Hi, my name’s Amanda and I play Magic the Gathering.

It’s time I confessed.

Tonight, a friend of Jeff’s came over and we watched this video on YouTube:

And then we started talking about Magic the Gathering. And then I realized I haven’t been totally honest with all of you if I haven’t even told you that I play, and love, Magic the Gathering. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not at the Francis level yet, and hopefully I never will be, but I love the game like I love Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and Dracula.

It’s just good shit.

When I told Jeff I was writing about Magic the Gathering, he fist-pumped the air and said “YES!” I think part of his enthusiasm was also tied to the fact he was making his own version of super nachos.

Oh, what’s that you say? You want to see a picture of my Magic deck? Oh, but of course!

NERD

So, that’s it. There she is. In all her nerd glory, my Magic deck, in this case a “burn deck” as my boyfriend calls it.

I don’t honestly know very much about Magic, but it’s one of the many things I am really hoping to do with all of my free time this summer.

Some of the other things I hope to do with free time?

• Start playing guitar again (I used to shred so hard, I could melt the faces off of ponies.)
• Exercise my ass off. Literally. Get it?
• Finally enjoy my apartment. Explanation: Jeff and I moved in the day before I started grad school last summer, and the only other break I’ve had was in December which wasn’t really a break at all since I was working my retail job for The Man, and we had to go back and forth between his family’s house and my family’s house for the holiday. I’m looking forward to just sitting in my apartment.
• Watch Mad Men. I’ve seen them all, but Jeff hasn’t.
• Discover new and exciting ways to make my own chai. This is sure to be a disaster.
• Find a women’s magazine that doesn’t suck.
• Get an ancestry.com account. (And use it. Obviously.)
• Read the books that accompany Magic the Gathering. (They’re actually pretty cool.)
• Read a bunch of other books.

What this list should be called is: Ultimate List of Summer Nerdiness (brought to you by a girl who, instead of going to summer swim parties in junior high, stayed home and read Harry Potter.)

(I’m really into parentheses today.)

To put it simply, this post is about how absolutely, positively stoked I am about this summer. This semester has been one of the hardest semesters of my school career, not counting my semesters as a spanish major which were difficult because I was miserable, not because of the work load. I can’t wait to just have the gift of time.

Remind me to write a post about being a spanish major. I actually wrote a short story about one of my dickbag professors that I’m pretty proud of, so don’t let me forget about that.

I’m glad we’re close enough now that I can ask you to remind me about something and I know you guys will.

But let’s get back to business, shall we?

Magic is one of the funnest, cheapest, coolest games I have ever played. Now, just like any hobby or game, it can get really expensive really quickly, but it’s pretty user friendly and easy to learn. If you like puzzle games (which I do) then you would like Magic. The cool thing is that it’s actually a really great game for kids because there is so much critical thinking involved. You have to figure out which cards you should use based on which cards your opponent is using, and you have to assess risks: will I need this card later, or should I just use it now? It isn’t just a mindless event; people who play Magic are actually thinking really carefully about what they will do next, and you can’t be an idiot and play Magic (well). It just can’t happen.

There are some pretty big weirdos that play it though.

Like my ex-boyfriend.

Total fucking weirdo.

With all that being said, now you get to show me your nerd card. Come on, don’t be shy. What’s your nerdiest trait?

Don’t worry, this is a safe place free from dickbags, so I won’t allow any crap comments.

SHARE.

If, however, you strongly desire to keep your nerdtastic secret to yourself, you can always read this book to hold you over: The Name of the Wind is one of my favorite books of all time, and it’s a great introduction to the world of fantasy if you’ve never read fantasy but you’ve always wanted to.

I’m going to go fondle my cards now.