Wednesday Z Gaming

Going backward, just as something different, I was in bed after 11, decided not to read, and soon fell asleep. I woke with difficult dreams of work and travel (not forgotten, but close to a nightmare), and these dreams continued when I slept again, but without the harshness, and are also now forgotten. I woke early, rolled over, dreamed waking bright dreams, and rose about 7.

Before bed, I was at First United Methodist Church in Beaverton at 6 and waited until 6:30 for Dondrea and Z to show. Z agreed to play Concordia with the Roma board, a favorite and prefect for two players, and we included the add-in Forum. I learned the game long ago from Will and Peaches with Corwin with me. I remember Will checking whether the winner had more cards than anyone else. His theory was that the more cards you had, the more likely you would win. Today’s play reminded me of that.

My first act was to play the Senator Card and get the first two excellent cards. Z did not surprise me by doing the same action, and we both soon followed by building our shops (instead of trading houses) in Roma and moving our ships into the special trade on the Mediterranean Sea (ships are handled differently in this game and are for trade, not colonists, as in the usual play). At this point, our roles were set. I bought more and more cards, and Z built over and over. I expanded my colonists (also used as trade ships in this version), and Z rushed to fill the board. The cards multiply the impact of your building, but I was behind on building. Z was rushing to finish the game, but was hampered by not adding colonists, and at the mid-game, upgraded the cards Z used by pausing the rush to get more cards, and started to accelerate to Z’s usual dizzying speed of play. In a desperate move, I played two Architect Cards (one I had to acquire) close together to build four shops (my only Farmer and Metal shops); I still had five left. There, Z finished all the shops and ended the game, and I got one more colonist out.

The score count had Z ahead until we counted the experts’ cards, and there, as anyone who plays Concordia will tell you, I won with the Weaver Card by eight points. Until then, Z was far ahead. I managed a last-minute dive and catch.

It is always a pleasure to play against Z. I have to be highly efficient and flexible to win. Again, just barely scraped by and had bought more cards than Z. Z won the last time we played on the Roma board for two.

We play fast, running as fast as we think, with occasional pauses to think more as options become available. Next, Flip-7 was two full games for Z, with me going out too far while Z played with three cards most hands. We kept our scores on the calculator app on our respective iPhones. I played more conservatively on the last hand, as the choir broke up (we play during choir rehearsal) and was ahead when we ended, but it was a partial game. We all chatted for a while and then went our separate ways. I stopped by McDonald’s, got a hot fudge Sundae, returned home in Air VW the Gray, and watched Star Trek: DS9 episodes.

Moving back from the morning into the early afternoon, I headed out and drove into surprisingly heavy traffic as various municipalities began installing across Beaverton. I would not dare to question the wisdom of the local officials or the number of holes they have installed. Slow-moving traffic had me burning more time than I wanted to reach the Dollar Store–I have to pack and clean–and I bought some plasticware for my trip, but the paper bowls and napkins were not available. I crossed the Cedar Hills Mall parking lot, across the street, and stopped at Paris Begette for a sandwich, another California Turkey club. This time, they offered to cut it in half. I have to admit, I ate it all.

I enjoyed my visit to Winco. I got a few extra items because they were well-priced. I found my bowls in 35 packs and napkins. I acquired their chicken for $5.99 and some potato salad for dinner. Joan S. and I discussed the finer points of cheap rotisserie chicken; she recommends WinCo over Costco, and I agree. The salt and pepper seasoning works well for the Winco version; I had that for dinner with the last of the broccoli (preventing it from becoming else while I am away).

Somewhere in the evening, I swept and mopped the kitchen floor and did the dishes. During the day, Deborah and I looked at the Getty Center.

I rose at 7ish, found the coffee from yesterday, had it with a protein bar, and wrote the blog. Deborah called me to start our day together, always a pleasure.

Dear reader, please consider attending if you are in the area. From the press release:

BEAVERTON, Ore. — [May 18, 2026] — A new public forum dedicated to ideas, culture, and civic dialogue is coming to Beaverton with the launch of the Beaverton Lecture Series, a community-centered initiative designed to spark thoughtful conversation and deeper connection across the region. The series opens on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 7:00 PM with the inaugural lecture, “Indigenous Place Keeping: Learning from the Land,” featuring cultural leader David Harrelson. The event will be held at The Historic Downtown Methodist Church, located next to the Beaverton City Library at 12555 SW 4th Street, Beaverton, OR 97005. Admission is free and open to the public. Harrelson, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the tribe’s Cultural Resources Department Manager, will explore the Indigenous practice of “keeping place” — understanding land not merely as physical space, but as a living network of relationships connecting people, plants, history, and community. “No matter where you live, you are on Indigenous land,” Harrelson says, underscoring the continuing relevance of Indigenous knowledge and stewardship.

With more than 16 years of experience in cultural resources and heritage preservation, Harrelson’s work spans ethnobotany, Indigenous foods, contact-era Pacific Northwest history, and Western Oregon Indigenous art. In addition to his leadership with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, he currently serves on the Oregon Arts Commission and previously served on the Oregon State Advisory Committee for Historic Preservation.

ABOUT BEAVERTON LECTURE SERIES
The Beaverton Lecture Series was created to provide an accessible and welcoming gathering space where residents can engage with important ideas shaping culture, history, identity, and civic life. Our hope is that this series becomes a trusted gathering point in Beaverton for learning, dialogue, and shared reflection.

HERE
What: Indigenous Place Keeping: Learning from the Land
Speaker: David Harrelson Date: Thursday, June 4, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Historic Downtown Methodist Church 12555 SW 4th Street, Beaverton, OR 97005
Admission: Free and open to the public

Here is more information: David Harrelson Press Release.docx – Google Docs

Thanks for reading and considering attending (if you are in the local area).