a little game we play

My husband and I play this silly word game that sprang from an episode of Beverly Hills 90210. I must confess that about a year ago, my husband came home to find me sick in bed and watching this show. It happened to be the episode where, that's right, "Donna Martin graduates!" If you are unfamiliar, here is the back story. West Beverly High made a rule that anyone caught drinking at prom would not walk in their graduation ceremony. Donna Martin, the good girl of the original friends, got totally smashed at prom and the principal found out since Donna was a little less than discreet with her intoxication. Long story short, her friends went before the school board in protest of her not being able to graduate and chanted, "Donna Martin graduates! Donna Martin graduates!" over and over until the school board caved to their righteous demands and allowed Donna Martin to indeed graduate. Got it? Okay.

My husband is a smarty pants man with a smarty pants vocabulary. In fact, when we dated, I was absolutely enamored of his fabulous vocabulary and that is one of the things about him that compelled me to marry him. True story! Anyway, I am not sure how exactly, but we began to expand on the things that Donna Martin does that end in an "ate" sound. I fear I am explaining this game very poorly but here are some examples -

Donna Martin exfoliates
Donna Martin instigates
Donna Martin extrapolates
Donna Martin conjugates

There are some obvious series of words that come to mind, such as -

Donna Martin intoxicates
Donna Martin copulates
Donna Martin gestates
then of course, Donna Martin, well she populates

This becomes a game in that we try to think of new words. I should make a disclaimer here that my husband and I do not really drink much alcohol at home and we certainly do not do drugs but we find this game to be absolutely hilarious! There is just something about the imagery of Donna Martin (see above) actually doing these things, right?

Donna Martin particulates

Gosh, that is funny to think about.

Donna Martin agitates (indeed, she does)
Donna Martin fumigates
Donna Martin pontificates
Donna Martin undulates
Donna Martin annihilates!

And one that is really popular in my house when I cannot think of anything else to say...

Donna Martin... ate

This is just a few of the many we banter back and forth. Usually, we play this game in the morning while getting ready for work. I was in my carpool this morning (those ladies are awesome!) and my husband called to add

Donna Martin palpitates (how did we miss that one?)

When I arrived at work he added -

Donna Martin inculcates (I had to look that one up)

Maybe you have to be an incredibly dorky Gen X-er to get this game and maybe my hubs and I are not the first people to play this game, but I thought I would pass it along to any reader. We have such fun playing this and it is a good mental exercise taken from something that might have turned my brain to mush.

Donna Martin exonerates
Donna Martin liberates
Donna Martin inoculates
Donna Martin expectorates

Feel free to add to the list! Happy Wednesday!