P.S. Ghetto Apples to Apples, etc.

Last Thursday I learned to play Ghetto Apples to Apples, in which each person makes up ten or so pieces of paper (we used 1/4 pieces of notecards--sturdier, if you want to save them). Each paper has a quote or lyric or noun or something on it--whatever the person wants to put. Then all the little pieces of paper get thrown in a pile and mixed up, then randomly drawn so that you now have the papers of several different people rather than just yourself. Next, the players take turns making up different scenarios, like, "You were shoplifting in Mr. Boothman's bookstore, and Mr. Boothman caught you. What do you say to him?" The ensuing hilarity is both remarkable and priceless, and you will definitely want to teach this game to all your friends!

This also reminds me that I learned a new game on Wednesday (the day right before G. A. to A.), as well! It was named "Sock-o" by the guy who made it up, but I prefer to call it "Ultimate Sock." Basically, it's Ultimate Frisbee, except that you have a sockful of flour instead of a frisbee and your goals are hula hoops with one player from the opposing team standing inside. You play like U.F., but when you get to the goal, you must hit the person inside the hula hoop with the sock:D! As the sock is passed, thrown, and used to whack people, the flour gradually diminishes, and people end up with flour dust all over. SO MUCH FUN! It's less intimidating than U.F., and works best if you make sure all the players get to play, not just a few athletic individuals. Another game you should teach all your friends:D!

Another Prompt: Favorite Teachers

Mrs. Linda Smith, formerly of Selah, Washington, did her utmost to make learning fun—and she succeeded! She was the teacher everyone wanted. Through songs, anecdotes, and empathy for her students, she gave me my two most memorable elementary years, the third and sixth grades. I most recently connected with her one year ago, in the midst of my own student teaching experience. As of then she was still pouring her love and energy into young children’s lives.

Mrs. Smith was the first teacher who made me want to be a teacher, as she made my classroom experience creative, exciting, memorable, and just plain FUN. I hope that somewhere in every student’s K-12 experience there is a Mrs. Smith, transforming the lives of children and, by extension, their families and communities. Thank you, Mrs. Smith, and the many dedicated teachers like you!

Much to Think About

I know it's late, and bed is definitely calling. But there was much to think about, and here's one way I can process it a little better [i.e. by writing].


Nostalgia. This week has been full of nostalgia. First, on Sunday I went to a small group from church, and ohhhhh, did that feel good. I miss both Core and Village from school, though Core much more, since I stuck with it and got to know people better than through Village. It's so good to be able to gather with a small group of people to eat and talk and laugh and play and build community; it is such an integral part of the Christian life. Just read Acts--the early church lived in community. They also shared in a very God-centered, communistic manner, but that's another story. (Read it and find out:) Anyway, after getting back to the house of the people I carpooled with to small group, (carpooling: another nostalgia-inducing, "this-reminds-me-of-college" event) I was invited in for chit-chat and such, and in the course of that was invited to a Phantom of the Opera party on Thursday. It felt almost overwhelmingly good to have friends. Yes, I've had friends for a while now here, but this is evidence that we are becoming even better friends, that I can hang out at people's houses and that we can have fun together on a regular basis:).

Tuesday, a friend & I planned an old-movie-athon for Monday--further evidence of real friendship:D.

Thursday, we watched Phantom of the Opera with our other friend and then planned more details for Monday.

In between, on Wednesday, another few friends planned a Midnight Bowling party for Friday (today/technically yesterday).

Today was soooooo much fun!!! Oh. my. goodness! We bowled--always fun--and then went in search for ice cream. Baskin Robbins was closed, DQ was closed; we settled for Walmart, which for the record has cheaper pints of ice cream than Safeway, at least right now. First, we girls stopped by the bathroom while the boys wandered off. Second, we girls looked at clothes, while the boys were presumably gazing at ice cream. Third, we girls found the boys in the ice cream aisle. Fourth, we spent a considerable amount of time choosing kinds of ice cream, and I made an excellent choice: Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Macademia--soooooo good! Fifth, we wandered the store looking for boys shorts with a size 30 waist, which proved difficult, to say the least. Ended up looking at a lot of clothes, then wandering back to ice cream, then fiiiiinally paying and heading to the parking lot, where we cranked up the music (but not tooooo loud), ate ice cream, and danced around in the rain and watched the lightning give its most incredible performance yet.

Note about Thursday: There was also a guy giving a girl guitar lessons at the house while we watched Phantom of the Opera.

All these things remind me SOOOOO MUCH of Pullman Life. SOOOOO MUCH. Making our own fun, buying pints of ice cream, dancing in the rain as if without a care in the world, the music. Maybe some people lived like this before college and continue to do so after it, but I haven't had the opportunity. I left Pullman life in Pullman approximately 8 months ago, and I never knew how much I missed it until this week, tonight especially. Having friends everywhere, having music everywhere, having people be sooo laid-back and amiable. Being outside in the rain. THANK YOU, GOD. It's been incredible. And the best part? Fun didn't and doesn't end with Pullman; TBIYTC--the best is yet to come!

If alllll the raindrops were lemon drops & gumdrops,
oh what a rain it would be.

Standing outside with my mouth open wide,
ahh-ahh-uh-uhh-uhh-uhh-uhh-uhh-uhh.

If allll the raindrops were lemon drops and gumdrops,
oh what a rain it would be.

~SDG. [Soli Deo gloria]