Sunday, December 27, 2009

Not Smarter than a Fifth Grader

We have this game in our house based on the tv show Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? The game tests your knowledge of history, geography, science and math. It's fun if you can get past the obnoxiously repetitive game show music... and the fact that when you fail to answer a question you have to say out loud, "I am not smarter than a fifth grader."
Now, whenever we do something nonsensical, we automatically say these magic words. This whole week my brain has been echoing with them.
It all had to do with my ingenious plan for New Year's gifts. I've been scanning old photos, and I thought friends and relatives would enjoy the fruits of my monotonous labor. So I went out and bought colorful CDs, spent hours selecting meaningful pictures for each friend, and mailed them to parts all over the globe. I even made some for my husband to mail. Being the quality control manager that he is, though, he checked each of his CDs before heading off to the post office.
"Are these the CDs you put the pictures on," he asked. "Because all these are blank."
Huh?
Turns out I'd done everything except the final step--pushing the "burn files" option. Turns out I'd spent hours fiddling with photos, writing sweet little notes, and traipsing to the post office to mail off discs down a blank memory lane.
I know. I know. I am not smarter than a fifth grader. (But I'm more persistent than one.)
Do you have any "fifth grade" moments to share?





5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ouch! The silver lining is probably that most of those older-than-5th-graders will assume the problem is at their end! :)

Jana McBurney-Lin said...

Ha! I never thought of that angle.

Marianas Eye said...

Hi Jana,

Congratulations on your novel! I read the blurb in the LFA review. Back then, I didn't get literature and it was beyond my comprehension that anyone could score well on an AP English exam. I was in awe of your talents in that area. I've been living on Saipan, in the Mariana Islands for the past 16 years, with my wife and four kids (one a girl adopted from China). It's nice to be in touch.

David
www.blindwife.blogspot.com
www.marianaseye.blogspot.com

Jana McBurney-Lin said...

Ah, David, how nice to hear from you. I remember you as a very humble person--seems as if that hasn't changed. Sounds as if you're performing amazing things in Saipan. And I note you have a new book out as well. World Peace, a Blind Wife, and Gecko Tails. I look forward to reading.
Thanks for stopping by...

Anonymous said...

Yes, you are persistent. Also one of handful of people I know who are punctual. Above all, you are genuine and caring.

But I'll be leery of saying, "I am not smarter than a fifth grader." Everything we say goes into our brain and stays there.

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My Half of the Sky was the BookSense Pick for August 2006 as well as a Forbes Book Club Pick.

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Friends of the Museum Book Review 2008
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