Pick Up Sticks

Yes, Pick Up Sticks ... you remember them, yes?  As self-described:  "Pick Up Sticks is a great yet simple game that helps kids learn to count when scoring and improves their manual dexterity. A typical Pick Up Sticks set contains 50 multi-colored sticks made of wood, plastic or metal." OR if you believe Wikipedia Pick Up Sticks is a game of "physical and mental skill" (it is okay, you can laugh right along with me on that one - except, I guess, in some way it is!

Okay, so from what I understand this game is called many things and there are varying versions all over the world ... but, yes, the burning question is: who was originally so bored that they said "Hey, let's get a bunch of sharpened sticks and play with them." ??????!!!!!!!!

Apparently Pick Up Sticks is also called jackstraws, or spillikins (now spillilkins makes sense!), and in the early 18th century sticks were made of ivory or bone; later they were made of wood or plastic.  One source said "our" Native Americans played it with straw (now that would take patience!) and passed it on to the English -- after Googling around, it appears the origins are a little vague.

So, you may be asking yourself -- along about now "why"?  Well, it is just another thought my brain had this evening when I was cooking supper took out a package of spaghetti that I thought was unopened -- totally wrong in that assumption and much to my misfortune was holding the open in towards the floor (Murphy's Law).

Come on ... tell me you don't see the similarity!!

PS.  No photos were harmed (or actually taken by me) internet assisted!  Have a great weekend Buddies!