On a Quest for Fun

July 27, 2005

My husband and I celebrated 8 years of marriage yesterday. It has not been a cake walk, people.

Worth it? Yes. Easy? No. But I digress.

OK, so last night as we sat eating Middle Eastern food (he had lamb, I had falafel…not that you care), we came to a disturbing conclusion: We do not know how to have fun.

This is not a new problem. In fact, in our first year of marriage, one of our friends pointed out the issue and proceeded to give us about 50 board games in an effort to stoke the fires of fun. It backfired. Playing a game means someone will lose. One of us (that would be me) does not like losing, so you can imagine how our “fun game nights” ended when I didn’t win (not that I lost a lot, of course).

So, I turn to you, dear readers (all 3 of you). We need your help. We’re looking for your fun-filled ideas. We ain’t rollin’ in the dough, you’ll remember, so it’s gotta be cheap—free would be better.

And don’t suggest sex. We already know about that one.

Category: Random

Comments

13 Responses to “On a Quest for Fun”

  1. Nate Cronk
    July 27th, 2005 @ 11:55 pm

    Amy,

    This is Nate, and I’m checking out your blog for the first time. I really like it a lot. I think the insights are hilarious. And I guess now there are 4 readers to join the lonesome 3. As far as the fun goes, I have no clue but I wanted to reply to the Revelation post. I realize that I am doing this is in the wrong fashion, because I’m leaving a post on the wrong subject. Sorry bout that. Anywho, I don’t think you’re too pragmatic (from what I know of you). Revelation is freaking weird and the church has done a lot to explain it away. (Thank you “Left Behind” series) It doesn’t make that much sense at a surface glance. I think that without understanding it historically or metaphorically it makes little to no sense. Maybe I will be burned this Sunday as a heretic for saying this, but I believe that the Catholic position on Revelation is way cooler. They believe that it symbolizes the end times and the historical persecution of the early church. For example, the number “666″ translates to the word “Nero” in Greek under the numbering system. A number of major commentators have said this. But that position doesn’t give us the kind of cookie-cutter answer we always look for. That’s my two cents, but as far as fun goes, Highland Park is nice, so is Cobbs Hill, if you like to walk. Nic Tahou’s is always a fun experience (although I realize that will probably never happen). Also, there are a good many coffee shops where jazz is played on the weekends. And in general, you are two fun people, and there is light at the end of the boring tunnel. Sorry about the long post, but I hope you at least find it slightly weird, and that it gives cause for a chuckle.

  2. Pamela
    July 28th, 2005 @ 12:02 pm

    i think you should address your issue of needing to always win the board games :) invite people over for dessert and board games.

  3. Amy
    July 28th, 2005 @ 1:03 pm

    Thanks Nate, for making yourself Reader #4 and for the tips to increase our fun quotient. And thanks for the theological insight regarding Revelation—wow, deep. Let me chew on that for a while…and I’ll do my best to ward off any heretic-hunters threatening to burn you on Sunday.

  4. Amy
    July 28th, 2005 @ 1:20 pm

    For those of you who don’t know, I have the privilege of calling Pamela (Commenter #2) my sister. Actually, I don’t call her Pamela, I call her Oosh. Anyway…

    Off me Oosh. Yes, you are right. I need to address the issue of needing to win the board games, but as you know, compared to the rest of my issues, that one is miniscule and therefore waaaaaay down on the list. Perhaps I’ll get to it someday after I figure out the rest of my junk.

    And about inviting people over for dessert and board games…do you not remember that having people over FREAKS ME OUT?! Need I remind you that I am generally A STRESS CASE when I even think about it? Besides, what if THEY win the board games? Things could get ugly I’m afraid.

  5. Kurtis
    July 28th, 2005 @ 1:33 pm

    in response to your comment back to Oosh…if you don’t want to face your fears, not having fun could be one of the consequences. Roller coasters can be scary but people have fun riding them all the time. Think of having people over as an extreme thrill sport, like base jumping or sky diving. :)

  6. Amy
    July 28th, 2005 @ 1:43 pm

    Kurtis, I knew I loved you for a reason. I like that—having people over=an extreme thrill sport. I’m feelin’ empowered.

    Hey, don’t you guys have some drywall to install or something, rather than helping your sister get out of her pathetic rut?

  7. Tara
    July 28th, 2005 @ 4:18 pm

    Being a Pastor’s wife is hard. I’m not a Pastor’s wife, but my family members are made of up pastor’s. I recommend you and your husband, go swimming together in the evening. Plan to have awaiting on the beach, candles lit and some refreshing fruit with your choice of wine. If that isn’t interesting try, taking a dancing class twice a month, salsa, ballroom. This activity is a learning experince for the both at the same time fun.

    Enjoy.

    And may God continue reigning in your life.
    In His Arms,
    Tara

  8. Jen
    July 29th, 2005 @ 1:27 am

    Hi Amy! I’m reader #5-I always read but never comment-guess that makes me a lurker really LOL

    Anyway, I hear you on the short on cash, and I figured I’d share a few things Keith and I do…

    We have a book about great fun cheap dates, maybe you’ve seen it around (can’t remember the name offhand) but it’s by a great Christian couple, Keith and I went to a marriage conference run by them when we were first married. Some of the dates are kinda cheesy and “eh” but some are random and FUN! LMK if you want to borrow it or know the name to find it somewhere.

    What else…Keith and I do things like, take a class thru community ed (relatively cheap, usually $30 for 8wks of a certain class)

    We go miniture golfing…go carting…camping ($14 a night!), go on picnics, go swimming, batting cages, play basketbal, raquetball, golfing…

    Those are just some ideas, we don’t really do a TON of things esp since having mairi and being sick but we try to make time for what we can.

    JEN

  9. Amy
    July 29th, 2005 @ 3:39 pm

    Thanks, all, for your suggestions. Tara, I like the swimming in the evening idea. Now if only we could find a place to swim. There’s a creek behind our house but we’d get eaten alive by bugs. I’ll have to think about an alternative. Too bad we don’t live by the ocean! :)
    Jen, thanks for the ideas—I especially like your idea of camping. We should do that, especially since the kids are a bit older and would be OK. I’m feelin’ hopeful!

  10. M
    August 1st, 2005 @ 9:15 am

    I completely can relate to the “not remembering how to have fun” thing… it seems I am so busy taking care of everyone else’s needs, it is hard to remember how to have fun. I remember after ds was born (and a vicious case of PPD), I remember specifically smiling & laughing w/o thinking about it, and thinking how strange that felt. ha!

    Anyway, suggestions:
    1. do you guys like to play sports? My dh & I have started playing racquetball @ the YMCA (they have childcare! whoo-hoo!) once or twice a week, and it is fun! and you don’t have to chase the ball, because it is enclosed. that is always a bonus.
    2. make a date night once a week, for after you get the kids to bed. Set the dining room table, have candles, and just talk over dessert or something appetizer-ish. re-connect.
    3. can you get grandparents to take the kids for a weekend, and take a road trip?

  11. Lisa
    September 29th, 2005 @ 9:46 am

    Hey Amy, A late blog reader here. Check out the pool at Harley School for swimming in the evening. I had a membership for myself once when my kids were little. I’d just go and swim tons of laps and be by myself. It was great. You and Brian could go together. I think it was pretty cheap. They might have a family thing where the kids could go sometimes too.

  12. Lauren
    April 17th, 2006 @ 7:01 pm

    Hi! I just found this and it’s pretty cool.
    As far as fun goes, if you have Comcast they have free movies that you can order immediately.
    Also, since you have small children, doing something like an “make your own ice cream” line or a brownie bakeoff is always fun.
    other (cheap)ideas:
    –dance party! It’s fun and ridiculously cheap since you have your own music

  13. Lauren
    April 17th, 2006 @ 7:05 pm

    i did not mean to hit the submit button.
    continuing:
    –having international food nights–like instead of making the usual american food for dinner, have like “Chinese night” with stir fry or “Mexican night” with encheladas–it’s also a great way to get your kids to try new food
    –go to the mall, try on different fancy hats, and take pictures of yourselves. very amusing
    –bike riding!!! fun and exercise
    –going to the lake and feeding bread to the ducks (at sunset if you like)

    so yeah, those are just some ideas off the top of my head.
    I’m 17–thank you for helping me procrastinate on studying for my bio test tomorrow : )

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