Friday, March 6, 2009

Wiff Waff, Anyone?

Today's Wonder of the World is...Ping Pong!

Flickr photo by Fast Mikie
What a fun game. Unless your father is the King of Ping Pong and finishes every match with a Rocky Balboa dance around the basement.
Just kidding Dad! It was fun. Really.

In spite of my aversion to games (too many angst ridden Candyland battles, perhaps?) I grew up loving ping pong. I dreamed that one day my own children would enjoy games of wiff waff themselves.
(What? Don't you know your ping pong history? Wiff waff was an early name for the sport.)

So last year, when my church youth group had a yard sale and offered an old broken down ping pong table for a whole five dollars, I decided to be magnanimous. We brought it home, fixed it up in the garage, and started playing.
Oh it was fun!

So why does it sometimes look like this?

Oops.
You'll be happy to know that it's now sparkling clean and ready for Forrest Gump, just in case he ever drops by for a match.
(Hey, I just hopped over to watch Forrest play, and at the end he mentioned Captain Kangaroo--another man who knows something about ping pong balls. If you're a fan, drop in on him too, around the 1:10 mark. )

You don't need Forrest or a wise-cracking moose to play a good game of ping pong.
Just look down a city alley in Brazil.

Flickr photo by Elisangela Leite
Or maybe under some palm trees on an island.

Flickr photo by Island-Life
Or even in France!
(Voudriez-vous some cassoulet as you play, mon ami?)

You can be young or merely young at heart.

Flickr photo by Phil Bardi
Or even a member of the animal kingdom.

Flickr photo by joezuver
Watch out. Ninjas like ping pong too!

Just be careful or the game might finish you off.

Flickr photo by MBRKPP
Also, watch for trick boards.

Flickr photo by James Nash (aka Cirrus)
It might be hard to keep up with the ball on a table like that.
I suppose if you lost it, you could always pick another from the Ping Pong Tree.

Flickr photo by Talk Hard
Or maybe ask GI Joe to lend you his helmet.

Flickr photo by skipthefrogman
Apparently ping pong balls are good for more than just a game of wiff waff.
Artists use them in all sorts of creative ways.
To decorate trees.
Or cars.
Or to make a 3D polka pallooza.

Or to draw pictures.

Flickr photo by ivonne de la guardia
That reminds me of a Lite- Brite.
Speaking of lights, how do you like this ping pong display?

Flickr photo by TWITA2005
Very pretty.

Now, let's watch some real pros play.

Have a wonder-full Friday and a great weekend, y'all!
I'll be on a writing marathon/mini beach vacation/long-awaited-break-for-mommy-after-too-many-daddy-business-trips through Wednesday, but I'll be recycling a couple of posts from last spring while I'm gone, just to keep you entertained. I'll be sure to find a good internet coffee spot so that I can drop in to read your great comments and say hi.

Love, Becky

10 comments:

jama said...

You're the ping to my pong, Becky. Love this post. I, too, have an aversion to most games, but I love this one :)!

Suzie said...

I havent played in years. CAnt say I miss it though

Anonymous said...

Wiff waff? Really? Wow. I do enjoy this game and oddly, just watched a man on You Tube playing it with nunchucks yesterday. I was doing research.

Kelly H-Y said...

It is a fun game! My mom and step-dad added one to their basement, and - oh my - is it ever the attraction for the grandkids! My son LOVES to play when we visit!

Adrienne said...

We have a net you can set up on any table, so we can play some very unofficial ping pong...it's still fun.
Enjoy your mini vacation!

May Vanderbilt said...

That wiff waffer did a cartwheel before returning the ball. How is that possible?!

I'm crazy bad at wiff waff, I'm sad to say. I have very little hand eye coordination. But I have fun playing it.

Linda Summerfield said...

The only sport I can do!

Gina M Smith said...

Love the ping pong hat for GI Joe-great idea from that person! Can't read to be reading your book! Also, has Vegas or Neon been a wonder? Headed there, would like to study!

Attic Rat said...

Thanks for stopping by. I always enjoy your blog. I never know what I will find.

Teresa

paris parfait said...

Oh you are funny. Haven't played in years.