Game On! And the kids (inside of us) are alright...

"Don't worry, it's just a game..." So we've been told. So I was reminded just recently...by a grandchild! Lessons of life, embedded in call kinds of games, from learning on how to take turns, plan a move, be a good sport, etc., etc., etc...Well, we have experienced these as players, participants, as well as observers, especially the past ten days or so, watching "The Games", the viewing of which would suggest these are far from casual (so much for "It's just..."). Sure, there's been moments of laughter, many moments of incredible sportsmanship, both between team mates and across the great divide, but these have been outflanked by the before and after photos and interviews ("I put so much work into getting to these Games"), which frequently depict great thrills as well as agony that seem disproportionate with kids playing. Maybe they listened too much to the announcers ("They have a lot of weight on their shoulders"..."There's a lot riding on this race..."). Even coaches and trainers of professional athletes remind them "Have fun out there" as they are aware that, without the 'joy card' even the most passionate, dedicated of athletes can burn out, bail out, or get bummed out, even if they perform well, let alone underperform to their or other's expectations. Now, as for the rest of us...

Board, Bored, All a-Board: Many of us grew up being exposed to board games, whereas the younger gens have been more engaged with the e-games, which have become a HUGE industry, and have generated many a serious player. Some of these have cited that pretty soon the last of the nonvideo playing dinos will have passed on: "Not your father's board game..."  On the other hand, even some of those e-sports 'gamers' whose parents have forced them to play at least an occasional board game ("SORRY!"😀), in the safety of my office, after a pre-game commentary: "My parents are forcing us to have a board game night, spelled b-o-r-e-d!" after which, in a post-game interview, humbly acknowledge, "It was actually fun to sit around the table together; I'd do it again...". Conversely, studies of oldsters, including those whose STM might be slipping a bit, have demonstrated the benefits of video games ("Go for the kill Harry!" can now be overheard in elder care centers)...watch out young'uns; the field's about to get crowded! Speaking of crowd, as in a 'crowd pleaser' (where there really wasn't much of a crowd in residence), arriving in Tokyo along with several younger athletes were some new pieces of equipment, as well as a new line of apparel, as we heard a few shouts from those fellow competitors, "That's certainly not your father's skateboard!". Indeed, as skateboarding put a literal youthful face on the Olympics for the first time, formally, officially incorporated into the "XXXII Games", previously only allowed into the "X Games"...I readily recall my first skateboard, crafted by hand by an older cousin, who was known as quite 'crafty' in more ways than one...my parents wondered if he had bought stock in an orthopedic group after witnessing me trying to master this very short (compared to today's skateboard decks), very plain (compared to the range of art, styles, and colors featured by today's boards, as well as their riders), and, most importantly, very unsteady, which we blamed primarily on the short board (barely allowing the placement of both feet), the wimpy wheels (which were probably repurposed from an old pair of roller skates), and the less-than-stable 'trucks' (as they are now called, but we had no clue) -- it certainly couldn't be me, the novice rider, who couldn't even make it down the drive way ("Try to fall on the grass!" was the most encouragement I received), let alone attempt an 'ollie', as it is now called, which was not part of our vocabulary any more than "dude!". But, of course, the skateboard and related X Game types of sports have made it into the mainstream, as an increasing number of people discovered just how difficult it was to really master this simple piece of equipment, how much athleticism is required. Which resulted in a few boarders being among the youngest to receive a medal in Tokyo so far, their arrival also serving to bring down the median age in Japan (which has the second highest behind Monaco), if only for a few weeks. In any case, in addition to an even higher appreciation for the athleticism involved in their 'tricks', these kids showed the rest of the world and some of the stodgiest of athletes present in Tokyo how to make serious stuff look playful, feats with both feet!

From Intel and Mattel: Yep, from A-Z, from cradle to grave, there's toys and games for all of us. No limits or boundaries any more. Thanks in part to the toy and game manufacturers, perhaps even more to their marketing departments. From Intel (more specifically, a Costco magazine profiling their newer products: "Up to 40% more responsive than 2 year-old laptop...important if you run demanding apps...or play computer games"). Come one, come all. Even Barbie is being reformulated, at least above the neck, has gone viral, apparently an appeal to the more cerebral, the science geeks, in honor of Professor Sarah Gilbert, a co-creator of one of our main vaccines for COVID-19. This Barbie's bio includes getting a BS in bio sciences in 1983, eventually transferring to the University of Hull, where she earned a Ph.D., studying among other things, the genetics and biochemistry of the yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides -- you go 'Sarah-Barbie'! Oh, by the way, along the way, while an undergrad, just to pass the time, she picked up 'sax-in-the-woods'...learning and playing sax in the woods, rather than disturbing others who might be hard at work. She also took time out in 1998 to give birth to triplets, who presumably received signed editions of the first three of these special Barbie dolls -- partly due to their mother's partiality, but also in turn for their own participation in the vaccine trials, now that they are in their 20's and studying at the university level themselves -- Thanks, Dr. Gilbert and kids...having fun on our behalf! 

Caution, children play here - Monopoly melee: "A friendly game of..." Yeh, right. The postgame analyses would suggest otherwise. "Ring doorbell" tapes, for instance, whether of a game of "Monopoly" itself or "Sorry" (which rarely results in an actual apology), while starting off with great intention/enthusiasm, reflect a breakdown somewhere, reflected in out takes such as "Mom, he tried to steal my allowance...he needs to be punished!" So much for "bringing us together". And the 24/7 security tapes from a local assistance living facility, which attempt to nurture a sense of community, revealed several Monopoly pieces strewn about, accompanied by some audio "That shyster, he tried to take my life savings!" Short term memory being what it is, we eventually come back and try again, to play a game where 'winner-takes-all' even with play money can elicit some pretty strong passions.

 Back to the Future - still at play, forever young: My playful mind, which often exceeds what my body might be able to, actually can employ (aka Imagination!), has another 'toy' that has been around about as long as the skateboard, which also serves to propel the body into motion. In my mind, in another future Olympics (XXXX...?) there will be yet another entry, divided into age groups (to be fair): "Synchronized Pogo Stick"! Which will inevitably be known and loved by orthopedics as  "POGO BOGO"!

Game Over...NOT!