Not only do I yell at them with my eyes, but I can visually flip them off too.

Do you know about Family Game Night?  It is a game show that is on Friday night at 8:00 on The Hub.  Two families of four play popular board games that are larger than life.  For instance, Yahtzee dice are made into huge bowling pins or Connect 4 is played with yellow or red basketballs rather than checkers.  Laurel loves this show and she thinks that the Fab Four of Wang will participate when Rachel is 6 and she is 10.  (Can you imagine me on a game show?  I am sure that you assume that I cannot fake enthusiasm..or anything else.  Why settle?)

This past Friday, there was a version of Cranium played.  One part had the dads guessing U.S. Presidents.  The faces (of the Presidents) were blurred out but there were several other features shown that were obvious clues.  But the dads still had a hard time.  With President Clinton..his hair was shown; Obama..his hand: JFK, while blurred his pic included his wife and kids and lastly, President Reagan was shown blurred but next to Nancy.  This wasn't even challenge and these dads were taking a few seconds to study the picture.  Holy Christ..can they even tie their own shoes?  I had to yell out the answers quickly just to make myself feel better.  I told Laurel that it was an embarrassment that they delayed their answer.  This was an issue of simple Civics.  Laurel was absolutely amazed that I knew the answers. Her amazement could be compared to me hugging a real life Backyardigan.  Really Laurel ?

Laurel, at this stage of her life, doesn't realize that her amazement of some one's intelligence is a blatant insult.  Some adults haven't grown into this either...these are adults that start a question with "You probably don't know this.." (Yeah, you know who you are..) When someone does this to me, not only do I yell at them with my eyes, but I can visually flip them off too.

This exchange with Laurel also reminds me of a letter I got from my Nana in college (back in 1993).  She would write to me every week..telling me about comings, goings and specials at Mister Market.  When I was a junior, my sister Jess was graduating from high school.  When Jess graduated, she did it with full flourish..scholarships, awards, and choice of several schools.  (This was Jess' gig but you all know that when I was in high school, my gig was being a looker..refer to entry dated 2/22)  When I graduated, I was lucky to get a $250 scholarship from the Women's League..but it didn't matter..I was at UConn and keeping off the academic probation list and thoroughly enjoying myself.  But my Nana didn't want me to feel bad comparing myself to my sister.  She told me that my academics were fine and that I was "smart in my own special way"  Holy Cripe!  I knew that I was not a Mensa member but I wasn't a dope either..I think my Nana thought that I needed extra tutoring.  Good Lord..

While Laurel will learn this over time..I know that I am smart.  Not "in my own special way" but flat out smart.  I have never questioned my intelligence.  Have I questioned my sanity? Hell, yes.  But intelligence? Ab-so-freakin'-not!