stay with me, people...

My husband will tell you that it takes me three times as long to tell a story as it does anyone else. I come by this trait honestly...just ask my mother, she'll explain it to you in great detail.

Chris likes the facts. Who, what, when, where and how. No adjectives, thank you very much. In other words, talking to him is a bore...(just kidding).

Now...where was I? Oh yes...I was gonna tell a short story with lots of finesse. Creative writing was one of my best subjects after all. If you are like Chris, you may want to stop reading here...

When I was little, one of my favorite things was the Nutshell Library by Maurice Sendak. So much so that I've kept it all these years. I love Maurice Sendak. His stories...his artwork...and especially my Nutshell Library, which consists of four small books: Alligators All Around, Chicken Soup With Rice, One Was Johnny, and Pierre.

Pierre is the story of a boy who answers "I don't care" to everything said to him. His mother and father leave him at home alone one day because he doesn't care. He meets a lion. He gets eaten by the lion. YES, this is a children's story... with a moral...if the consequence for not caring were not horrifying, then why care? So..., he's inside the lion but gets saved and then he cares! Pierre was a happier boy because of it. Good moral, no?

I grew up in Nebraska. For that reason alone I'm a Corn Husker. (GO BIG RED!) Until I moved to Iowa, I had no idea that so many people hated Nebraska. Including Chris. Sad for me. If I dared to utter a word about Nebraska or wear clothing that represented Nebraska I was shamed by almost everyone I encountered. I am now a "closet" Nebraska fan. I got tired of all the tormenting.

(This is all gonna make sense here in a minute).

Today is the Iowa State vs. The University of Iowa football game. The "Iowans Super-Bowl". I used to say..."I'm a Husker fan...I don't care who wins this stupid in-state rivalry". But then I'd see how excited everyone was about the game, I'd see all the good-natured teasing, and after 10 years I decided to care...because it would be more fun if I did...that's what happened to Pierre after all. So, I chose a team. I based my decision totally on the fact that Iowa has a dental school and Iowa State doesn't. I am in the dental field so that made total sense to me. GO HAWKS!

So, I could have just said, "IA vs. IA State is on today and we are going to watch the game as a family and eat junk food. The End". But that would not have been as exciting of a post nor have a moral... which is, of course, CARE! Life is more fun when you do! Gotta run...game is on...Go HAWKS!