Category Archives: Games

Nov 07 2012
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Friends and Family, Games

Day 44: Dog Love Letter

Recently I saw a post on Facebook that said something to effect of “Some days are just bad days. Accept it and move on.” I remember it because, at the time, I thought to myself, “That is just the kind of thing I’m working against with my blog.” However, today, for the first time since I started writing this blog, I had a crummy day. I didn’t really accomplish anything and I was in a bad mood–I think because I did not get a lot of sleep and I, unfortunately, let missing my acupuncture appointment derail my whole day. (I missed it because of a car/key situation that I won’t get in to details about here). I just felt bad/tired/mad/bored all day.

I think some people, when they feel this way, are able to say, “oh well’ and just watch tv and relax and realize tomorrow will be better. But I, on the other hand, start to feel bad about all the things I’m not accomplishing by being in this bad mood and, therefore, worsen the mood further.

My spirits did improve when my husband came home from work and then more when we went out to dinner with a friend, but I would say the thing that really perked me up was playing with my dog after dinner. It’s probably pretty clear, if you’ve been reading this blog, that I LOVE this dog. She is quirky, funny, cute, sometimes annoying and needy but very lovable and sweet.

We played two of our favorite games. Well, I don’t know if she actually likes the first one. I don’t totally either because it just involves my husband messing up the fur around her face and then us laughing at her crazy appearance. (Sometimes I think it is mean, but sometimes I laugh anyway–see pictures below). Her absolute, by far, favorite game, though is fetch. She will fetch anything anytime anywhere. Tonight we played with one of her small rawhide bones. I throw, she chases and brings it back. Sometimes she throws it for herself (or really launches it out of her mouth somehow) which is actually the best.

I’ve heard that pets improve your mood, mind, even life expectancy. And I could write much more about companionship, unconditional love and loyalty. But let’s just say that when I need a pick me up, obviously I know I can count on family and friends, but I can also just pick up one of the many pieces of bone that is always underfoot, throw it and watch as this dog goes after it like she’s never seen it before and I have just given her the best gift she could ever imagine.

Also, she gives high fives. Which is pretty cool.

Nov 03 2012
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Fun at Work, Games, Online Fun

Day 40: Sporcle

So I was at work for 11 hours today. Around hour 8, some co-workers and I got on a Sporcle kick. Sporcle is an amazing website that is full of timed quizzes on various topics. It is great for people who love trivia, geography and passing time at work not working.

Three or four of us gathered around one computer. One person typed while the others shouted out answers. We did several quizzes ranging from find the Gaelic version of this English name in the list below to can you name these famous Captains from their pictures (ex. Captain Crunch, Captain Kirk, Captain Morgan)? From name all the Adam Sandler movies given the year of release and his character to to which countries are penguins native? Also, let’s not forget can you tell which celebrities these are even though their faces are upside down?

It’s truly quality entertainment and a great way to spend an 11 hour work day!

Oct 30 2012
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Fun for Couples, Games

Day 36: Haiku

Since our no devices night was so successful, I have been thinking about some more things my husband and I could do together that would be fun, romantic, silly, funny and maybe kind of weird but that definitely do not involve phones, TV, iPads or computers. Tonight, I proposed we write haikus back and forth to each other. He was a little skeptical but then perked up when I suggested we just write one line and pass the paper back and forth, adding as we go.

I got out a fresh notebook (I have several empty journals just ready and waiting) and began the first page with “thank you for the tacos.” When I got home tonight, he had tacos waiting for me. What better way to say thank you than in haiku, which, if you need a reminder, is a short poem that simply follows a syllable rule: 5 – 7 – 5. Poem. He followed with “you’re very welcome my love.” Aww. I finished with “husband and wife team.” It might not be the best haiku ever written but we did it together and it is cute. And it will live forever in the front page of my new notebook. Along with the two others we wrote. 

Oct 28 2012
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Fun for Couples, Games

Day 34: Football. Nap. Football.

My husband is a Bears fan. Makes sense. He grew up in, and I’m really don’t like to use this term because it sounds like an amusement park but it seems very popular, Chicagoland. I am a Giants fan (Yes, New York. I lived there for three years and have many reasons why my football fanaticism landed there but they mostly involve Superbowl XLII in 2008). We both love football. Living in Chicago, his game is ALWAYS on. My game, well that’s a different story. But today, both of our games were on back to back!

I had another great friend brunch and came home in time for his game to start and some guests to arrive. The Bears won. Wahoo.

Then, after our guests left, my game started. He took our dog to the park and I got cozy on the couch. I saw the Giants field goal about 3 minutes in and the promptly fell asleep until dog and husband returned about half an hour later. The score was 13-0 Giants at this point. Great. I fell asleep again and this time I did not wake up until the third quarter when the Cowboys took the lead 24-23. What?! Not only was I upset that the Cowboys took the lead, but also that I had missed most of the game and had no idea! I became incredibly awake, and the rest of the game, in true Giants fashion, was a total disaster, nail biter, heart attack.

But that is why people love sports right? I mean maybe I have a better attitude about it right now because the Giants ended up winning 29-24 (what what!) and if they had lost I would be in total agony and curse them for putting me through it all. However, I enjoy how dramatic it is when a game comes down to the final minutes or, even better, the final play. I root for my team, you root for yours and we feel like nothing else matters in the world than that play. I am 100% invested in this one thing at this one moment and it is totally acceptable for me to yell about it whether I’m in a stadium of 100,000 people or my very own living room. I actually believe, and there have been numerous articles, books, theses, etc. written on the topic that go in to way more detail than I care to attempt now, that watching sports gives people the same emotional satisfaction as theatre. And that theatre and sports are more closely related–in terms of emotion and ritual–than say sports and television or theatre and movies. I think that is why I love both so much.

And maybe also why I am so competitive.

The many faces of a Giants fan.

Oct 05 2012
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Friends and Family, Fun for Couples, Games

Day 11: GHOST

Tonight’s post is brought to you by toll road 88 in the middle of northern Illinois. My husband and I are driving to Iowa tonight for a dear friend’s wedding happening tomorrow. My parents are hosting the bride and her bridesmaids for brunch as they get ready, so our morning will be full of dresses, photographers, hair products, champagne, and probably some happy tears.

For now though, it’s starry skies and the open road. On road trips, my husband and I like to do two things: sing musicals and play GHOST. (I may be signing a musical while I write this. “Hello. My name is Elder Price”) But before that, we played GHOST.

Rules: One person starts by saying a letter. The next person adds a letter. The goal is to get your opponent to spell a word without spelling one yourself. However you must always have a word in mind, meaning you can’t just add letters that don’t ultimately result in the spelling of a word. Two letter words don’t count. If you spell a word, you take a G and so on (Like in HORSE).

Example: In our first round I said “p.” He added “h.” Me: “o” Him: “t” Me: “crap, o.” I completed a word with photo and I had to take a G.

It took seven more words for me to beat him (ten, kale, sank, left, dancing, rise and masochist) but beat him I did. I do enjoy winning. But really this game is a lot of fun and more challenging than you might think.

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