OK boys, listen closely. I'm about to give you the scoop on why most of your moms, girlfriends, wives, and other females feel the way they do about SW:CCG. Specifically, I'm going to tell you why they roll their eyes when you tell them about a great n ew card you just got, look at you like you're insane when you tell them that you're saving up for a box of the newest expansion, and cannot understand why you would spend a whole Saturday or Sunday at a tournament. I can't promise that knowing this will m ake your CCG lives any better, but at least you won't be completely clueless.
First and foremost, SW:CCG is a GAME. Just as many women don't understand Monday night football, bowling leagues, the NBA playoffs, car racing (speaking of which, for the record I cannot fathom why an adult would spend hours watch lots of silly looking cars go around in a circle), or the Stanley Cup, they don't understand SW:CCG. But SW:CCG isn't even a "real game." It doesn't have rules like those in sports. In football for example, you can explain what the line of scrimmage is because there is a visu al aspect to it. In basketball, a foul is easy to explain because she can see Dennis Rodman make physical contact with another player. But have you ever tried to explain the concepts of battle destiny and attrition to a chick? I think that Beakman almost murdered me the night he tried explain attrition to me (the "danger inherent in battle") wasn't a good enough reason for why had to loose 12 force in addition to my probe droid that got battled by Obi Wan and Leia. Since SW:CCG is a game, it seems like an awful waste of time and money. Just remember that most females don't understand why games are important to men.
Second, SW:CGC is Star Wars. Star Wars is typically a male obsession. Few women have watched the Trilogy more than a handful of times. They wouldn't know who the hell Bib Fortuna if he bit them on the ass. They don't care if you know all of the words a nd can recite them along with the movie (which is a terrible, terrible annoying thing to do, so all of you out there who are doing that should stop immediately unless you're with people who have indicated that it's acceptable behavior). In fact, many wome n want to know why you can't remember your mother's age, but know the number of the docking bay on the Death Star. I have a very close female friend who loves the Star Wars movies and went to see each of the Special Editions in the theater on opening nigh t, but even she doesn't get near the level of fanaticism that males are capable of displaying.
The issues of time and money go hand in hand. Women hate to see men spending time or money on frivolous things (or the things that they consider to be frivolous). Before I started playing the game myself, I couldn't understand why Beakman would spend h ours and hours with his cards. There's a guy here in Gainesville whose wife is obviously bitter about the time and money he spends on SW:CCG. Her problem is that she can think of a million things that he should be doing other than playing with his cards. To be honest, I too think this way sometimes. It's tough to remember that guys need to feel like they can spend some time or cash doing whatever they want to do regardless of what other things are on the "to do list."
Although this is a tough one to mention, there is also the "dork factor." Due to the reputation of other CCGs (shhhhhh, I'm talking about Magic), there is a bit of a stigma connected with these kinds of card games. At the student union on the UF campus , there are tables and tables of guys and girls dressed in black or looking as if they need to be bathed playing that game (umm, I mean Magic) all day long. I know that not all players of that game (Magic again) are like that, and I know a few who are act ually pretty normal, but normal is not what the general public thinks of when they think of CCGs. The truth of the matter is that playing CCGs seems like a pretty dorky thing to do if you can't tell the difference between the games or the difference betwe en normal people who have a hobby and the weirdos. Women just aren't generally attracted to overt dorkiness ( although it can actually be charming in very small doses, but that's another story).
Last, but certainly not least, chicks often feel as if you are playing SW:CCG INSTEAD of spending time with them. *WARNING* This is about to get psychobabbly. The truth of the matter is that chicks need to know that they are more important than the game. The next time your women is giving you crap about spending so much time about playing with your cards, perhaps she's *really* saying that she wants you to spend more time with her. About a year and a half ago, I went over to Beakman's apartment to spend a few hours with him, and when I got there he was playing SW:CCG with his roommate Brian. That was OK, but it was not OK that he was still playing three hours later and I was sitting on the couch watching Dinner and a Movie on TBS. It wasn 't the cards that I was pissed about - it was the fact that playing the cards was apparently more interesting that hanging out with me (it's important to note that we'd only been dating a few weeks at that point and I'd been invited over to his place). Th is was an issue that got resolved quickly in the relationship — I needed to make sure that Beaks had time for his cards and he needed to make time for me and Obi Wan, Leia, Han, Luke, and Chewie had to go back in the box.
Here are a few recommendations for guys when addressing the issue of your SW:CCG hobby with the women in your life.
- Try to keep in mind that SW:CCG really is *just* a game. As important as it may sometimes seem, it's not more important than real people.
- Never make SW:CCG plans on the same date as an important birthday, anniversary, major holiday, or family event. Not only is this one of the better ways to make a female very, very angry, but it makes you look as if your priorities are whacked.
- At least attempt to explain or play the game with her - some chicks aren't even interested in knowing the difference between the light side and the dark side, but others will be mildly amused - I got hooked.
- Don't forget that chicks are just different than guys and no matter what you do, there will be times that they still think you're being an idiot (sorry Beaks).
- Be willing to compromise on issues of time and money, but don't be afraid to insist that your hobby is just as important to you and her clothes or make-up - it makes you happy and probably helps you to relax.
Good luck gentlemen.
Queen Jawa