The games we play...

My students and I got off topic (shocking I know) today and we were discussing the games we play while driving down the road.   They were describing the usual license plate game (where you try to find different states) and then the other common game, the alphabet game which is where you have to find each letter in the alphabet (in order) in road signs as you drive along.  It can go rather quickly until you get to tougher letters like G and Q. 

Another game our family plays is watching for wildlife.  This is one that Tim and his kids taught us.  It sounds so sweet and nice, "look for deer little ones".  Instead it is more of a race to see who can find wildlife first and a claim of "I already counted those" screamed out from the back seat.  Basically if you see say a small herd of deer you say "6 deer".  If there are 6 deer you get six points.  If there are only 5 you lose a point or something?   If there are 10, someone else can claim the other 4.  And roadkill counts, ie "roadkill raccoon".  But cows don't (or other farm animals).  Don't even try farm animals. I've tried arguing that loose farm animals should count as wildlife, apparently they don't.  Lately there have been so many turkey and deer in giant clusters that this has been an easy game to rack up the points which no one ever really keeps track of and there is no prize for having the most anyway. 

Another game is counting silos on your side of the road.  But this gets tricky when you start counting silos that you can see in the distance and who knows what side of the road they will really be on when you get there.  I mean, because it is super important and the points count in that game?  Oh wait - they never truly do. 

What got us talking about roadside games you ask?  Well, you must know what time of year it is?  March Madness people!  To many 10 year old boys, and some of the girls too, this is a pretty exciting time.  My coworker thinks so too and today all of the students got to draw numbers and choose teams.  This morning I also completed a bracket.  Not because I know anything or care, but because, you guessed it, our family is holding a contest.  So I reluctantly filled out my bracket. 

Now being as I know nothing about basketball I used a highly scientific method of choosing teams.  I went through and chose teams based off of several criteria:
1. I had actually heard of the college before 
2. I had visited the state   
3. The word sounded "horsey" (Buck for Bucknell sounded horsey - apparently this was a "bold" choice.)   

4.  Lastly - if it just sounded cool.  Villanova sounded like a science fiction action hero.  (Villanova sliced through the android with his light saber.)  They were my top pick.    My students claim this was a good choice.  We shall see I guess. 

Apparently the first prize in this contest at our house is the joy of winning, so you would think I wouldn't be highly motivated to win.  But then, you wouldn't know me at all.  I'm a tad bit competitive so bring it on.  After all, I did write "Melissa's winning Bracket" across the top of my bracket.  It's pretty serious.