Monday 6 June 2011

Fun and Games Blogfest - Quick and easy to play and read...June 6 (which is also Queensland Day.)



Despite a sizzling schedule I'm participating in Alex's blogfest as his are always quick and easy, or appear to be. Getting around to a gazillion participants is no fun though.

In case you don't get to the bottom of this post (now, what am I suggesting?) I'd like to tell you about another game I like to play. That is entering short story contests. This Narrative online mag is one of my favourites and the deadline is June 15. You have to pay a small fee to play but there's lots of dollars if you win a place.

Now let's get into Alex's fun and games. Here are my favourite games.

GAME NO 1: CODEWORDS

These little books are surprisingly hard to find at times as they get buried under a pile of Sudoku, Crosswords and Word Searches, but I always like to have a book of Codewords on the go. Luckily, they're now available online too. They look like the one below. Each letter in this puzzle is represented by a number 1-26. You then crack the code and solve the crossword. Every letter of the alphabet is used at least once. Three letters are already in place to get you started (you can find puzzles that increase the level of difficulty by only giving you 2 letters, 1 letter or none at all.)







GAME NO 2: MONOPOLY (who could ever get sick of this old favourite?) There's been adapations made to it over the years, but being a purist, I prefer the original. I just checked online and there's at least 44 versions in English so I'm sure there are many, many more. There seems to be a Monopoly for every taste.

Monopoly: Chronicles of Narnia Edition



GAME NO 3: SOLITAIRE

One of the best ways (other than blogging) to procrastinate between scenes of my current WIP. Perhaps it's the most-played online game? I wouldn't know. It really gives your brain a boost. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.


GAMES OVER!


QUEENSLAND DAY JUNE 6.


 Today is Queensland Day. I know there are quite a few history buffs out there, so this is for you:

Generally the day is incorporated into a week of celebrations which focus on the State's history and development, the people of Queensland and their achievements.

It acknowledges the birth of Queensland as a self-governing colony, the anniversary of the date on which Queen Victoria (there's that woman again!) signed documents granting Queensland the right to its own representative government and appointing Queensland's first Governor, Sir George Bowen.

From 1859 to 1901, Queensland had the status of a self-governing colony. From 1 January 1901, Queensland became one of the six founding States of the Commonwealth of Australia.

Since 1981, Queensland's birthday has been officially celebrated and promoted by the State Government.

The highlight of celebrations is the "Queenslander of the Year" award which is formally announced by the Governor, and the "Young Queenslander of the Year" award.


46 comments:

Unknown said...

I love your choices. My husband is a huge Monopoly player so I don't play it much anymore. It's not so fun when your spouse is so competitive. Have a great week!

Kittie Howard said...

Ahhh, success! I haven't been able to access your blog - would get this page that said it didn't exist. However, I knew you did!

On another blog I linked to Blogger and learned they are working on significant (!!!) problems. My hub told me he'd read somewhere that nasty people are trying to pull Blogger down. The article didn't give specifics.

Anyway, I'm a fan of the games you listed - there's a solitare fary in my computer that entices me to play, LOL!

Sorry about not entering RFW but we're going on holiday the 28th and I'm challenged for time.

Anonymous said...

Denise, we could so totally hang out together--you've listed all of my fave games!! My brother and sisters and I used to have marathon Monopoly games. They were brutal.

And thanks for the info on Queensland. Very interesting. I always learn something cool when I visit your blog. :-)

trump said...

My blog Amish Stories is having its first ever contest this week. The First prize winner will win 2 tickets to tour the farm where the 1985 move "Witness" staring Harrison Ford and Kelly Mcgillis was made in Strasburg,Pa . This farm is now Amish owned, and the family has given permission for folks to tour their farm. This may be the last time anyone will be able to walk and see the same things that Harrison Ford and the other actors saw during the making of "Witness". The Witness tour should last about 2.5 hours. In addition to the Witness farm tour tickets, 1st prize winner will also receive 2 tickets for Jacobs choice. There will also be a 2nd place prize, which will be 2 tickets for the Amish Homestead. Please go to My blog www.AmishStorys.com for contest details, and more information on the prizes. Richard from the Amish settlement of Lebanon county.

Talli Roland said...

I saw on Twitter it was Queensland Day and I thought of you!

I'm a big Monopoly fan, myself. :)

Matthew MacNish said...

Great game choices!

Sarah Tokeley said...

I am 41, my brother is 38 and my mum still won't allow us to play monopoly together as it ends up in an argument. It never happens with any other game, just monopoly!

Suze said...

Man, I haven't played Solitaire in a while but that is a cool game. :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Happy Queensland Day!
And no procrastinating allowed.
Thanks for participating in the blogfest!

Francine Howarth said...

Hi

Happy Q Day. First Governor a Welshman? Well I never, Bowen being a good old Welsh name. Hasn't your PM got Welsh links, too? :)

Monopoly. You can't beat it for heated moments! I honestly don't get time for Solitaire. As for code games, yeah, I love the Enigma code in the Radio Times.

Have a great day,

best
F

Teralyn Rose Pilgrim said...

Monopoly is awesome. I'm ruthless when I play it, thought, so few people want to play with me.

Margo Benson said...

Ooh, fun choices! I love playing Solitaire (although I've always known it as Patience) and inherited a marvellous book of the hundreds of different formats.

Monopoly was dangerous in our house!

notesfromnadir said...

Monopoly is always a good game to play.

Haven't heard of Codewords but in the past I've done those word searches.

Solitaire, I once disabled it from a former computer because I got addicted!

Happy Queensland Day! :)

Ellie Garratt said...

Happy Queensland Day!

OMG. I could play Solitaire for hours. I had to take it off my laptop to stop me using it as a way to procrastinate!

Fun & Games Blogfest

Nicki Elson said...

Monopoly seems to be quite a favourite today. Hmm, I wonder how many people Blogger stole away from on-line Solitaire...

Happy Birthday, Queensland! :)

Tiger85 said...

Great post, I'm always learning fun new facts or just interesting facts. I enjoy those games as well. =)

Poetry, Quotes and Book Reviews.

Julie Flanders said...

Hi, Denise! Just discovered your blog through the blogfest, I enjoyed reading your choices. I waste more time than I care to admit playing solitaire when I'm supposed to be writing, but it does give my brain a boost when I'm stuck sometimes!

Happy Queensland Day to you, very interesting to learn about the holiday.

N. R. Williams said...

Good post. I will have to check that online writing game out.
Nancy

Denise Covey said...

Ha all! Thanks for the Queensland Day wishes and looks like Monopoly is the world's most dangerous game!

Fun 'fest.

Denise<3

M Pax said...

Happy Queensland Day!

Solitaire is one of the few games on my new computer. It's nice to veg out with something that doesn't make me think too hard.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

I must avoid solitarie. It's a terrible distraction from my writing. lol. I LOVE the idea of Codewords. I've not seen them before. How cool!

Hart Johnson said...

You know, I see those codewords in the paper now and again and I think I'd really love it if I ever gave in to getting the hang... and I played HOURS AND HOURS of solitaire as a kid. I still can get sucked into it via computer on occasion. I didn't even think to include it, but if this were on time spent, that would win. (Monopoly of course, made my list)

The Words Crafter said...

I didn't know about Queensland Day, nor the history behind it. Thanks!

I love love love Scrabble. My husband and I play sometimes and I think he cheats. Somehow....

My older cousins taught my sister and me to play Monopoly and they cheated like crazy, too. Maybe it's a guy thing, lol!

I haven't heard of CodeWords. I think I'd like that one!

Liz P said...

Wow, Codewords looks very challenging!

I love Monopoly too. It's just one of those classics that everyone seems to have fond memories of.

Anonymous said...

I thought of solitaire. Its a fun game. I like the Free Cell version too available online.

Michael Di Gesu said...

I can definitely seeing you doing your crosswords in ink, Denise.

I with you CLASSIC Monopoly is the best!

I used to play solitaire for hours when I was younger. No time now. Writing/blogging takes over every free second.

Happy Queensland Day!

Ciara said...

I love these games. Great choices!!

Alison Miller said...

Yes! Happy Queensland Day! And I love that you put solitaire! That can be so relaxing.

Susan Fields said...

I hadn't played solitaire in years, but I started again on our family ski vacation in March because I wasn't skiing but everyone else was. Now I'm so addicted to it, I hardly dare pick up a deck of cards anymore. :)

Arlee Bird said...

Arggh! Solitaire!!! My wife keeps it up on her computer and I'll stop by several times a day to play a round, or two, or three, or twenty. Must stop!!! But I can't resist!


Lee
Tossing It Out

Nicole Zoltack said...

Ah, solitaire! Can never play just one round!

Empty Nest Insider said...

Monopoly has always been one of my favorite board games too! Happy Queensland Day! Julie

Unknown said...

Greetings fellow Monopoly lover, nice to meet you :)

PK HREZO said...

I think Monopoly is the grand winner for gaming blogfest. It's such a fun game. And I forgot about solitaire... it's so addicting!

Anonymous said...

Oh great choices. Hope you had a happy Queensland Day :O)

Zan Marie said...

Denise,
I know you're never busy, so I tagged you at my blog. ; )

Jeff Beesler said...

I love learning new things about other places in the world. Like how you've got codewords while we've got crosswords. This is pretty neat stuff!

K.C. Woolf said...

I played Monopoly and solitaire a lot as a kid, even though for the longest time I didn't know that's what it was called.

I just thought of it as 'that card game I could play on my own'. ;-)

Golden Eagle said...

Codewords sounds interesting! I think I've done something similar to them before--at least, the squares part seems familiar.

Thanks for the history on Queensland Day! I hope you had a good one. :)

Anonymous said...

Happy Belated Queensland Day!

*looks around*

Ah, shucks. Late for the cake again.

Hey, great choices on the games, though!!!!

baygirl32 said...

Narnia edition! I'm jealous

Deniz Bevan said...

Happy Queensland Day! I love Codewords but don't get to play it very often - like you said, it's harder to find. I've got a Lord of the Rings Monopoly :-)

Sylvia Ney said...

Great choices! I finally got around to receiving your tag...http://writinginwonderland.blogspot.com/2011/06/ive-been-tagged_08.html

It didn't quite take me a week to answer ;-)

Meagan Spooner said...

Ooh, I love Codewords. I never knew what they were called, though--I encountered them for the first time when I was in Australia. I wonder if it's an Aussie thing?

Nas said...

Hi Denise,

What fun and games! I love playing Monopoly and Scrabble...well crosswords are also a favourite.

Happy Queensland Day!

Theres just life said...

I think solitaire does bust your brain power...I'll stick to that story too.
I like the code words puzzles as well. I am hooked on cryptography too. They are even harder to find at the stores, unless you get a variety puzzles magazine.