A fun,simple game and a great way to get to know folks at any gathering. Even those you think you know really well. You'll be surprised by what you learn!!! Beware this game can lead hours of fascinating life stories.

To add another level of challenge/fun the 3 Truths and a Lie that each person writes can be secretly swapped and read out-loud by someone different then their creator. The listeners can guess who the "real author" is and which of the 4 statements is the "lie".

T.A.G.: Together Apart Games #5

Ways to adapt this game to make it specific to and fun for your group/celebration. I'd love to see what you do with this. If you come up with a fun way to play the game or want to challenge me with your truths/lies - email me john@johnporcino.com. Below are four versions of the game, some prompt to get you started followed by the lies in each version of the game.

Four versions of  the game.

3 TRUTHS AND A LIE
The game in general

1. One of the biggest honors of my 37 year career as a storyteller/musician was when I was invited to perform in the Bangkok Bank Storytelling Festival in Thailand. There were 10 Thai storytellers and me with a translator, who told stories to thousands of students from all over the city.
 
2. When I was in 5th grade me and my best friend went into our local Five and Dime store and each stole a box of Milk Duds (my favorite candy at that time) but I felt so guilty I couldn’t enjoy eating them.
 
3. I once asked a 9 year old student I was teaching to tell her story on stage beside 5 professional storytellers at “The New England Conference on Storytelling for Children.” She got the standing ovation!
 
4. When I was a senior, at my high schools awards ceremony, I was given the Orchestra Award. None of the other who received award gave a “speech” but I summoned the courage to stepped up to the microphone and dedicated the award to my Dad. He never forgot that, neither did I.

 

TWO LIES AND A TRUTH
For a storytelling crowd.

1. When I was 43 I trained and ran my first half marathon in Hartford CT,  I finished in a slow but steady 2 hours 38 minutes and 15 seconds. Just over my goal of breaking a 12 minute mile pace.
 
2. In my mid 20’s I briefly considered trying to make my living as a batik artist. I went to three different craft fairs near where I lived in upstate NY. I paid something like $85 worth of show fees, sold maybe 3 batik wall hangings and made about $60 back. It’s hard to imagine why my career was so short!?

3. When I was 18, I picked apples for a season in the Okanagan Valley of Washington State. I figure I made a whopping $1.OO per hour for my unskilled labor: but they did house me, feed me and I earned enough money to keep on traveling.
 
ON A THEME
Places you've traveled -- Unusual foods you have eaten  -- Times you were scared - Times you felt proud   or any other thing that sound like fun like this one my neighbors did recently...

6 Real Jobs You Once Had and a Fake One

I once had a job that required me to….
1) …sell subscriptions to the NY Times Door to Door
2) ...teach kids how to blacksmith.
3) …walk up and down a beautiful sandy beach at sunset every evening.
4) …grind little bits of metal until they were smooth and shiny
5) …lead campfires on the beach at the Cape Cod National Seashore
6) ...stuff and ship handmade patchwork pillows
7) …dress up like a monster and chase kids though the woods.
 
 
TO CELEBRATE SOME ONE’S SPECIAL EVENT
For example next year is my son Julian will turn 30. Imagine folks at his party who choose each of write 2 real moments they shared with him and one lie. Put it all together and you have a fun laughter filled tableau of his life.

1. Once on a trip to California, Julian and I slept or should I say tried to sleep in a youth hostile underneath a lighthouse above the pacific ocean while a wild storm howled all around us and huge waves crashed onto the near by cliffs.
 
2. By special arrangement on his 13 birthday Julian and I got permission to climb the 1,576 stairs to the top of the Empire State building

3.Julian and I once discovered how to clam by accident while floating down a tidal river. It was so much fun that we spent a few hours collected enough clams to make a dinner for 5 that evening.


Some Possible Prompts for 3 Truths and a Lie

• A place you or your children or your parents traveled to.
• An unusual way you once traveled
• A brush with fame
• An unusual hobby you had as a kid or have now.
• An unusual job you, your parents, or your children once had
• An interesting fact about your family
• A place you once traveled to
• A time you got into or almost got into big trouble
• Something that happened to you that gave you the shivers.
• A weird /surprising/ unusual teaching experience
• An award you – your children or your parents once were given.
• An unusual skill, trick, ability you have learned.
• Something a comic strip or type of book you read religiously.
• A position you once were elected or not elected to.
• An honor that you once were given or wish you were given.

The Lies
3 Truths and a Lie:  #1
2 Lies and a Truth:  #3 (The truth!)
6 Real Jobs and Fake One: #5
2 Truths and a Lie, Birthday Version: #2
     

                     Photo Scavenger Hunt - 4/30/2020
                         A playful photography game:
 
Some Possible Rules: Adapt Them Freely to Fit Your Situation
Take photos solo (selfies are great!) or in a team.
Pick a handful from the list below, try to do them all or make up your own list.
Invite players to shoot 1 great photo, aim for  6 out of 10 or do the whole list.
Every one playing is in at least 3(?) photos.
Photos to be taken in or nearby your home.
Find a time when everyone can gather to share photos, physically or online.
HAVE FUN !! BE CREATIVE !!!

• Flowers in the season
• A funny picture of you or your team. 
• In a strange or unusual place
• Feet off the ground
• With a teddy bear or other stuffed animal
• Wacky family photo
• You or your team  doing a kindness
• Spell your name with objects
• Wild hairdo(s)
• Summertime and the living is easy
• So you think you can dance?
• The colors of the rainbow
• Arrr,  there be a pirate in our midst
• My, my -that’s some kind of outfit you are wearing
• Solving a problem
• What’s that in your belly button?
• Check out my ride
• Doing exactly what the sign says
• With a hat(s)
• Strange thing on the kitchen table
• Cleaning your room
• Fascinating reflection(s)
• Eating/drinking from the doggies bowl
• Wait, that’s  MINE! Give it back or I will ……….!
• 5 “Your Choice”  creative photos

Making a course and adapting the game for all ages.

John demonstrates 3 holes of "cpolf"

A little mini golf like game you can play all around the inside of your home. Lot's of fun and nothing breaks either! Solo or with a small group. "Together Apart Games #3"

Why don't elephants like playing cards in the jungle???
Because of all the cheetahs!  :-)

It was one of those long Covid-19 days sitting in front of the computer. Three of four Zoom meetings.  My shoulders were sore and my spirit a little down.  I had 45 minutes before the next meeting and I knew I needed to get outside.  So I put on my running shoes and off I went  "over the river and through the woods" just north of my home.  The air felt cool and my breath in and out, in and out was waking me back into life again. 

As I ran the day was changing to night and when I came out of the woods I was greeted by this scene.  Stopped me in my tracks, took my breath away -- the chalice of the near by trees lifting the "pink moon" up into the sky.  

A voice came into my head telling me "don't you dare forget that in these challenging times that this earth is a beautiful place to stop for a time.... don't you ever forget. "

If  1Q + 1Q = 2Q   and 3Q + 3Q = 6Q.  What does 5Q +5Q =?    . [When they say] "10Q",    [you say]   "your welcome!"......  [get it?   10Q,  i.e. "thank you"]