Friday, March 21, 2008

Friday Free for All

FFA Topic of the Week:
For reasons beyond your powers to comprehend, you know that you will soon become the sole survivor of a trans-Atlantic plane crash and will be stranded on a desert island. You do not question your new-found psychic powers, but instead, you start packing the essentials. What 10 things will you take with you?

1. The flannel quilt my mom made for me in high school. It is extremely worn, the colors are faded, and there are a few places where a briefly-owned pet chewed holes in it (Gabby, I still haven’t forgiven you.) It might not make sense to take a flannel quilt to what is probably a tropical island, but hear me out. This blanket is the softest, most comfortable thing I own. My favorite thing in the world is to wrap up in it so completely that only enough of my face is exposed to allow adequate breathing. So even if it never gets cold enough on aforementioned island to wrap up in it (and who’s to say the nights won’t get chilly?), it would at least be more comfortable than sand or palm fronds for lying on. I must have comfort!

2. Peanut butter. I admit it – I have a serious peanut butter addiction. It’s not like I have to have it everyday or anything, but the thought of going any extended length of time without it makes me a little edgy. Easter time comes around, and I’m practically drooling in the grocery store because of those Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs. Besides, it’s full of protein and fat (which while I may not need here, I’m betting will come in handy on my deserted island).

3. Books. Okay, a must-have. But how to narrow it down? I refuse to only take one. I must have a small selection to get me by until I am rescued (that was part of the deal, right?) So probably Pride and Prejudice, A Room with a View, A Girl Named Zippy (I’m going to need a good laugh), and my Book of Mormon, of course.

4. Soap and a towel. So maybe this is due to the fact that I deal with grimy children on a daily basis, but I hate being dirty. I’m the weird one in the family who eats most of her food with a fork, even if it’s finger food. I don’t like that greasy or grimy feeling on my hands.

5. Toilet paper. I think this one’s fairly obvious. Look, some of us have sensitive skin, okay? (P.S. Another reason I don’t love to camp.)

6. Toothbrush and toothpaste. I do not deal well with morning mouth. I have never understood how anyone could leave the house in the morning without brushing their teeth . . . although I have certainly encountered people who have done it.

7. Sunscreen. Let’s face it, I do not tan, I never have, and (I’m just guessing here) I never will. The best I can do is get a light burn and a whole slew of freckles. So if I’m going to have to face the ravages of nonstop sun exposure without the benefit of getting a really good tan, the least I can do is prevent skin cancer.

8. Notebook and writing utensils. Now I’ll finally write that novel I’ve been dreaming about!

9. Swimming suit. Well, this might seem like a weird one, but I really hate to wear wet clothes. So if I have to get wet, I’d rather be wearing a swimming suit (don’t want the natives coming across me in the nude . . .)

10. Multiplier. So Ellis has this thing called a Gerber Multiplier that he probably couldn’t function without. It’s like a little handy pliers thing, but it also has knives and blades and scissors and wire cutters and files and stuff like that attached to it (that all fold down into one little guy). Anyway, I don’t really know how the thing works, but it looks like it would be a handy thing to have on an island. . . especially if Jack from Lost came along and wanted to build me a shelter or feed me grapes or something . . .

10 comments:

Lees Everything Homemade said...

And a quilt isn't sappy...? I'll argue that one!

I must admit, I love peanut butter anything and so I am hoping that both you and Jen end up being stranded on my desert island, because I completely forgot to pack mine.

How fun! Who's next?

Peggy said...

I'm concerned that if you bring your quilt, the threads will break. You should be VERY careful!
(Will you please send Zippy to my island in a bottle? Thanks!)

Jenni said...

Your Book of Mormon sap SO outweighs my husband-handyman sap! But good for you to consider your eternal salvation and stuff....

Jami said...

Okay, okay, I grant you that taking the BOM was sappy, but the ratty flannel blanket was not packed for sentimental reasons . . . merely an aversion to sand and having my skin scratched off.

Jen, you're still not off the hook for packing the hubby, though . . .

I can see I really needed to pack a laptop, though, because how else am I going to be able to keep up on our weekly blogs?

Jenni said...

You're just jealous, because while you're slaving away harvesting food and pruning foliage, I'll be blogging, working on my tan, and ordering the slave husband around. (Although, he just informed me that this was a total load of crap, and he wasn't getting in the trunk....I need to rethink my advertising campaign...)

Jami said...

Okay, it's true. Jealousy rears its ugly head . . . mostly because I can't tan anyway. So I'll be sitting around with my skin peeling off me trying to figure out how to open that multiplier thing (Ellis told me last night I wouldn't even be able to figure out how to open it. I started to be offended but then just admitted ignorance).

Seriously, I'm coming to your island. How does Matt feel about serving two? I figure it's two less than he has to right now. (Word of advice: slip him a couple of sleeping pills, and I don't think getting him in that trunk should be too much trouble.)

Jenni Coberly said...

I look forward to more FFA's to come!

Lees Everything Homemade said...

All soft and worn quilts at my house are nothing but sappy and I love them! I failed to see your true meaning in bringing yours and since you do have sensitive skin...

And as sappy as a BOM may be, it's probably the only true way of keeping yourself sane while rummaging around a hot and humid chunk of dirt out in the middle of nowhere. Because no matter how bad it may get, some of those Nephites had it much worse. (See various chapters in Moroni.)

Of course, if you're joining Jenni's island, you aren't going to need comfort from the Great Book. It sounds like you both have a great situation worked out. I think I'll change my list and bring a canoe so I can mosey on over and join you.

Okay, enough - I should be getting ready for church. Look what you've started! Sunday School Diversion!

Jenni said...

Guess what! We stuck all of our peanut butter eggs in the freezer (actually, out of necessity...they were partially melted). But they are GREAT frozen! Yet another thing to add to the "better from the freezer" list.

Jami said...

Are you kidding me? They can get better? I would totally try it right now, but unfortunately, they were all gone by 9:00 Easter morning. Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration . . . but only because we had church in the morning, and I was too busy getting everyone ready to get to eat them all until we got home.