the time we do spend together. Hopefully, more people, as they embrace the return to board games, will have similar great social experiences. Until then, adulting sucks, and I don’t recommend. After reading this you should connect with a friend and play a game to remember me by.