May 15, 2002

  • Good morning!  Dwaber has been writing poems.  Yesterday he posted a sonnet in honor of quiltnmomi.  It's delightful and I hope that you'll check out his site.  If you haven't discovered him yet, you're missing a treat.


    I'm finishing up a book on Chaos and Complexity this week so that I can dive into my summer reading.  I have the list pretty much together.  There are some "heavy" books alternated with "snack" books.  With any luck there is SOMETHING for everyone on the list. 


    Life on the hill has been exciting.  We've had so many storms and the ground is so saturated, that many areas of our county are flooded.  On Monday, it rained ALL day long.  A steady soaking kind of rain.  That night on the weather report, they were showing rainfall totals for counties around Southern Indiana.  All around us it said things like 4 inches, 5 inches, 3.5 inches.  For Washington County it said less than .5 inches.  ?!?  They also showed scenes of flooding - all shot in our county.  I think that the "weather reporter" for our area must be a guy who can't read a rain gauge. 


    We have been ten days televisionless.  I've taught the kids to play UNO and I'm thinking of teaching them Risk.  I LOVE Risk.  They may be a little young but I can make allowances.  When I play Risk, the little pieces don't represent armies.  They are churches.  We don't have "battles," they are exchanges of ideas.  And in the end the whole world has come to a consensus regarding the best philosophy of life.  Oddly enough, I tend to "win" this game.  I choose the yellow pieces to represent sunshine and harmony.  (Tim usually picks black.)  It's only a board game, it's only a board game, it's only . . .


    It looks like clear skies today.  I have patterns for making birdhouses, and if the weather holds I'll drag out my safety goggles and my saws and cut the materials.  I'm going to predrill the holes, but the kids are going to assemble and paint their own birdhouse.  In my mind they are beautiful little creations a result of a harmonious day spent with Momi.  (In reality they will probably be splotchily painted and haphazardly assembled - but that's okay too.)


    Now I just have to overcome my urge to go back to bed so I can get out and get started.

Comments (19)

  • I'm worried now - you're talking about your kids and powertools in the same paragraph.

  • I love the Risk paradigm shift.  The army of ideas.  Thanks for the kind words, too. Much appreciated.

  • Wow!  He is very good!  I am quite impressed!  Does he do it for anyone?

    10 days without TV?  You are good!  I don't think I could go a day without TV!  I'm an addict.  Is there a TVA help group?

  • nah they can play Risk!! Dylan has been for years and has graduated to Axis and Allies I just know some how, someWAY this will be a job building thing for him. HAHAHAHAHA

    Oh oh oh!!! crap can't think of the name but I'll ask Bill (I'm awful at names) it's a newer game, younger kids can DEFINATELY play it and is it ADDICTING! I even love this game! It reminds me of RISK thats why I'm telling you this. Hold on back in a few

  • ...being your neighbor our weather mirrors.  Everything is overgrown, however, now that the rain has stopped for a day maybe I can do some trimming.
    ...love the idea of the birdhouses and that you have no expectations of how your children will chose to paint them. Love children's original art, it is so non-traditional.
    ...let's have a cup of java together and get moving. MuSe

  • I played risk with some serious addicts around 10 years ago.  One of my roommates was addicted enough to design his own risk boards!   I find your alteration of the subtext of the game intriguing.

    I have a chaos book or two on my to-read list.  There's a new book out also, a monstrosity, on cellular automata and the enlightenments as to the nature of nature by a guy named Wolfram or something... here's a link or two about his controversial book:  http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/11/arts/11WOLF.html?pagewanted=print&position=top 

    http://www.wolframscience.com/

    and here's where you can get it:

    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1579550088/

  • How sweet...clever...highly evolved, to turn a war game into consensus-building.

  • God Bless - Dale

  • I like the birdhouse idea but I am somewhat concerned at the mental image I have of you with power saws and safety goggles!!!!

    Risk is still over my head and I am 32.  I like to line the little army pieces up and thump them across the board at my opponent!!

  • I saw that poem he wrote for you, and it was wild, wasn't it?  I went back to bed this morning, but there was no stinking joy in it--til the drugs kicked in.  And loved the part in your comment about the "cocktail."  LOL

  • Mmmm, that's an interesting way to play Risk. Sounds like it would kind of take all the fun out of completely crushing your opponents and bringing the world to it knees.

    Muah-haaa-haaa-haaa-haaaaaaaaa!!

    *a-hem*

    Nevermind. I didn't say anything.

  • I just never could get into Risk. Yatzee, Life, Twister, Scrabble - yes, Risk, no. I guess I couldn't get past the military aspect.

    Aren't birdhouses supposed to look like they belong in trees, little splashes of light and dark like leaves and bright bits for flowers and fruits? Splotchy is good.

  • I loved the poem Dwaber wrote!  RISK?  RISK?  Ewwwww I hate that game.  My son loves it--I'll have to tell him how you play--he'd HATE that!  But it sounds like more fun to me.

  • Oh, i LOVE the way you play Risk!  I dislike that whole "conquer the world" thing (guy thing!)  I can't wait to tell hubby! 

    Ever play Mancala?  They is a great mix of thinking and chance and (inadvertant math! ) We love tht game!

  • Hmmmm, Risk without trying to take over the world?  That one would be hard one for me...LOL  Like someone said earlier I guess it's a guy thing!

  • I love Uno.  Just got the Uno Cd game.  It's fun.  Risk is also a fun game. 

    Birdhouses sound like fun to make.  Good luck with the power tools.

  • I am sorry but here are some e props...  Please dont delete this but I am trying to get people to to come to my site!!!

  • Cool.  I love the Risk thing.  Sounds like something I'd do (if I were clever enough to come up with it).  You sound like a fun Momi and I wish mine had been more like you.  But she used the TV as a babysitter and we suffered for that.  I say bravo! to you for going TV-less. 

    Sorry about the disappearance for a while.  I guess I have a bit of flair for the melo-dramatic.  I'll try to stick around for a while this time.  I had some issues that needed to be worked out and I tend to run when the pressure is on.  I'm not perfect but, thankfully, God loves me anyway. 

  • It's not a board game, it's about domination!
    WORLD domination!
    (Are you pondering what I am pondering???)

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