I’ve got a crush on Ken Jennings. I’ve been reading his blog, and he’s funny, and clever, and generally adorable. He’s making this amazing mural in his daughter’s room. He likes word puzzles. He used his Grand Slam trophy to eat Fruit Loops out of. He’s just so cool.
It’s not like I want him to be my boyfriend or anything. Instead, I like to fantasize that he and his family come over for a weekend BBQ. While his kids and my kids play happily in the backyard, Sir Monkeypants and I sit with Ken and his wife on our fabulous, currently non-existent patio (a large portion of this fantasy is devoted to designing the ideal patio locale).
Then, while we wait for the veggie burgers to cook, Ken and I engage in a competition to see who can come up with the most obscure factoid, occasionally running inside to check things on the internet when there is debate. Meanwhile, Sir Monkeypants and Mrs. Jennings exchange eye-rolls in an unsung duet of, “Jesus, not this again.”
Over dinner we’ll all work together to complete the New York Times crossword puzzle, and we’ll crack each other up by trying to restrict the dinner conversation exclusively to movie quotes. Later we’ll have out-loud readings from the books of Ellen Raskin, before putting the kids to bed.
Then it’s time for some Cranium, or maybe an everyone-versus-Ken edition of Trivial Pursuit. Over chocolate chip cookies, of course.
Sigh. Even my dream life is hopelessly geeky.
TurtleHead 
One of the worst things I lost in The Harddrive Crash of 2006 was my photo of meeting Ken. *sigh*.
I’d forgotten that you and Nicola had actually met him. I’m swooning with envy!
It was quite funny. People were swarming around him, and Nicola actually tugged on the back of his coat and said “KEN!” in a loud voice. He turned around and looked at us like we were crazy people. Only when I told him that I was the programmer who built his website did he lighten up. I told him in a very confidential tone that I didn’t feel very comfortable at those sorts of press events because I was “just a programmer”. This was a carefully crafted stratagem to get him to warm up to me, which he did. Then I snapped a photo of him and Nicola.
He’s taller in real life than you’d expect – I’d guess 6’1 or 6’2.
That’s the most charming dream life… I appreciate the details like the great patio set and the chocolate chip cookies!
I didn’t remember you had built his website (I blame baby brain for the forgetfulness). I’ve been there many times in the past few months and I love it — lovely design and super easy to use. Well done!
Thanks…when we get that patio built, you can come on over for a BBQ too!
Oh, we didn’t build his personal website – it was actually a website for a trivia product that he was involved with. It went under, so I don’t think you can see the website we built anymore.
I should just lend you for a day. He’d make a decent KenJen substitute in your dream!