I was hanging out with some friends the other night, and we were playing a game. The four of us were sitting at each side of the kitchen table staring down at a deck of cards delicately splayed in a circular formation, each card taunting the player with what it hid underneath. The game was Ring of Fire. And by no means was this a drinking game...ahem…The point of the game was to pick any card at random. Each card depending on the number corresponded with an action.

For example, if you drew a nine, you would say a word and the next person would have to say one that rhymes and so on until one person can’t think of a rhyming word. He therefore loses and has to drink…his cup of water that is. A three is “me” so I would have to drink…my Fresca of course. A “two” is you, so you would have to sip…your diet green tea in a can. A queen is “questions”, which the players have to continually ask questions until someone slips. If by chance you pull a king, you’ve pulled the “never have I ever” card. The card puller starts the round with “never have I ever” followed by something they have never done. If any other player has done that specific thing, then they must drink their completely un-alcoholic beverage.

Never have I ever gotten angry at a Silver Strike machine.

Never have I ever fallen off a bike in front of a huge crowd of people on the fourth of July.

Never have I ever written “Call her. Love, God” in the condensation on an old crush’s truck window. Nope never.

Never have I ever crossed a moat in heels to trek up a steep hill only to behold the magnificent mansion-esque residence nestled cozily between heaven and paradise.

Oh wait. That I have.

Okay so the moat was less King Arthur’s court and more retention pond at the bottom of the driveway, but it did nothing to take away from the luster of this beautiful house my fellow K-girl and I were privileged to visit last night. We had been invited to a soiree for the Jacksonville Film Festival, which kicks off May 15. A healthy crowd of Jacksonville’s movers and shakers were in attendance, sipping their beverages, noshing on some delicate hors d’oeuvres and buzzing about the upcoming festival. The backdrop to this stage of players was the churning Atlantic Ocean, who seemed a bit angry with the rainy weather. But good spirits lifted the rain just long enough for the party to enjoy the scenic backyard pool deck.

Inside on the television looped a video of trailers of some of the films to be featured in this year’s festival. From the looks of it, this year’s selection is going to be quite impressive. The whole festival is looking to be impressive. My staff and I have the pleasure of working down the hall from the festival office. Jesse, the executive director, and Chris, who we all call Ackerman, the director of special projects, greet us all in the morning with their positive attitudes and contagious smiles. Their excitement and passion for the festival spreads through the office like the most welcomed virus you’ll ever have. Both of them, along with the board of the festival, are poised and ready to pull a Buzz Lightyear and take this festival to infinity and beyond. It is going to be bigger and better than what Jacksonville has seen the past several years. They have even extended it out to a full week of festival fun and films. The Florida Theatre is honored to host many of their special events, including the premiers of several movies like the opening night film, “Crazy”, which tells the story of guitar legend Hank Garland.

If you’ve never festivaled, you must make it a point to come out this year. For a full week, downtown Jacksonville will be the hippest place to be. It’s going to be cooler than the other side of the pillow. And you know you want to be a part of that. So come out and support the big things happening in your city.

Go ahead and buy your tickets, and while you’re at it get a whole bunch for Jake Shimabukuro who performs with us on April 17…

And I’ll see you… at the movies.