Thursday, August 12, 2010

Family Stars

One of the things we did at the beach cottage in May was play Trivial Pursuit. But it wasn't regular Trivial Pursuit, it was some sort of juvenile version. At first we thought it would be so easy we changed the rules, but after we finished that first game, we went back to original game rules.
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Sure some of the questions were really easy, but because none of us were actual juveniles, we did not know, for instance, the name of Strawberry Shortcake's best friend or house or whatever. So then the game just became funny, because for the most part either everyone knew the answer or no one knew the answer. And we were playing in teams.
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I have such good memories of some of the questions coming up that sounded something like, "What was the name of Snargle Runkle's puppy?" There would be a dead silence, we'd all look at each other and then all burst out laughing.
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I always played on a team with my nephew A.C. He's the one that I won my very first game of Cranium with a year ago when we were all together in the North Carolina mountains. When someone got the question "How many planets are in our solar system?" He and I both immediately asked, "What year did this game come out?" He not only knew that Pluto was recently downgraded to a dwarf planet but that it is actually smaller than our other dwarf planet Eris and that both are part of the Kuiper belt. So depending on the year of the game, and the perspective, the answer is either 7, 8, or 9.
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A.C. pointed out the Milky Way Galaxy of stars to me last year when we were in the mountains. Because I developed my love of astronomy in my later years and live in such an overly lit metroplex, I had never seen the Milky Way except in photos. It was truly beautiful. I'll never forget that. Also on that trip, my nephew was openly impressed that I had both a planisphere and a compass - not to mention that I had a great telescope at home.
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His 15th birthday is the 26th of this month and for his gift I bought the family a membership to the Morehead Planetarium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I hope they will get to take him there often and I hope he enjoys it. I really love that guy.

12 comments:

Ileana said...

Cool gift for your nephew! He'll love it.

I love playing family games, but unfortunately (due to the language barrier) we don't play Trivial Pursuit. My parents are big Parcheesi fans, so that was my favorite growing up. I also loved playing Clue and Trouble w/ friends...and of course, Scrabble. I wouldn't mind playing Scrabble again NOW!!

Jazz said...

I had heard that Pluto was no longer a planet, but why was it deemed a planet in the first place?

Ian Lidster said...

Ahem, I was twice the Trivial Pursuit champ of the Comox Valley.

Anonymous said...

I wrote 11 questions for the original Trivial Pursuit game. I was dating a guy who was friends with the 4 guys who invented the game around the time it was being invented, so they tapped everyone they knew for questions. Eleven of mine made it in!! My claim to fame.

Carole said...

I like the Goldie Locks version of Trivial Pursuit. Ya know, the one that isn't too old, the one that isn't too new, the one that is just right (my generation stuff). haha

I also think that is the coolest gift for your nephew! When I was a child, we would lay on a blanket in the backyard looking up at all the stars. My husband said he use to drive to the desert with friends when they lived in California to see the multitude of stars. I sure would love to be able to see the stars full on like that! Did you know the Perseid meteor shower peaks this Thursday night and predawn Friday. Wish we could see the show.

Carole said...

The meteor shower is tonight. I was off a day when I posted earlier. :D

geewits said...

Ily,
~~My husband and I really love Scrabble. We even have a travel Scrabble that we take on airplanes.

Jazz,
~~I guess because it was detected in the 1930's and they all just figured it was another planet.

Ian,
~~I wonder how you'd do with that juvenile version.

Xup,
~~That is super cool!

Carole,
~~You are lucky that you got an early start. I was almost 30 before I "discovered" the stars. I think I'll go out front and see if I can catch a meteor.

Jocelyn said...

This is why I love playing games with my kids: I have a chance at winning.

But then I lose.

So damn.

Anyhow, what a great gift for that lad!

geewits said...

Jocelyn,
~~Family games are always fun. I wish my daughter liked to play.

Anonymous said...

It's wonderful to hear people having fun with board games. I have always been a fan of those. As for Pluto, wasn't he Mickey Mouse's dog? That answer qualifies me for King of Juveniles!

Lori Stewart Weidert said...

Clint and I went to a Trivia Fundraiser at a church in St. Louis. One hilarious moment when a "younger gen" question came up, and a young man screamed "suck it up, old people!" Minutes later an old-timey question was asked, and on old man yelled "suck it up, young people!"

Speaking of sucking, we totally did, our table came in 3rd from last.

geewits said...

LGS,
~~Exactly!

Gnightgirl,
~~I love that old dude! You guys needed me on your team.