April 15, 2012
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On Words with Friends and Scoring ALL the Points
Recently I started playing Words with Friends. It was fun to chat with some friends who I ordinarily don't chat much with because we don't live in the same area, and play the game together. Incidentally, for years in grad school I thought about creating some sort of site based solely on board games/adventures for duos. I really should have acted on that, for what it's worth.
At first I enjoyed the challenge of creating words, especially if I could make long or obscure words. It was an art challenge for me, to try to make the most interesting words I could out of the letters I had. But then I started realizing that I was losing...over and over and over again. Obvious, right? If I'm not aiming for the squares that offer me double letters (and even better, double or triple words), I'm not going to score as many points. If I don't score as many points, I don't win the game.
Because I had too much time on my hands, I started wondering. To what extent do you "Score ALL the points" at work, in your relationships, and in your faith and politics? I have a bad habit of doing good things at the wrong times. Suppose there are two projects I could do at work. One fits my work objectives, the other does not. Both take the same amount of time. Why would I ever do the project that isn't what I'm supposed to be doing? The project that won't get me promoted?
Score ALL the points this week, then: Love those who are closest to you the most, Work hardest on those projects that are most important, and Worship those idols that are most worthy of your obsession. Let's see how it goes, ok? You're due for a win, and so am I.
Comments (13)
Sometimes you find greater, completely unexpected, goals by not focusing on winning. If all you're going for is points, you will probably end up sacrificing creativity, so I think what we need to do is simply determine -- in this activity, what is more important -- the destination or the journey?
@lanney - I thought that was pretty much what he was saying?
@tsh44 - To me it sounded like he has given up the creativity and just wants to win. Personally, I opt for creative because I'm better at going off on weird tangents than I am at winning things. Or possibly I'm just exceptionally argumentative today.
I love this! Your posts always make me sit and think. - Ouch! My head's hurting! Enough of that thinking business!
@lanney - I guess it's all in how you read it. I got the impression that he was encouraging us to put our best into who/what matters to us most. I bet he's enjoying us and our assumed meanings for his blog.
@tsh44 - That makes sense. Now that I reread it, it also reminds me of the Mary/Martha debate. Hospitality is important, but it can't trump building relationships.
I'm concerned about that Achille Shell (Like the Magic 8 Ball in case you didn't know the definition
) that you found. I just think you'd be a lot happier if you'd play the dang game and quit listenin to it!
How many points did I get? And don't ask that silly shell!
Its no fun to score all the points. I like to make the funny words.
This reminds me that I haven't played back to you all day. I had the same realization in this game: It's not really about how good your words are, instead it's about using the tiles in the most productive way.
I like the message of this blog though. I'm going to try to make the best use of my time this whole week. Instead of putting everything off, by the end of next weekend I will finish up my final projects of the semester so the last week of classes will be stress free.
Look at you hitting two out of the park in one weekend! I think essentially you are saying, align your actions with your values. I think the problem is we don't often reflect on what we are doing or why we are doing it, and then we miss opportunities for growth!
I'm so sorry I havent taken my turn lately! but I will.
i can't play and NOT score the highest points possible. unless i'm way ahead. but for me that's part of the creativity... trying to place words to get the most points. sorry. not letting you win that easy!
LOL,this reminds me of childrens sermons I used to do years ago in the church service every Sunday morning right after welcoming the visitors.I would give an example of something they would understand and then apply some spititual attribute from the Bible to show my point and get them to remember.Object lessons worked the best.WWF's is about the only game I play everyday on FB.I beat my sister pretty bad a few times and she said "wow,you're good at this game" And I told her my secret,now she beats me everytime LOL
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