AtoZ Never (U)nderestimate the Power of "The Man"

***E.T.A. The first environmental field day is tomorrow. 180 kids 25 parent volunteers, all outdoor and thunder storms in the forecast. I'm scrambling to come up with a possible alternate venue and how to reach volunteers at the last minute if necessary. I'll be checking in on all you awesome people in two days and will be catching up on your awesome posts. Wish me luck!****

Hi again all you hep cats participating in the AtoZ Challenge! I've been doing my level best to get around to as many blogs in the challenge as possible. There are so many awesome bloggers in this hop! I've been enjoying myself immensely! Which is something I try to do on a regular basis. Even if I must make up new ways in which to do it. And drag "The Man" -aka my husband- into my little neurotic playdates with me. Things are more fun when they're shared, amiright? Including such crazy made up games as...

Stinkbug Chicken (from 2011)


A few days ago, a stinkbug made an appearance in my bedroom, crawled to a high spot out of my immediate reach, and has apparently decided it's now residing there for the winter.

I've been keeping my eye on it, and can satisfactorily report it hasn't moved for days. So I've left it alone because there have been too many other things on fire around here to deal with. Things more important than a stinkbug setting up house on my bedroom wall. Yeah, we've had some major shit.

Anyway, I happened to mention the stinkbug to The Man.

me: "Have you noticed the stinkbug in our room?"

The Man: "Yeah."

me: "Are you going to kill it?"

The Man: "Are you?"

me: hmmmm

And that's when the game of Stinkbug Chicken (c) began. Though I'm not sure that The Man actually knows he's a participant in my new form of entertainment. But I believe he is beginning to suspect.

So here's how I'm playing. I make a comment about the bug to see if The Man will be the one to break down and dispose of it first. Only, I can't actually ask him to do it. I can only bring his attention to the bug in new and  interesting ways. For example.

me: "You know, I think I'll name the stinkbug in our room, Ralph."

The Man: bushy glance from the corner of his eye: "Is that so."

me: "Yeah. It seems he'll be staying awhile and if he's going to see me changing my clothes, I figured he should have a name."

The Man: "How do you know it's a he?"

me: "Because it stares at me so intently when I get naked."

The Man: "That seems logical."

Oh, he's good.

So it's a stalemate right now, but I haven't cracked yet. As long as Ralph stays put, that is. He's perched on my side of the room, so if he goes mobile, I'll be the first to be infiltrated.

Though, truthfully, if that thing starts flying?

Game over.