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| To me, if it had the potential to break windows, it was a great toy. |
| 01.18.08 (8:35 am) [edit] |
Good morning Boys and Girls, Well, leaving for home later. It's been a nice trip, though I always feel like I drag bad weather with me when I come here. Last month it was an ice storm, this month, snow up the wazoo. Next month? -I'm bringing a plague of toads. We're kind of hoping to catch Sweeny Todd early this afternoon, but if that doesn't happen, it won't be a tragedy. Yesterday and last night was especially nice. We enjoyed a relaxed meal and some quiet time without having to keep such a keen eye on the clock. Special. I'll probably try to do a little work this morning till around noon when we'll get together for a couple of hours before the old Jeep heads east with me in tow. I wonder if it knows the way all by itself by now. If so, maybe I'll sleep a while and let it take over completely for a few hours; maybe on that straight stretch through Western Illinois. This morning, she's giving an impromptu speech in class. I'd like to hear it. The woman puts words together so naturally when she's writing, I'll bet it'll translate to public speaking easily. She'll wow them. Wait a minute, come to think of it, it's probably a good thing I won't be there. After all, the speaker is suppose to picture the audience naked, right? -not the other way around. I see Richard Knerr died yesterday. Along with his partner Arthur "Spuds" Melon, they were the founders of Wham-O in 1948, by far my favorite toy company when I was a kid, and even well into my adulthood. They brought us the Frisbee, the Hula-Hoop, the original Super-Ball, a really great plastic boomerang, and a lot of others that frankly defined my childhood. They were always ruggedly made toys that fostered running around outdoors and playing with other kids, something, sadly, that seems to be fading into the past along with Mr. Knerr. I don't understand it. Life puts us on the sidelines too soon and for too many reasons anyway. I don't understand how or why we've allowed children to become slaves to computers and video-games as early in life as we have. Don't let me get started on my feelings about this new Wii system from Sony... Maybe Sunday I'll write about my experiences visiting the Wham-O showroom once each year for a decade or so during the eighties. Man I looked forward to it. The next post will be from home. Be good to everyone. |
posted by: OldSchool (reply)
post date: 01.18.08 (6:32 am)
Thanks for the Wham-o reference and info. I totally agree about kids playing with each other outside. I remember playing catch with a baseball at least once a day during the summer. I can't tell you the last time I saw 2 kids out just playing catch. One positive is a campaign I have noticed the NFL running encouraging kids to get out and play. It is called NFL Play 60. I plan on doing a blog posting on it because I think it is at least a step in the right direction.
posted by: surrogate (reply)
post date: 01.18.08 (6:40 am)
Reply to: OldSchool
Man, two on two, or three on three two-hand touch in the street outside the house was a staple from August till January in my neighborhood. Hell, my Dad played with us even after I was married - though his arm got a little weak there toward the end.
"One Mississippi, Two Mississippi, Three...."
"Hey, you rushed early!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
God it was fun...
posted by: OldSchool (reply)
post date: 01.18.08 (7:37 am)
Reply to: surrogate
Oh, the memories. Yes, we played touch football, two on two basketball, strikeout and other active games like ghost in the graveyard and kickball. We were out and about all day especially during the summer. Even when there was nobody else to play with, I would shoot hoops or bounce a tennis ball off the garage for hours. I can't imagine growing up without all of that.
Thanks for triggering some of those memories. Look for my post this weekend about the NFL Play 60 program.
posted by: auntconi (reply)
post date: 01.18.08 (9:17 am)
Good post
~ looking forward to 'Wham-o reminiscing'
~ kids playing outside ... *tagged ya'
~ you're it!
.
.
.
. runs away to not get tagged . . . . . . :D
posted by: bawdy (reply)
post date: 01.18.08 (11:24 am)
So true. I lived for playing sports outdoors as a kid. No computer generated simulation can come close to equaling the experience.
posted by: Kram1000 (reply)
post date: 01.18.08 (5:43 pm)
couple of hours before the old Jeep heads east with me in tow. I wonder if it knows the way all by itself by now. If so, maybe I'll sleep a while and let it take over completely for a few hours;
Don't do it! I tried it once and let the Toyota take me home. The bloody thing got lost and ended up smashing into a rock wall. killed itself poor thing, it was unmendable.(is that a word?) For myself I cracked a few ribs. Thank someone for seat belts.
Perhaps Jeeps are smarter than Toyota's?
posted by: emerging (reply)
post date: 01.18.08 (8:56 pm)
Reply to: OldSchool
Ghost in the graveyard - now that's something I haven't heard in way too long! I went to lunch with my daughter last week and stayed for recess. Playing tag for hours (that's what it felt like) with a bunch of kindergartners is enough to keep me humble - especially since I seemed to always be "it"!
posted by: PastorDave (reply)
post date: 01.19.08 (8:36 am)
The speaker is supposed to picture the audience naked? I preach to a bunch of senior citizens, some of them very senior. And, I've got a bunch of fat folks in my congregation. And... Well, I think I'll stop with the descriptions, but I will not use your method to make me comfortable with my audience. I think I'd rather be nervous.
posted by: surrogate (reply)
post date: 01.19.08 (12:43 pm)
Reply to: PastorDave
I THINK the object is to see your audience as non-threatening. And besides, I'd guess you're USED to public speaking by now. I think the idea is for newish public speakrs trying to get over initial stage fright. I think if YOU start picturing your listeners naked after all these years? -well Dave, by this point, we'd have to take you away and put you in a little white room for a few years.
posted by: surrogate (reply)
post date: 01.19.08 (1:27 pm)
Reply to: emerging
I need you or OldSchool to describe Ghost in the Graveyard. I never played that one, though I've run across the name of the game in a few novels I've read over the years. How do you play?
posted by: OldSchool (reply)
post date: 01.19.08 (3:23 pm)
Reply to: bawdy
Check out my posting today on the subject. Thanks.
posted by: OldSchool (reply)
post date: 01.19.08 (3:24 pm)
Reply to: emerging
There must be a certain age when you stop getting better at playing tag and start getting worse. Not sure what it is, but I am sure I would be "it" a lot more if I played today as well.
posted by: OldSchool (reply)
post date: 01.19.08 (3:28 pm)
Reply to: surrogate
Ghost in the graveyard, the way we played it, was more or less a game of hide & seek played at night and outdoors. One person would hide (the ghost) and everybody else would look for them. The darkness helped them hide and made it a little creepy as you looked for them. The ghost could pop out at any time and had to tag at least one person before everybody got back to a safe spot. That is how we played when I was a kid. Lots of hours of fun!
posted by: auntconi (reply)
post date: 01.20.08 (7:58 am)
Reply to: OldSchool
Ghost in the graveyard? Pray tell, what is this game?
posted by: auntconi (reply)
post date: 01.20.08 (8:00 am)
OOps ~ as usual, I'm a day late, and a dollar short!
That's what I get for not finishing reading the posts ~ sorry!
Now, a/c go to outside and bounce the tennis ball off the garage door! ~ 100 times! :D
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