the secret lives of prothros.

February 9, 2010

Game Closets

Filed under: Uncategorized — prothro @ 5:26 pm

Every house should have a game closet and those closets should be fed and filled with a healthy variety of games. There needs to be a good mix of:

  • Two player and group games.
  • Long games and short games.
  • Classics and new classics.
  • German games and games made by other countries. (Germans are to board games what Canadians are to maple syrup.)

This is a great time to buy board games. With the economy being what it is, people are going out less and finding simple ways to enjoy a night at home more and I think games are the answer. So much so that I made this ridiculously long list of games for you.

So without further adieu here is a list of games you should probably get in your closets along with links to buy them on amazon. This couldn’t get much easier. Of course, if you happen to be in Austin you should head over to Great Hall Games-a true game store-and buy your games there, because that store is a gem!

Two Player Games

Scrabble-It’s been popular for over 50 years and there is a reason. This simple little game combines lots of skill and a bit of luck with lots of intense word disputes. I actually feel smarter after a game of scrabble. It’s a game that lets you exercise your brain. If you want to switch the game up a bit you can also play Speed Scrabble which a fun variation of the game that doesn’t use the board.

Backgammon-This is another classic. Apparently, it’s been around for centuries. This one is less skill and more luck and there is something very sophisticated about it. Maybe it’s the felt lined briefcase, but this is second to chess in my list of “mature” games. It’s also great because there are lots of great comebacks in this game and you get to raise the stakes throughout the game.

Chess-Not to get all Bobby Fischer on you, but chess is just about the best game of all time. I mean the fact that people can still beat computers as chess just shows how much strategy is really involved in chess. It’s intimidating really. Although I think every house should have a chess set, I’ll admit that I’m too scared to play my own husband. Just don’t tell him that.

Power Grid-This one is pretty new for me but I really like it. It’s actually good for 2 or more players but I’ve only played it with two so I’ll put it here. Basically, you’re an energy provider who has to find the most efficient way to power the maximum amount of houses and make the most profit. There is a good amount that changes from game to game so it doesn’t get dull. I’ve never won and I still like it so really that’s all the praise it should need.

Cards and Dice-This is a severe must. For our wedding, we got a box with ten decks of cards, tons of dice, rules to different card/dice games pads of paper and pens and it has been one of the best gifts. So versatile! You can play Gin Rummy, Poker, Canasta, Spades, Blackjack, Hearts, Farkle, Yahtzee and so many others. By the way, you can find Yahtzee score cards here if you run out.

Group Games

The Settlers of Catan-If you get one group game this year, it should be this one.It has won so many different Game of the Year awards and was the bestselling game of 2009. It’s German, figures! It requires at least 3 players for a game and take over an hour to play but it is addictive. The board is different every time you play so strategy constantly changes with it. I love this game because advanced players don’t have a clear advantage over new players since each game is so different, yet it takes so much strategery. Yes, I said strategery. This game really is awesome and if you’re planning on playing with more than four players make sure to get the expansion pack.

Puerto Rico-Now, I’m sure a lot of people already own Settlers, considering it was the best-selling game last year so for those of you looking for another great Settlers type game, there is Puerto Rico. In this game, you’re settling the colony of Puerto Rico and each turn you choose your role (prospector, captain, mayor, trader, settler, craftsman, or builder). It is similar to Catan in that it is German and awesome but it plays a bit quicker and due to the play structure everyone is constantly playing. Another sure winner.

Pit-This is a commodity trading game where you get to yell and scream. And that is always fun. you basically trade cards back and forth with other players until you get a monopoly on one of the commodities. Then, it’s points to you! This is a great ice breaker game because by the end of it everyone is standing up and screaming. And screaming breaks ice. Fact.

Wits and Wagers-This is a random trivia game but the great part about it is that you’re rewarded for just knowing who in the group would possess such trivial knowledge. Lots of betting, lots of very random questions. Also, don’t play this with Brad Wilcox because he possesses every trivial piece of knowledge known to man, which makes it pretty unwinnable.

Monopoly-This one is a must. At some point in your life, due to insomnia or sheer lunacy, you will want to stay up all night eating popcorn and playing games. That is why Monopoly was made and why you should own it. It’s one of those games that you feel incredible achievement is simply finishing.

Hotels-Okay, this probably shouldn’t be on the list because it was discontinued years ago but I grew up playing it at a friend’s house and just fell in love with it. It’s similar to Monopoly but doesn’t take nine hours to play. Plus, you get to but up actual hotels. I just like it. So much in fact that I got it for Christmas off of Ebay from my mom for Christmas one year. It cost her about $60 and now it’s selling for about $175. Good investment but really, just a good game.

Apples to Apples-Not going to lie. This one isn’t on my list of favorites but it is a great group game. Basically, you make comparisons and each turn there is one player who chooses the one he likes the most. It’s a good, quickc lighthearted game.

Catchphrase-This one is a favorite. It’s fun just about every time I’ve ever played it. It’s very quick and very simple basically, you try to get your team to guess the phrase you’re looking at by describing it. It doesn’t make sense that it would be so fun but it is always a blast. Many fun memories with this game. The person talking usually says some pretty ridiculous things and usually those things are screamed “MEAT CIRCLES!!!” -pepperoni. The electronic version is definitely worth it because you don’t have to mess with a timer or change out the phrase cards. This is the most often played group game I own.

Cranium-This is a great group game because you end up out of your comfort zone often. It has elements of charades, trivia, pictionary, and art class all mushed together. It usually ends up lasting about an hour though there are variations to make the game shorter.

Dominoes-I saved the best for last because dominoes not only let you play Mexican Train and Chickenfoot, they also allow you to play 42 which is the best game of all time. There is no game I could play longer or more often. If you don’t know how to play, my heart is breaking for you. Please come over and let us teach you. Think of spades played with dominoes and a revolving trump suit based on bidding. I can’t express my love for that game. If you’re going to be playing 42, you should definitely grab a set of Puremco dominoes. You can get them at great game stores or at their factory in Waco.

Games I’m Ready to Add

Carcassone-Well this game is German and that’s about all I need to know about it. I also know it is a tile laying game where you develop land outside of France and the best developer wins. I hear it is basically strategic jigsaw puzzle building. And I’m all about that. It’s also won Board Game of the Year in Germany so I’m ready to get a crack at it.

Lost Cities-This game won the Best Family Game of the year award. The original version was for two players and it has since been expanded for 3-4 players. Apparently, it is as much fun for 2 players as for 4, which is rare.  It is praised as being easy to learn and competitive. Apparently, the final scores are often incredibly close which sure beats the inevitable domination of a Monopoly game. Is there anything worse than having to mortgage out all your properties before you can finally admit defeat and go to bed??!? I think not.

Ticket to Ride-This one is about building railroads. The age limit is 8 which gives me some level of confidence that I could hold my own. It’s also one of those games where you can either go the ‘nice’ route or get in your opponents way and get tensions rising. I think tensions make games more fun, as long as they’re other peoples. DON’T MESS WITH MY NEXT MOVE. You know what I’m saying?

Pick a game and feed your closet!!!

Spring is coming.

Filed under: Uncategorized — prothro @ 2:35 pm

Spring really wants to come out. You could tell today. Even though it was a bitter 43 degrees outside, it was sunny and you just knew that Spring was busting at the seams to emerge.

Looking very forward to some backroads Texas driving in my future.

February 4, 2010

feel better.

Filed under: Uncategorized — prothro @ 12:57 pm

So as mentioned, I had a no good, very bad day earlier this week. Now I am feeling much better. I attribute my improved feelings to many things, but I’ll highlight three of them.

1. My sweet husband came home with daisies and wine. Six bottles of wine,  in fact. Wow! My day wasn’t that bad. Then he told me he got a great deal for buying six. So his bargaining skills also made me feel better.

2. I decided to turn cleaning the dishes into a not-so-beautiful but very fun waltz around the kitchen. It is just very hard to feel bad when you’re dancing. Picking up items and gently twirling them back to the fridge, drying pans as you sway back and forth, a little leap here and spin there. So very fun. It is almost imperative that this be done to Frank Sinatra’s Fly Me to the Moon. Not absolutely necessary but almost.

3. I had my gummy vitamins. Yum. Every day I am allotted two delicious gummy vitamins. On special occasions, I may sneak an extra. Because they are DELICIOUS. I guess having your body all vitamined-up just makes you feel better. If you want a happy morning vitamin treat of your own, you can get them here.

Hope you’re all feeling good today!

February 2, 2010

ashamed.

Filed under: Uncategorized — prothro @ 3:15 pm

I’m currently feeling ashamed and terribly embarrassed. And after half an hour of burying my head in the couch cushions, I turn to you, dear internet. I’m just going to let my shame out there and hope it ends up being therapeutic. Or at least mildly entertaining to you, so my embarrassment is not in vain.

So today was a bad day. The worst I’ve had in a very long time.

Let me just be blunt, nothing went well today and I was quite frightened that my lost sanity would not be returning.

So in the midst of this bad day, I went grocery shopping. I bought myself a Coke Zero and a magazine in hopes of lifting my spirits. Well apparently, my coke zero, lacking in delicious calories, wasn’t enough to do the trick. So I turned to something a little more heavy hitting. A much guiltier pleasure.

Reality tv.

I decided to watch The Bachelor while I did a few chores around the house. I turned it up pretty loud, to drown out the whines of my dog  coming from her room. She’d been driving me crazy and we needed a time-out from each other.

So I’m watching The Bachelor: On The Wings of Love.

I bet you think that is the peak of my embarrassment don’t you? Nope. Not today. So 55 minutes into the ridiculous soap opera that is the Bachelor, I remember that last night Evan and I had turned the outside speakers on to listen to some music while we sat in the hot tub. I’m sure he had turned them back off. He’s very good about remembering that. But I wasn’t sure, so I peak my head outside to check.

HORROR.

I realize that I have been blaring the ridiculous dialogue of the Bachelor through my backyard and into the entire neighborhood. And it was loud. Very loud.

Mortified, I ran back inside, lunged at our amp and hit the little black button that would save my neighbors from the ridiculous torture to which I had unwittingly been submitting them.

Maybe no one heard, you say? Not through their houses! Did I mention it was loud? Very loud? I was drowning out Molly’s whimpers so it was up far above normal level. Did I mention today is a school holiday? So kids are out today, playing in the streets, frolicking in their backyards and having to listen to Jake reassure girls that “It’s okay to fall” and “It’s not about sex appeal, it’s about heart appeal.” Gag.

I formally apologize to any children I hurt through my watching of the Bachelor. It was wrong of me. And I’m sorry

So then I curled up in the corner of my couch, horrified by my realization and amazed that my bad day could so suddenly get so much worse.

And then I finished watching the Bachelor.

Moral of the story is don’t watch horrible reality tv–because you never know who you could be hurting. But also if the damage is done, go ahead and finish the episode anyways–especially if you’re having a no good, very bad day. :)

February 1, 2010

Fate Date

Filed under: Uncategorized — prothro @ 3:52 pm

There are days that Evan and I meet the question “What do you want to do?”  with blank stares and scratched heads. It’s like hitting a brick wall. We’d be up for something but can’t think of anything. And that simple dilemma can get frustrating.

Fast.

Well, Evan and I decided to find a solution to that dilemma.

THE FATE DATE.

Basically, we jump in the car, grab a quarter and start tossing to decide where to turn and see where fate takes us.

Over time we’ve revised the rules of the game quite a bit, and due to my poor coin tossing skills we’ve started using a random number generator on my phone instead.

Well let me tell you– fate dates are magical! And this weekend especially so.

This weekend we turned to fate to decide our plans for the day. After our allotted 25 turns, we ended up at a land flowing with macaroni and cheese.

That’s right.

Luby’s.

Man, I love Luby’s. It’s not the kind of place you can convince people to go very often. Fate has to get you to Luby’s. And not only did fate take us to Luby’s, but because of the complicated, twisty-turny way we got there, they had run out of side dish bowls  form the Early-bird surge and so I got a free double serving of macaroni and cheese on a plate. Thanks fate!

Oh and Evan got a drumstick.

Basically, I just wanted to tell you that I love Luby’s. And fate knew. And fate dates are wonderful (especially if you live in Austin).

meal planning monday

Filed under: Uncategorized — prothro @ 1:58 pm

This week’s menu at the Prothro House will look something like this:

MONDAY: Eggplant Parmesan (didn’t get to this one last week–probably because I’m nervous to find out what eggplant tastes like)

TUESDAY: Grilled Chicken with Mushroom Risotto

WEDNESDAY: Baked Potato Soup

THURSDAY: Dinner at the Rocks

FRIDAY: Roast Leg of Lamb with Rosemary with green beans (Lamb is on big time sale at the HEB right now)

SATURDAY: Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

SUNDAY: Superbowl!! Menu yet to be determined. There will most definitely be queso.

Whoop there it is.

January 29, 2010

Winners…

Filed under: Uncategorized — prothro @ 10:47 am

So thanks to this random number generator we have a winner for the book giveaway! In fact, we have a winner and a runner-up. I decided that since I always make a big enough batch of cookies to share the love, I would draw for a runner-up as well, who would get a batch of cookies.

The winner is: Mr. Will Thompson

The runner-up is: Mr. D. Thompson

I can’t decide if the fact that they have the same last name makes it seem more random or less random. No relation though. So I will be sending y’all your packages soon! (D.-you can e-mail me your address at julieprothro (at) gmail (dot) com. :)

Hope everyone has a great day!

Oh and a picture. Because I’m ready for Spring.

January 28, 2010

LSM Football

Filed under: Uncategorized — prothro @ 11:12 am

I can’t believe football season is almost over. Two games left. Really one, because who actually counts the Pro-Bowl?

Not me.

Luckily, even after all the AstroTurf is rolled up and stored away for the year to allow Miley Cyrus and and the Jonas Brothers to fill stadiums with screaming adolescents, I’ll still get to watch football. The teams may not be professional but the rivalry is just as fierce.

I’m talking Lonestar v. Marina Football Smackdown.

I’ll set the screen in the immortal words of William Shakespeare.

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Cedar Hill, where we lay our scene,
From ancient friendship breaks new rivalry,
Where two hand touch becomes routine.
From forth the fatal hands of these two foes
A leather pigskin takes its flight;
Whose misadventured glorious overthrows
Do with its win cause the Lonestar’s strife.
And rightful passage of the Marina’s love,
And with my camera to engage,
Which, of the results, nought could disprove,
Is now the content of our blog’s stage;
That which if you with patient eyes attend,
What here shall miss, our photos shall strive to mend.

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