Reflections

As one who looks forward, there's much I can't recall about my childhood.  Something that has remained with me, though, is my enjoyment of Magic: The Gathering. Here is my Magic story.

The dust settles long after we fly down the country road.  Our 4-mile bike ride ends on a short stretch of what passes for a busy road in Lancaster county, and my best friend ("Justin") and I walk into the comic book store with an undisguised eagerness seldom seen outside of youth.  It's the summer of 1995.  Tales of the Jedi issues line the shelves, heralding the arrival of Star Wars as a major comic force.  In another section, several Magic: the Gathering expansions are readily available.  They look enticing . . . as the world's first Collectible Card Game (CCG), Magic was the introduction for many to the genre.  We buy a starter deck . . . and soon after we're hooked.

Justin and I returned to that store many times over the summer months to pick up a 'pack here and there' of Magic cards.  My favorite expansions at the time were Unlimited, Ice Age, and Chronicles.  We had no idea what we were doing, of course.  We knew the rules- mostly- but the subtleties didn't click, and my top desires were those giant creatures, often green (see example at right).  Out of ignorance, we disdained the powerful cards we had like Moxes (that, today, sell for thousands of dollars) in favor of these green commons.  Our decks weren't great . . . but we had fun, and that was the point.

Like many fads in youth, our Magic craze fizzled over time, and I eventually gave away or pitched my cards (I shudder to think about the value that may have ended up in the trash).  College beckoned, budgets tightened, and I put Magic on pause- but I wasn't done with the game quite yet. 

I got back into Magic in 2004, being intrigued by the new card frame and the artifact-focus of Mirrodin.  But I didn't play long; other things took priority, and again I (foolishly) sold my cards.  See a pattern here?  Not the brightest bulb. 

In 2008, I lived in Germany and ended up meeting friends who had all played Magic at some point.  I was back in for a third time, and as I strolled the halls of a Cologne gaming convention, I knew that this time, it was for good. I'd play in Germany, England, America, and (now) back in Germany.  Regardless of location, Magic is the game that spans cultures, and there's always a group nearby.

This section will feature links to future posts related to reflections on Magic.  Though I've played consistently for the last 12 years, I continually refine my approach to how I collect, play, and enjoy the game.  I *think* I've finally got it down.  It just took me 25 years.