Can We Talk For A Minute?

I am sitting here trying to come up with something witty to write about....not feeling it today. Inspiration can be hard to come by here at the day job! Wait shouldn't I be working...bah...whatever...on the day before the start of a long weekend, c'mon!

Maybe I should quickly rifle through some of my other favorite blogs and maybe the dreaded newspaper (that is for another blog) and see if I am given some direction. Be back in a bit.

............many minutes pass...................

Did you miss me? You never knew I left did you? How rude! Whimper, whimper. Suck up it fancy boy and start writing! Yikes, better get my act together.

Anyone else think I am strange? No? Okay, good!

............................many more minutes pass..........................

So nothing in the news that sparked my creative juices. But I was thinking about something. It goes back to Facebook. On Facebook you can play a game called Scrabulous, which is LIKE Scrabble but not the same! Have all the copyright infringement people stopped reading....all right let's carry on. Who the heck are we kidding it is Scrabble my friends. A couple funny things stem from this very popular Facebook game.
#1. The brain trust at Hasbro Inc. has decided they are going to put a stop to all this fun being had on Facebook, they feel they are not receiving appropriate royalties for....or are they? Back to that in a minute.
#2 The constant questions I receive about whether or not I cheat at Scrabulous because of my high winning percentage. Because you know, Jamie can't be smart enough to spell big words like 'cat' or 'dog'. Heck this blog isn't even written by me, I have someone type while I dictate and furthermore they dress it up to make coherent for others to read. Let's face it I am a boob. :) Seriously though, I have said to many and I will say it again, "I am not as dumb as I look!" You can take that to the bank!

As I was saying, Hasbro Inc. has a bee in their bonnet about Facebook and one of its most popular applications, Scrabulous. Over 600,000 members have Scrabulous installed?, attached?, hooked up?, ahhhh whatever, it can be found on over 600,000 profiles! Hasbro Inc. thinks they are missing out, but I beg to differ. I have read many an article and have heard from people who have never THOUGHT they would like Scrabble actually find it fun and interesting. Anyone can admit, at first glance, Scrabble looks a tad boring...a real yawn fest! But some have found out the truth through Facebook, to the point of leaving the comfortable glow of their monitors to find the real game in stores. They buy, play it and love it. Now Hasbro Inc. is getting full dollar on the game sold to someone who would never have bought it otherwise. Basically Hasbro Inc. is reaping huge benefits from Facebook tapping a demographic they could only dream of connecting with. The amount of time, money and effort Hasbro Inc. would need to sink in to developing a marketing campaign to MAYBE peak the interest of a younger dollar is astronomical at best. And its success rate would be that of trying to avoid death while letting a grenade detonate in your hand. Sure it is possible you will survive, but at what cost? Needless to say money spent on marketing by Hasbro Inc. to gain new younger customers would be costly and ineffective. Yet Facebook hooked them hard and fast creating a whole new customer base for a board game that wasn't even on the sites of the Hasbro Inc. marketing team. I say let them run with it and play off the Facebook success. Beats sitting around the boardroom pouting like a bunch of six year olds because while they were toiling over what the "next big game" will be, someone came along and revisited and age old classic board game. Classic is very cool these days, I know because I am tres cool! Notice how I used the word tres (its French you know), very hip and cool. I try.

Oh about the problem I have with people constantly questioning my integrity while playing Scrabulous. I am sorry to inform you, I am not a mindless goon. Sure I drool a little while watching hockey and if talked to during hockey my inner cave man instincts take over and forming sentences is hard (lots of grunting and such), but that doesn't mean I am stupid. Does it? I like to be informed and like to learn things, so I read stuff. Sometimes what could be described as "pointless" or "useless" information, but I read it anyway. Then along comes a game that requires thinking and a certain level of strategy and everyone is upset, confused and overwhelmed if I win. What is strategy anyway, the ability to learn how the game is being played on the fly and adjusting your game accordingly to put yourself in the best position to win...is it not. I believe that requires some brain power, no? But I digress.

I am competitive, I like to win, winning is a good feeling. Losing, not so much. Is winning everything, certainly not, but nobody can convince me that they enjoy losing! Even people who have known me for years are still befuddled when I win. I am sure they scratch their heads and wonder, "How did that buffoon win? He is thick headed, hockey loving, grunting, pit scratching, wing eating, goofball....how could he win?" Sorry folks, although a number of those descriptions may be true, ya missed one important descriptor......intelligent! I know, I know it kinda sneaks up on you doesn't it. But it is true, under all my man bravado and weird ways is a thinking man. So the reason I beat your confused asses at <insert name of game here> so often is because I actually have a brain and try to become better at games each time I play them. As for Scrabulous, I do know a few words with more than three letters in it and try to maximize when to use them most effectively. In addition I try not to set you up to score points off my words. I hope my Mom isn't reading this, because she serves me my ass on a plate when we play Scrabble!!! I dare you to play with her! I think she actually had a hand in creating the dictionary!! All crazy ranting aside. I play games because I love games. I honestly don't put as much stock in the win as it may appear, although I can't seem to convince anyone of this, I guess I am just lying to everyone. I prefer to win, put anyone who is willing to be honest would say the same thing. But it is about the game, and if it is a good game, hard played by all and I lose, so be it. It was in the challenge where I found my fun.

In summary, Hasbro Inc. needs to get their heads out of their collective asses on this Facebook issue and people need to stop underestimating me! Underestimating me will only cost you in the long run. Nothing I enjoy more than a challenge. I throughly enjoy a good fight, mostly because I find it to be an opportunity to learn to be better.

Everyone have a great Easter Holiday and don't forget to thank the Lord for all the incredible blessings in your lives! We all have them. Stay focused on the blessings it helps.

My Two Cents
Jamie