Kristen: "In college I was in my friend's room one night when she suddenly rushed over to the phone, dialed someone's number, said 'White Rabbit', and then hung up."

Todd: "Yeah? Why?"

Kristen: "Well, it turned out that she and another friend of mine had this game where each month they'd try to be the first person to say 'White Rabbit' to the other. And I was always really jealous that they had this fun game going on and I didn't have anyone to play with."

Todd: "That's because you're a loser."

Kristen: "Jerk."

-- a few weeks later --

Todd (wheeling his chair over to Kristen's 1/2 of the cube): "Kristen, there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

Kristen: "Yes?"

Todd: "White Rabbit"

And with that simple phrase Kristen was thrown into spasms of emotional confusion, unable to decide whether to be excited that she finally had a White Rabbit opponent or upset that she lost the first round. For a while I was able to keep things pretty close. Closing in on a year, we were nearly tied.
 

1. The game begins the first minute of the first day of each month, but the "White Rabbiting" can take place at any time during the month.
2. Initially, the rule was that you had to actually speak the words White Rabbit (or Blanco Rabbito) in person... but since Kristen left MEDITECH, and we don't see each other that often, we decided to go high-tech. Now, the message must be delivered via electronic mail, and must be TYPED AND SENT earliest... meaning you can't use your email software to send automatic or future messages on the first of every month. We considered doing a phone-in White Rabbit when Kristen left MEDITECH, but decided that my fiance, Hayley, might actually kill one (or more likely both) of us if she picked up the phone at 2:00am only to hear "White Rabbit" and then a hang-up.
3. If you lose, the following are appropriate responses:
   (a) "I hate White Rabbits",
   (b) "You're a White Rabbit", or
   (c) "I'm formally requesting an asterisk on the grounds that ___________."
   In the last case, the winner must actually agree to and grant the asterisk.

Originally, there was a perpetual trophy made from a jar of cupcake sprinkles, a Microsoft Clip Art rabbit printout, the cardboard backing from a standard-issue office note pad, and probably 200 yards of scotch tape, with the winner's name added each month. But since going long-distance with the game, whirlygirl.com now keeps track of the winners, and sadly, the trophy sits neglected in my bottom drawer along with the shark on a stick and the sparkling dinosaur gun and all the other fun toys I put away when Kristen left.

The game, however, continues. And Kristen, with an infinitely more organized mind and a infinitely less full and exciting life wins nearly every time. But I haven't given up yet.