Friday, October 23, 2009

The Last Mix II

[To read the first entry in this series, go here.]

As I'm working on the computer this evening, I have my Media Monkey player (the best music organizer / burner ever) set on random.

La Cienega Just Smiled by Ryan Adams just came on. I have always loved the song - and try to shoehorn it onto mixed CD's that I make for people whenever possible. I think the song is good enough to be part of my final compilation The Last Mix.

I looked around YouTube for the song. Here is the best live version of it that I found.



Or here is the original studio version - song only, no video.

Local Game Shows

My friends and I love to put together and play our versions of TV game shows.

Thanks to Jason, who started it all with Survivor Metairie I, we have played Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? (supposedly simple trivia questions), The Amazing Race (a scavenger hunt around the city), Jeopardy, Steet Smarts (our version of the game show Street Smarts, so called because of Jason’s creative sign making), and other game shows that I can’t think of right now.




Tangent - Here is the introduction to our Survivor Metairie I video. Debbie put this together.



Recently, I put together Steet Smarts II. For those not familiar with the show: Weeks before we all got together, I asked our six players – Bart, Carlos, Debbie, Jason, Jason, and Julie – the exact same 43 questions. The questions that everyone answered correctly or incorrectly, I threw out. The remaining questions were used for the game.

The game was played in three rounds: Who Knew It (not including yourself, who do you think knew the question’s answer), Who Blew It (not including yourself, who do you think did NOT know the question’s answer), and the finale (one question asked – who knew it or blew it, with money won during the first two rounds bet on the outcome).

Correct answers for the first two rounds were awarded Monopoly-style money that Jason created for Survivor Metairie II.


Here are some of the questions and the quite creative answers given by my friends.

What is a subordinate?
- An employee or city worker.

Finish this old saying: “Men seldom make passes at girls who _______________.”
- Don’t have asses.
…are married.

Skydivers use what billowy object to land safely?
- a trampoline or a cushion
- a pillow

What do the letters NIMBY commonly stand for?
- Not In My Something or other.
- National Institute of Male Body Yearning
- National Immigrants Mothers Boys and Yahoos
- National Independent Market for Black Youth

In the Bible, Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of what popular seasoning?
- Cayenne Pepper

What are sisters Mary Kate and Ashley better known as?
- Johnson

What is noshing?
- Vomiting

According to the nursery rhyme, Jack Sprat could eat no what?
- Crap
- Sprouts

What is 9,999 + 1?
- 1,000,000

The name of the song played during Graduation is called Pomp and what?
- Grow

How is a Sadie Hawkins dance different from a traditional dance?
- Requires three.
- Form

What is the name of the first book of the Old Testament?
- The Bible

What was the name of the first pope?
- Pope Pius
- Pope I
- John The Baptist
- John Paul
- St. Thomas (St. Who)

Which war was originally known as The Great War?
- World War II
- The War of 1812

How many stars are on the current US flag?
- 13

In the movie Gremlins, the three rules are no bright lights, don't get them wet, and ___________.
- Don't feed them Skittles.

A satellite radio service is named for a star. Name it. (Correct answer Serius)
- Onstar
- Sun

In literature, who was Tom Sawyer's best friend?
- Becky Allen. I mean Becky Thatcher.
- His dad.

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Thank you everyone who played. You all had some great, creative answers.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Christmas Gift Giving

In my extended family, we pick names for Christmas gift giving (usually at an annual Labor Day party). We have 29 participants this year.

We also have a separate list for kids under 15, who buy for each other.

Carlos, now that we’re out to the family, is on the list for the first time. My Uncle Greg has his name this year. My Aunt Mary (shopping for her husband) has told me that she has grand plans. I don’t want to reveal anything here, knowing that Carlos reads this.

My immediate family also picks names. With my parents, two sisters and all spouses, there are eight of us on this list. This year, I picked my Dad’s name. I emailed my Mom to ask her for some ideas. The past times I have picked his name (and for Father’s Day), I gave him the usual ties and golf accessories. I’m trying to branch out this year.


Here is the email my Mom sent back. It struck me as quite funny.

Well, you know we both have more stuff than we really need - especially HIM. I know y'all think this is none too creative, but what about tickets to something? He loves Jazz Fest - we both do - but those tickets are kind of expensive.

Tickets to the show are good also - but Canal Place is closing for six months to be renovated by the Solomons. The Prytania is open, though, and they have fabulous shows. We never go to Elmwood, so forget that. (You know, the first show you ever went to was at the Prytania – you were about three months old and slept through the whole thing - 'cause you know, we only lived two houses away then).

We already have tickets to the opera, the symphony, Le Petit and UNO basketball so don't get those. We don't have tickets to The Saenger, but those are real expensive. Another idea would be food: A gift certificate to a restaurant or a basket of stuff he likes - like all that German stuff I hate: Bratwurst, liver cheese, smoked sausage. Hope this gives you some ideas. My people are sooooo easy this year: Karlie and Chad. Don't say anything, but both are getting the new Josh Besh cookbook - AUTOGRAPHED, and not just upstairs, but really, really autographed. Love Mom


Yes, she means John Besh.

When the actual author is not available, my Mom is known to change her handwriting and “autograph” a gift book. Our family knows this, but her friends must have quite a few fakes.

When she went to Rome a few years ago, she brought back a rosary blessed by the Pope. After some follow up questions, I found out that “blessed by the Pope” meant she bought the rosary in a store in New Orleans and put it into a small jewelry box. Ahhhh, mothers!