I play a lot of computer games, but anything that keeps me glued for more than ten minutes is probably off my radar screen. I play those old card games that lurk around in everybody's computer, and I have Tetris on my prehistoric Gameboy. Do those things ever wear out?

Bejeweled 2 Deluxe was installed on my computer by my grandson a couple of months ago, and I've tried it a few times. It's not too complicated for my early 20th century brain.

Right now I am on a run of Freecell. I played random Freecell deals for a long time and then about six weeks ago I decided to play them in order, so I went back to game 1, and have already worked my way up to almost game 400. At this rate, the 21st century may not be long enough.

But sometimes I wonder why I play games at all. My computer is a pipeline to so many things that I enjoy. I use it to plan travel, discuss my hobbies, keep in touch with family and friends, and recently I've started using it to unload mindless ramblings on a blog. Do I really need games?

I'll say this for games:
They keep your mind sharp. They improve your analytical skills. They teach you to think logically, or completely outside the proverbial box. I think some people just enjoy the sense of accomplishment when they win. On the other hand, they help you deal with frustration. I get a lot of practice in that department.

I dislike the idea of killing time, because time is always in limited supply, but there are times when you find yourself waiting for something to happen and you are forced to kill time. Games to the rescue.
Howard