Game 24: Life

 We went with a childhood classic tonight - though I actually didn't own this game as a child I always wanted it.  I wasn't quite sure what to say about it since it's so straightforward - just spin and move and do what the space tells you.  There are some choices to be made - whether or not to buy insurance and whether to go through college or to jump into a career that doesn't require a degree and so on.  It's got a nice toy aspect to it with the pegs you put in your car as your family grows and with the hills and buildings you attach to the board.  Because I didn't have much to say about it, I looked it up online, and I see that it was first published by Milton Bradley in 1860, which really surprised me, and that it was America's first popular parlor game.  It is also part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and has been inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame.  Over it's 150+ year life span its gone through many editions to reflect changes in society.  I had no idea we were experiencing part of history as we played tonight!
 My career was that of athlete throughout the game.  At one point my salary went up to $100,000!  Wahoo!!
 Here we are all cruising around the Game of Life in our cars - trying to earn money and not rack up too many expenses!  We did a lot of laughing as we played.  I don't think there's been a game yet on our shelves that we don't enjoy - whether simple games like this, or the more highly strategic games.  We like variety.

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