it's all in the wrists...

I played Bunco for the first time last night. Analysis? It totally rocks.

My BFF and frequent partner-in-crime decided it would be fun for a group of us to get together on a regular basis. She and her husband came up with Family Bunco Night, to be hosted at their house once a month, where everyone in the family can join in the fun.

We all brought a food dish (or six) to share. I swear you would have thought we were holing up for a week-long Arctic adventure to count polar bears with all the food we had! No frozen wintry demise awaited us, however... this was just six families in sunny Florida getting together for a few hours on a Saturday night. Suffice it to say, though, we could have made it a week (or two even--with rations), had need be.

While the kids (TWELVE of them in all, mind you... ages 4-16) played upstairs, the parents took over the downstairs, chatting, catching up, and laughing really hard. We finally decided to get serious and start the Bunco game around 9:30. Having never played before, I was a little nervous about being able to keep up. Truth be told, I'm still scarred from the card-playing drill sergeants in college who swore Hearts would be a blast if I would just-friggin'-pay-attention. Needless to say, Nazi-style teaching tactics did little to leave me feeling encouraged and eager to learn any kind of card (or in this case, dice) game ever again. I seriously think the whole experience left me a little socially stunted. I suppose that's for me and a qualified therapist who accepts my insurance to work out at a later date, though. Anywho...

Bunco is different. There is absolutely ZERO skill involved with this gig. It's all luck and the roll of the dice. I liked moving from table to table and having different partners for every round. It was kind of like being at a swingers party, but minus the sex-with-strangers part. Plus, I got to take money home at the end of the night. How many swingers get to do that? Seriously. I'm asking. If there's money involved, I might actually be interested.

The kids had a great time, too. Believe it or not, with that many there, we did not see or hear from them at all that night. Don't get me wrong... we knew they were alive and everything. They came down for food, drinks, and once or twice to play catch in the backyard. What I mean though, is there was no bickering, or tattling, or emergent needs to visit a hospital. They all played together, had fun, and actually got along. Anybody ever hear of "Bunco Angels" before? If such a being exists, they were definitely with us. How else can you explain that many kids not breaking anything or killing each other? That's right. Miraculous.

If you've never done it before, give it a try. You'll love it! Bunco, that is. Not swinging. I don't know how you'd feel about that one. Just don't call me to share. I like the moderately naive little world I live in. They know me here.

Do I really have to wait a whole month before we get to play again?? Patience is a bitch.