Category Archives: games

Dec31

piecing it together.

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as a person who loves puzzles

since i learned

team puzzle competitions were a thing

i’ve wanted to compete in one

 finally the opportunity arose

the night of the event arrived

people in teams of four

would compete to finish the same unknown puzzle

in the shortest period of time

my team’s name was 

‘the last piece is under the table’

there were 12 competing teams

beverages and snacks and rules

a little friendly trash-talking

  giant timer on a screen counting the seconds, minutes, hours

each team had their own strategies, methods, plans

part of the challenge is working in a team itself

each person has their own way of solving puzzles

 with different levels of competitive spirit and ingenuity

but i consider that part of the puzzle too

trying to solve how to work together as one

to complete the puzzle on the table  

the judge started the clock

the buzzer went off

when we opened the wrapping

it was a circular, colorful, 500 piece

we threw everything on the floor 

dumped the pieces on the table

and were off

as expected, we all had different strengths and strategies

adapting as we went, changing spots, some stood, some sat

communication was key

‘who has the pink dots, is that a bird’s beak, what does that word say, look for purple…’

personalities were revealed

in an ebb and flow of emotions

we worked as fast as we could

 suddenly 

the team behind us

who all stayed seated and worked silently 

announced they were finished just 40 minutes in

mind blown

only motivated us more

i was literally sweating 

quite a workout

we kept working as fast as we could

while one team after another

completed their puzzles 

we did not stop

at one point it was clear we would be the last team

we had a good laugh

exhausted

but refused to give up

i asked how late they would be open

finally

at 1 hour and 50 minutes

we did it!

and it was fun!

i was just happy to finish 

i’ll be back to try again

when talking to the judge after 

he said the silent sitting team that won so quickly

go to the world championships each year

(what?! world championships?!)

they have not yet won at that level

but enter these competitions

to stay sharp and practice

makes good sense

now i feel

it’s may be only a matter of time 

 i’ll be writing about a puzzle competition from italy one day

but in the meantime

i had a blast

 we had no pieces under the table

and that’s something.

—

‘a group is a bunch of people in an elevator.

a team is a bunch of people in an elevator, but the elevator is broken.’ 

-bonnie edelstein, parade magazine

Oct2

let it rain.

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at the moment of kickoff

at my grandson’s game

the skies opened up

serving up a main course

of biting sideways rain

with a side dish of high-winded temperature drop

no lighting or thunder

so the game went on

 having just taken the umbrella out of my car

at least there was a rain jacket still on the seat

yet quickly apparent that it wasn’t built

for sudden deluge-level weather

nor were the fans’ soon to be inside-out umbrellas

but they kept on playing and playing

while they didn’t win

they stayed in the game

as did the families/fans

showing a lot of heart

 when we got to the car

as we  made our way out

and onto the road home

the weather left

just as quickly as it had arrived

not one more drop of rain fell

not a wisp of wind was blown

not a chill in the air to be found

as we dripped and dropped in the car

laughing about the crazy storm

 so looking forward to hot showers, warm food, and cozy, dry pajamas

our just desserts

after a game

well-played by all.

—

‘the best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.’

-henry wadsworth longfellow

Sep28

tag!

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not me, nor my moose playmate, but i was caught equally unaware

—

have you ever played a game of tag and you didn’t even know you were in it?

this happened to me recently when a couple of bloggers/friends tagged me

inviting me to play a game of blogger tag and to then pass it on.

oh my, i didn’t have my glasses on! i should have looked behind me! now i see, i’m it!

i’m all in now, and i’ll start by answering a few questions:

how did you come up with your blog name? (beth kennedy – ididnthavemyglasseson.com)

it was something that my daughters have said to me, about me  –  that things in my life have happened or have not happened because i didn’t have my glasses on. so many possibilities. (good name for a future book?)

if your blog was a person (fictional or real), who would it be?,

my blog is a bit all over the place, but it’s always me. maybe pippi longstocking?  no stranger to counterculture, pippi can be seen around the world in tattoos, celebrity photographs, works of graffiti and on catwalks as a symbol of female strength, resilience, kindness, fairness and acceptance. while i’m not famous like pippi, and my dad was not a pirate like hers, i love that she had her own way of seeing and living in the world, and i try to embody all that she symbolizes.

what helps you create new content if you feel like you need some inspiration?

mostly just from being out in the world, with my eyes wide open and with glasses on. there are endless people, places, things, conversations, thoughts, and circumstances out there, and also right inside of me. i read lots of articles, especially the tiny almost forgotten ones, love the real newspaper and books and magazines. i’m drawn to the often-overlooked, the unusual, the details and nuances of life, and learn so many new things every day from endless sources. living is an inspiration in itself, and i’m still so excited when i wake up in the morning to see what each day will hold, just like when i was a little girl.

is there anyone you would like to collaborate with?

i am a huge fan of collaboration and enjoy working and creating ike that. everyone has a different perspective, experience, and has something to bring to the table. before i changed careers and became a teacher, i worked in the advertising world, and i’ve always loved to brainstorm, bounce ideas off of each other, and be open to all ideas. the world is so interesting because of the fact that we are all unique. together we can make each other even better.

is there anything more you wish you had or would like to learn as a blogger?

yes! everything in the world of blogging has been mostly trial and error for me, heavy on the error, but somehow i’m doing it. i happened into blogging kind of  by accident, through a series of circumstances, and i have never looked back.

tech is an important part of blogging, and it seems to be my nemesis. while we continue to be at odds, tech and i are polite with each other most of the time. i learn a ton from other bloggers, how to do things, what not to do, and i’ve learned so many things along the way, especially that the connections made through blogging are what make it all a worthwhile enterprise. i have no financial motive in blogging, just a creative outlet for me, where i really enjoy the give and take of the readers and writers.

“i think one of the most beautiful gifts to self is: saying ‘i don’t know how, but I’m going to find a way for us to get through this.’-helen marie

do you have a specific style of blogging?

my blog is a jumble of lower case letters, (i love how they look on a page, they seem more poetic to me), stories, poems, quotes, photos, movies, news, nature, children, family and friends and pets, emotions, places, food, and everything else, all rolled into one. you never know what it will be. i often don’t even always know what it will be when i begin writing it and putting it together. i’m a bit of a minimalist, so they’re often quite short, but i love mixing things together that are generally not seen in one place. a collage of life. in the last number of years, i’ve tended to blog every day, and i like the rhythm of that.

here is how a blogger friend described it in response to one of my posts:

‘The Peanut Car looks like something that I would see passing by in a Parade. I expect the clowns (at least 50) to jump out any moment. In fact I always think of your blog as an entry in a Parade. Each different, yet in the same style. Not too long. Not too short. I’m always looking forward to the next float. ” (thanks, ladysighs)

—

now that i’ve finished the first part of the challenge,

the next part is to pick a few fellow bloggers/friends to play and to pass it on, so here goes:

(no worries for non-participation, there is always an option for a 3-day long marathon game of monopoly with people who each have their own set of rules, and my feelings won’t be hurt at all.)

so – tag, you’re it! and i hope you play:

Mark at: https://markbialczak.com

Joy at:  https://joyful2beeblogs.com

Roy at:  https://reelroyreviews.com

 this game of tag is a not so scary after all. 

 

—

‘blogger because badass isn’t an official job title’

-author unknown

 

 

—

image credits google.com

Dec26

fun and games.

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 intense competitors at play in the action-packed shenanigans of

the get the diaper that is around your ankles moved to your bathing suit area without using your hands game

it just wouldn’t be our traditional christmas

without the crazy fun and games.

 

—

“life is more fun if you play games.”

  • roald dahl
Dec4

white elephant.

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white elephant action shot

(not meant to be artsy, more of a testament to my photographic skill level)

 

enjoyed a holiday party with friends

food, drink, chatter, and fun

 white elephant game is always a hilarious part of this event

each and every game is different

and this year certainly did not disappoint!

—

many people participate in secret santa gift exchanges. but others like to take things a step further and plan a white elephant swap. if you aren’t familiar, white elephant is a game in which everyone brings a wrapped present, places it in a pile and draws a number to determine the order in which the participants will select gifts to unwrap. as the game progresses, people have the option to unwrap a new gift or “steal” a previously opened present.

the game can get pretty heated, so naturally it offers a lot of opportunities for twitter humor. see today’s quotes below – a sampling of tweets about this very exciting game –

A white elephant gift exchange is a great way to secretly resent someone for swiping the dollar store bath bomb you didn’t think you wanted until you were stuck with the dollar store candle.
Teen came home wearing a fluorescent alligator around her neck she won from a white elephant exchange. She’s shocked no one else wanted it.
Every time I play White Elephant, I always say I’m not gonna get too intense. But 10 minutes in, I’m already yelling at people I’ve never met. Then by the end, I’m chasing Nikita down the block, in the pouring rain, for a pair of sunglasses. I need help.
You don’t know hysteria until you’ve played White Elephant with 10 girls under 13 and a One Direction toothbrush gets in the game.
Apr13

boxed in.

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when the kinder have a bunch of boxes

and decide to play

indoor hide and seek

the teachers know

 they will need a lot of help to find them all.

—

“some of the most wonderful people are the ones who don’t fit into boxes.”

-tori amos

Dec27

house of cards.

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learned a new card game
while hanging with family at christmas
when someone reads the rules
it does nothing for me
i learn best by trial and error
lots of trials
lots of errors
but i did somehow win my first game
with a combo
of good luck and a happy accident
nothing to do with strategy
 i’m fine with that
then got slaughtered in the next five games
by the kids
my hot streak might be over.
—
“You’ve got to know when to hold ’emKnow when to fold ’emKnow when to walk awayAnd know when to runYou never count your moneyWhen you’re sittin’ at the tableThere’ll be time enough for countin’When the dealin’s done.”
-kenny rogers, the gambler
—
photo credits: universal studios, facebook
Sep25

crack the whip.

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“crack the whip’ sculpture – sunset hills, flint, mi

j. seward johnson, sculptor

—

being the youngest in our neighborhood gang

i was often the smallest

finding myself on the end of ‘the whip’ during this game

sometimes it felt like i was flying

and highly likely that i was.

—

“being smart as a whip means knowing when not to crack it’

-vera nazarian

 

 

Jul20

slip ‘n slide.

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in this heat wave

thinking back to the time

when i decided to

slip ‘n slide with my daughters

waited my turn

zoomed up to it

head first, arms ahead

ready to slide for miles

balked at the last second

backside first, head followed

slammin’ instead of slidin’

 didn’t end up cooled down and filled with joy

did end up concussed and filled with regrets.

—

“you always say, ‘i’ll quit when i start to slide,’ and then one morning you wake up and realize you’ve done slid.”

-sugar ray robinson (american professional boxing champion)

 

Apr18

dangerous games.

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oh, how i would have loved to see this exhibit

i played with each and every one of these games

and lived to tell. 

 

—

“parents shouldn’t assume children are made out of sugar candy and will break and collapse instantly.

kids don’t.

we do.”

-maurice sendak