drink one for the kids!

sitting outside at one of our favorite neighborhood establishments enjoying a late lunch yesterday, the roommate and i began to notice how many small children there were in the space around us. there were babies, toddlers and strollers galore. mothers-to-be waddled down the street in their cute pregger gear while dads pulled kids in little red wagons. it was like a scene out of a modern day norman rockwell painting. and so the roommate and i began to lament about our singleness in a sea of young families in the mini-suburb our cute northside neighborhood has become. not that we mind it, you see, because if i were coupled and starting a family and wanting to live in the city, i would definitely choose this area to live and raise my kids. that said, to see all of these young men and women, happily populating the planet with offspring and going about their family activities makes some of the dwindling single population feel somewhat dejected, broody and a little bitter.

and so, to live in harmony with the coupleds and the marrieds and the children, the roommate and i have decided we should take these scenarios and add alcohol. lots of alcohol. because summer in chicago seems so fleeting and wonderful, everyone likes to enjoy the outside patios at the bars and restaurants, which means there is an abnormal number of children at places you would normally consider to be for the over-21 crowd. from the months of april to september, you will enjoy your beer with a side of screaming child. or you may be sipping wine next to an angelic baby sleeping in his or her stroller. sometimes you'll have a friendly toddler sidle up to your table and watch you with interest as you gulp your bloody mary like it is magic tonic to a life threatening illness.

so i propose a drinking game to go with the invasion of the children at my local pubs. it's a simple format - everyone at your table drinks when there are children or pregnant people in the immediate vicinity. the rules are as follows:

each baby = 1 drink

set of twins = 2 drinks

each pregnant woman = 1 drink

screaming baby = 2 drinks

each toddler = 2 drinks

toddler picking nose, eating food off the ground or other disgusting behavior = 3 drinks

parents there with children and drinking = 1 drink for each parent enjoying an adult bevvy

each time someone at your table "oohs", "ahhs" or otherwise coos over any child, regardless of child's age = 1 drink

toddler running around, causing chaos, with no reprimand from parents = 1 shot

we may add more as the spring and summer go on, but for now i think this is a pretty good start and a sure-fire way to get you nice and drinky on a sunny afternoon out with friends. this is also proof that i can turn just about anything into a drinking game. and i'm not sure if that's actually a good thing or not, but it makes mini-suburbia much more fun.

you'll thank me for this later

I saw this meme on The Noble Savage . The original authors of this exercise are Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, and Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. If you participate in this blog game, they ask that you PLEASE acknowledge their copyright.

Bold the true statements. You can explain further if you wish.

1. Father went to college
2. Father finished college
3. Mother went to college
4. Mother finished college
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor.I have two uncles who are doctors. One of my dad’s sister's is a professor.
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home.
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home
9. Were read children’s books by a parent
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18
Swimming lessons, tennis lessons, horseback riding lessons
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs
thank you mom and dad!
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs
16. Went to a private high school
17. Went to summer camp
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels
didn't take many, but did stay in hotels when we visited florida, tennessee and vegas
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child
23. You and your family lived in a single-family house
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home
25. You had your own room as a child
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18
27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course
28. Had your own TV in your room in high school
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16
31. Went on a cruise with your family
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family

to echo the noble savage, it is a nice reminder of the luxuries i had as a child to go through this meme. parents who read to me, payed for most of my education, encouraged me to take other courses and lessons, allowed me to have new clothes at the beginning of each school year and bought me a cute, used car when i turned 16.... wow. i'd say i had it pretty good growing up and looking back i see mom and dad were right - i AM thanking them for it all later. i just wish i had shown more appreciation for all they did for me at the time.