Each night before bedtime, my daughter and I play a little game we call lovingly the "Guessing Game." It is fun to play and is an excellent alternative to reading the “Adventures of Barney” for the 100th time. The way it works is that I give hints about a person, place or thing, and she tries to guess the thing that I am thinking about based on the clues I provide. Sound fun? Let's try one.

Aggressive front and rear styling. Sleek tailgate spoiler. Redesigned alloy wheels.

Ready to guess?

I'll be willing to bet this description conjured up visions of Corvettes and Mustangs, right? Interestingly enough, I am actually reciting some of the highly coveted features found in the brochures of the American family's favorite vehicle -- the minivan.

If an audible snicker just left your lips after reading this, you are not alone. I found this funny too, and in truth, I was not lured to buy a minivan three years ago because of this kind of marketing propaganda. In fact, I don't recall ever reading the brochure before I bought the van. My wife and I decided to buy one based on features we were looking for, such as these:

Mobile entertainment center equipped with distractions that will keep your kids from causing parental insanity on long trips. Teflon-coated carpets impervious to the grease of loose french fries and goldfish crackers. Seating for six with a cargo area that could transport every piece of beach and sporting equipment that I own. These were the features we wanted, and the minivan does deliver in all areas.

What I did not expect were the secondary “features” these marvels of family travel bring you unexpectedly. For example: Intense feelings of dorkiness the minute you take your perch in the “captain's chair” seating. A deep recognition that you will never, ever, ever again be cool while you are driving it. Soccer mom jokes. You don't think about these when you are signing the papers at the dealership.

To combat these feelings, I have committed myself to finding ways to make the minivan cool, most of the time unsuccessfully. For example, I blast classic rock music from the speakers when I ride by a group of young people. I play new and hip movies over the DVD player, even when no one is watching from the back seat. Most recently, I crammed 10 adults into the three rows of seating and drove to the Jimmy Buffett concert at Alltel Pavilion.

You might see these as desperate attempts to make something cool that can never be. But despite the bad rap minivans get among the cool parents out there in the county, they deliver fun and functionality in a single vehicle. Next time you pass a crowded minivan full of people in the slow lane, give a little toot from your sports car. Chances are, we are having more fun than you are.