M is going to a birthday party. Unbeknownst to me, it is becoming fashionable in our area to throw a special party for the 13th birthday. When I asked around, I was told that these parties are usually held in a church fellowship hall and involve pizza, basketball, and boardgames. M's friend is not having one of those. Her mother is throwing her a gala banquet, complete with DJ and fancy invitation that must be shown at the door if you want to get in. It also requires semi-formal dress. Yikes!
If you have been reading this blog for a while, you know that we are not fancy people. I've spent the past several months trying to teach M how to match her clothes together. She is just starting to show an interest in fashion, so she doesn't have a lot of nice dresses in her closet and has NEVER worn a pair of heels out in public. I have one evening (tomorrow) to try to find something suitable that is also inexpensive. This probably means that I will need to go to the mall, but I think I am going to have a problem getting ABM to go anywhere other than Wal-Mart. May the spirits of high fashion be with me!
31 July 2006
30 July 2006
Growing My Own Gamers #8: What is YOUR regional card game?
SESSION REPORT: Lately, I've been gaming almost every day with my co-workers. Unfortunately, it has been a lot of Pounce and Dungeon. They are the only standard-deck card games I've found so far that are short enough to play during a 15-minute break at work. I like them both but I definitely could use a bit more variety.
We tried a new game this past week called Revolution. The instructions don't list number of players, but in my limited experience it is best with 3-5 players. This is a simple game where you are trying to conquer a suit by playing the most cards of that suit in front of you. The trick is that you can't play a card if you have already played a lower-valued card of the same suit. It is a quick game with very little thinking, and you can definitely play a few rounds during a break. My co-workers seemed to like it, but we still went back to Pounce after a couple plays.
QUESTION: What is YOUR regional card game?
Since we have gotten pretty good at these games, my co-workers and I can now talk and play at the same time. We have been discussing card games that we grew up with. I've noticed that each group (whether divided by university, region, or race) seems to have a trick-taking game that they all know. For instance, Euchre is the game that is common among my friends from midwestern states like Michigan. Black people here in the south don't make it through puberty without learning how to play Spades, although I have heard that Bid Whist is the game of choice among blacks in other states. (For the record, I didn't learn to play either one until recently.)
I would love to hear from my readers (yes, both of you!). What is the most common card game in your area? In your family? At your alma mater?
GAMES ON MY RADAR: A thirst for variety and a small game budget keeps me looking for free games on the internet. I have a couple in mind that I want to try out on our next game night.
The first one is called Wyoming Cowboy. As you probably guessed from the name, it is a card game with a Western theme for 3-4 players. The goal is to collect points for certain combinations of cards such as a harem or a posse. The rules look a bit complicated but I bet it will be a hoot once we get a handle on it.
The second one is called Milk Run. Spades and clubs are chocolate milk while hearts and diamonds are strawberry milk. Two or more players compete to be the first one to make 30 deliveries of each kind of milk. You can only make deliveries when certain cards are showing in front of you, and you can play cards to other people's stacks to stop them from delivering. I think that our group will like this because of the "take-that" aspect. It requires a lot of cards (one full deck per player) but the listed playing time isn't that long.
-------------------------------------------------
That's it for this look into my gaming life. Time for you to go play!
We tried a new game this past week called Revolution. The instructions don't list number of players, but in my limited experience it is best with 3-5 players. This is a simple game where you are trying to conquer a suit by playing the most cards of that suit in front of you. The trick is that you can't play a card if you have already played a lower-valued card of the same suit. It is a quick game with very little thinking, and you can definitely play a few rounds during a break. My co-workers seemed to like it, but we still went back to Pounce after a couple plays.
QUESTION: What is YOUR regional card game?
Since we have gotten pretty good at these games, my co-workers and I can now talk and play at the same time. We have been discussing card games that we grew up with. I've noticed that each group (whether divided by university, region, or race) seems to have a trick-taking game that they all know. For instance, Euchre is the game that is common among my friends from midwestern states like Michigan. Black people here in the south don't make it through puberty without learning how to play Spades, although I have heard that Bid Whist is the game of choice among blacks in other states. (For the record, I didn't learn to play either one until recently.)
I would love to hear from my readers (yes, both of you!). What is the most common card game in your area? In your family? At your alma mater?
GAMES ON MY RADAR: A thirst for variety and a small game budget keeps me looking for free games on the internet. I have a couple in mind that I want to try out on our next game night.
The first one is called Wyoming Cowboy. As you probably guessed from the name, it is a card game with a Western theme for 3-4 players. The goal is to collect points for certain combinations of cards such as a harem or a posse. The rules look a bit complicated but I bet it will be a hoot once we get a handle on it.
The second one is called Milk Run. Spades and clubs are chocolate milk while hearts and diamonds are strawberry milk. Two or more players compete to be the first one to make 30 deliveries of each kind of milk. You can only make deliveries when certain cards are showing in front of you, and you can play cards to other people's stacks to stop them from delivering. I think that our group will like this because of the "take-that" aspect. It requires a lot of cards (one full deck per player) but the listed playing time isn't that long.
-------------------------------------------------
That's it for this look into my gaming life. Time for you to go play!
28 July 2006
The planets have aligned
According to this article, Zac Efron has been chosen to play the male lead in the movie version of Hairspray. The Broadway cast CD of Hairspray has been in heavy rotation in my house for months, so the kids will be excited when they find out it is being made into a movie. Not only that, but Zac Efron played the male lead in one of their favorite movies, High School Musical. I've also read that Queen Latifah will be playing the role of Motormouth Maybelle. That is perfect casting in my mind, so this movie will be a treat for all of us. Perhaps I can talk ABM into taking us to the theatre rather than waiting to see it on DVD.
27 July 2006
Poetry Thursday: Food
Baked chicken breast
No skin, no bone, no sauce
Surrounded by steamed
Carrots and squash.
The meat is moist
Yet bland.
With every bite I take
It whispers,
"You're on a diet,
You can't deny it,
And the lust in his eyes
Has vanished."
Why do I put up with this?
I should have gotten the bratwurst--
It never talks back.
--Dani Sanders 25 Jul 2006
No skin, no bone, no sauce
Surrounded by steamed
Carrots and squash.
The meat is moist
Yet bland.
With every bite I take
It whispers,
"You're on a diet,
You can't deny it,
And the lust in his eyes
Has vanished."
Why do I put up with this?
I should have gotten the bratwurst--
It never talks back.
--Dani Sanders 25 Jul 2006
25 July 2006
What I Like: The Spiel
Board and card games are my current passion, so I listen to every podcast I can find on the subject. My list has been pretty stable for a while, but last week I found one I hadn't heard called The Spiel. Who knew that there could be yet another way to talk about games?
This bi-weekly show is hosted by two guys, Dave and Steven. From the very first episode, they had their format in place. To start the show, they each mention a news item from the gaming world that caught their interest. The next (and longest) segment is called The List. They keep a combined running list of games that they own that they haven't played yet, and they give a session report on games that have been played and removed from the list. They also have segments called Back Shelf Spotlight, Game Sommalier, and Truckloads of Goober.
What sets The Spiel apart from other boardgaming podcasts is that the show is less threatening to a person like me who is new to the hobby. I enjoy many other podcasts on the subject, such as The Dice Tower and Boardgame Babylon. However, I always feel like a total n00b when I listen to those shows. Dave and Steven just sound like guys who happen to own a few more games than I do. They don't talk a lot about conventions or gaming groups. They make it a point to say that they will play anything with anybody, whether it is a Eurogame or a few hands of Euchre. They seem to acknowledge that many people just want to play with their friends. If you are interested in a podcast where cribbage and Carcassonne peacefully co-exist, go check out The Spiel.
22 July 2006
Sometimes it isn't about the door you walk through, but what you do once you get in
Telly Nelly mentioned in his comment on my Kelly Clarkson post that he had trouble liking her at first because she came on the scene via "American Idol". I am NOT a big fan of AI, either. I didn't even watch it at all during the season when Kelly Clarkson won. However, I know that performers may have to walk through some strange doors to get recognized in show business. In the case of AI winners, I try to reserve judgement until I see what they do after they have completed their AI commitment. Sometimes they shine when they stop trying to be America's Singer and go off into the genre with which they are most comfortable. Of course, there are others who really like to sing dreck. I'm not naming any names because I would like to keep my friends!
19 July 2006
Poetry Thursday: Let's Talk about Sex
The discussion this week turns to sex and poetry. This amuses me because I have spent the past month or so immersed in that very topic. I have been recording segments for a podcast where I read rap and hip-hop lyrics as if they were poetry. I pick my own lyrics to recite, so I have been wading through this stuff for weeks. If you thought that rap was sexually charged already, try reading the lyrics out loud without music! There was no way I could come up with a new poem on the subject with Nelly Furtado and the Pussycat Dolls running through my head.
With no new poetry to post, I turned to my back catalogue to bail me out. Sex was on my mind a lot when I wrote poetry 20 years ago. Looking through my notebook, I see now that the sex on my brain didn't make it to the page. Most of my romantic poems were more about longing than actual physical contact. Since I didn't write a new poem for today, I am going to share two old ones.
--------------------------------------
They melted together
Into one
glorious
sticky-sweet
Puddle,
Like a double-scoop ice cream cone,
The chocolate swirling into the vanilla
Until one is indistinguishable
From the other
In the heat of the steamy August night.
--Dani Sanders, 04 October 1989
--------------------------------
If I told you
That I have forgotten
How it feels
To be touched by you,
Would you refresh
My memory
And hold me again?
Would you circle me
With strong arms
While you place
A tender kiss
On my eagerly awaiting lips?
Or would you
Pull me towards you
Roughly,
Knowing that sometimes
Crudeness
Is what excites me
Most?
Just a few hours
Of your existence
Is all I need
To awaken my senses
And remind me
What it is
To be a woman
Desired.
--Dani Sanders, 03 April 1988
With no new poetry to post, I turned to my back catalogue to bail me out. Sex was on my mind a lot when I wrote poetry 20 years ago. Looking through my notebook, I see now that the sex on my brain didn't make it to the page. Most of my romantic poems were more about longing than actual physical contact. Since I didn't write a new poem for today, I am going to share two old ones.
--------------------------------------
They melted together
Into one
glorious
sticky-sweet
Puddle,
Like a double-scoop ice cream cone,
The chocolate swirling into the vanilla
Until one is indistinguishable
From the other
In the heat of the steamy August night.
--Dani Sanders, 04 October 1989
--------------------------------
If I told you
That I have forgotten
How it feels
To be touched by you,
Would you refresh
My memory
And hold me again?
Would you circle me
With strong arms
While you place
A tender kiss
On my eagerly awaiting lips?
Or would you
Pull me towards you
Roughly,
Knowing that sometimes
Crudeness
Is what excites me
Most?
Just a few hours
Of your existence
Is all I need
To awaken my senses
And remind me
What it is
To be a woman
Desired.
--Dani Sanders, 03 April 1988
18 July 2006
What I Like: The Company series by Kage Baker
Kage Baker has created an intriguing world in her novel series entitled The Company. The Company in question is Dr. Zeus, Inc., an organization that makes a business out of secret time travel. Sending people back and forth in time is expensive, so training centers were created in the 1600s to turn children of that time into immortal cyborgs. These new Company employees save items that are abundant in the past and hide them to be discovered by Company employees in the future. Since these items are usually rare in the future, Dr. Zeus makes a tidy sum selling them to the highest bidder.
Starting with the first novel "In the Garden of Iden", Baker follows a young Spaniard named Mendoza from her recruitment through several rocky assignments. Although she is an immortal, she is still human with all the foibles of our species. That is what keeps the story from being dry. I've read this book along with "Sky Coyote" and I am about to start "Mendoza in Hollywood". There were a few slow spots in the second book, but for the most part Baker gets down to business. If you want something that is a step above beach reading without straining your brain, I would recommend this series.
15 July 2006
Health Update
Yes, it is going up instead of down. I think that talking and writing about my weight every day just made things worse. There is a rebellious 16-year-old inside of me who goes in the opposite direction of anything to which she is exposed too much. Talking about my health made me want to eat all the time. So I am going to give up on my weight loss blog and just try to get the job done. Perhaps if I treat exercise and healthy eating like a regular part of my daily life, then I will see a positive result.
13 July 2006
Poetry Thursday: Untitled
I couldn't follow this week's prompt about humor in poetry; the only funny poetry I know was written by Dr. Seuss. As you can see from my own work, I don't exactly write funny poetry, either. So I am being lazy again and posting one of my old poems.
----------------------
She sat across the room from him,
Staring silently at the back of his head,
Wishing,
Wanting,
Hoping,
That he would speak.
She needed to know
That he wanted her there.
She wanted to feel the words
"I love you"
Uttered breathlessly against the nape of her neck.
Every fiber in her body
Screamed out for his touch,
Yet he just sat there,
Entranced by the too-loud television
And the six-pack of warm beer,
Oblivious to her aching need.
--Dani M. Sanders, 27 Jun 1989
----------------------
She sat across the room from him,
Staring silently at the back of his head,
Wishing,
Wanting,
Hoping,
That he would speak.
She needed to know
That he wanted her there.
She wanted to feel the words
"I love you"
Uttered breathlessly against the nape of her neck.
Every fiber in her body
Screamed out for his touch,
Yet he just sat there,
Entranced by the too-loud television
And the six-pack of warm beer,
Oblivious to her aching need.
--Dani M. Sanders, 27 Jun 1989
11 July 2006
What I Like: Kelly Clarkson's "Walk Away" Video
Kelly Clarkson is American Idol's shining star, and this song is a perfect example. "Walk Away" grabbed me from the first moment I heard it. The sassiness of the music and the lyrics are much better suited to Clarkson's voice than the dreck she sang right after winning AI.
The video is a great match for the song. This is the kind of song that makes girls sing into their hairbrushes, and that is what the video shows. No crazy avant-garde visuals--just scenes of everyday folk around town singing along to a great song.
06 July 2006
Because I couldn't resist
I still feel attached to the first draft of my Poetry Thursday offering, so I am posting it. Feel free to share what is wrong with either one of them. Samantha suggested that I was trying too hard to make the poem fit within a certain structure in this draft. I lost the feeling of the first stanza.
-------------------------------
We've been together so long
That we barely glance at each other each day
And our names have fallen away
Which seems so wrong.
How does my name feel on your tongue?
Does it luxuriate in your mouth
Before making its way south
To your lungs, demanding to be sung?
Or do you spit my name out
Like a bitter taste
Letting its power go to waste
Instead of using its clout?
There's no end to what you might get
If you whispered it in my ear
Instead of just calling me "dear"
But you haven't tried it yet.
-------------------------------
We've been together so long
That we barely glance at each other each day
And our names have fallen away
Which seems so wrong.
How does my name feel on your tongue?
Does it luxuriate in your mouth
Before making its way south
To your lungs, demanding to be sung?
Or do you spit my name out
Like a bitter taste
Letting its power go to waste
Instead of using its clout?
There's no end to what you might get
If you whispered it in my ear
Instead of just calling me "dear"
But you haven't tried it yet.
Poetry Thursday: Do You Know Who I Am?
This week, I chose to use a previous Poetry Thursday prompt that suggested finding inspiration from a single line of poetry. I read a poem on the Sunday School Rebel blog recently about pet names. A line in it made me want to write a poem of my own. The line was "and our names have fallen away". In the original poem this was a sign of the couple's intimacy, but it felt sad to me. At first I was just going to go with that feeling, but then I challenged myself to work the actual line into my poem.
This poem is a bit different that what I started with a few days' ago. Samantha, the author of the Sunday School Rebel, confirmed my suspicion that my first draft strayed away from the mood her original line conjured for me. So I scrapped everything but the first stanza and did a rewrite. If anyone would like to see the first draft for a comparison, let me know in the comments and I will post it.
Do You Know Who I Am?
We've been together so long
That we barely glance at each other
And our names have fallen away
Which seems so wrong.
We pass each other in hallways
And trade chore lists,
Settled in the mundane details
Of intertwined lives.
Our names have been replaced with
"Can you?" and
"Would you?" and
"Come here, please."
We've abandoned many niceties
For the sake of
Easy companionship
But my name on your lips
Is what I miss the most.
--Dani Sanders, 06 July 2006
This poem is a bit different that what I started with a few days' ago. Samantha, the author of the Sunday School Rebel, confirmed my suspicion that my first draft strayed away from the mood her original line conjured for me. So I scrapped everything but the first stanza and did a rewrite. If anyone would like to see the first draft for a comparison, let me know in the comments and I will post it.
Do You Know Who I Am?
We've been together so long
That we barely glance at each other
And our names have fallen away
Which seems so wrong.
We pass each other in hallways
And trade chore lists,
Settled in the mundane details
Of intertwined lives.
Our names have been replaced with
"Can you?" and
"Would you?" and
"Come here, please."
We've abandoned many niceties
For the sake of
Easy companionship
But my name on your lips
Is what I miss the most.
--Dani Sanders, 06 July 2006
05 July 2006
What I Like: Dirty Jobs
Discovery Channel ran a Dirty Jobs marathon on 4th of July. For those unfamiliar with the show, the host Mike Rowe tries his hand at the difficult jobs that keep this country running yet are rarely profiled. Yesterday, I watched Mr. Rowe work as a pig farmer, a beekeeper, an exterminator, and a hot tar roofer, among other things. He usually profiles three jobs per episode and at least one of them involves some sort of poo.
Why do I like this show? There was a quote from Mr. Rowe on the official site that will help me answer that question:
"It's surprising how many people come home from relatively 'clean' jobs at the end of the day feeling bitter and miserable. Whereas the people I meet, by and large, seem really content with their lives, and happy with their dirty jobs."
This is the type of show that reminds me to be thankful for what I've got. I work in one of those clean jobs and, yes, at the end of many days I am whining and moaning about how unfair my life is. At least I don't have to stick my arm up a cow's butt or collect owl vomit!
03 July 2006
Life experience meme
I picked this one up at Gina's house. I thought it might be fun to tick off the experiences I've had over my 40 years.
--------------------------
Bold the ones you've done..
01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your cds
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror.
96. Raised children.
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived.
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146: Dyed your hair
147: Been a DJ
148: Shaved your head
149: Caused a car accident
150: Saved someone's life
-------------------------------------
OK, so I haven't done anything terribly interesting. There are only five other things on this list that I can see myself doing in my lifetime. I guess I will pass quietly from this life.
--------------------------
Bold the ones you've done..
01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your cds
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror.
96. Raised children.
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived.
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146: Dyed your hair
147: Been a DJ
148: Shaved your head
149: Caused a car accident
150: Saved someone's life
-------------------------------------
OK, so I haven't done anything terribly interesting. There are only five other things on this list that I can see myself doing in my lifetime. I guess I will pass quietly from this life.
Growing My Own Gamers #7
I've had several opportunites to squeeze in some card games since my last report. They were all small pockets of time, but it was better than nothing. Our breaks at work aren't long enough to complete a game, but 15 minutes is long enough for me to introduce a game and play a round or two.
On Saturday, M and I taught C2 how to play Dungeon. I figured out that with a game that plays 2+, it is easier for me to teach one person at a time and then add in another person each session. That way player #2 (the first person I taught) can help me teach player #3, and so on. This works especially well for me with the kids because one or two lose interest if I am trying to teach all four of them at once. C2 is my advanced learner when it comes to games, so she was giving me competition before the game was even half over.
By the way, Dungeon is a much more aggressive game with one deck of cards than with two. There are fewer cards to go around, so gameplay lasts a little longer as everyone is attacking each other to get the cards that they need. This doesn't mean that the game is super-simple with two decks, but the game plays differently. Everyone is trying to get what they need from the draw pile so they aren't attacking each other quite as much, which makes the game play more quickly.
In an effort to include the other kids, I switched to Towers of Wyoming because I thought it would be easier. They chose to stick with the GameCube so it was just M and C2 playing with me again. Towers of Wyoming comes under the heading of "root beer and pretzels" game for me. Each player tries to build a tower of cards while attacking the other players' towers. The only thing that matters is suit. Since you don't have to pay attention to the rank of the cards or laying them down in a certain order, it is the perfect game for kids or for socializing with grown-ups.
M and C2 liked this game so much they could have played all night, but I needed some sleep. Unfortunately, the kids' board and card game sessions still degenerate into shouting matches if I am not around so they couldn't play on their own. M has mentioned that she and her classmates played cards during their free period at school, so perhaps she will be able to introduce some of these games to her friends.
Dungeon got played twice at work last week, once with my lunchmate and once with my lunchmate and another co-worker. It went well, but that game does take more than one 15-minute break to sink in. I think once everyone learns the rules, we could just about squeeze a game into one break.
Today I offered to teach my lunchmate how to play Towers of Wyoming. Before I got all the cards dealt, we picked up two more players and an observer. We usually play quietly in a corner; working at an organization that employs Christians of all stripes, we didn't want to offend the ones that think playing cards puts you on the express train to Hell. Apparently, there are several avid card players in our department. They all picked up the game pretty quickly, and I had to remind them twice that our break was over! I have a feeling that a few of them will be seeking me out at break time on Wednesday.
On Saturday, M and I taught C2 how to play Dungeon. I figured out that with a game that plays 2+, it is easier for me to teach one person at a time and then add in another person each session. That way player #2 (the first person I taught) can help me teach player #3, and so on. This works especially well for me with the kids because one or two lose interest if I am trying to teach all four of them at once. C2 is my advanced learner when it comes to games, so she was giving me competition before the game was even half over.
By the way, Dungeon is a much more aggressive game with one deck of cards than with two. There are fewer cards to go around, so gameplay lasts a little longer as everyone is attacking each other to get the cards that they need. This doesn't mean that the game is super-simple with two decks, but the game plays differently. Everyone is trying to get what they need from the draw pile so they aren't attacking each other quite as much, which makes the game play more quickly.
In an effort to include the other kids, I switched to Towers of Wyoming because I thought it would be easier. They chose to stick with the GameCube so it was just M and C2 playing with me again. Towers of Wyoming comes under the heading of "root beer and pretzels" game for me. Each player tries to build a tower of cards while attacking the other players' towers. The only thing that matters is suit. Since you don't have to pay attention to the rank of the cards or laying them down in a certain order, it is the perfect game for kids or for socializing with grown-ups.
M and C2 liked this game so much they could have played all night, but I needed some sleep. Unfortunately, the kids' board and card game sessions still degenerate into shouting matches if I am not around so they couldn't play on their own. M has mentioned that she and her classmates played cards during their free period at school, so perhaps she will be able to introduce some of these games to her friends.
Dungeon got played twice at work last week, once with my lunchmate and once with my lunchmate and another co-worker. It went well, but that game does take more than one 15-minute break to sink in. I think once everyone learns the rules, we could just about squeeze a game into one break.
Today I offered to teach my lunchmate how to play Towers of Wyoming. Before I got all the cards dealt, we picked up two more players and an observer. We usually play quietly in a corner; working at an organization that employs Christians of all stripes, we didn't want to offend the ones that think playing cards puts you on the express train to Hell. Apparently, there are several avid card players in our department. They all picked up the game pretty quickly, and I had to remind them twice that our break was over! I have a feeling that a few of them will be seeking me out at break time on Wednesday.
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