The Hat Game Blog

I dreamt about blogging last night.

Mom, Dad, Yannick & I saw Julie & Julia last night, and Mom decided she wanted to create a blog -- and I decided the same thing, only didn't share my decision with anyone.

But then I dreamt about it. Blogging. Bloggin' Scoggins. I should have named it that!

A blog is such a commitment...I'm sure it's another one of those things in my life that will become an obsession for a while, that may keep me distracted, for a time, from doing what I really should be doing instead, and will, in short time, become another abandoned project in my life. Maybe not, though. It might just be what it is for the rest of the world: yet another useless but sometimes entertaining occupation of webspace that serves no essential purpose, but exists because it can. I wonder if blogspot was truly prepared to deal with the surely insane number of 'I can write a blog'-ers who saw their name pop up during the movie, and who rushed home to create their own account. Well, I'm here, I'm one of them, and they seem to have been prepared for the likes of me.

Maybe this will lead to a career as a writer. Maybe, as with Julie Powell, it will land me an unexpected book deal or even a film, and will teach me a grand new skill. But I realize my blog should be about something -- SOMEthing -- someTHING -- and that's where I'm a bit stuck.

Last night, during the movie, when Mom leaned over and mentioned that she wouldn't know what her blog could be about, a brilliant blogwriting idea surfaced, and I told her to remind me after the movie to share it with her. My idea. My brilliant idea. Mom has always said she's wanted to write a book about her life, and I've always believed she would. Her blog could be the start of that book for her, I think, and my brilliant idea is a place for her to start -- so now, I'm stealing my own idea. But before you get to hear this idea -- this brilliant idea -- I must first introduce you to Remington's game. My brilliant idea is an homage to him.

Years ago, my friend Remington created a game meant to be played with a small group of players, a game that's not unlike Truth or Dare, but a game that's much more fun, in my opinion. All that's needed is paper, torn into 4 to 5 small pieces per player, a writing implement for each player, and a hat -- or a bowl, a jar, a flower pot, a basket -- anything to put the paper in. Players will each write four or five questions or dares of any kind, each on a small piece of paper, then fold the paper and put it into the hat.

These questions or dares could range anywhere from the cliche or embarrassing to the deeply revealing or obscure -- and each player must answer whatever question, or complete whatever dare is posed on the paper to the best of his or her ability, as honestly & thoroughly as possible. The catch: a player might pick even his or her own question or dare, and must still complete the task or answer the question...no matter what. And whenever I've played this game, whether with close friends or new aquaintances, I can honestly say that every player has had a blast, each and every time.

So my idea: take the premise of this game, twist it a little bit, and turn it into a blog. For Mom -- who might not be ready to reveal her most embarrassing moments to the online world -- I've adapted the Hat Game in such a way that it can be primarily about documenting memories and anecdotes from her life, and about getting started on that book she's always wanted to write. The way I've adapted it, the 'game' can be used as an inspirational tool, especially when she's stuck for inspiration when she sits down to write.

Mom will need two hats, one containing names of family members and close friends, another with a subject (i.e. politics, healthcare, organization, tardiness, favorite song, historical event, religion, etc.). She can pull a name out of the first hat, and a subject from the second; if this sparks a memory or funny story or thought related to that person, then she's got something specific to begin blogging about. If she's still stuck, she can simply pull another name or subject, and go from there.

Mom's blog: a hat game of memories, filled with all the love and joy that has filled her life for so many years.