I (do not) win

I would like to announce that I officially introduced my son to the world of board games today. I have always loved board games, ever since I was a little kid -- virtually any board game will get me going. I have blogged before on the usual game played in out house among the adults, but I saw a really neat version of a good game at the mall today that was markdown-priced and thought, It's time to induct the new generation into another passion of mine.

What I was not expecting was that I would get my ass completely beaten to a bloody pulp.

Yes, it's true. I have not lost in any game by such a large margin in a very long time. And it's not like I was trying to play badly so that my son would be bolstered by a win. No, by sheer luck, my game piece was barely past the opening while my son crossed over the finish line. It wasn't even close. I was crushed like a bug.

Indeed, it may take a little while for me to recover to play Candyland again.

The agony of dishpan hands

(To combine two late 70s catchphrases concerning ABC's Wide World of Sports and Palmolive...)

Angela and I have developed something of a routine these days over dinner. Given the garbage that is the summer season (and trying to set a decent example for Xan), we have pretty much stopped watching television. Rather than turn on the TV, we have taken to playing nightly games of Scrabble. This presents something of a problem because, quite frankly, I have become a decent casual player and therefore beat the bejeesus out of Angela. This upsets her... and yet the masochistic minx comes back for more! What to do?

My solution was simple. Usually in our house, one person makes dinner and one person does the dishes -- the catch being that we both love to cook and both hate to do dishes. (And we don't generate enough dishes to justify using the dishwasher, but use enough to make washing a load by hand annoying.) When Scrabble is the form of dining entertainment, however, it's the winner that has to do the dishes. In essence, my exhileration at winning (and her depression at losing) is short-lived, since then I'm faced with suds. Says she, "It makes losing a lot better these days." (Today's winning word: POTHERS (meaning something similar to "bothers," seven letters with the S also making BASICS, for 74 points. Go me!)

Thoughts on Independence Day, 2005

I'm currently decked out in my standard American-holiday apparel: a white t-shirt which reads "MADE IN AMERICA (wth Peruvian parts)." I don't think I could own a better t-shirt. Today's activities: hanging out with some friends at the Takoma Park 4th of July parade, painting a mess of Ikea furniture, playing with a naked baby in the backyard while listening to classical music on NPR (for once, since WETA stopped playing it), making "burgers" out of tofu, mushrooms and pecans (although if you think that we're being healthy, we at that accompaneid with Trader Joe's blue cheese fries... mmm...), playing Scrabble while watching a Capital 4th on PBS.

Some thoughts on today's events:

• This family needs to listen to more Aaron Copeland. Because, well, he just rocks.
• This family needs not to listen to the Beach Boys. Because, well, they rock, but badly now. Poor guys, their voices just can't quite hit those notes anymore.
• Steel drum bands also rock. There were two in this year's parade. (Xan slept through both of them while in the Bjorn. Sigh.)
• Politicians no longer kiss babies. This, despite me running after one at the parade screaming, "KISS MY BABY!!!" Then again, maybe that's why he got nervous. We'll try again next year, particularly since it's an election year.
• "Monkery" is a great seven-letter word. 101 points in one turn.
• Trader Joe's blue cheese fries... mmm... (Oh wait, already said that. They are that good.)

So there you go! T-minus 24 days until my other Independence Day (and T-minus 26 days until the corresponding food fest!!)