Prosaic Poppy 2005-2006

Whipped

This coming from a girl who would skip sleeping to stay up into the next bright and shiny day just to hang out with friends non stop for an entire weekend.

This was attempted [somewhat] last night. Caleb doesn't go in to work until noon, and well...I am not yet working outside the house, so I am pretty flexible at the moment.

However, as I am awoken to the reality of sunlight, I realize that I can no longer keep such hours. I am actually at the computer, afraid to look in the mirror. My face feels as though it might slide off like a mask that has been pasted on with Crisco, and my fingers are tingly.

Not that last night wasn't fun, oh it was. Caleb ran his game, which for me is always a good time. And then afterwards I had the crazy idea to play Gloom. If you have not heard of this game, you really must and you also have to play it at least once in your lifetime in order to appreciate its charm.

It was nearing 2:00 AM when the competitive bug hit me. Okay, the competitive bug always hits me when I play a game.

I remember as a child sitting at the big table with all of the adults playing Uno. My recollection of that game is rather cut throat. I remember actually being afraid of Draw Four cards and the jeering laughter that would emit from my step father's throat as he laid those cards down in succession pigeon holing me into a losing hand. That's the beginning of my 'desire to win'. As a result, my cousins will not play Monopoly with me--ever.

I have learned to squelch that particular trait of competitiveness. Especially among friends. It has no proper place in that setting. However, my defenses were down at 2:00 AM and I felt it bubbling up within inside me...greed, lust, envy, all rolled into one package tied with a ribbon and labeled with a pretty tag "WIN"...and do so at all costs.

I was playing well. I was actually strategizing. Then I realized that they were ganging up on me, and there was no way to win. As the points were tallied, I felt the scowl in my face and Caleb turned to me and said "What's wrong with you?" And I replied "I play to win" [and stuck out my tongue]. And he retorted by saying that I was being poopy. And I was.

In retrospect I'm glad I didn't win. If I had I would have probably come away with a self important view of myself as the undefeated victor of Gloom. I would have gloated, [following it up with my "ha ha I won" cha cha dance] and that is ugly as well.

After having been thusly defeated at Gloom to which I tried hard to win...I was thoroughly squashed at the game of Fluxx. But, my reconciliation for that is it was the first time I had played. However, I will concede that the winner did a whirlwind attack of strategized play that I absolutely admired--and is something that I would have so done had I the presence of mind at 2:00 AM. What can I say, he is 8 or 9 years my junior, and I need my zzz's.

Perhaps I wasn't the only competitive one at the table last night/ this morning...hmmmm...

In my defense though, my sister is equally competitive, and a word to the wise...don't play Scrabble with us. You have no chance. Our brothers have labeled us "super brains" because of our decimation of their futile attempts at spelling words. Caleb has so far refused to buy me the Scrabble game. No need to feed the monster I suppose.

That said, I am going to go lay on the couch and try to recoup. I clearly picked the wrong time to cut down on my Coca Cola intake.

posted by Kassi Gilbert @ 7:22 AM