All the Games on Our Shelves

  The game HerStory was another gift from my brother - no special occasion, just thought I would like it. I love history, and I am a woman, so, you know  .  .  .  Anyway, we've played it a couple of times this weekend, and it is a very nice game. It is a resource management game and has elements of Splendor and a hint of Dominion (but just a hint) and also a tiny hint of Wingspan ,  but it's nowhere near as strategic as any of those. It's a very casual strategy game. I think the more we play it the more strategic we'll be able to be because we'll know better what all of the cards do - what to look for - what kinds of combos we can make. Some cards provide symbols to help you build other cards, some have game-end bonuses, others have bonuses during play if you're in last place, others have high value but no other bonus, etc.  Though the strategy is pretty light, there is some strategy to it. The first time we played, I was going for big point value c...

 I'm on sabbatical this semester, studying the lives and works of three mathematicians whom I call "The Sorcerer Mathematicians of the Renaissance."  One of these mathematicians was deeply involved in alchemy, so I decided to visit the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in San Jose, California today.  I had heard that they have an alchemy wing, and if I'm going to understand John Dee's life and work I need to know more about alchemy than I currently do!  But what does this have to do with gaming?  Well  .  .  .  as I was walking the grounds I came across a large outdoor game board for the ancient Eyptian game of Senet .  I always get very excited when I stumble across a game when I am least expecting it!  We do have this game (smaller version!) "on our shelves," but it is one we haven't gotten to yet in our "count."  After walking the grounds - including their labyrinth (this is quite a cool place!) - I went back inside to ...