Mr. Tolson is knocking at the door on the door of Dr. Roberts, the in-house psychologist.

Dr. Roberts: Mr. Tolson

Mr. Tolson: Are you Dr. Roberts?

Dr. Roberts: Yes, come in. Please have a seat. Sorry to have to call you down here on such short notice, but your company asked me to give you a creativity test.

Mr. Tolson: I’ve never taken one of those before.

Dr. Roberts: Well, they’re pretty easy. Actually, they can be fun. Would you like a beverage?

Mr. Tolson: I work in the computer center on the 17th floor. We just got a new computer in, and they put it in the back of the center. And all I did, I told them that they should put it up in the front of the center, so more of the people could get to it, but they didn’t.

Dr. Roberts: Fascinating. OK, the first test that we’re going to do is called a word association test.

Mr. Tolson: I don’t know what that is.

Dr. Roberts: Well, it’s pretty simple. I’ll give you a word, and you say whatever you can think of.

Mr. Tolson: Well, that sounds easy.

Dr. Roberts: Great! OK, well let’s start. First word, “shoe.”

Mr. Tolson: Shoe

Dr. Roberts: “Rabbit”

Mr. Tolson: (long pause) Rabbit

Dr. Roberts: “Truck”

Mr. Tolson: Truck

Dr. Roberts: OK, you’re just saying the words that I’m saying.

Mr. Tolson: I know, but when you say the word, that’s the word that I think of.

Dr. Roberts: OK, it’s my fault then. Let’s try again, only this time I want you to change the word.

Mr. Tolson: OK, so not just the same word.

Dr. Roberts: Great. You’re catching on. OK? Next word “hat.”

Mr. Tolson: Hats.

Dr. Roberts: “Moose”

Mr. Tolson: Meese

Dr. Roberts: OK, now all you are doing is just pluralizing the words that I’m saying.

Mr. Tolson: Yeah, but they’re different.

Dr. Roberts: Yeah, they are different, but that’s not what I want. OK, let me give you an example. Why don’t you give me a word?

Mr. Tolson: I give you a word?

Dr. Roberts: Yeah, any word.

Mr. Tolson: Word

Dr. Roberts: Fine, uh, that makes me think of “constriction” (folds arms across chest in a constrictive manner). Don’t worry you’ll catch on. Let’s try it again. Okay, “trumpet.”

Mr. Tolson: Constriction (folding arms in same manner)

Dr. Roberts: “Scarf”

Mr. Tolson: Moose

Dr. Roberts: “Cat”

Mr. Tolson: Scarf

Dr. Roberts: All right, now you’re just using the words that I’ve already used.

Mr. Tolson: Well, you didn’t say that I could use them up.

Dr. Roberts: Well, you can’t. OK? Why don’t we just move on to another test?

Mr. Tolson: They got this new computer up in the computer center, and I just told them they should put it up front, but they put it in the back.

Dr. Roberts: That’s fascinating. OK? Look, uh, for this next test I’m going to start a sentence, and I want you to complete it, OK?

Mr. Tolson: So all I have to do is finish it. OK, all right. Well this one sounds easy.

Dr. Roberts: OK, great. Now here is the first sentence. “When we went to the park we were going to …”

Mr. Tolson: Period

Dr. Roberts: OK, look, you have to add some words to it. OK? Squeeze some words between the period and the other words all right. Let’s try it again. Let’s do another one. “Jerry had a wonderful red balloon, and he took it to …”

Mr. Tolson: His friend Jerry … who also had a red balloon … and liked to add words.

Dr. Roberts: Look, Mr. Tolson, I need you to come up with some answers on your own. OK?

Mr. Tolson: We got a computer, and they wouldn’t put it in the front and …

Dr. Roberts: Look, I heard you the first time.

Mr. Tolson: Are you angry with me?

Dr. Roberts: No, Mr. Tolson, I’m not angry with you. Let’s move to the next test all right. This is called a Rohrshach Test. What it is, is some people who took a piece of paper and put some ink on it and folded it. What I need you to do is look into these inkblots and tell me what you see. (Holding up ink blot) Now, what do you see here, Mr. Tolson?

Mr. Tolson: A black smear.

Dr. Roberts: Yeah, that’s exactly what it is. I need you to look into it and tell me what you see.

Mr. Tolson: (Looking at the doctor’s shoes) I see black shoes.

Dr. Roberts: That’s good. I could see that.

Mr. Tolson: (looking at the doctor’s tie) I see a brown tie.

Dr. Roberts: Um hum, good, good.

Mr. Tolson: (looking at the wall) I see a diploma from Grand Valley State University.

Dr. Roberts: That is enough, Mr. Tolson. You will not leave this office until you tell me what you see in this.

Mr. Tolson: I don’t want to, I don’t want to.

Dr. Roberts: Look, I’m going to make you use one creative bone in your body if it’s the last thing I do. Now look at this and tell me what you see. Tell me.

Mr. Tolson: I see a dog. (struggling)

Dr. Roberts: Good.

Mr. Tolson: And it’s on a log. (continuing to struggle)

Dr. Roberts: Good, go with that.

Mr. Tolson: And the dog is a terrier … and it’s rabid … and it shakes its head back and forth in meaningless anger.

Dr. Roberts: Good, good, good.

Mr. Tolson: And foam sprays from its mouth, and we follow this droplet of spit down to see where it lands on a symmetrical lawn, and the drop of spit slowly transforms, becoming a flaming brass eagle holding the Magna Carta in its claws. This eagle takes flight and soars over the (spit) gray convulsive Atlantic Ocean. (lowering voice) It flies low by the choppy waves, a massive shimmering sea bass leaps up, and it snatches the Magna Carta. But the sea bass is served to the family of Long John Silver’s restaurant. And as the family devours the fish, the father is transformed. His eyes glow wolf-yellow, he stares at his claws, and a massive crowd gathers around. He screams wildly into the night sky: “Where is the passion?” “Where … is … the … passion?”

Dr. Roberts: (stunned) I’ll see what I can do about getting those computers moved.

Mr. Tolson: Yeah, on the 17th floor, and they put it in the back.

Dr. Roberts: Sure, OK.

He has an entire category of club plans in Word format along with the posts that describe the Club.  This is an excellent resource.

I’ve been looking over a bunch of them and these are a few of my favorites.

• Tick Tac Toe Club
• Mustache Club
• Turkey Club

And this post is about getting the most out of the blog.  Such good stuff.

This is just a game of hot potato but with spam.  When the music stops, whoever has it has to take a bite.

Here are a few things that made is successful.

1. Everyone’s touching it.  That’s gross on a few levels.
2. Demonstrate the size of a bite & explain the game while they were all sitting down before forming the circles.
3. Emphasize that the spam has to be passed from person to person and not thrown.
4. Challenge them to be big men & women about eating it rather than chuck it across the room or drop it on the floor when the music stopped.
5. Put a leader inside each circle to monitor the passing and judge who has it when the music stops.
6. Give that leader a camera.  We got some great shots of kids passing it and of the kids taking a bite.
7. Don’t overdo it.  4 – 5 times is good.  You could announce that for the last one the person has to finish it off.  Probably won’t happen, but it ups the level of urgency to not get stuck with it.

We prayed as a family & started eating.  The 2 children were pretty obnoxious and woudn ‘t eat their food.  Apparently it was too hard (even the stuffing).  So the mom decided to chew it up for them and spit it in their mouths straight out of Ace Ventura.  Right before she spit the stuff, the dad yells “No, that’s disgusting.  We’re not from Oviedo. (our rival high school).  I think I’ve got some old jars of baby food.”

Dad pulls out the baby food (Thanksgiving stuff like sweet potatoes, turkey, etc.) and the kids go at it.  To be honest with you, I didn’t know how funny the skit would be, but the over-exagerated eating of the baby food was absolutely histarical. 

The skit ends when the two children get into a fight over who gets the one jar of dessert, prunes.  The fight was a great ending, because food was flying everywhere.

There was a nugget meal, cheese burger and the unfortunate fish filet. A student was assigned to each of us and if they correctly guessed the ingredients to the shake, the leader had to chug it. Oh, that Cindy!!! Why did she have to guess nuggets. The fact that the shake smelled exactly like chicken nuggets may have been a dead giveaway. After the successful guessing, we had to chug the contents of our glasses. In case you were wondering fries, chicken nuggets and Sprite don’t taste nearly as good as one. It was sick. I was mainly grossed out by the chicken scent. Luckily I didn’t have to chug it all. I think I won since the burger guy and fish guy weren’t drinking near as much.

That got me thinking.  What about doing food from different restaurants?  Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, Burger King, Bob’s Sushi Bar.

1. Ame is back.  Yeah!
2. Our Favorite Skits – More posted on the blog soon.
3. Train & Harley Sounds (recorded in front of a live street audience)
4. Female Run-On Ideas – Interview with Ashley
5. Jason’s Run-On Ideas – Very well thought out

Let’s talk. Tell us what you think or submit a question for upcoming podcasts.

1. L.L. Cool J
2. Ideas for collaboration among Youth Ministry leaders
3. Chris’ first New Years resolution

Let’s talk.  Tell us what you think or submit a question for upcoming podcasts. 

Pardon the language, but you can’t blame the kid.

It might not be a bad idea to resurrect some old Saturday Night Live characters that are great for females.  Most of them are old enough that kids will think you made them up.

Here are a couple of ideas..

1.  Mary Catherine Gallagher – these aren’t the best clips, but if you are not familiar with the character, it’s a good start.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB_Mnr2anp0]

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dz6-toh2S0]

2.  The cheerleaders – Will Smith and Cheri Oteri – this would need to be rehearsed a lot with another male leader, but when done well, would be amazing.  Especially if you got your high school’s cheerleading outfits.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvQ3JPcjtx8]

3.  This is one that can be performed with all females or any mix of males and females.  It’s usually called “Master P Theater”, sort of a take off on the old Masterpiece Theater that was on PBS.  A person(s) comes in dressed all old and stuffy – think smoking jacket and pipe or any kind of golf
clothes.  The character then reads, in a serious manner, the lyrics to popular rap songs like “Soulja Boy”.  It’s ridiculous to hear them in this setting.  Even better is to do a few and then for the last one learn the dance and read the rap and then do the dance.

Just a couple of ideas

O.J.

Once upon a time in a coreign fountry there was a geautiful birl, whose name was Rindercella. And Rindercella had a mugly other and two sigly usters. Also in this coreign fountry there was a prandsome hince, and the prandsome hince was going to have a bancy fall. Rindercella’s mugly other and her two sigly usters went out and bought dancy fresses for the bancy fall, but poor Rindercella couldn’t go because she had nothing but rirty dags. So on the night of the bancy fall, Rindercella’s mugly other and her two sigly usters put on their dancy fresses and went to the bancy fall. And since poor Rindercella couldn’t go, she cat down and sried. Suddenly, her gairy fodmother appeared before her and touched her with her wagic mond and turned her into a peautiful brincess. Her gairy fodmother gave her a kig boach and hix sorces so Rindercella could go to the bancy fall. So off went Rindercella. When she got to the bancy fall, the prandsome hince met her at the door. He had watched her come up in her kig boach and hix sorses from a widden hindow. Rindercella and the prandsome hince danced all night long, and the prandsome hince lell in fove with Rindercella. When the prandsome hince was just about to quop the prestion, Rindercella heard the moke of stridnight, so she turned, straced down the rairs and when she got to the stottom blep she slopped her dripper. The next day the prandsome hince went all over his coreign fountry looking for the geautiful birl who had slopped her dripper. When he got to Rindercella’s house, he tried it on her mugly other, but it fidn’t dit! He tried it on her two sigly usters, but it fidn’t dit. And he tried it on Rindercella, and it fid dit! So they were mappily harried and lived appily ever hafter. Ehe Thend!