2/4/14, Day 13,789: The Game of the Positive
This day is so named because it ended with a game night between Heather, my sister Marnie and my brother-in-law Zack. The four of us are fiercely competitive, and the game, the Cities and Knights variant of Setlters of Catan, seems designed for heartbreak. We have often left the gaming table in fits of bitterness and betrayal.
That is, until after a heartbreaking game over the holidays, I finally realized the sheer ridiculousness of my behavior, and I adopted this absurd yet effective strategy: act like when things go wrong, that I wanted them go wrong; and when someone is crushing me, act like their success make me happy. Oh sure, it can sound a little sarcastic and passive-aggressive at first, but then, it actually becomes real: I AM happy when adversity gives me a chance to test my skills–isn’t that the point of a game?–and I AM happy when my loved ones do well–what a concept!
I share this silly personal anecdote because as sad as it is to admit, it actually represents a significant life change for me. We love games, and we used to love caring way too much about them. Now, I still love games, but I actually enjoy them, and enjoy them principally because of who I playing them with (aka, my former enemies).
Sometimes I’m a fatalist about human behavior, feeling that we’re all prisoners of our compulsions, but looking back at all the ways I’ve changed over the years, that’s just not true. And sometimes you don’t need to get a great big running start to make a leap; you just jump and course correct on the way.
And wouldn’t you know, I think I play better when I’m actually enjoying the game…
Technique never stands still: it only advances or retreats…
Writing: 32 out of 37 days (The Sea Concerto)
Spanish: 33 out of 37 days
What small things did I do yesterday to help build the Honeycomb?
(And what does it mean to “Help build the honeycomb?)
- Signed the Government By The People Act as a citizen co-sponsor;
- For TCG, I shared/facilitated the post on this amazing project from Golden Thread Productions; and the first of the open An Ideal Theater posts, from Mark Jackson (email me if you want to participate);
- Signed another no-Keystone Pipeline petition, this one to Senator Kerry;
- For Flux, I shared the upcoming Facing Our Truth production of plays inspired by Trayvon Martin–I can’t wait to see these on Thursday!;
- Asked the NRCC to take down their fake-democratic candidate sites being used to defraud democratic voters;
- Cooked vegetarian (mostly organic, some local) food and created no additional direct food waste (plastic bags, etc.);
Corinna Schulenburg 