#29. Deal a Game of Euchre

For years I avoided euchre due to its strange spelling and intricate rules. This was difficult considering that my mom regularly hosted a euchre night for approximately 20 giggling high school girlfriends. Euchre seemed to surround me, whether it was at family functions, at home, or even hanging out with friends. I could not escape it, so I finally caved in and learned the game. It was a good choice.

Before I get any further, a bit of explanation is in order for those unfamiliar with the definition of this odd word. Euchre (pronounced yoo-ker) is a four person card game. The four people split into teams of two and compete against each other. The goal of the game is to be the first team to win ten points. Like many card games learned after 'war,' euchre has a complicated set of rules that are best learned by playing. I am not especially skilled at giving directions, so if you are unfamiliar with the game and really clueless, continue to this link before I confuse you with my bumbling attempts at instruction. Or check out this video by a store clerk on his lunch break:
                                           

Once one gets over the initial overwhelming learning stage, play euchre is tons of fun. In Indiana, it is basically required to know how to play. Real life evidence: yesterday at my New Student Orientation for Indiana University, my group was playing one of those horrifically mind-numbing icebreaker games. The instructor was really peppy and sweet, but the apathetic silence of my peers was starting to dampen her enthusiasm. No words or emotions passed between the group members until one brave girl told our group that she enjoyed playing euchre. Every face lit up and energetic chatter broke out as we traded our euchre stories. Everyone, that is, except for a girl from St. Louis. When she asked what euchre was, scoffs and cries of disbelief erupted from nearly every Hoosier group member. As children of euchre, we Indiana natives simply cannot fathom those who not only do not know how to play, but have never heard of the game.

Icebreakers: Awkward Embarrassment for Everyone!

I can trace the roots of my euchre snobbery to family vacations. Nearly every year, my dad's side of the family vacations together in South Carolina. Days are spent on the beach and nights consist of board and/or card games. It was in South Carolina, not Indiana, that I first learned to play euchre. Continuing the tradition this year, an intense euchre game broke out amongst me, my mom, and cousins. I was partnered with my 21 year old cousin Morgan. Our power duo took on my mom and 13 year old cousin Nick. 

At first, the outlook was grim for me and Morgan. We took few risks and luck was not on our side. The score reflected this: their 9 points to our 2.  Out of nowhere, Morgan became a euchre maverick. She took risks that a base jumper would envy. Okay, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but her recklessness was rewarded; before our opponents realized what was happening, Morgan and I came back from a seven point disadvantage to win the game. It was truly a game for the Euchre Hall of Fame, if such a thing exists.

Even in South Carolina, I was able to bring some of Indiana with me thanks to the convenient portability of euchre.

In the Beginning There Was a Girl, an Article, and a Blog

Something inside of me screamed. I knew that this was my chance to get out of Indiana. Yes, Indiana, that state that claims to be the crossroads of America despite a location that is too far northeast and too lacking in civil engineering to deserve this appellation. As a senior in high school applying to college, I was finally presented with the opportunity to get out of the state that has been my home for 18 years. I applied to seven schools: three in Chicago, three on the East Coast, and one in Indiana. The last application was mostly just for a safety school and to appease my parents. Despite my acceptance letters and scholarships to out-of-state schools, I selected the in-state institution of Indiana University. For the next four years of my life, I am going to be an official Hoosier.

Considering my bitter first paragraph, one may wonder why I chose to attend Indiana University. To be honest, money was a large factor. I simply cannot justify a five figure annual tuition. I think that college is like anything else—it is what you make of it. But more importantly, I realized that sticking around in Indiana for the next few years is not a bad thing. There are some truly wonderful things about Indiana. Its seasons are beautiful and full-fledged. Its people are genuine and grounded. It provided me a Norman Rockwell childhood. I knew that there were more things that I loved about the state, but I had yet to find them.

And then, fate intervened. (Okay, so that is a bit melodramatic, but allow me this grandiosity.) While absentmindedly sorting through some magazines at my grandma’s house, I came across the August 2010 issue of Indianapolis Monthly. If you are unfamiliar with this publication, please run out to the nearest grocery store/pharmacy/newsstand (are those even around anymore?) and buy a copy ASAP. Or at least visit their website www.indianapolismonthly.com. This monthly magazine is filled with skilled writing and updates on Indy area restaurants, stores, and happenings. If you are under the impression that Indiana is a wasteland filled with little more than dusty farmland and smoky bowling alleys, this magazine will shatter your illusions of love…er, Indiana.

Anyway, the cover of this issue caught my attention. A picture of a model who is a cross between Pippi Longstocking and a redheaded Kirsten Dunst holding a corn cob was odd enough to stop me in my tracks, but the cover story next to this picture sealed the deal. The article “The 50 Things Every Hoosier Must Do!” was filled with an appealing mixture of obscure (#10. Don your lederhosen in Jasper) and mainstream (#39. Sing along to John Mellencamp’s “Small Town”) Indiana traditions. Given my love for road trips, small town exploration, and open summer schedule, I knew that I had to complete this bucket list. Creating a blog about my adventures would allow me to keep up on my writing before embarking on my journalistic studies, so the situation was a win win.

For the next few months, I will be completing as many of the 50 tasks as possible and blogging about my experiences. Join me as I discover the quirky and quintessential niches of Indiana. And maybe if we’re lucky enough, we can figure out what the heck a Hoosier really is.