Day 95, April 5: Fun & Games

My Favorite Games

As an Adult

I listed my favorite games as a kid on Jan. 16. Now it's time to do the adult version - even though kids could and do play all of my adult favorites. But I do remember my late sister, Amy, giving my first wife and I a sex-related game for Christmas once. She said it was a good game for newlyweds. We never did play it.

1. Scrabble: It's really not even close. I've played it with all of my relatives; I've played it alone (many times). I've played it online; I've played it in the park. I'm hoping it will keep me from getting Alzheimer's!

2. Euchre: I don't play 10 different card games, so they'll be included here. I watched my dad play and I've played against my father-in-law. It's huge in the Dubuque area.

3. Balderdash: A game of creativity and bluff, it can turn into a "real" adult game of innuendos if people are drinking. I've laughed until I cried playing this with friends - most notably Roger.

4. Scattergories: One of the favorites of my two sons when they were about 10-14 years old. But it's fun for all ages as you create lists based on letters of the alphabet.

5. Trivial Pursuit: I don't play it anymore, but when it first came out, it was a blast. But boy, was it hard - especially when I played against other newspaper types in Idaho Falls years ago.

6. Family Feud Game: At one time, I was the only unmarried member of my family and when we played this, I got to be Richard Dawson.

7. Spoons: A card game that is similar to musical chairs. Spoons are laid out in the middle of a table and when somebody gets four of a kind, everyone reaches for a spoon. Deadly on the knuckles!

8. Scene It, Movies: Kris and I don't play too many games besides Scrabble. And, when we play this DVD game, I usually get beat as she's an expert on movies.

9. Canasta: Another card game, it was very popular with baby boomer parents. It requires two decks and probably more patience than most people have these days.

10. Monopoly: I didn't get into this game as much as a lot of people - didn't have the patience! But it's still a classic I've played many times over the years.