Home Invasion, Part 1

It all began with a simple CXing at a simple round at a simple tournament....

The question itself was simple:

"What would your parents feel like if one of your friends just decided to invade your house?"

The answer, in fact, was even more simple:

"They wouldn't mind. They like my friends. In fact, they are quite happy with one of my friends invading this week!"

Groans all around, and a few laughs. My friend makes appropriate noises for being called an invader.

But that is what she is. I, according to the CXing debater, have just survived a home invasion.

Thus it began. After a perilous 15 minute ride to a nearby restraunt, made perilous by POTC music being played in the back seat off of a cell phone, the Invader and I donned dorky glasses and set foot outside the car.

It must be said that the glasses were increadibly dorky, and we have pictures of almost every teen at the dinner wearing one of the two pairs. I will do my best to get pictures as soon as possible.

Anyways, after we ate, we barely survived the road trip home. Evidently a car had been lit on fire, and the firefighters were just putting it out when we drove by. I don't want to know what chemicals we drove through...But, to say the least, that put a damper on our conversations.

Sunday went by quickly, and I'm sure you will see an oyiandclari story about that Sunday in early January.....

Monday was made happy by a trip to Panera's. Invaders like Panera's.

Tuesday in like manner was made happy by a trip downtown. Our little town has one of the best downtowns. Besides a nice theater (we went to see Ratatouille), Scooters has a very tasty lunch (we went there, too), the Second Hand Rose is a treasure trove (don't think that this is a clothing store...if you do, you have a whole 'nother thing coming....), Pret has overly-expensive clothes (I could make some of the dresses we tried on for a quarter of the price of the dresses on the 50% off rack), and our day was done too quickly...But we did have to stop at the grocery store, where my invader insisted on buying peanut butter.

Thus, from the first four days, I provide the following:

Tips for Survival of a Home Invasion:

10. Do not wake up the invader too early. Invaders are crabby if they get woken up too early.
9. If you MUST rouse an invader out of bed, make sure you do it with a small dog with a wet, floppy tongue.
8. Make sure you have a brand-new container of peanut butter. Invaders are suckers for peanut butter.
7. Do not kid invaders about seeing a movie they have seen three times in theaters already. Invaders may get violent.

6. Invaders like to eat at Panera's. If your invader is crabby, make sure to make a trip to Panera's.

5. Invaders are usually camera bugs. If you must break an invader's camera, make sure you do it on the last night.

4. If you must break an invader's camera, make sure you are not responsible for it.

3. If you must break and invader's camera while not being held responsible, make sure that the invader is swinging with someone very apologetic.

2. If at all possible, make invaders wear dorky glasses. (Pictures coming!)

1. Offer invaders beads. It makes them happy.