It's time to push the panic button!

Only two days left in License Plate Game 2012!  It's time to press the PANIC BUTTON!  Good luck everyone who is still searching for those elusive plates needed to have spotted license plates from all 50 states between Memorial Day and Labor Day!  I still need North Dakota and Hawaii...

Objects in Mirror are Closer than they Appear

So, Team Cange came in second place in #LPG12.  Congratulations!  As far as I know, Team Parkinson, Team Loretta, Team Barbara and I are still in the hunt.  With only 12 days left, I am still in need of Hawaii and North Dakota.  Hopefully, the image above is the perfect metaphor with the T-Rex representing our missing plates!  Good luck, remaining #LPG12 teams!

Pep talk from the newly crowned King:  "What? Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?!"

LPG 2012 Winners & Globbers

The Reigning King and His Royal Court and Globbers

Presenting, the Reigning King and His Royal Court along with His Royal Globbers, at Cracker Barrel in Fenton, MO (aka F-town), celebrating a great LPG2012 victory for the mid-westerners.  The RK&HRC&HRG are all smiles after stuffing themselves with Cracker Barrel goodness fit for a King. 

Still waiting to hear who comes in 2nd, 3rd, etc. place!  This should be a LPL (License Plate Lucrative) weekend. 

Happy 4th everyone!

Things are heating up...literally

It seems as the though most of the remaining #LPG12 teams have under ten plates to find.  So, as things are heating up (literally, here in St. Louis) for second place, I decided to make a desperation run through the hotels near our home this morning.  I enlisted the assistance of two loyal helpers.  As you can see from the pic above, Bella was vigilant, while Gracie, still hot from our walk, just wanted to position herself where she could optimize the air conditioning blowing on her face. 

Sadly, our venture provided no discoveries.  We are still looking for:  North Dakota, Vermont, Rhode Island, Hawaii and New Jersey.  Good luck remaining #LPG12 sleuths and stay cool!

A Thing of Beauty?

The King and His Royal Court shared their LPG12 score sheet with us.  What, no Washington, D.C.?  Ha!  Check!  It appears someone on the team was filling the sheet out as they were driving.  Take a look at Maine.  Citizen's Arrest!  That is almost as bad as texting while driving!  Foul!  Oh, wait, I'm on your side!  I'm globbing on, I mean, basking in the glow of your victory.  Nevermind. 

Well, as the Former King said, "A thing of beauty for one, salt in the wounds for others..."

There are plenty of snarky comments going around regarding K&HRC's win.  For example, Team Parkinson asked how many people were on Team Gallina.  The Former King responded:   
"just how many eyeballs does that extended Gallina team have?  Having all of those passengers with roving eyes in a single car (or perhaps even more than one car?) gives a distinct advantage.  It’s like those cameras on top of cars giving 360 degree vision."   

Google Street Car borrowed by Team Gallina aka K & HRC

Hey, using a car with 360 degree vision is not mentioned in the bylaws of the LPG.  If the Former King has a problem with it, he can put it up for vote and if it passes the bylaws will be revised in time for LPG13.

In addition, the Former King, in an obvious fit of sour grapes, stole from the playbook of Carl Rove by trying to turn Team Loretta's Eva against Team Debbie by stating,

"I personally suggest that your goal is not only to get second place, but to be sure to beat Debbie, the FQRC (Former Queen and Rules Committee). She is clearly intimidated by your successful emergence (hence the “newbie” name-calling), and it would be a sweet victory for you (and the rest of us) if you could beat her at her own game." 

Ouch!  That hurt!  Here I am, minding my own business and being supportive of Team Loretta and the rest of you losers, I mean players.  May the next best team win 2nd place!

ps  The other day, Team Eva asked, "what's a Globber?"  This tickled my funny bone because we use this phrase quite a bit.  I asked DH where it came from, and he reminded me that it's from National Lampoon Vacation.  Clark talks about Aunt Edna "globbing on."

  

Accolades

Image courtesy of the former K&P.

First, the former King and Princess (FK&P) of The License Plate Game bowed to the new King and his Royal Court (K&HRC), relinquishing their title, yesterday, June 17, 2012...a day that will live in infamy.  

Image courtesy of Team Parkinson.

Then, the President of the United States, First Lady, and Vice President got in on the action.  Yes, winning The License Plate Game is quite an accomplishment (Why did Pink Panther Strikes Again just pop into my head?).  Winning on June 17 is definitely a record for the Midwest.  Of course, the all-time LPG record is a 'blazing' June 11, a title held by former K&P aka Team Cange.  I have personally only found 50 plates before July 4th one time, in all my many years of winning, I mean playing.  Bravo, K&HRC!  The question remains, who will come in second place?  

Go Nuts, Folks! We have a Winner!

Go Nuts, Folks!  We have a WINNER, and not from California.  King John and His Royal Court aka Team Gallina are the winners of License Plate Game 2012.

The title is back where it belongs, in St. Louis.  After all, St. Louis is MY favorite city.  Wasn't I lucky to be born in my favorite city (no comment on how many years ago that was)? 

Mr. Neely: [about St. Louis] It's a grand old town.

Tootie: It isn't a town, Mr. Neely. It's a city. It's the only city that has a world's fair. My favorite. Wasn't I lucky to be born in my favorite city?

And today is the day I was born!  What a coincidence!  And today is Father's Day, another coincidence?  So, it's time to CELEBRATE!

I couldn't find a Wyoming or Missouri plate with 'celebrate' on it, so this one will have to do.    Celebrate good times, come on!

Congratulations, KJ & HRC!  Now, who will come in second, third, fourth, etc.?     

Who will be the first to find the(ir) Holy Grail?

Interesting development in #LPG12.  We have a tie between Team Cange and Team Gallina.  Both teams have 49 plates.  Team Cange has been at 49 for ten days waiting patiently for a challenging, Delaware to come their way.  Team Gallina found their 49th today and only have to spot a very doable, Wyoming.  Both are waiting to see their respective Holy Grails. 

Who is your money on--Team Cange or Team Gallina?  Or could there be a sleeper out there somewhere?  Team Newbie aka Eva has 43!  Haven't heard from Team Barbara or Team Parkinson, lately.  I recounted and only have 40 (Still proud of that total, by the way.  It IS only June 14!)

Good luck brave Knights of the License Plate Table!  Onward to Camelot to find the Holy Grail!

#LPG12

Found Maryland yesterday, and I now have 40 plates!  Since finding Maryland around 2:00 p.m., I've probably seen three more Marylands.  Kind of weird how that happens.  When it rains, it pours.

Since I love Twitter, I wanted to tweet out the news that I had found another plate.  That's what I like about Twitter, you can immediately tweet out anything and someone will respond.  This is especially true when you use hashtags.  For instance, when tweeting about License Plate Game 2012, one could use the hashtag #LPG12 or something similar.  You could share the hashtag with others suggesting that any communication regarding the game include that hashtag.  Then, you could follow that hashtag for the latest License Plate Game 2012 news.  Anyone interested?

ps  According to Punchbowl today is Iced Tea Day.  Here's to you, Mamä!

Vermont Volleyball (White Christmas reference)

License Plate Game 2012 is in full-swing.  Team Gallina is in the lead with 48 states!  There is plenty of snark to go around, for example, while rubbing in his lofty leader status of only needing two more plates in the Californians faces, John wrote: 

 

"I just placed an ad in Wyoming and Rhode Island newspapers:

"FREE LAND IN ST. LOUIS!"

 

I don't know about you, but I think that is a Vermont volleyball.  Seriously, you don't have to drive 15 minutes out of St. Louis to see a sight like the image above.  In addition, I don't think anyone from Wyoming is going to jump at the chance to get "Free Land in St. Louis."  If you don't know what a Vermont volleyball is, see the dialogue from White Christmas via IMDb below:

 

[after Bob has found out about Phil and Judy's phony engagement]
Judy Haynes: It's just that she's always been something of a mother hen.
Phil Davis: Yeah, and we wanted Mother Hen to leave the nest so that Little Chick could... I guess we laid an egg.
Bob Wallace: An egg? Brother, you laid a Vermont volleyball! 

 

I feel Bob Wallace's pain...Brother, you laid a Vermont volleyball!

 

 

All Quiet on the License Plate Game Front

Helloooo?  Anyone out there?  Haven't heard any bragging or insults for a couple days.  Hmmm.  Getting suspicious.
----------
UPDATE: 

47 - Team Cange (K. & P.)
45 - Peege (Team Gallina)
42 - Team Parkinson (Scorched)
38 - Debbie (FQRC)
37 - Eva (Newbie)
?? - Barb (Team Mom)

Guardian Angels

Team Parkinson had a close call the early yesterday morning as they had to evacuate their home due to a fire 10 feet away in their neighbor's garage.  We are guessing that the 'Family of Five' included Boo, their golden retriever.  A slight distraction from License Plate Game 2012, but they are on a roll with 42 plates!  Their Guardian Angels were working overtime and keeping them safe!

New Rules Considerations

Team Cange presented a License Plate Game rules conundrum.  Should we count Native American Nations plates as something special?  In the past, we have counted them as vanity plates from the state they are from, usually Oklahoma.  It was proposed that these plates could be counted in a tie-breaking situation.  Still waiting for input on that suggestion. 

In the meantime, what if a plate, such as the one in the image on this post, was spotted?  We all know West Virginia is a tough plate to find (not for me this year, CHECK!).  Some of the tough plates are from states with citizens that might present themselves in the above displayed manner, though I have to admit, the ingenuity and creativity of this West Virginia native is quite amazing.  They obviously used a Sharpie because the ink is not running in the wet corner of the 'plate.'  Now, that's forward thinking!  So, should we be able to consider homemade plates?

  

Delaware, check!

A funny thing happened on the way to get some groceries for a family gathering we were having at our house today.  Just driving along minding my own business, when what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a Delaware license plate on a truck filled with gear...WHAT? 

 Third day of License Plate Game 2012 and already spotted a Delaware...CHECK!

The New Red and Boo

From 2008 election http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/kidspost/election08/

WARNING!  An unintended consequence of playing the License Plate Game occurs while watching political shows analyzing the upcoming presidential election and discussing how important paticular states are for this reason or that.  Political pundits label states red or blue.  Some players become so jaded by the license plate game that when they hear certain states mentioned, they don't think in terms of red and blue.  They think in terms of easy, hard, annoying (because they see certain states too often), stingy, or awesome (only if they've found a difficult state already).  Personally, my eyes actually roll when Ohio is mentioned as being such a crucial state to win.  REALLY?  Are there actually any Ohioans in Ohio because they all seem to be here!  Players need to be aware of this subliminal prejudice and guard against it influencing their opinion of the citizens of the states they find so annoying...guard against red and boo syndrome!

On your mark, get set, GO!

Today is the day we've all been waiting for...the official beginning of License Plate Game 2012!  Good luck, and may the best team win...but only if it is Team Debbie!  That crown is coming home!  On your mark, get set, GO!

8:26 p.m. - Predicted I would find 20 plates today, and that is exactly the number I found!   The best one was Connecticut...not bad considering it was one of the most difficult plates to find last year.  All the rest were the usual suspects that will be spotted over and over and over, again.  As Bob, Team Cange, says, "Game on!"

Two more days until License Plate Game 2012...

but who's counting?  Everyone is getting ready for our annual summer 'adventure.'  The Californians are already trash-talking and staking out spots at the Wild Animal Park parking lot, while the hard-working, Mid-Westerners are quietly going about their business getting ready for opening day of LPG2012. 

“Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.”
 ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Five More Days...

...until the official beginning of License Plate Game 2012!  I thought this image exemplified how we are all feeling at this point as we 'anticipate' the beginning of License Plate Game 2012:  "PARTY FUN for all ages!"  Any suggestions for which person in the image represents you?  Only five more days!

Twitter Birth Certificate

Jeff Thomas recently wrote a post call Twitter Birthday Birth Certificate. I wish the birth certificate was downloadable, but I took Jeff's advice and made a screenprint of the certificate. Then, I used SumoPaint and quickly edited the screenprint. Viola! As you can see, the personalized birth certificate not only includes your Twitter birth date, it also includes your 'born on' facts, such as hours, days, months, and years since you joined and the name of your 'Godfather.' My Godfather happens to be my son. I don't know how Twitter knew Tom introduced me to Twitter, but they are correct! I've been on Twitter 3 years and 8 months. How long have you been on Twitter?

65 Days Until the Licence Plate Game (but who's counting)

How can you spot a license plate game player? A license plate game player might unexpectedly:

1. speed up and drive like a madman with a crazed look in the eye, curse and continue driving normally as if nothing happened (think Clark Griswold at the beginning of Christmas Vacation).

2. have a strange fascination with parking lots of all kinds, but especially: hotels, tourist attractions, malls, major league sports, etc.

3. scoff each time a Kansas, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Arkansas, plate is spotted (and begin a letter writing campaign to limit the number of visitors to Missouri from these states during The Game).

4. begin a letter writing campaign to other states asking for a law requiring that state to have one plate, that's it, no personalized, save the animal-du jour, university, etc., plates.

5. ask for telephoto and night vision glasses for an upcoming birthday.

6. make a run to the 'grocery store' about 10:00 p.m. (to scope out the motels after travelers call it a night) and come home empty handed.

7. not be able to converse while in the car without uttering, "What's that one say?" "Did you see that one?" "Wait, go back!" "Rats! I think that was a _____!" "What were you saying?" "YES (fist pump)!"

8. say, "Want to go for a ride down to the Arch?" "Need a ride to the airport?" "I love the VP Fair."

9. seem a 'little distracted' from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend.

10. download multiple copies of current state license plates from various web sites and have them scattered throughout the car because they all have different plates on them.

11. have sweet oldest sister on speed-dial just in case a major plate is spotted so that we can team up and beat the Californians...oh, wait, we are purists and don't share great finds. Never mind.

Am I missing any 'special' qualities that a License Plate Game player might possess?