Parents tell children all kinds of crazy things. I grew up thinking girls could get chest hair and that it was a good thing because my dad was so enthusiastic when he said “Onions are good for you, they put hair on your chest!” (As a result, my sister hates onions and has a very smooth chest–I love onions and . . .) There’s also a list of things that will “stick to your ribs” like mashed potatoes and oatmeal. I was always encouraged to eat a lot of those foods because I was such a scrawny shrimp of a girl. When I was 10, my parents enrolled me in flag football; I was one of two girls on the team and they made me play safety. I was horrible, but my mother thought it would toughen me up and give me muscles (my sister played soccer, volleyball and basketball–I don’t know why I got drafted into flag football). One day at practice our coach was teaching us how to block and I did the drills just like everyone else. The coach squared me off against the kid who played center; he was tubby. I ran at him with all my might and seconds later I was flat on my back and could not breathe! My scrawny 58lb frame had been propelled backwards through the air and onto the ground with all the air escaping my lungs upon impact. I laid there confused and stunned. I saw my coach and team lean over me–”Are you okay? I told you to hit him in the shoulder!”

At noon on Sunday, December 16th, Buffalo ReUse hosts SNOW BOWL in the field across from the warehouse and we’ll wipe the floor with our (as yet undetermined) opposition! We’ve thrown out the challenge to PUSH, Urban Roots and Habitat and we’re just waiting for them to step up for a classic rivalry of east beats west! It will be grueling and cold and very macho . . . which is why I’ll be on the sidelines heckling, cheering and eating chili!

So, if you’re a beefcake–come play football!
If you’re a cheesecake–come cheer on the team!!
If you’re a creampuff–come stick some chili on your ribs!

There’s an open invitation for potluck chili! You make a veggie chili or beef or turkey or gator or roadkill or a 3-alarm that burns going in and going out?–BRING IT!!
Or you can bring cheese, fritos, cornbread, spoons, bowls, cocoa . . . a first aid kit.