Rock-tober 01, 2017

As a kid, before Mom and Dad conceded to my relentless cajoling and acquired the mystical Atari 2600, we had other means of indoor entertainment. In my family, that meant card games with Spades the familial favorite. Some of my most memorable recollections was my absolute terror and surprise at how cutthroat Mom could be. I remember shedding tears when she gleefully trumped my high ranking face cards. All those lost hands left a lasting mark because even as I hit my teen years I deemed it unwise to cross Mom.

Board games were another source of diversion, and we had a sizeable collection. Playing "Operation" with Dad was always nerve wracking. If your hand wasn't steady enough, you'd set off the buzzer and patient dude's nose would flash red. I knew this. I'd heard the buzzer countless times. Yet, I still jumped every time my hand slipped and set it off, much to Dad's amusement.

I was simply mesmerized by "Mouse Trap". Many times I bypassed the game play and just set it up to watch it in action. Rube Goldberg devices still hold a fascination for me.

Playing Tic-Tac-Toe with paper and pencil? Boring. However, using checkers pieces in a vertical plane, winning with 4 in a row instead of 3, and rebranding the game "Connect 4?" Genius.

Playing as a general in "Stratego" was strangely gratifying. I took on all comers and wracked up an enviable win record. In fact, I never lost until my cousin Winston handed me my first defeat. To this day I believe I know how Hannibal felt after the Battle of Zama.

One of the unknown gems was "Gilligan's Island". The kids next door, Noel and Roel, and I got a lot of mileage out of that goofy game. We rolled dice to see who played what character and laughed like little boys do when one of us had to play MaryAnne,  Ginger, or (gasp) Mrs. Howell because not only was she a girl, she was really, really old.

However, Numero Uno, the Big Kahuna, the Mac Daddy of them all was "Battleship." It's "seek and destroy" premise was deceptively simple. Yet, I can't think of any other game that caused more arguments and fights than this one. My friends and I took it way more seriously than Milton Bradley intended. The Naval theme, and being Navy brats, elevated every match to a defense of family pride and personal honor.

In 2012, Universal released the movie, "Battleship," based on my beloved childhood board game. Stuffed shirt critics gave it less than stellar reviews, and it failed to earn blockbuster status. I don't care about the naysayers, and I'll still watch it every time it comes on.

The cast included Liam Neeson,  Taylor Kitsch,  and Rihanna, but the headliner for me was BB-63, "Mighty MO" herself, the USS Missouri. For the movie, this storied veteran of 3 wars and winner of 16 battle stars was shown slicing through the water and maneuvering at flank speed, was actually manned by some of her WWII combat veterans, and (spoiler alert) kicked alien ass with her shock and awe inspiring 16" guns.

Oh, yeah, the battle sequences featured a healthy dose of AC/DC, including this year's first installment, "Hard as a Rock." You didn't think I'd gotten lost walking down nostalgia lane, did you? Pfft. Welcome to Rock-tober.