Today’s expression: “That’s the last straw.”

Meaning: My patience has run out.

Alternative: “the final straw.”

Explanation: The last one in a line of unacceptable occurrences causes a seemingly sudden and strong reaction. The final problem, setback, or source of irritation in a series that causes one to finally lose patience or for something to stop working.

Origin: “the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

Examples:

Losing my job was bad enough, but being evicted was the final straw.

She’s always been rude to me, but it was the last straw when she started insulting my hairdo.

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September is International Wall Ball Month. In celebration, let’s talk about the funnest game of all time in this 6-part series on Wall Ball.

About Wall Ball:

Firstly, you should know that Wall Ball is the funnest childhood (and adulthood) game ever. The Funnest. 

If you can throw a ball at a wall, you can enjoy Wall Ball.

One thing that makes Wall Ball the best of the best is that there is no perfectly correct way to play the game. You may take as much liberty as you like when deciding on which rules to follow. There are tons of variations, and all of the rules are flexible before the start of the game. What is important is that the rules are clear and that all players have agreed upon which rules to follow before gameplay commences.

Lastly, you should know that Wall Ball is not for the faint of heart. 

Before you start:

You will need a wall.

You will also need a ball.

Any ball that bounces can be used. The smaller and bouncier the ball, the harder the game. The bigger and heavier the ball, the less fun it is. I’ve tried Wall Ball with everything from a bouncy ball – you know, the kind you get out of the plastic containers from the toy dispenser of a restaurant – to an over-inflated exercise ball. You can’t go wrong in your choice of ball, though I would say a tennis ball or a kick ball would allow for funner play than would a bowling ball or a medicine ball.

(For an advanced variation of Wall Ball, add another ball or two into the mix.)

You may define boundary lines of the play area before you start, or you may choose to play without boundaries. 

Today’s riddle falls under the lateral thinking category that requires answers to yes/no questions in order to solve. It may be impossible for you to solve the mystery and deduce the sequence of events leading up to the statement, but at least you will have a good riddle to share after you see the solution on Wednesday.

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Riddle:

A man goes to a restaurant, takes one bite of his food, then kills himself.