Scramble with Friends

Friends,

I'm sure competitiveness (and every other character trait) can probably be quantified on some sort of spectrum, but my experience tells me there are only two types of people -- really competitive and "so noncompetitive that I wish we could all stop competing and just sing kumbaya".

I've always been in the first camp, though I'm happy to say that, my extended family's opinion notwithstanding ("A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home"), with each passing year I invest less emotion in winning.  I think this process must have begun my senior year in high school, when, despite being one of the most competitive dudes on the planet, I inexplicably chose "You can't win 'em all" to accompany my photo in the yearbook.

[In case anyone's wondering, my low point in this area came in college when I shouted at a Catch Phrase teammate, "You're incompetent!".  Like I said, low point.]

Still, there remains in me a desire to be the best.  The problem is, as we all learn and accept to varying degrees, there's always someone out there who's better than you at whatever your skill is.  [Except in those rare, rare cases in which you are somehow literally the best person in the world at something (for a time, until the new best person emerges).]

My most recent strive for perfection came in the form of the popular iPhone app Scramble with Friends.

Scramble with Enemies
At best, frenemies

I played many, many games of Scramble before I lost one.  To celebrate my streak, I've compiled some of the funny comments my opponents have sent me during our matches:

Gary:

- I couldn’t beat these scores if I had two extra minutes per round.

- I cheated that time and you still beat me.

Amber:

- I heard you get like a thousand points per round.

- You get like a thousand points per round.

Ryan:

- So the legends about you are true.

Brad (the first of two people to beat me so far):

- Getting a Scramble challenge from Jon Mathieu is like Derek Jeter asking you to play baseball.  Cool to play with a legend, but bound to lose.

- U are not human

Jaime (Brad's wife and the other person who has beaten me):

- JON MATHIEU YOU ARE SO STINKING GOOD AT THIS GAME!!

- I beat every person I play except for you- You are so stinking good at this game!!

- You always pull off a win… I am so determined to beat you JUST ONCE!!

Congrats to Brad and Jaime for their perseverence and skills.  As for me, it was good to finally lose.  I now play with much less pressure and was reminded that I'm a finite, sinful creature whose very existence depends at all times on the continuous and ongoing power and work of Jesus.

Please comment.

I'm going to give you a bunch of questions.  You can just pick one if you want and take like 8 seconds to answer.

Are you super-competitive or not at all? Or am I missing some middle categories?

What has been your most recent or epic attempt at being the best?

Which iPhone app are you obsessed with?

What's your favorite word game?

Jon