The BERNIE becomes Major FUN

The Astute Few might have noted that in yesterday's review of MyCard, that which was once called The BERNIE award was referred to as the Major FUN award. Lest you think this was all some egregious error on the part of my imaginary editorial staff, I herewith reassure you.

Not that there's any distinction to be made in the significance of one reward over another. A BERNIE is a BERNIE is a BERNIE. Only now, it's a Major FUN. Because Major FUN sounds, well, more "fun," as it were, so to speak. Which is the whole point, don't you know. It's cuter. It's message, clearer. And, since the erstwhile Bernie himself, aka "me," is so deeply committed to the virtual process of embracing his personal Major FUNness, as per orders from the Oaqui, it all seems, in retrospect, inevitable that one would become the other.

This award business is a strange one. For me, it's not a business at all, actually, but rather a duty, as commanded by the Oaqui and assorted fates. I neither accept nor request payment for the award. And, oddly enough, most of the other award-granting institutions do both. I do it mainly because there are people and games that deserve the kind of recognition I can give them. Apparently, my perspective on games is still highly personal and unique. My focus is on gentler kind of fun: a fun that takes precedence over who wins or loses; a fun that doesn't divide people according to who is more skilled or fortunate, but brings people together. Also, I know how to review games. I reviewed games 30 years ago at the Games Preserve and wrote reviews for Games Magazine. I conduct more or less regular Game Tastings where I and the fortunate few actually play every game under consideration.

To date, I've never written a negative review. I don't think it's worth my readers' time. And, my brand of fun is, sadly, still so unique that it would be unfair of me, don't you know, to critique a game like, for example, Monopoly, for being too competitive.