In Howktown, you must past this test.

Showing Doug the National Geographic Ropes

It has come to pass in Howktown, that in order to be fully integrated into The Family, you must complete an unmentioned number of tasks.  I'm sure every family has their little tests to see if you made it into the fold, and far be it for us to be any different. 

Heh, well, I guess it isn't that far fetched to be a little different here in Howktown. 

That being said, I think that I can reveal the most difficult test to pass here in Howktown; playing National Geographic Explorer: Global Pursuit circa 1987. 

My sisters and I acquired this game as a Christmas Present via Santa Claus.  This guy must of really knew what he was doing that year, which I believe was 1987, or '88.  We dove into the game and it's maps and read through the questions and gobbled it up year after year. 

Depending on what topics we were studying in school would determine how well we were doing that year, but it always seemed that my Dad won the game.  We girls moved off to college and the game was only played occasionally when we were all home at the same time.  We tried to include other friends and extended family members in the game, and usually with dire consequences. One aunt refused to play games at our house after their inaugural game.  I mistakenly told a friend that I didn't think she'd like the game when she asked about it, and she subsequently stopped being my friend.  

Then one year we noticed that some of the questions weren't so accurate anymore. I mean the Berlin Wall had not yet fallen when this game was penned! In questions regarding territories and country flags we started each questions with the caveat: In 1987.... 

The questions became out of date, and yet we kept playing. We could not stop. Both of my brothers-in-law were made to play The Game and Barrett giggled like a girl when he played. It turned out The First Lady was the first person he met that had also played this game (and he the first we'd met!) and it solidified his marital choice.

Saturday we pulled out the game in early celebration of the First Lady's birthday and it was an exciting game that had a lot of firsts.  It was the first time we all had to play couples, it was Doug's induction into the family game, and it was William's first game.  William, age 6, read helped me read the questions and amazed us all with his reading abilities.  Doug, having been the last in turn to play, only got answer two questions the whole game, so he felt a little bored about it all. I don't blame him, for a first game it was overwhelming. 

Playing this game has gone beyond the actual enjoyment of the processes of the game. It has become tradition more revered than turkey on Thanksgiving in this house. Christmas Eve dinner can consist of anything from Tacos to Lasagna, and it doesn't matter what day we open presents. However, if we are playing The Game, the whole family joins in. It's about sitting around the table and looking at each others faces as we talk and laugh. It's about helping each other match the map pieces, and giving each other clues to the trivia questions. Playing this game is what it means to be in our family. 

So, if you want into to Howktown, study up. There'll be a quiz and game on Monday.