I am actually expanding my horizons! Because I am a big idiot, I do not like to learn new things a whole lot (as in games). I like to do things I know how to do and/or come naturally to me. This means that when it comes to games, I like to play things like Scattergories, CatchPhrase, Balderdash, UpWords, etc...not cards, not anything that involves serious strategy, or anything like that. I like words and letters. This is how my brain functions and what it likes to do best.

BUT since I am really trying to force myself to enjoy things that I have not done before, I have recently learned to play stupid, stupid games like Euchre...and lastnight I learned how to play Chess and Rummy. Yippee! I'm a little proud of myself for now at least understanding the game of Chess, because I know it's a tough game to play and well, it just sounds intelligent, doesn't it? But really, I just hate it. And games like this (Euchre, Chess, etc.) always make me feel dumb, because I know that I'm not good at them. If I practiced, maybe I'd be better, but to get better, I would have to be dumb for awhile, and I don't like being dumb. I think I have a serious ego problem.

Chess is really cool, by the way, because the queen can do whatever she wants!!! And the king is stupid and can only move one space at a time. And once the queen is gone, the king usually dies soon after. This game makes a lot of sense, it really does.

Brad is a great teacher. Jake, on the other hand, is NOT. Here is Jake's method of teaching me how to play Rummy:

Jake: Your turn.
Amanda: I can't go first, I don't know how to play. I don't know what I am doing.
Jake: Your turn. Go.
Amanda: What is the object of the game?
Jake: Do you want me to go first?
I lay down a card, mumbling to myself, and it continues as I ask some questions and mumble more and frequently say things like "I don't know what I am doing, this is stupid, I can't believe this..."
A few minutes pass and I try to guess what it is I am supposed to do, bringing up previous knowledge of watching my mom play Rummikub and gin rummy.
Amanda: I don't know what to discard now. I don't know what I am doing! What is the object of the game?
Jake: Let me see your cards....you're doing it right, you just need four of one kind and three of another.
I think to myself: Good guess, Amanda. (Come on, that was a really good guess!) Now I just need one more 10...
Time passes for a minute or so.
Jake: I win!!!! (He smiles, pretty proud of himself, not looking at me because he knows that he is too happy and proud and that he shouldn't be that proud of himself, and that if he looks at me I'll gouge out his eyeballs, because we are both quite competitive and he knows that he is totally unfair and a big cheater.)
Amanda: Well go figure (throw cards at him). Arrrrrgggghh.

It's a good thing you're dropping your education major, Jake!

Brad: You don't know how to play ANYTHING. No wonder you're hooked on CatchPhrase.
Amanda: I just don't like cards.
Jake: Yeah, such high intelligence at the Lighthouse.

grrrrrrr
grrrrrrr
grrrrrrr!

:-)