July 6, 2010

A Unique Icebreaker Among New (and Young) Friends

Last week, four neighbor friends and I went to see the premiere of Eclipse. We also went to a pre-viewing party where we won some swag bags and prizes. We drank Edward, Bella and Jacob themed martinis while there. Team Edward rocks for more than one reason people, not just because he's a deliciously hot and intense vampire. He is the muse for one of the best martinis I have ever tasted!

After the movie, in the IMAX theater, where we each ate our own bucket of popcorn (a bucket with Jacob, Edward and Bella on it), we decided it was way to early to end a great girls night out. So we decided to wash down our buckets of popcorn with some beverages at a nearby bar.

We had an absolute blast, especially because we were sitting with the brother of one of my friends who just so happened to be celebrating his 22nd birthday. At one point I realized that I was hanging out with boys who are the ages of some of my students. That sort of weirded me out a bit, but I tried to just focus on the fact that I wasn't quite old enough to have birthed any of them. That made me feel better. . . slightly.

Because it felt a little like a junior high dance (boys on one side; girls on the other), I decided it would be more interesting and introductory if we went around the table and said our name and something interesting about ourselves (or as some of my incoming freshman said in their placement essays, "ourselfs").

The boys started and went around the table. I realized I was sitting beside a student who goes to my alma mater, Pitt. We high fived and talked about cool hang outs in Pittsburgh. He mostly just told me that all my old haunts are no longer there or no longer cool, but it was still fun. As we went around the table, we made up some interesting nicknames for people which added quite a bit of laughter and delay to the whole event. For some reason, I thought the one guy's name was Steve when in fact it was Eric. I'm not quite sure how I messed that up, but he will forever be Steve from now on.

When we got to me, I said my name and some of my friends chimed in that I'm a black belt. But that wasn't my interesting fact to share. Instead, I pulled up my capri pants and revealed my Franken-knee, complete with nasty bruising and sticking-out-of-the-tibia screw. And then something funny happened. Instead of everyone cringing, covering their eyes and backing away in disgust and horror, the guys all leaned in about two feet each and eagerly reached out while asking if they could please touch it!

I let them all feel the protruding screw. Man, talk about an ice-breaker. More like a skin-breaker but whatever. In exactly two weeks, my party-trick Franken-knee will be history. Although it certainly breaks the ice with 22-year-olds, I can't say I'll really miss it. I'll just have to figure out something else interesting about myself. Perhaps I'll teach myself how to text with my toes. Ah, now that will really get them.