So what does a game about trading resources and building
a trade route and my personal heroes have to do with each other? Surprisingly little. This
post is more meant to combine two ideas I have been tossing around the last few
days. However, I can say if not for my heroes I may not be talking about Catan
today or be involved with gaming the way I am now.
First, Catan. The full name of the
game is Settlers of Catan. This board games deals with players gathering
various resources such as, rock, sheep, wood, wheat, and bricks to build towns
and cities to further develop their zones. However, not all resources are
plentiful. Players must not only acquire resources from their own cities, but
be willing to negotiate with other players to get other valuable
resources to build their trading empires and win the game. The first player to
gather 10 victory points, earned by building towns and cities, having the
longest trade route, and manning the largest army, is declared the winner. The
nature of the game can force interesting strategies to occur. Some players try
to balance out their resources, hoping that the random nature of the game
generates the resources they need to win. Others attempt to monopolize a
particular resource and hope that dice rolls allow them to bank a particular
resource and force trades with other players to gather resources. While there
is a random stealing and resource blocking mechanic in the game, the majority
of game play is spent trying to best utilize your resources and
ensure your trading partners are happy. One wrong move and you might find
yourself deprived of necessary rocks and bricks to finish building
cities and towns.
Catan's style of game play, the
social interaction is truly one of the main reason why the game is so fun. The
simple premise of collecting resources and trading is easy to pick up, but
difficult to master. In some games, the dice will love you and give you every
resource when you need it. In other games, you will have to talk through your
teeth, making promises and unlikely allegiances in order to survive and
ultimately win the game. Aside from that, how often do you get
to legitimately say " My sheep for your wood?" I know I do
not get to enough. I highly recommend picking up the game, or if you
know a friend to play this gem of a game. It is one of the most fun experiences
you will have. This game is what Monopoly at times wishes it was. Now go out
there and trade those hard earned wood for soft, fluffy sheep.
Now onto the serious portion of
the blog, Heroes. I am sure many of you who have read my blog all have someone
or something that inspires, drives, or otherwise lights the way in this world.
Today I would like to take a little time to talk about my personal heroes and
inspirations. They are, in no particular order, my mother, my father, my great
grandmother, Power Rangers, One Piece, and my sister.
My family has been a huge driving
force into shaping the person I have become today. Growing up, my family was
not the most well to do. We struggled, we bled, but ultimately we succeeded
together. My father was the kind of man I expected him to be. He was gruff, no
nonsense, hard working, strict, and definitely a hothead. While I
grew up with him, I feared him, but learned to see a side of him that I see
today. He is a man of respectable character. He does things to make others
happy, often shouldering the world by himself. If he could, he would take all
the pain onto himself, just to make sure the others in our family would not
need to suffer. I have watched him become a man who regrets not being able to
give everything to his family, and yet I do not understand why he beats himself
up over it. I personally enjoyed my childhood and never have thought less of
him. Growing up the way I did gave me an appreciation for the things
we have. The fact we have a stable family life is a testament to that character
building. So to you, Frank Agenbroad, Thank You for making me grow up. I hope
one day I can pay forward the acts you have taught me.
If my father had to play
the villain bad cop in the story of Brandon growing up, then my mother was the
companion/good cop. She empathized with me and pointed out the facts
even if I was too blind to see them at the time. The one thing I can always
recall is the fact she very rarely lost her temper. Always smiling, always
cheerful, and never condescending even if the world crashed around
her. I envied the strength she had. The ability to smile and laugh even when
the world was crushing you from the inside out. To
look absolute despair and pain in the eye and still smile. That
strength is what I began to aim for, and it was thanks to her listening and
directing me that I got as close as I am today. She has and will always be the
calm before and after the storm. That fact alone made growing up
and existing so much easier and gave me hope in times of despair. So
Thank You, Michelle Agenbroad, for having my back even when I felt like I
should go it alone.
Siblings, even they have a part to
play in growing up. My sister also had a hand to play in my development, and I
count her responsible for the academic achievements I have made in my life.
Growing up, she was a handful even for my folks. Often my folks would have to
pay more attention to her and indulge her more often then they cared
to admit. As a result, she acted like a brat at times. If she wanted to do
something, my folks were all over the board for her. I still remember when she
started playing basketball and my folks got involved in it. I remember feeling
jealous and envious of the praise she got. At first, I tried to imitate her,
joining a boy's basketball team and be as athletic as she was. Problem was, I
sucked badly. It was this point, that my subconscious must have picked up on
the fact I could compete with her academically. That is when I put my nose to
the book and became the academic of the family. I found out that I had
an aptitude for the academics. As a result, my family had
academic and athletic geniuses in their line. I had found a way
to compete with my sister for the attention of my folks. It was a few years ago
that I stumbled upon this idea and realized how true it was. Without
her rivalry I would not be in the position academically I am today.
Even know, she travels around trying to find her way in this world and I am
still envious of her. Even if she and I do not see head to head most of the
time, I still count myself lucky that Brianna Agenbroad is my sister. Sis, I am
incredibly proud of the things you have done and hope you find your way in
life.
Hazel Goulart, the one woman who
took a sniveling selfish brat and turned him into the person many of you call
friend. My father's grandmother was one hell of a woman. She was kind to a
fault. She was warm, welcoming, and downright encouraging to all
those she met. She spoiled us kids rotten, as all grandparents do, but taught
us the value of sincerity, giving, and kindness. There was never a time in my
life I remember her ever getting angry, upset, or downright malicious to
others. She had her moments of anger, but they passed. Instead she tackled
problems by killing people with kindness. It was funny to watch to even the
most hostile of people become butter when faced with that
unwavering kindness As she grew older, she was diagnosed with cancer
and passed away due to her treatments. It was at one of her viewings that the
part of the selfish brat that was still with me died off. I finally understood
that if I was to honor her memory and keep her alive everyday, I needed to
abandon this self-conceived notion that having and doing things for myself was
the only way of living. That same say she was buried, I took that selfishness,
that greed, and that ugly darkness and buried it. I had to be someone that
could earn the respect of Hazel Goulart. She deserved no less than that from
me. I thank you, Hazel, you took away a heart full of vanity and selfishness
and replaced it with the ideas of giving, kindness, and sincerity.
Power Rangers, a fictional super
hero team and one of the most badass groups in history. I remember growing up
watching that show religiously. "Teenagers with Attitude!" being the
tagline that set up this team up of heroes to protect the world at large. With
their variety of weapons and robots (zords) they conquered any challenge that
the forces of evil threw at them. While the show is still pretty kiddy nowadays
it does bring forth an idea that I clung unto growing up. The idea of
selflessness, of doing something for no benefit or gain. While at the beginning
of the series, the teens were forced to help fight, they discovered that this
power they had was truly making a difference People were genuinely
happier and safer knowing that the Power Rangers had their back. Even as
the members of the team rotated out to pursue other parts
of their lives, the core of the team was still about doing the unselfish thing.
Even in the darkest moments, when the rangers were defeated and the earth was
to be destroyed unless the rangers turned themselves in, I saw the good they
had done had inspired others. While several members of humanity were debating
trying to turn the rangers in to save themselves, two normal people stood up
and said that the rangers had always had their back and it was about time that
humanity had theirs. Humanity as a whole stood up to sacrificing 5 people to
the forces of darkness despite the risk they posed, because the rangers would
have done the same for them. This theme of self sacrifice and doing things for
the greater good has always been something I strive to give in everyday life.
So Thank You, Power Rangers, for setting the right example.
One Piece, an anime about pirates
on the high seas seems kind of weird to include on a list of inspirational
heroes, however they played a part in developing the person I became. The show
focuses on a group of pirates by the name of The Strawhats. The captain, Monkey
D. Luffy, is searching for the greatest treasure in the world called the One
Piece. As he travels the seas, he picks up new crewmembers to help him realize
his dream. As they make their journey we see Luffy treat his crew as friends
and family, rather than pawns to meet his goals. As such, Luffy values each
member of his crew and would go to any depths to see them happy and safe. In a
story arc dealing with the past of one of his crewmates, Robin, Luffy learns
that she is an enemy of the World Government. The implies that if Luffy were to
take her aboard as a crewmate, he would ultimately be declaring war on the
world. Robin decides to spare the heartache and eventual sorrow and loneliness
she would bring to her friend by surrendering herself to the World Government
to be executed. In a show of pure amazement, Luffy charges headlong into the
courts and orders his friend to burn the World Government flag, signifying an
intent to declare war on the World Government. Luffy admits he does not care
about the World Government and only cares about his friends, promising to
protect Robin because she is his friend. The level of commitment Luffy shows is
something I truly admire. This character is willing to die to protect his
friends. He realizes the importance that these people have on his life and
while he could just get henchmen to get the One Piece, it would ultimately be
shallow without friends that struggled with him to get to the end. That level
of determination inspires me to be the best possible friend I can to those who
need it. To declare war on the world for the sake of a friend, is such a
beautiful statement. Thank you, One Piece, for inspiring me to new levels of
friendship.
Well today's post was a bit of a
doozy. Next time we will be back to one topic as we discuss the psychological
game of playing games. See you next time.
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