January 31 – “You are invited …”

OK, now THIS is going to be a Super Bowl Commercial Party.  It will be like no other Super Bowl Commercial Party you have ever attended.  There has never been another quite like it, and it most assuredly will never be repeated in exactly the same way ever again.  And if you are reading this, you are now officially invited.  Message me for our address.

The Food.  Chris has made the decision.  Her contribution will be her unparalleled Taco Soup.  Mix in some fritos and cheese and you have a delicious concoction that is guaranteed to warm you gullet.  And on top of that she has made one of her Famous Cheese Balls.  There has been many a meal made by this old guy with just a hunk of cheese ball and a package of Ritz crackers.  Makes your mouth water just thinking about it, doesn’t it?

The Games.  Not less than four, count them four, advertising trivia quizzes will be available for you to attempt.  A different one will be unveiled throughout the night, kind of like the quarters of a football game.  Want a sample? Don’t use the internet, now.  I’ll tell you answer later.  Try this one: How many bottles of Coca Cola were sold during its first year of production?

The Bonus.  Along with the “quarterly” trivial pursuits, we will also be playing an ongoing, rousing game of Bingo.  There are several different playing cards, so no one will have the same one.  Some are keyed primarily to commercials.  Others assume you might just be paying attention to what is happening on the TV screen between commercials. 

The prizes.  I can guarantee you right now, you have never in your life seen anything like the prizes that will be awarded.  Oh, yes.  It’s not just for fun this year.  A real-live prize hangs in the balance.  One will be presented for each quarter’s trivia winner.  Another goes to the first one to get a regular Bingo.  Yet another goes to the first one to completely fill his Bingo card. 

The Commercials.  The best of the year, of course.  We’ll cheer.  We’ll jeer.  We’ll vote for our favorite. 

The Football.  And I understand there is a football game that goes along with all the fun stuff.  If I’m not mistaken, one team is from the East Coast – the North East Coast.  And one is from the West coast – the North West Coast.  And here we are on our little tropical Island, complaining about the frigid 50’s.  Well, I heard the game was in Phoenix.  Guess that’s a half-way point of sorts.  I also heard one of the teams (I’m not sure which one) has discovered the perfect way to protect their players from things like measles epidemics and chilly fingers.  I didn’t get all the details, but it has something to do with the use of compressed air.  Perhaps it will help them get a grip on this new environment.  Perhaps not. 

The Point. Cans of soup.  Well, after all, this is the SOUPer Bowl, isn’t it?  When you come to the party, bring along a can of soup.  We are going to collect canned goods all through the month of February and give them to the Galveston Food Bank. 

The Coke answer: 25 bottles of Coke were sold in its first year, making a total of $50.  Supplies and advertising for the year ran $70.  Doesn’t sound like year one was a very good one for investors.

Psalms 65:8 says, “Those living far away fear your wonders; where morning dawns and evening fades you call forth songs of joy.”

Father, thank you for friends and fun and food and family.  And since I’m on an alliterative roll, I guess I could add football.  It does give us this particular chance to get together.  Amen.