On this, the day for love and couples it may seen odd to talk about exes, but hear me out... I'm going somewhere with this.
I think that people can learn from most situations. Whether things turned out in your favor or not, we can learn something from it. Relationships are no different. Looking back at people that I've gone on a date with they've each helped me get to where I am now. From them I have a clearer idea of the type of guy I want to be with. I want someone who is honest, trustworthy, and sincerely kind. I like the strongly opinionated. I don't like the strongly oppressive. I like the creative type. Music-minded. Make me laugh, and I'll do my best to make you laugh too. I like the Thinkers. Speak your mind. Deep, get-lost-in eyes and a great smile go a long way. Combine that with an infectious laugh, and you've got a winning combo. Sure this just scratches the surface, but it helps paint the picture. It draws the outlines at least.
You could say that I wouldn't have to date someone to figure these things out. It does help to refine the overall idea. In their own way, good or bad, they helped me realize that I have an amazing man in my life. He's thoughtful, fun and funny, caring, strikingly handsome... he's the one that tucks me in with a good night call and the first person I think about when I get up in the morning. He's the one that is probably a little embarrassed right now reading this. Which... sorry babe. You know me. Sometimes I just gotta say what I gotta say.
I posted this @ 2/14/2008 04:12:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
10/18/2007
I CANNOT CONTROL YOU WITH A SMILE
I like photography. I don't do enough of it. I don't know enough about it to do anything technical. While I certainly have enough photos of me in front of the camera, I must admit enjoying being behind the lens. This is why...
Whereas Mark looks handsomely adorable... I look crazed!! But I do appreciate the soft focus.
I posted this @ 10/18/2007 08:03:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
10/01/2007
THE I LOVE YOU SONG
It's been an emotional week for me. If guys get their own version of PMS then this has been my time of the month. Seriously... take note people. Last week of the month!
I could go on about how even an hour away is a long-term relationship. But I know people who have harder situations. So I'll keep my mouth shut on that one.
What I will say tho is that there was something pretty damned special knowing that he'd be there when I got off work. It really got me through the day on Saturday, after working twelve hours. I love you for that, you know. :-* :x >:D<
Ok, ok, ok...
On Friday Mark and I went to The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Which is my first 'actual' Broadway show. Touring... but still Broadway, compared to local theater where I learned to feel bad about my penis or question why someone wrote a song about pee.
I was really excited to see this show. I'd been listening to the music for a LONG time... a few songs in particular. One of them being The I Love You Song.
A little set up about this show and this song in particular. The show is very interactive with the audience. Each show there are several volunteers that get up on stage and take their turn spelling with the 'kids' in the spelling bee. There is a lot of improv that happens as a result of having new people on stage each night.
Overall the show focuses on these six competitors and the personal issues they face as a result of being in the spelling bee. The need to be perfect at everything. Pressure from parents to win at any cost. Parents who are neglectful of what's important to their kids. Not feeling like you are as smart as other kids. It's not really a downer tho. You really feel for these characters, but they make you smile. The make you laugh through the tears as they each come to terms with their situations. In a way it reminds me a LOT of The Breakfast Club. Each of these kids knows that they have problems just like anyone else and that really... in a way, they are all winners.
The I Love You Song was one of the first that Mark turned me on to. So in that respect alone it makes me think of him a lot anyway. Then when you listen to the lyrics and really understand how sad this girl is... well... when I saw it on stage... I was a mess. I knew it was coming. I'd been emotional all week anyway like I said and that was just the home run for me.
So let's have something chipper now. I can't take much more of the weepy stuff. I'm spent. :P
I posted this @ 10/01/2007 12:42:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
8/31/2007
MOVIN' ON UP NOW
'Tis a sad weekend indeed. For you see, my neighbor is moving out. Now even though I've not mentioned him except for the occasionally gripe he has become quite the topic around the parts. Rarely a weekend goes by that his drunken antics fail to amuse. This is of course, as long as they don't directly affect me.
On his final days... let's take a look back at some of Matt's finer moments, shall we. Merely a week after I moved in, he moved in. I had yet to unpack. My bed was not assembled (because I didn't have a mattress). I was leaving for a 12 hour road trip to Louisville, Ky and Chicago, IL. It is on the night before I leave that he decide to have a house warming party that lasts into the wee hours of the morning. I was willing to let it go for a while. Thinking they had to tire themselves out eventually or pass out... But by 4am... I was not a happy camper.
This set the bar pretty high for what lengths he would go to when he would party. But, not willing to rest on his laurels for too long he soon found other ways to make his presence known. Races up and down the stairs. Drunken games of Catch with a softball from his balcony to the parking lot, over people's vehicles. And let's not forget the time he was pretty sure he could jump, nay... FLY from his balcony. But, in order to fly he needed to be undressed first... Tossing his clothes off the balcony to... apparently determine wind direction.
His antics were evident each morning after when we could find half-eaten grilled burgers, beer cans, and the occasional spray of vomit on the shared balcony.
But he wasn't without his sensitive moments, too. I'm pretty sure he thought Mark lives at my apartment and I'm the one who makes frequent stays. Mark has become his confidante. His guru. His confessor. Money is not Matt's God. After Matt's brother told him that flying would not be a good idea, he joined Mark for this heartfelt sentiment.
"Money is not my God," he slurs. Wise words, man. Wise words.
I can only hope that my next neighbor will be as entertaining if not a little quieter, at least in the early morning hours. Though, I'd trade a little lack of quiet for the absence of damp vomit. KTHX
You'll be missed, Matt. By the way, can I have your grill?
I posted this @ 8/31/2007 09:26:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
7/23/2007
GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN
It's been a full weekend so let's get started, shall we?
Friday night Mark and I went to a musical put on by a local community playhouse. A couple of Mark's friends were starring in it. We've been to plays before at this place. It's a quaint small performing theater that usually puts on lesser known (to me) productions. This one was called A... My Name Is Alice.
It was described to me as the Vagina Monologues with music. I was weary... Let's be honest. The vagina is definitely not my forte and while I'm all for the empowerment of women, I was unsure about how this would play out in drama-form.
As we took our seats I perused the song/scene list to see how many performances Mark's friends were in. All Girl Band started us off and was fun enough. I like all girl bands. The Bangles. The Donnas. The Go-Gos. When I spotted "For Women Only Poem" I became worried. There were very few men in the audience. And the ones that there were had been accompanied by a female. Would we be kicked out for not having a guide with us?
The song I Sure Like The Boys brightened my outlook. I can relate. When I asked Mark if I could stand up and give a supportive and sympathetic "Me too!" when she sang, I was told "no". I'm unfamiliar with the proper etiquette of musicals.
In the end it was the For Women Only Poems (yes there were a few) that stood out as the funniest scenes. A woman who bore a striking resemblance to Kristen Johnson from Third Rock From The Sun fame would beatnik her way through a few lines of free verse before ending on a comical note of acting out a flightless bird, or dying plant, or most comically, a honking swan. I understand that this is definitely something that doesn't translate well into print. But trust me... when a seemingly bitter young woman starts squawking at the top of her lungs and pantomimes the motions of water fowl... it's funny shit.
By the end, I didn't hate my penis. Nor do I think anyone else in the audience hated my penis either. It was more pro-woman than anti-man than my original thoughts led me to believe. But that still didn't stop Mark or I from picking a bar fight just to reaffirm our manhood.
I posted this @ 7/23/2007 07:20:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
7/12/2007
ALL I NEED IS THE AIR THAT I BREATHE AND TO LOVE YOU
I swear I'm not a Drama Queen, but I won't say that I am not dramatic. And with the occasionally drama comes the occasionally pity party. I can tell that it's been building all week. Seriously, if men have PMS I think this is my time of the month.
ANYWAY... Today was one of those days that I just needed a few It'll Be Okay's and You'll Do It's.
So I just wanted to give a public acknowledgment of it.
I posted this @ 7/12/2007 07:27:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
6/15/2007
I'M WONWLY. SO WONWLY.
It's weird what we miss sometimes. Not that I don't appreciate what I have when it's right in front of me. But sometimes I think it takes an absence to really remind you how important someone is. A touch. A smile. A feeling. A laugh.
Anyway... I'm just feeling sorry for myself on a Friday night.
I posted this @ 6/15/2007 09:07:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
6/12/2007
ONE WAY OR ANOTHER
So I managed to make it through the weekend without using a funny accent. Friday was an interesting game of phone tag. With calls between Mark and myself (Mark and I? Jay, help.) and calls between Mark and his friend Andy, my phone was busy. Andy and his boyfriend, Mike, had some problems getting out of Chicago. I can relate. Last summer I had my own O'Hare flight stories. Even boarding a plane in Omaha I overheard a TSA mention that anyone flying out of Chicago can expect delays and issues with actually getting on a plane. Not that I'm glad Andy and Mike had flight difficulties, but it's good to know it wasn't just me.
Once in town, we picked them up and stopped by Applebee's for a quick dinner. All I can say about dinner is... to the couple that were sitting next to us, that were on a terribly awkward first or early relationship date. You are a loser and a braggart. Your "important phone calls" didn't impress her. She could see you checking people out as they walked by.
But I digress...
It was a good evening and great to meet Mark's friends. I was telling Mark, that even though I knew parts of some of the stories, I laughed at the insight Andy was sharing about things. I'm sure, my best friend, Mike could tell tons of different stories from when we were kids as what I tell. A few drinks later and we fire up the dart board. I think it's safe to say that Mark and I did not win... by a landslide? I need to practice more, for sure.
I'm not sure what time it was that we actually fell asleep, but at some point the police paid a visit to my neighbors. You might recall stories of his loudness from when I first moved in. Or perhaps stories about how he really only talks to either of us when he is drunk. He can be friendly enough, I guess. Well, in the morning when I hear that police had shown up at the neighbors door, I wasn't surprised. Mark took his friends to their final destination, and the morning went on as usual, with little or no sound coming from next door.
Later on, I ran into my neighbor's neighbor. I told him that we thought cops were next door and he laughed. It turns out it was just another friend who had stopped by and pounded on the door acting like police. Nice... I'm glad my friends don't fake police calls. I'd be a nervous wreck. I suppose my behavior doesn't warrant a police call though either.
I posted this @ 6/12/2007 01:14:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
5/22/2007
FASHION NUGGET*
*Because it's written by Cake. Get it? Huh. HUH!?
Now for most people, taking a store bought box of cake mix and producing a dessert with it is nothing major. For me, it's fucking magic. I don't bake. I've always subscirbed to the Rachel Ray school of baking. Baking is too precise. Cooking is more free spirited. Baking is a haiku. Cooking is free verse.
Mark's birthday was about a month ago, but I'm just now uploading this photo. His cake of choice? A Jell-o Cake. So not only did I have to make a cake. I had to make Jell-o. I'm serious. Have me make Chicken Cordon Bleu I can do. A Jell-o cake? Shit... But it turned out perfect according to him. I'm glad he liked it. I'm perfectly ok with him lying to me about my baking skills. It's a fair trade.
I posted this @ 5/22/2007 04:28:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
5/01/2007
'CAUSE IT'S A THRILLER, THRILLER NIGHT
While I think it is pretty typical to do a weekend recap... I'm going to do a weekend recap. SURPRISE!!
A lot of this centered around the BF's BD.
Hot Fuzz!! Go see this movie!! Did you see Shaun of the Dead? Go see that movie!!
I wasn't expecting the turn the movie took at all. Having come off Shaun of the Dead I expected the quirky British humor and oddball characters. I won't spoil the movie, but I will say that surprised by the climax. I know police partners are close, but there were a couple moments where Mark and I both wondered why Nicholas (Simon Pegg) and Danny (Nick Frost) just didn't kiss and get it over with. The movie starts off kind of slow before the main plot really kicks in. Clocking in at a hair over two hours, once shit hits the fan it's all action from then on. Good times kids. Definitely a movie I will buy.
The birthday dinner was celebrated at Carraba's with one of the nicest, perky, quirky waitresses I've ever had. She was fun without being obnoxious. She was friendly in a very sincere way. Amy rocked! We love you, Amy!! And we told her so. It was amusing at first as she explained the specials to us. It was a steak, and lest you think that Italians aren't known for steaks, "...they are. My Dad is a butcher so I know about steaks." Later she told us about how she had been playing tennis earlier and her arms were tired. But her legs were more tired because she isn't very good at tennis. So there was a lot of chasing/fetching the ball. Which might sound like whining, but it was in a total fun conversational way. Our drinks were never empty. Hell, she even gave us the recipe for their dipping herbage.
If you're curious... Fresh garlic, granulated garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, rosemary, oregano, basil, crushed red pepper, and parsley. Then add fruity evoo.
Ok... Have you seen Flava Of Love: Charm School. Don Imus would love these girls. It's a train wreck.
I posted this @ 4/29/2007 12:00:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
4/25/2007
RETURN TO INNOCENCE
Aaaaaaaaaand I'm back.
I find that it is difficult for me to focus on blogging anything when I'm at home. My work affords me the luxury of downtime that I can do some writing. Plus I get in the habit of reading as part of my morning routine while eating breakfast. So when I'm home and sleep in later or in the schools and not in front of a computer for the work day... it throws off my routine and I may not read that day.
ANYWAY... So what's been going on lately?
Mark and I went to the zoo over the weekend. This was the first time in almost two years that I've been to the zoo and actually enjoyed myself. We looked at everything the zoo offered. It made for a very entertaining day. I'm pretty lucky because he has the patience of a saint. Not only for working with children, but for putting up with me at the zoo as I took over 100 photos only to use about 25 of them. He even let me take a photo of him!
I finished another book. I finally jumped on the Harry Potter train only many years after the first original book. It's not a difficult read, but I wasn't expecting to finish it in two days. I couldn't done it in one sitting had I the time. I've read more books in the last 6 months than I have in the last ten years.
I have a few topics of things I'll probably write about at some point. As a teaser...
-Death in the family -Public auction -How my mind works -Grad school
I posted this @ 4/25/2007 08:05:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
4/10/2007
HOW SOON IS NOW
Mark and I have been seeing each other long enough that the little quirks that each of us have don't come as a surprise. My 'system' of how I hang my clothes. My slow-paced eating. My preference of warm over cool. My habit of flipping the light switch on and off 8 times before going to sleep. Wait... Did I not mention that last one? Sorry babe.
Just kidding...
We were browsing World Market last weekend. I was looking at their kitchen gear. I was commenting that most places only carry blue and red silicone bakeware. I would like to procure some but I'd rather have black. My kitchen right now doesn't have a color or a theme to it. But I have been buying black, white, and chrome items. My reasoning? When I do have a different kitchen that has a bit more ability to be decorated I have kitchen items that I can easily use and not worry about color. Or if I change my mind I'm not stuck with all blue or all red appliances.
This would be a quirk.
I realized this when I was looking at box graters and Mark found one, but I rejected it because of reasons that were wholly inconsequential to the actual ownership of said grater to begin with. Basically put... If anyone is judging me because of my cheese grater then they are the ones with the problem. Not me.
Welcome to my neuroses. I think he's in for a bumpy ride.
But seriously, I am fascinated by people and how relationships progress. I know there are no hard fast rules to dating and getting to know someone. I know that what might work for someone might not work for someone else.
For people that have been married or together for a long time... take a moment to think about these things.
When was the first time your significant other said "I love you"? How far into the relationship were the two of you before you cooked for the other person? These are the type of things I find fascinating for reasons that I can't exactly put my finger on.
How long was it before you spent the night together? How soon before you met their friends? How soon before you were comfortable enough to burp or fart in front of them? How long was it before you met their family? How long was it before the two of you moved in together? How soon did you take a vacation together? How long was it before you let them come over even when you were sick? How long did it take before you cried in front of them?
It all fascinates me. Like I said... I know that there aren't rules that govern things that can be equally applied across all relationships.
I started this post out by mentioning quirks. While I don't think any of the questions above are quirks, I do think they all kind of play into each other. It's about comfortability with another person. Being comfortable being yourself... I am at comfort.
I posted this @ 4/10/2007 12:58:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
4/02/2007
SAY MY NAME
It is worth mentioning that the Cute Teacher did not nickname himself. Which is a good thing because you really can't give youself a nickname. I'm looking at you Sting! When I blog I am torn between using a persons real name and a name they might choose to go by online. Maybe it is for anonymity. Maybe it is a gaming name. Maybe it really is their nickname. I have always felt that it was more respectful to use their real name when writing about them. It wasn't until many many posts ago that it was brought to my attention that everyone might not see it that way.
So I took a cautious middle of the road stance. If they blog, use their blogging handle until I know otherwise that it is ok to do so. It was never done maliciously. Mainly just meant as a show of friendliness.
But I'm getting off track. The Cute Teacher, or CT as I have sometimes referred to him, did not ask that I call him that nor does he call himself that. That was my doing. Jen even upgraded him to Hot Teacher at one point in time. I would obviously agree. Hot Teacher... CT... Cute Teacher... etc... they are all the same person.
I posted this @ 4/02/2007 08:35:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
3/19/2007
JUST A HAPPY PUPPET DANCING ON A STRING
So I bought the chair this weekend. The Cute Teacher and I went to see Dead Silence.
I know... I know... "But Cris, you hate ventriloquist dummies." I bought the chairs! Alright?!
I couldn't watch at least 25% of it. Luckily there was a person in front of us who paid good Friday night theater prices to have a comfy seat to text message from for 90 minutes. So I had other things to look at.
I think the overall movie itself can be summed up best by borrowing a line used by a gentleman in front of us as we were leaving. "That movie was so bad it killed my high."
I had it figured out pretty early on who did it, using my Law & Order logic. If you are a fan of any of the L&O shows, this will work 90% of the time. The big name guest star is the one who did it. Now I'm not giving away the ending to the movie by saying that because in this movie you have to 'names' to choose from. Is it Amber Valetta (model slash actress) or Donnie Wahlberg (former NKOTB slash actor)? I tried to figure out why he'd go from an Academy nominated role to this pile of drek. It wasn't until about a third of the way in that I figured out my mistake.
The movie made no sense at all. It started out pretty good. A good scare to get yo in the mood of what was to come. By the end they were just tossing new plot twists and scares in to try and mask any actual logic.
Seriously... Clowns? Ok, now you're just playing to people fears. Poorly at that.
Did I jump? Oh hell yeah. Was I scared? Yes.
CT called it immersion therapy. Just for that, he owes me a foreign language film.
I posted this @ 3/19/2007 11:26:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
3/12/2007
YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT
After many stressful weekends in the Cute Teacher's life, the 'big' weekend finally arrived. After months of late rehearsals and snow days and trips to various thrift stores to find accessories and props, the day had arrived. The Cute Teacher was the assistant director for a high school production of Grease. I haven't watched the actual show in ages. I know the songs, and have been hearing a lot of them lately by association. To finally see it all put together was very cool.
I arrived a half hour in town a half hour before the show started. I cruised around a bit before actually heading to the show. I didn't want to be tooearly. This was the wrong thing to do. I was unprepared for how many people would actually be in attendance. The auditorium was easily seating 500 people.
That is one thing I enjoy about small towns. The community support for such local productions is amazing. Of course, it's because the majority of people know someone in the show and they are there to root them on. Because of my early (yet tardy) arrival I sat towards the back of the auditorium. I could still hear everything, but occasionally my view would be obstructed by the elderly gentleman in front of me. Fortunately he slept through most of it and I was able to see over his slumped-forward head.
I, apparently, had seated myself in the gossip section. Not only did I hear about various vacations or group trips that people were planning on taking. I also learned that apparently some times were printed incorrectly which was the cause of strife between one couple as they showed up a half hour into the show and took a seat next to me. He was apologetic enough, but she could have been related to a harpy. For the first act of the show you could hear her complain that her husband had wrote down the wrong time. She might as well go home because she couldn't see the stage. She demanded his keys several times so she could go to the car. After her second plea for the keys, following much complaining... I was willing to give her mine jsut so she would shut the hell up.
During intermission I believe she must have crept off to have a quick drink because she returned in a much better mood. Now she was singing along with the songs... Hate.
But overall the show was really good. There were several students that I was impressed with their performance. The Cute Teacher tries to play the shows down, partially out of modesty, but also I believe so that I won't get my hopes up. Considering I've not seen an actual Broadway show, I'm perfectly content with the performances that a high schooler can give. He is a much tougher critic than I.
This weekend has really brought about a small town feel. Nothing unusual. I get this every so often. I went to Nebraska City over the weekend as well. I like the fact that most things remain the same there. It is a nice way to ground myself and get going again. It's relaxing to me to see people that I've known for over a decade. It's reassuring to know that however hectic my life may seem that I can find peace in something like a small town.
Would I ever move back? Who knows... I don't foresee it anytime soon. But, I still like it.
I posted this @ 3/12/2007 09:19:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
2/14/2007
I FEEL LOVE
I have been thinking about this topic for sometime, but I thought I'd save it til I had a clearer thought fleshed out in my mind. Valentine's Day seems like the perfect time for such a thought.
Boyfriend. Girlfriend. Lover. Hook-up. Steady. Main Squeeze. There are a lot of terms and terms of endearment that a person might be called. Some people don't like such pet names. Some people see them as labels, ineffectual ones at that. Some people do nothing but exist to be someone's boyfriend... girlfriend... husband... wife...
Personally, I don't mind the term boyfriend. While I admit it does have an immature feel to it. Thirty-two years old and calling (and being called) someone boyfriend? Seems silly, right? Is the term boyfriend a label, a title, a term of endearment?
When you think about what two people, who are exclusively dating, there are many terms that you might apply to them. Using my own situation here... Saying "a couple" seems fine, but non-descript at the same time. A couple of what!? Life Partner is too politically correct. Too sanitized of feeling and emotion. Significant Other falls in the same category as Life Partner, no emotion. It's what you say about someone and the person their dating when you aren't sure what exactly you might properly refer to them as. Husband comes with some legal implications and while the term is fine, I think it really should be used carefully and not easily tossed around. Someone I Have Strong Feelings For And Enjoy Spending Lots Of Time With... is a mouthful, but accurately gets the point across. Which brings us back to boyfriend. Is the Cute Teacher a boy? Hardly. But Guyfriend doesn't really sound right. My best friend, Mike, is a 'guy friend'. That is more of a term for friends. Manfriend sounds like you're speaking Caveman-ese. "This Cute Teacher. He Cris Manfriend."
So we're back to boyfriend. Which I'm perfectly ok with.
I think it's similar to how we feel towards public affection from our parents as we grow up. There is an awkward middle age where most people shy away from such overly sappy type displays from our parents in front of friends or relatives. Similarly, I think there is a middle age that the same thing happens with the term boyfriend. It's cute when a child has a boyfriend or girlfriend. It's also kinda cute when someone who is retired, perhaps widowed, has found a boyfriend or girlfriend. But that area in between... not so much. I guess you can either embrace it or shun it.
As for Valentine's Day itself, I once was a hater of it. Mainly in high school and early college. At some point I just didn't care anymore. I wasn't a big dater back then anyway. So being single on Valentine's Day wasn't an issue I really gave any thought about. I could be just as depressed about being single anytime of the year. I didn't need a special day to remind me.
Conversely, being un-single on Valentine's Day is nice, but not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things. I don't need a special day to remind me of my feelings for someone. I can say how I feel any day of the year, and typically do. Having said that, I will say that it is nice to be thought of though. It's not hypocritical of any previous statements I just made. Simple put, whether you are single or not, it is always nice to know that someone is thinking about you. Hopefully it doesn't take presents or flowers or chalky candy hearts with trendy sayings. Hopefully someone is thinking about you on other days besides holidays. Or let someone know that you are thinking of them. It doesn't have to involve romance. It could be something simple as a card or a phone call or a surprise visit. So while I'm not a flowers and presents type of guy, I really do think it is the thought the counts. Be thankful for those people in your life that you care about and the ones that care about you. Let them know it.
I posted this @ 2/14/2007 12:51:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
2/07/2007
ONE KISS
While I love music, I'm not prone to posting lyrics here a lot. When he gave me this song... I just had to pass it along. *blushes*
SOON MY KNIGHT MAY FIND ME SOFTLY STEAL BEHIND ME PUT ME ON A HORSE AND CARRY ME AWAY LAUGH ALL YOU LIKE AT ME I’LL FIND MY MAN – YOU’LL SEE ONE KISS, ONE MAN TO SAVE IT FOR ONE LOVE FOR HIM ALONE ONE WORD, ONE VOW, AND NOTHING MORE TO TELL HIM I’M HIS OWN ONE MAGIC NIGHT WITHIN HIS ARMS WITH PASSION’S FLOWER UNFURLED AND ALL MY LIFE I’LL LOVE ONLY ONE MAN AND NO OTHER MAN IN THE WORLD
I posted this @ 2/07/2007 02:36:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
2/05/2007
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?
Not ready for football? Well, fine. This is about the other big game night. At least around here. After MONTHS and MONTHS of planning (i.e. I finally nailed down a day and stuck with it) a game night. The cast; Me, Cute Teacher, Jay, and His own cute teacher, Susannah.
It started out with making a run to Toys 'R' Us to buy another game to add to the options that would already be present. Can you believe Toys 'R' Us didn't have regular Trivial Pursuit? WTF?! They had every spin off known to mankind. Well, almost every spin off. They didn't have the Pop Culture version that we were looking for. The original plan was Scene It, and we ended up sticking with it. CT and I felt very confident in our ability to kick some trivia ass at this game. Between the two of us, we were feeling pretty confident about our knowledge.
Dinner was nice. It's fun to meet someone new over dinner because you get to see everyone's personalities a lot sooner. Food has that tendency to make us more relaxed. At least it does me. I had been on kick where I was eating at so many different places and trying new places that something simple like Chili's is almost exotic. I had unintentionally avoided it til a recent dinner with CT, where I rediscovered some of the things on the menu I liked.
Moving on...
We get to Jay's house and take the tour (for the new people) and visit the attic that I'm pretty sure once housed an evil twin of a previous owner. I love the house, Jay, but your attic is creeping me out from here.
CT and I both consider ourselves to be competitive. Susannah admitted she was, which leaves Jay as the least competitive, by his own admission.
Game night started off simple with Clue. What I found interesting was everyone had a very different style of keeping track of their clues. I took the first game on a fluke, with a little help from Jay. CT took the second handily. I think the four of us are a very brainy bunch (that the way they became the Brainy Bunch). The level of concentration at playing Clue was entertaining. I think if a pin dropped at one point we all would've jumped when we heard it.
Moving on to Taboo, this was a bit more of a challenge. I had never played the actual rules with buzzers and timers and such. I think it's safe to say CT and I felt more comfortable when I was giving and he was receiving. The challenge came in having so many things to concentrate on. Getting someone to guess a word without using 5 of the most common words associated with it. I found myself talking very slowly as I repeatedly looked over the words. Then having someone from the other team ready to buzz you if you fucked up. Then watching the timer and knowing the score. No pressure. it definitely is good when you can relate the word to something personal that you have experienced and not even need to tabooed words at all. CT had a couple moments where he goes into what he calls "idiot savant mode" and he is just 'on' and guessing everything correctly. Fun game! In the end Jay and Susannah won in a tie breaker. But I maintain that is was slightly unfair because CT and I were unable to get a chance to tie the tie breaker. Sour grapes? No. Just competitive. :-) I'm sure there will be a rematch.
Finally, it was Scene It's turn. I was definitely over-confident going in to this game. CT and I started out with a good lead on the game board but came to a screeching halt when we couldn't answer the final question. What I love/hate about Scene It is, when you are giving a movie scene to watch and answer a question about... there is no way of knowing what you might get asked. It might simply be the title of the movie. Sometimes it's something obscure like "How many times did the cash register ring in the background?" You REALLY have to be paying attention. A photographic memory and some ADD is good. Pay attention to a little bit of EVERYTHING.
Jay & Susannah held their own quite well. Like I said, we were over-confident, but that's fine. It was still fun. There were definitely some questions that no one had any clue on. Which is good! Then it's not a run away for anyone.
Two things I'd say... 1) Get more people involved! Anyone up for it? 2) Various games to add to the collection. Rummikub. Mah Jongg. Life.
I posted this @ 2/05/2007 09:43:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
I'm a 30-something student of human nature. A music-lovin', groove-shakin', laugh-inducin', dish-cookin', gossip-slingin', type of guy. This is my diary of sorts...
Mark and I went to the zoo over the weekend. This was the first time in almost two years that I've been to the zoo and actually enjoyed myself. We looked at everything the zoo offered. It made for a very entertaining day. I'm pretty lucky because he has the patience of a saint. Not only for working with children, but for putting up with me at the zoo as I took over 100 photos only to use about 25 of them. He even let me take a photo of him! 
