{"ops":[{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Me (57M), Husband, Father of Four. 29 yrs. Clean and Sober, Sometimes Writer, Full TimeTruth Bomber"},{"insert":".\n\nI was the Dad who went to work with a Game Boy Colour in the breast pocket of my cover-alls, (stuffed with Pokemon Silver). I wanted desperately to understand the language my kids were speaking and this seemed the easiest way to do that exact thing. The other side of that coin was me coming home from work and making those same kids feel bad for 'wasting their $$$ on cardboard'. Myopic, hypocrisy is never far away from a parent and one only hopes they can grow past it.\n\nI am incredibly lucky. As the pandemic locked us all away behind closed doors, those same kids took the opportunity to show me the same card games I once chided them for. When restrictions loosened, they took me out for a boys' day and we bought a few YuGiOh! Structure Decks. I built a deck that hinged on Spellcasters and - was very surprised, to learn how much fun I could have. I quickly became cannon-fodder for them to play against and that deck began to collect dust. \n\nMore recently, I stumbled on a YouTube video promoting Magic: The Gathering's, Lorwyn Eclipsed release. As I watched, I said, \"I think I could play that\", quickly, my oldest son jumped in with, \"That's Magic: The Gathering, Dad!\" As we didn't have Magic Decks for everyone, out came the YuGiOh! Cards, I began to remember mechanics again. A family friend brought over a box full of '"},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Magic Bulk"},{"insert":"', we built "},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"60's"},{"insert":" and then "},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Commander Decks"},{"insert":" and made more than a few trips to the "},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Local TCG Shop"},{"insert":". I found "},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Command Zone"},{"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Commander at Home"},{"insert":", I also found '"},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Tinker Time"},{"insert":"' and "},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Gimbal, Gremlin Prodigy"},{"insert":" and got him out to a Pod or two. Gimbal has helped so much, with learning some of the more advance mechanics at a bigger table. Strixhaven found that same son, (the oldest) spending all the money he made, from a week full of performances - that had him travelling all over our little part of the planet. We have been playing almost daily and hosting multiple games a week ever since. There is a palpable excitement here that we've not had since the boys dropped their 1st. album. \n\nAnd as far as Deck Building Goes, I am obsessed. \n"}]}