Word Joust

THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE

2012-01-17T18:40:00.000-08:00

The big thing in the news nowdays is the Presidential race. The Republican Party has more than enough candidates but because there are so many, some need to drop out. Since all of these candidates could use a little "boost" to their campaigns, for our next Word Joust competition it is your challenge to pick your favorite candidate - wait, that's not your challenge! :0) - Pick your candidate of choice and write a "cheer" for him. Yes, that's right, our candidates need some old fashioned cheerleaders cheering for them! This game is not restricted solely to the Republican party. If your candidate is Obama, may God have mercy on your soul. Just kidding, if your candidate is Obama, write one about him. Please include your candidate's first or last name in your cheer, so we know who you are cheering for! Have fun!

NEW YEAR'S POT LUCK

2012-01-10T09:33:00.000-08:00

This is a choose-your-own entry to the theme of New Year's Resolutions. Take one of your resolutions - or more, if you wish - and tell us about it in a creative way. (Don't procrastinate, I am probably not going to let this go longer than a week.)

Make Me Laugh, Make Me Laugh, Make Me Laugh!!

2011-12-05T17:52:00.000-08:00

Today in Lubbock, Texas, it snowed! And will be snowing for the next few days! Now to some, this is a laughable concept!

Although not creative. For this Word Joust, I want you to make me laugh! Your topic is Snow! It can be a rhyme, a pun, a picture, a limerick, a song, a story, an ironic sentence or a couplet; anything that is related to snow and will make me laugh! Extra points will be rewarded to those that I laugh out loud at!
This game will probably be extended through the holidays because I know everyone will be busy. Keep that in mind when you are posting and don't feel rushed. Enjoy your holidays, and Happy Jousting!!

Turkey Day

2011-11-07T16:40:00.000-08:00

I'm going to make this game simple. (At least I think it's simple. :) What I want you to do is write some lymericks about Thanksgiving.

The rhyme pattern should be: (Just in case you don't know.) :)

Last words of first two lines should rhyme.

Last words of next two lines should rhyme. (these lines are typically shorter)

Last word of last line should rhyme with the last words of the first two lines.

Halloween Haitus

2011-10-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! For this game, I want you guys to come up with clever Halloween costumes!! They can be punny, rhyming, or just down right funny! A couple of examples:
Being the Rogers family, my husband and I are going as "Jolly Rogers" dressing up like pirates. Mediocre humor, you can do better than this!!!
Two years ago, I wore a shirt that said "Go Ceilings!" and I was a ceiling fan, and my friend put a black box on his back and went as a refrigerator magnet.

I hope this has got your brain flowing!!! Happy Halloween, and happy jousting!!

Captain Caption

2011-09-27T10:58:00.000-07:00

Caption contests are fun, but I can't allow something as simple as a one line caption for a contest as historically hilarious as Word Joust! No! You must write the caption to this picture as a song name and the first line of the chorus. This song must be made up by you yourself. As always points for hilarity. Also I'll add points for alliteration and onomatopoeia. Happy Jousting!

Old Geezer

2011-09-01T11:46:00.000-07:00

When I was traveling through Nevada recently, we stopped at a gas station and I saw a book that gave rules for how to be an "Old Geezer". I can't remember the rules they gave. Your task is to write some rules for being an "Old Geezer". Write at least 5, but you can have more than one entry of 5. You can write them in poem form, or even set them to music if you like. Don't be an "Old Geezer"....start writing! :)

Acrononymous

2011-08-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't really have a reason for this game. I just felt like it. On that note, your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to write an acronym. Doesn't matter what it's about. Points for hilarity, creativity, and alliteration. Happy Jousting!

DISTURBING ADDICTIONS

2011-08-06T19:59:00.000-07:00

There's a show on some TV channel called, "My Strange Addiction". I've never watched it, but Comcast had a video clip on their front page about it, about a woman whose strange addiction is eating rocks. In the video it shows her eating rocks and she says how satisfying it is and how she doesn't know how she could ever not eat rocks. Her son was also on the video clip saying how disturbed he is because his mother eats rocks.

Your challenge for our next Word Joust game is to come up with a Strange Addiction. This doesn't have to be an eating addiction, but can be an addiction of any kind. You may write your entry in any way you wish: like a news story, a commercial for a TV show, a poem, limerick, joke, etc, etc. Use your imagination!

Happy Jousting!

TWISTING

2011-07-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

Since the country's finances are all in a big, tangled mess, the new Word Joust challenge is to write a tongue twister about what to do about them, and you may choose to just wring your hands or pray. Anything will undoubtedly be better than what congress comes up with. :0s I hope you have more luck than our politicians are having!

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

2011-07-06T18:48:00.000-07:00

It's time to channel your inner Irish Medium and think ahead to the end of summer, as though it has already happened! Your challenge is to write a Limerick on the subject of this post's Title, "What I Did on My Summer Vacation." Bonus points for difficult rhymes and literary devices (alliteration, anthropomorphism, etc.). I will end this one next week, so for those traveling on family trips, this COULD be the last completed challenge for awhile, so go ALL OUT!

Standing in Line

2011-06-22T12:21:00.000-07:00

Summertime is a great time for family reunions! My own family is having one soon. In honor of this time of year, your job is to come up with four one-line statements about your family's reunion. As usual, creativity and humor is encouraged! As the judge, I also love alliteration, puns, and rhyming!!

Enjoy!

Examples:

The candy cannon creates a cacophony of cheerful cries!!

We think he's insane for not using a cane.

SWIFTIES

2011-06-13T17:41:00.000-07:00

Those of you who have ever read Boy's Life know about Tom Swifties. It is when Tom says something, and then the verb you use instead of "said" is something that makes it funny. Or you can use it with said.
Your assignment is to come up with a half dozen Tom Swifties.
Here is my example: "The electricity is out!" Tom said darkly.
As usual, creativity counts for everything.

QUOTES TO LIVE BY...

2011-06-01T18:31:00.000-07:00

We just happen to be in San Antonio right now and will be here until Friday. :0) (Btw, I heard Sam is here - or was, not sure if she still is - on her honeymoon!) Anyway, we went to the Alamo this morning and I got a chuckle out of a quote by Davy Crockett. The story goes that Davy Crockett ran for a seat in congress from Tennessee in 1835. He said to the people in his district that if he lost, "You may all go to hell and I will go to Texas". He did lose, and a year later he went to Texas and died in the battle at the Alamo.

For our next Word Joust Game, you must create a situation and then come up with a quote. Get creative and make it one that might go down in history!!! :0) Happy Jousting!!!

UNRAPTURED

2011-05-23T18:40:00.000-07:00

Okay, the Rapture came and went and everyone is still here except that the media can't find the man who predicted it all. Maybe he is hiding because he is embarrassed and disappointed? Maybe he took all that money that his followers were all giving away and bought him an island in Tahiti? Or maybe he was the only one who did get raptured?
At any rate, there are a lot of disappointed people out there who had to go to work today, unless they quit their job. :0s
So your Word Joust assignment is to find just the right word to describe what it feels like to expect to be Raptured, and then find out you weren't.
Here are the rules: You cannot use the word rapture, or any form of it. You cannot use a word that already exists, but you can take parts of words and combine them to make a new word.
As always, extra points for creativity! Good luck.....

Give me your pie

2011-04-28T17:22:00.000-07:00

For this game, I would like to try something new, a cross between an anagram and, well I'm not sure. What you need to do is to pick a movie, book, or famous person quote or whatever and change each word in order. The catch? The word you use as replacement must rhyme with the word being replaced. Sound confusing? That's because I'm trying to explain it. :) So I'll use an example.

Sentence before meddling:
Live free or die

Sentence after meddling:
Give me your pie

Rules:
The new sentence must make sense.
Please use an original sentence that is at least six words long.
The new sentence does not have to do anything with the original. Bonus points if it does.
No slant rhymes. Perfection is required. (But no one is perfect so I'll try not to be too picky.)
No bribes accepted, though I wouldn't mind a pie.
Post the original quote/phrase and then your "translation".

Any questions? May the best person win.

THAR be MUNSTERS!!!

2011-04-09T08:16:00.000-07:00

I've just finished reading the first book of the second Heroes of Olympus series, by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson was the first series). While reading them, I've realized that however fascinating or not their stories are, they have WAY too many monsters, and even more ridiculous names and attributes for them. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make up a new monster: including name and attributes. Points for ridiculousness, relation to modern life, plays on words, or (pardon my bias here) coolness. Also, as always, extra points for making me laugh. Happy Jousting!

POPCORN POPPING ON THE APRICOT TREE

2011-03-29T14:14:00.000-07:00

This tree in my backyard is what I see when I look out my office window. It is so full of blossoms, that when you walk under it, you hear a "humming". The "humming" is hundreds of bees that are busy sucking the pollen out of all the blossosms. This reminded me of the children's, "Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree". For our new Word Joust Game, I want you to tell me what YOU see when you look out your window. Of course we are going for humor and creativity here, so you really don't have to see what you write - more important, just be creative. If you would like, you can follow the pattern of the song below, or just make up something yourself. Doesn't have to be in song format. Happy Jousting!
POPCORN POPPING ON THE APRICOT TREE
I looked out the window and what did I see?
Popcorn popping on the apricot tree.
Spring has brought me such a nice surprise!
Blossoms popping right before my eyes!
I can take an armful and make a treat -
A popcorn ball that will smell so sweet.
It wasn't really so, but it seemed to me,
Popcorn popping on the apricot tree.

Card Writers

2011-03-04T12:13:00.000-08:00

Recently I have been frequenting the card aisle at the store. I've bought Valentine's cards, birthday cards, etc. Sometimes I start laughing, and even laugh until I cry. As a follow up to the last game, and our long winter, I would like you to cheer us all up. Your assignment for this game is to choose one of the following pictures and write the text for a card that features the photo. In your entry, please write the letter of the picture you chose to use. You can decide the occasion for the card you make. For example, it could be a birthday card, or a St. Patrick's day card, or a sympathy card, or any other "card occasion". The winner's entry will be featured on this blog as a photo card. :D Don't ask me why I chose all old ladies.... lol I don't know, I just thought they would make good cards. :) Obviously I'm looking for a humorous caption.

CARD A

CARD B (tribute to our ex-governor :)

CARD C

CARD D

MARCHING ORDERS

2011-02-21T12:28:00.000-08:00

We can't trust that ground hog to get rid of winter, and the month of February has been somewhat on the nasty side. So your challenge is to bring in March by giving winter its MARCHing orders. Creativity counts for everything!

That's No Excuse!

2011-02-10T20:42:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Parent / Teacher conferences at our Middle School, with conferences for the High School on Monday (yes, conferences on Valentine's Day!). One of the issues I will deal with on both of these days is students who never turn in their homework! Luckily, I have never had a student use the dog-ate-my-homework excuse. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to come up with THE BEST EXCUSE EVER for not turning in homework. If I have ever heard it, you will be instantly disqualified, so be creative! Bonus points go to excuses that are plausible, believable, yet still amazingly crazy! And I will be docking points for poor spelling, grammar, or punctuation! Happy Jousting!

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'VE GOT"

2011-01-25T20:55:00.000-08:00

The Beach Boys are probably the greatest song writers when it comes to writing songs about cars. They have written songs called: "Little Deuce Coupe", "Little Honda", "In My Car", "Car Crazy Cutie", "Honkin' Down the Highway", to name a few. The title of this game is from "Little Deuce Coupe". The lyrics are: "Little Deuce Coupe, You don't know what I've got" (that's from the chorus).

After we got home from Ireland we had to go buy a new car. We bought a new Ford F150 pickup. I love it! One of my favorite things that I am particularly enjoying this winter is the heated front seats. The seats will heat up before the heater even gets warm! The other day I was driving along with my heated seats, listening to my Harry Potter CD and really loving my truck. Which brings me to our New Game!

So Jousters, for this game I want you to design (in words) a new car or a new truck, or even a new SUV. Tell me what kind of special features YOU would invent to go in or on your new vehicle! Are there any features cars have now that you could improve on? Anything goes, so happy designing!

Does That Make Me Crazy!?

2011-01-10T09:07:00.000-08:00

Everyone has things that drive them crazy; Traffic, people, the neighbors annoying howling pets. In this game, you will identify the things that drive you crazy, then come up with a solution for them. Be creative, but be nice! For example, if a very annoying, talkative person drives you crazy, killing them is not an acceptable solution! A more creative solution would be to give them a gift of chocolate covered peanut butter cookies, with a little honey mixed in the peanut butter, to keep their mouth glued shut. Not the best of examples, but you get the idea. Happy Jousting!

2011 RESOLUTIONS

2011-01-02T17:14:00.000-08:00

It's a new year, and time for new resolutions..no, no, not yours. These are for other people. Since it is now 2011, make a list of 11 resolutions you'd like other people to carry out in the coming year. One rule: no personal names, although celebrities and politicians are fair game.

Double the Fun

2010-12-15T16:42:00.000-08:00

In this game, you will be writing couplets. A couplet, defined by Lemony Snicket and confirmed by Wikipedia, is a poem consisting of two lines. Traditionally, they rhyme and have the same meter. Your job, if you so accept, is to write a couplet consisting the word of the day. You must tell us what the word of the day was that day, and the definition. Literary devices are encouraged, and bonus points if the word of the day is used as the rhyming word.

Jousting Jubilee

2010-11-30T16:22:00.000-08:00

As you all know, it's that time of year again, and Christmas songs are on all the time. Your task should you choose to accept it, is to take one of these said songs, and revamp it's lyrics. As always, points for creativity, and extra points if you can change the holiday of a classic Christmas song. Happy Jousting!!

OBLIVIATE!

2010-11-20T01:53:00.000-08:00

Okay, I will admit it, the Turkey awards was... well....um....a turkey. So I give myself the award and change the game. Given that this week I had to delete a Facebook comment, delete an Inklings blog, and delete a word joust game....and am now still lingering under the spell of the amazing Harry Potter movie I saw yesterday....the new game will be a wish for a little magic.
Please come up with a word that will magically change time back when, despite your well intentions, you totally do the wrong thing.

WORD VERIFICATION

2010-11-03T21:29:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since we've done a "word verification", so today's your lucky day because that's what this new game is going to be! This is an actual word verification I got from Delirious' blog. I had to click the comment link about 8 times before I got a word verification that I liked. :0)

So here's what I want: Give me a definition and use it in a sentence. Extra points for making me laugh out loud!

Here's your word: reastran

Happy Jousting!

WHAT IS A DRAMA LLAMA?

2010-10-22T08:33:00.000-07:00

In a recent conversation someone said to me, "She's such a drama llama!"
Your misssion, should you choose to accept it, is to define just what a drama llama actually is. I'm looking for some explicit characteristics in whatever form you choose to take.

Changeventions!

2010-10-03T12:35:00.000-07:00

The game for this week (Or until everybody gets to play) is to take an invention, anything at all, and change its purpose and name, to make it do something completely different. For example, a salt and pepper shaker becomes a chocolate and vanilla dispenser. As always, extra points will be given to creativity, hilariousness, and extra stuff such as a short story involving your new Changevention. Be Creative! Be Bold! Be Underlined and Italics! And as always, Happy Jousting!!

SAY WHAT???

2010-09-19T20:50:00.000-07:00

For this game, you need to study the picture and come up with a headline and a parragraph explaining the picture. Of course, top points will be awarded to the funniest and most creative! When the game is over, I'll tell you what this picture is. Remember: You're not trying to "guess" what this is, you're just trying to make up a funny, creative headline and a funny, creative explanation of what it could be. Have fun! You can submit as many entries as you wish.

Haiku For U!

2010-08-29T21:25:00.000-07:00

The start of school is such a wonderful time of year (at least it is for me right now because my husband just finished school, forever). In honor of this wonderful occasion and because I love writing haikus, your task, if you choose to accept it, is to write a haiku about starting or finishing school. I need a good laugh right now, so bonus points for inducing giggles.

How to write a haiku:
Meter is 5, 7, 5 (syllables) and no rhyming is necessary.
For a brilliant example of Haiku, check out my entry for Moon Fashion.

Quotable Quotes

2010-08-09T12:59:00.000-07:00

There are millions of quotes in the world regarding every possible topic. For example, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Or the more popular government version, "If it ain't broke, fix it till it is." Without using quotes from our family, (ie, Mom and Dad) give the most creative saying you can find, or invent. The most memorable/creative wins.

EXTRA! EXTRA!

2010-07-13T14:46:00.000-07:00

For this word joust, you will pretend that you are an editor for your family's newspaper. Write a headline for the front page.
I enjoy wit and literary devices, but above all, I love puns! Extra points for extra puns! There are rules for headlines, but the only ones that apply here are:

* No "to be" verbs.

* No articles (the, a, an).

* Use the word EXTRA! and get EXTRA points!

Be creative, have fun, and good luck!

The Vacation TOP TEN!!!

2010-07-06T23:58:00.000-07:00

I know that for some, this will seem like it is meant for only my family. Not true. However... since we WILL be missing some of our family members this summer, I thought we would create a Word Joust in their honor. I don't always stay up watching TV, but when I do, I love to see David Letterman's Top Ten. For this round, you should create your own Top Ten List. Be original. But your list should reflect the theme of Summer Vacation. For those who so desire, you may bend that any way you want. You are limited ONLY by those things that can be seen, heard, tasted, smelled, felt, said, or done while on summer vacation. I know the picture isn't exactly in line with the theme, but it was funny and my family will know exactly what I'm talking about. Happy Jousting!

CLEAN UP THE OIL SPILL

2010-06-28T15:28:00.000-07:00

Well I don't know about you, but I can't believe that they don't have that oil spill in the Gulf cleaned up yet! It even seems like there are many people with ideas, but they are just not trying much at all. So here's the next game:

In the next Word Joust Game, you must submit an original idea of how they can clean up the oil in the Gulf. This idea doesn't necessarily have to be scientifically correct (and it doesn't even have to really work), but the winner will be determined on how creative the idea is, and how creatively the idea is pitched. So put your thinking caps on and really sell me on this one, and who knows? Maybe we can send our idea to Obama! I'm sure he'll appreciate one more idea on how to clean up the oil spill.....:0)

Jingles

2010-06-21T10:48:00.000-07:00

I was thinking of the old time advertising jingles that we heard growing up. To be correct, a jingle is set to music. But for our purposes today, I use the word "jingle" to describe any advertising catchphrase. I had to google this because my memory wasn't so good, but here are a few examples from my childhood:

"Hungryyyyy, Hungry Jack. They gobble 'em up and the plate come back for Hungry Jack."

"All - tempa - Cheer"

"Please don't squeeze the Charmin!"

"I can't believe I ate the whole thing"

"Where's the beef?"

"Look Ma, no cavities!"

"Plop plop Fizz fizz O what a relief it is"

"I can't believe I ate the WHOLE thing

Okay, so your task is to come up with a jingle. I was thinking that the only product I have right now that I would like advertised is my blog. So please write a jingle for my blog!

Sneakers

2010-06-10T19:13:00.001-07:00

There was a great movie with Robert Redford where someone invented a device to break all codes. As kids we used to make up a code and write a message, then have the others decode the message. There are some standard rules that are very useful in breaking simple codes. I have a normal sentence encoded for you to break. The first one to break the code wins. I won't confirm the answer until everyone guesses or decodes the message the same. Get your pen and paper ready. Here's the coded message:

Sbe gur Oybt bs Jbeq Wbhfg, gur uneqrfg guvat gb qb vf gb pbzr hc jvgu gur arkg tnzr.

Happy decrypting!

Twist

Rhyme Me

2010-05-31T16:27:00.001-07:00

This is kind of an extension of Twist's last game, with a slight, erm.....twist.

I want you to make a sentence (that makes sense) using as many rhyming words as possible. Not every word has to rhyme, but the more rhyming words you use, the more points you get. Here is an example. Note I didn't invent the word "stucky"... ;)

Lucky Ducky stuck in the mucky.

Word Pyramid

2010-05-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

I've never seen a game like this before so if you have, let me know what it's called. For now I'm calling it a word pyramid. The rules are simpler than the game. Start with a single letter word. Each line must have only one word and that word must be a single letter bigger than the last word. Highlight your pyramid and center the text. Here is my poor example:

I
Am
Way
Over
Stale
Carrot
Cookies

The pyramid with the most lines that actually make a sentence is the winner.

Twist

BE AFRAID, VERY AFRAID

2010-05-06T13:33:00.000-07:00

My husband turned 60 this year and it has made us think about that universal fear of getting older. We have made a pact that WE will grow old gracefully and not be cantankerous and stubborn like some of the old(er) people we know. Since time ticks on and makes fools of us all, we know that we will all get there some day and be "old". Your challenge for this game is to create a word that describes the "fear of getting older." The only rules are to stay within the realms of the English language. You may submit as many words as you wish.

Have fun!

A Limerick: In Honor of Nene's Homecoming :)

2010-04-20T09:36:00.001-07:00

In honor of Nene moving home from Ireland, I want to do another limerick. I might note that she has had difficulty getting a flight out of Ireland because of volcanic ash blowing from Iceland. Please finish the following limerick. Remember we are keeping this clean! ;)

There once was a traveler named Nene.....

How Are We Feeling Today?

2010-04-09T21:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, I will spare you the specifics and the details, but I am suffering from a stomach flu that has had hold of me for two days now. I went over 30 hours with no solid food, and limited liquids. I have been feverish and aching throughout the day and night. Tonight, after around 36 hours with nothing more solid than "Go-gurt," I ate dinner--pizza, and cheese-sticks, with root-beer.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to come up with a fictional word that describes exactly how I feel after this dinner. I will give you only one hint: it ain't good. And I'm still feeling it a couple of hours later.

The winner will be the person who comes closest to the sound being made in my head as I write this! Use your imagination, but don't gross yourself out in the process! We don't need more of us feeling this way...

Recipe for Disaster

2010-03-28T20:10:00.001-07:00

(Sorry this took so long. I had family in town.)

This next game is courtesy of my charming, clever husband.

Each of you, if you feel up to the challenge, will create a recipe for a word in standard recipe format (see example below). The word you choose is up to you, but you can always turn to the Word of the Day gadget that is on this blog. The example word is not allowed. Your recipe can be funny, serious, profound, ironic, etc. (That said, I, as the judge, like a good laugh.) Your recipe can teach how to become that word, set up a scene that the word describes, or paint a portrait of a person that the word describes. In other words, be creative!

Example:

Disaster

Ingredients:
1 harried mother
2 overstimulated children, under age 5 preferred
1 pan delicious Lasagna
1/2 cup bad luck
5-10 important phone calls
1 cold granite countertop
1 box Mac and Cheese

Arrange ingredients about 30 minutes after you should have started making dinner. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix mother and children together until the mother can't see straight and is about to pull out her hair. Somehow manage to get the lasagna in the almost preheated oven. Sprinkle mixture with bad luck. Add phone calls one at a time with the most important and longest right as the lasagna should come out of the oven. Continue to mix the mother and children. When the kitchen is sufficiently filled with smoke, remove the lasagna with the mother and chilren mixture and place on cold granite countertop until the pyrex dish shatters. Allow the mother to steam and vent before mixing together the box of Mac and Cheese. Serve immediately.

Snow, snow, go away...

2010-03-18T08:03:00.000-07:00

J.K. Rowling came up with "Wingarium leviosa" to levitate things, "Expelliarmus" to make someone drop something, "Reparo" to fix an item.
What I want is an incantation to make winter leave or spring to come (and stay), and I'm putting a 5 word limit on it. Then let's hope it works!
Good luck!

A NEW WINTER OLYMPIC GAME

2010-03-01T09:24:00.000-08:00

Now that the Winter Olympics are over, I'm wondering if anyone thought there should have been "more" games? Your challenge for this round of Word Joust is to create a "New Winter Olympic Game". Anything goes, but no need to be really technically involved - just give me the basics. Describe your game and any equipment the contender might need, and what would determine a winner.

Fromagette is Real!

2010-02-24T15:50:00.000-08:00

I met Fromagette in person today. She's real! Fun times!

Tell Me A Joke- Part 2

2010-02-04T19:14:00.000-08:00

Everybody can play because the joke doesn't have to be original (but you get extra points if it is.)
Which means of course, that you don't even have to be creative, which of course is NOT the point of the whole blog, BUT....... its my game, Mine, MINE (insert evil laugh here- really- insert it now because I have no idea how to type an evil laugh.)
OK so here are the rules. The same one for determining if I forward a joke at work, i.e. I laugh out loud.
In the case of multiple outbursts, the winner will be determined by the joke that makes me laugh so hard my wife will ask, "what's so funny." Pathetic laughs count, but not much. Politics is OK but probably far too easy
Extra points for jokes I haven't heard.
Extra points for originality. (you're on your honor for this one)

Life's a Pitch

2010-01-30T10:42:00.000-08:00

Our family bought a new game called "Life's a Pitch". I thought it might be fun to try it out with you here. I'm going to give you a situation, and then I will list some nouns. Each of you must pick one of the nouns (first come first served basis) and "pitch" to me why it fits the situation the best. :) Just write a comment explaining why I should pick your noun as the best answer. I'll write a long list of nouns so that you have a good choice. But you may not choose a noun that has already been used. Remember, the more creative and persuasive the answer, the more likely it will be picked.

Situation:
Something you use to cure nausea

Nouns:
aerosol spray
waffle iron
deck of cards
cube of butter
cowboy hat
galoshes
a ruler
divining rod
marshmallow creme

Maybe I’m Getting Paranoid

2010-01-27T08:38:00.000-08:00

Sometimes an article just says it all. Profound and to the point, like this one from the The New Republic.
It speaks to an apparent bias in the Administration and the callousness of Arab governments to others as well as there own. Well done.

Tongue Tied?

2010-01-20T19:35:00.000-08:00

We all know how hard it is to sometimes say exactly what you mean, when you want to say it. Politicians get bad publicity when they can't get things just right. And we all know how difficult it can get when you get your tang all tongueled up . . . I mean when you're tie-tangued . . . . I mean when you wix up mords. Well, wou mow yhat I nean . . . .

Anyway, your mission is to write an original tongue-twister. Forget all the "She sells sea shells" stuff. I want a POLITICAL tongue twister. It can deal with anything political, but other than that, the gloves are off. Points will be given to anyone who writes one I can't say 5 times, fast! Even more points if I can't even say it once!

Lood Guck!

WORD VERIFICATION

2010-01-12T08:04:00.000-08:00

We've had some tough games recently, so let's have a break and do a game that's a bit easier. I'll give you a word - in Gaelic - and you invent the meaning for that word and make up an sentence using it. In English, this word is actually one word, but in Gaelic, it's two words. Here's the word:

Calog Shneachta

When the game is over, I'll tell you the real meaning of this word. Remember, I'm not looking for the "real" meaning, I'm looking for the most creative meaning you can come up with. :0)

Palindromes!

2010-01-03T09:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, 01.02.2010, was PALINDROME DAY. Just as a reminder, a palindrome is a word or phrase which is spelled the same forward or backward. One very famous example is "Able was I ere I saw Elba."

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create an original palindrome of your own devising. Points will be given for palindromes that follow ANY theme. More points if you follow a New Year's theme. The longer the palindrome, the more points you will score. Have fun!

New Year Resolutions

2009-12-25T10:59:00.000-08:00

So now that we are approaching the new year, I thought we should go along with that theme for our next game. And while still in the spirit of giving, I thought we all should give one last gift this year. I would like all of you to make up some new year's resolutions for celebrities or famous people. :D For example, Richard Simmon's new year resolution could be: Wear longer exercise shorts. :P Don't hold back, I'm sure they can benefit from your help!

IN THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS.....

2009-12-13T08:23:00.000-08:00

I'm playing a wild card this time. Do anything you want - limerick, acrostic, anagram, ode, joke, or something you can come up with, but use this phrase: LUMP OF COAL. Tell what you did along with your answer, or Santa will leave you a lump of coal for Christmas for being naughty. :0)

Santa's Reindeer

2009-11-30T22:17:00.001-08:00

For this game, I would like you to re-name Santa's reindeer. Extra points if your names rhyme like this exerpt from the poem:

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and call'd them by name:
"Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer, and Vixen!
"On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen!
"To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
"Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

Moon Fashion

2009-11-20T16:47:00.000-08:00

With scientists being so excited that we have found water on the moon, there may be a slight possibility that humans may be hanging out on the moon in the future.
I was thinking along the lines of a space getaway to your lunar cottage. :-)
And the moon being the moon we would need moon fashion for the climate and the decreased gravity.
If you all would set your imaginations free and design, with words, some suitable moon apparel. You will need to do some studying on whatever info is available re: the climate of our nearest planetary neighbour. :-)

Here We Come A-Caroling

2009-11-10T15:46:00.000-08:00

Okay, I hope this one won't be quite so tedious for you as the last one, but I have been planning this for the past several jousts just in case I won again. We all love Thanksgiving, and Christmas is definitely on the top of the list of favorite holidays. One of the thing I love best is singing carols.

The problem is, Christmas got all the great songs, and almost no other holiday has any. With the elementary kids, every October we sing Pumpkin Carols (some inspired by Linus from Peanuts). These include "Spooky Night," "We Three Ghosts," " O Skeletons," and "Oh, Come All Ye Monsters."

Your mission is to choose a holiday OTHER THAN Christmas, Thanksgiving or Halloween (with bonus points given if you detect my favorite from a hint given in this post) and write new words to an existing song (yes, it most definitely CAN be a Christmas Carol) to create a new carol for that Holiday. I may even use the top entries with the elementary kids when that holiday comes around.

Please include the name of the tune with your new lyrics so we can all sing along!

TURKEY TALK

2009-11-03T08:15:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I'm already planning my Thanksgiving, since I'm having about 14 for dinner. So since my mind is already on that theme, let's do a Limerick! Anything goes, and you don't have to stick with a Thanksgiving theme if you don't want to. I'm going to make it harder and only give you the first line. Here's your opening line:

THERE ONCE WAS A TURKEY FROM TEXAS.....

New Game: AUTUMN ANAGRAM

2009-10-26T21:04:00.000-07:00

At long last, here is a new game: sharpen your pencils and come up with an anagram (or more than one, if you'd like) based upon the theme of Autumn. Ready, set, go! May the best jouster win!

ROUND 14 - HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2009-10-17T03:11:00.000-07:00

Since it's October, I decided to go with a Halloween theme. Using only the letters from the words "HAPPY HALLOWEEN" use each letter in order as the first letter of each word and make one or more sentences, sticking with the Halloween theme. So, the first word should start with H, the next word with A the next word with P, the next word with P and so on....

I Have An Idea!!!

2009-10-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

Make note of this day. I rely heavily on the creativity of others, especially regarding this blog. I've never had anything resembling an idea concerning a game here and am usually in awe of (and sometimes intimidated by) those who do.

But while preparing for another word verification round I was struck by, dare I say it, a half way decent game.

Round 13. (Insert Lucy VanPelt's voice here) Do you have a fear of the number 13? If so you're suffering from "Triskaidekaphobia."

What other "phobias" can you come up with?. (No actual phobias please, they scare me. :-) )

ROUND TWELVE

2009-10-02T19:05:00.000-07:00

Okay, I think all your jokes were funnier than mine, but I'll take a turn. This will be an easy one, but something different than we have done. Take the first letter of your online name and make a sentence with it. I will give you an example using mine, I for Inklings: Increasing idiosyncrasies indicate Inklings is indeed incurably insane. (Yes, truth is stranger than fiction. :0D )Good Luck!

ROUND 11 - TELL ME A JOKE

2009-09-28T07:57:00.000-07:00

When I was a teenager, my friends and I would tell this joke to people to test them to see if they were an honest person, or a fake person. Here's the joke: Two penguins were sitting in a bathtub. One penguin said, "Pass the soap." The other penguin said, "What do you think I am, a microwave?" Then we'd say, "Get it? A microwave!" and crack up laughing, to see if they laughed along with us. We had lots of people who thought it was funny. (I know, we were terrible!) :0)
Your challenge is to take the first sentence and add to it and make it into a real joke - and hopefully a funny one. Here is your first sentence again:

Two penguins were sitting in a bathtub

Have fun!

Round 10

2009-09-23T14:38:00.001-07:00

I thought we should go visual this time. Below you will see a picture of my former mission companion eating a delicacy. If you know what it is, pretend you don't. I would like you to come up with a new name for this delicacy, and a definition describing it. I tried this once before on my regular blog, but didn't get much response. Let's see what you can do on this blog. :)

Root of All Language

2009-09-18T12:04:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a simple game, but not so simply done. People going to or from another language often stumble to find a word. Sometimes for a word that does not really exist for a specific idea they want to communicate. Language is the verbalization of a feeling, impression or idea. In that theme, create a new word, using base roots to describe the feeling you get when ride in a car over a really good fun bump. Better yet, create two words, one based on root word and another less serious that expresses the feeling.

Happy creating,

Twist

Round 8: Word Yahtzee

2009-09-15T15:40:00.000-07:00

Okay, this is one of my favorite word games.... Here are the rules:

1. Use each letter only once per word.
2. Use the letters in any combination.
3. There is no time limit this round, but you must make it stick in one sitting.
4. NO DOUBLE, TRIPLE, OR ANY "OTHER-LE" POSTING. (You only get one shot at this, so make it good.
5 Points: 3-letter words receive 1 pt., 4 letter words receive 2 pts., and so on.
6. 10 Extra points will be given for more than 10 words starting with the same letter.
7. 10 points will be given for using all the letters in your post.
8. 50 Points will be given if you have 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 words (making a straight)
9. Try to tally your own score, or it'll take me forever to finish this round.

ENJOY!!! Mwahahahahaha!

Round 7: Anagram Time!

2009-09-10T22:06:00.000-07:00

Let's do another anagram! We'll follow the rules from Mr. Giggles' round. Bonus points for knowing where it comes from. (Please do not search for the answer. Use what your mind tells you.) (Oh, and it has no reference to how I feel about anyone. It was short and precedes a favorite line of mine in a favorite scene.)

Neighbors, you are tedious.

Hint: "...but truly, for mine own part, if I were as tedious as a king, I could find in my heart to bestow it all of your worship."

Round 6

2009-09-06T18:56:00.000-07:00

Rephrase this sentence without using the same words. Be creative with either brevity or length.

The quote is from Inklings:

"People with no vision of the future are willing to give up what they want most for what they want now."

Round 5

2009-09-02T06:01:00.000-07:00

In honor of Nene, I want to do another limirick. Remember to keep it clean. :P

There once was a girl of New York,
Who ate ALL her food with a fork.....

You finish it!

BUTOISI

2009-08-28T05:35:00.001-07:00

First of all, I'm setting the record straight that I do not have a flying phobia. I heard that definition of an airplane (a silver tube with wings) in a comedy routine. Although that thought does cross my mind as I'm flying. :0)

Let's stick with word verification for this next round. Give me a definition and use it in a sentence. Keep it clean. :0)

The word verification is: BUTOISI

Round 3

2009-08-23T20:16:00.000-07:00

Let's try a word verification word.

Give me a definition for this word and use it in a sentence.

TUBEAVIS

Round 2

2009-08-13T14:46:00.000-07:00

Anagrams: Use all of the letters to form a new entry. No extra letters are allowed, and points will be deducted for every letter unused. Extra consideration will be given for the following:

1. Staying within the theme
2. Creativity
3. Literary devices.

Original Quote (knowing the obsessions of this group):

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"

Round 1

2009-08-06T11:17:00.001-07:00

Finish the lymeric. :)

There once was a jouster of words,
Who brought in more players in herds.
The more people to play
The more fun all the way.....

Welcome!

2009-08-06T11:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Word Joust! I look forward to some creative, challenging, and humorous matches! Please leave a comment here if you would like to participate in our games!