What Do You Call...

The Chinese may make the toys kids play with, the dishes we eat off of, the floor we walk on, but they will not be making comments on this blog. I have had to invoke the "right to refuse posting" of comments.

I tell you that because this posting is about a game created decades ago after a huge dinner and a "little" wine, and a long drive home (riding as a passenger). It's corny but fun. We own it. But you can play and I encourage you to do so in the comments section.

Here's how it goes:

First, you either need a map of a state or need to be very familiar with the towns/villages/cities of a state. Often this is the state in which you live. This is the part that could turn this into an educational tool for all you teachers.

Next, the first player thinks up a question and answer and presents just the question to other players. Two or more can play. The question is "What do you call a town where all the residents are little Angelina Jolie's?" In this case the answer is "Joliet" as if they are "Joliettes"...

No body said it had to be anything other than corny and the more groans the better. Of course, proper wording of the question is key. "What do you call a town where all Santa's elves finish this phrase, 'No____.'?" The answer is "Pekin" as in "peekin'" as in ...duh, at the Christmas presents.

And, Whaddaya or whatcha is not acceptable. PLEASE, proper grammar is important. Come up with a few.

Fun At Night - It's All In The Game

Instead of our small group (faith-based) study, we all agreed to go to the championship game of our local baseball team, The Springfield Sliders. Nomenclature sensitivity is exampled at its finest in that choice and the competition's - The Danville Dans. Yes, there were two Dan's on the team. So be it.
We won, by a landslide - thus justifying the name, even though the mascot is a red slider turtle, not exactly what comes to mind when conjuring up a foreboding competitor. But it is the early stages of league play so let's give it to 'em.
The point is, this was great fun! It was spontaneous, corny, healthy, nostalgic, friendly, safe, reasonably priced - all of what we need to keep life in the proper perspective; I know I haven't listed all the qualities. When we left we felt good about having been there. That's nice. It was restorative.
Sometimes the best we can do for ourselves and others is the simple activity. The team has a tradition of doing really goofy fan competitions. Every kid wanted to participate and every winner (all of them) glowed with the thrill of victory.
It wasn't about WII, GameBoy or any other techno-wizardry. It was about what is REAL.