I’ve always known that I got my customer service and event planning skills from my mom. From my dad, I learned work ethic and how to solve problems by thinking outside the box. And from both, I inherited my love for theater. All of these qualities come into play in running Events With A Twist and hosting parties. I owe them so much for shaping me into the entrepreneur I am today.
But recently, I realized there’s another part of my business that I learned from them.
As an only child without siblings close in age, it often fell to my parents to keep me entertained. When I was young, this was easy—a sing-along or a game of “I Spy” could always keep me busy. But as I grew older, they needed new ways to pass the time. That’s when we progressed to License Plate Bingo and rhyming games.
Before long, I outgrew those, too.
“You have a good imagination. Why don’t you see what game you can come up with?” they said. I’m sure they thought this challenge would take me a while, but before we reached our destination, I had invented the “Hollywood Game.”
The game is simple: One player names a movie (or TV show) and at least two performers from it. The next player must pick one of those performers, name another movie they were in, and list at least one of their co-stars. Players are eliminated when they can’t take a turn, but really, the goal is to keep the game going as long as possible!
“The Hollywood Game” kept us entertained throughout my early teens, and soon I introduced an even simpler game into the mix: “The One-Word Movie Game.” It’s just what it sounds like, but harder than you’d think. Players take turns naming movies with only one word in the title. (Tip: Don’t allow movies starting with “A,” “An,” or “The” until you’ve run out of other options!) These games became staples on long car rides and errand runs for years.
Somehow, as time went on, I had forgotten how much these games shaped me and influenced the entertainer I’ve become. I miss my parents deeply, but honoring my parents by keeping this business alive is a labor of love. It’s my way of honoring their legacy, and it reminds me of all the ways they shaped the person—and the event entertainer—I am today.
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