The Monopoly Ink Blot Test

We have game night in our house. That's right, game night...we're that family. And it's a total blast. The four of us sit around the dining room table, listen to music and play a board game. There's also usually a bizarre and wonderful combination of giggles, trash talk and victory dances. It's one of my favorite things to do. Yes, I am in fact that soft and mushy.

Last week, I added Monopoly to our board game collection. And not just any Monopoly, it's the high tech electronic banking edition. Target had it on sale and I had two coupons (that's right, not one...two coupons) so I got it for $5, plus I got a Battleship card game free with purchase. Five bucks! And the thing normally sells for $25. Hollar! Wait...Holl-yah? Holl-uh? Huh...it's hard trying to be hip. Let's just go with yippee!

Yippee!

Basically my fun with the game was getting it for such a great price. Actually sitting down and playing the game was just the ice cream on the cake.

So after getting it home and bragging to Major Dad about the sale, and waiting for him to properly acknowledge the sheer awesomeness of my bargain hunting skills, we set it up for game night. The kids were totally fired up to push the buttons on the electronic banking thingy. After we got everyone set up with their little playing piece (I was the cell phone, and I was surprisingly disappointed they did away with the cute little puppy and the battered old shoe, but I guess that's progress for you) Major Dad proceeded to explain the rules.

Major Dad: The point of the game is to buy as much property as you can and bankrupt everyone else. Got it?

Kids: Yay!!

Me: Hmmm, not the most Biblically-based game is it?

Major Dad: It's Monopoly.

Me: I know, but you basically just told our kids to buy as much stuff as they can and then try to take everyone else's money.

Major Dad: Well, when you put it that way...

Me: And they're not even using real money. They're buying everything with a credit card. Dave Ramsey would not approve.

Major Dad: Honey...

Me: Maybe I didn't think this through enough. Clearly I was blinded by the sale/coupon dynamic.

Major Dad: It's just a game, Sweetheart.

Me: And I probably should have gotten the one with the paper money. Then they could practice adding and subtracting money while we played.

Major Dad: Honey, not everything has to be a teaching moment.

Me: It's like you don't know me at all.

Anyway, we sat down to play and I promptly decided that Monopoly should be used as a standardized personality test. It's way better than ink blots and colors. Major Dad attacked the board with tried and true Marine Corps strategy...overwhelming force and no mercy. He bought everything he landed on. Ella agonized over every move. Buying property was a gut wrenching decision for her every single time because she thought she should save her money. Jack wanted to break everyone out of jail. Not bail them out...break them out. Of Monopoly jail. It was hilarious.

Oh, and I won. Yep, it's always the quiet ones you need to worry about.


P.S. Hi Betsy!

P.P.S. It's ok if you don't know Betsy. I do. I'm not making her up or anything.