one of my interest, or hobby is to collect different types of monopoly. the first monopoly i had, the very original with Mayfair as the most expensive property and Old Kent Road as the cheapest property, is given to me as a gift by my mum many many x'mas over. that was when my mum still bother to give me x'mas gifts and without thinking, i asked for monopoly. but with this first monopoly, it's always my mum and i playing it and sometimes, i have to beg her to play with me, cos she would be very tired after work and i recalled, most of the time she won. once, in record time less than 15 mins. when i was young, i would be sulky that she won and when i must declare bankrupt, i just keep saying i owe her i owe her just so that the night continues and tt we can play longer and maybe cause i kept thinking i will win it back.

so yea, my first monopoly. then somewhere maybe 1 or 2 xmases later, i saw they have monopoly in the singapore edition. naturally, i asked for tt as my next xmas gift. i love that too.. feels happy tt my collection is increasing and all. i would choose different versions alternately to play with my mum. i remember in order to make it difficult for two players, cos those who play would know it's pretty easy for 2 players to win, lesser competition you see, i came up with all sort of rules. now, come to think of it, i cannot remember if i m the one who came up with it or i was taught those rules.

you see, i used to go to my cousin's place every sunday and cos this playmate was so precious to me, we try to play all sorts of games, from dig dug, pacman to singing competition where the results were always the same, hopscotch in the kitchen, but so monopoly is a game we can play once in a while, so i remember when i play monopoly then, there were rules such as first round no buying of property, nothing, u can only walk around the board the first time. or when u throw double and reach a space, u cannot do anything but throw again and things like, money as fines or taxes all go the free parking and the one who reach there takes it all, can build houses even when u dun have complete set and even when u have complete set, build one shot at one of the property.

now, as a monopoly fan grown old. let me correct it. no such thing as first round, can just buy. and when throw double, move to the space, can do wadever the space allows u to do then throw again and ar, houses must be built equally, if start with one, all the properties of tt colour must have one. in other words, build evenly.

so naturally, when my cousin's house has play station with monopoly disc, i was fascinated, love it. but i think she got bored of it.. and we ve to play other games instead. but my love never die there. when i first realise monopoly went beyong monopoly, and there are concept games such as choco-poly or animal-poly. though not the original Parker Brothers, it caught my attention and on my 20th Birthday, i got chocopoly AND photo-poly, which sorry girls, haven't got to do it yet.

just an intro, photopoly needs u to fill in the pictures, like a DIY thingy.

so now, with my latest edition, the BibleOpoly. i'm really a fan ain't i? i can memerise all the rent, price, rent with one house, 2, 3, 4 even with a hotel. i know exactly where the token moves just by thorwing dice. i played that often you see. but monopoly always reminds me how lonely i was as a child. i remember when i was bored on a Saturday afternoon, when my mum is at work, i would play by myself... acting as 2 players, moving and deciding for both. if not, i would call my cousin, and ask her to choose token.. throw dice for her.. ask her decide and all.... this is the "perk" of being only child. when people tell me only child is good, i just think to myself, if only u went through it urself.

now as i grow older and monopoly became a collecting thing, feels slightly better. some people might not understand why i like it so much, but it means something to me. being part of my childhood and all. monopoly now also come up with more and more different variations.. one day, i might be a collector of all, even limited edition, if i have the money. but yea... it's a part of my childhood.