Monday, June 28, 2010

Link Day!

Miscellaneous Link Sharing... AKA.... Catching Up on My Blog Reading


Summer Play:
Create a Sensory Backyard
Worst Toys Of Summer
Best Outdoor Toys



This article makes me want to be a toy designerThe Emotional Connection of Design and Toys


From A Librarian's Guide to Etiquette: Polite librarians know that their officemates hate their choice of low-playing music in the library workplace. If you insist on playing music in your office space, choose something that you both hate so that you can ridicule it together.


Personally, I like to listen to Adult Alternative on Yahoo Radio... the kids don't seem to mind :-)


And finally, another use for Silly Bandz: Worship Saved by Silly Bandz (Should I admit now that I had no idea what these were until this past weekend?)

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

First Day Back / Last Day of School


So I was on vacation for the last week... I was in peaceful California for my best friend Brian's wedding. Even better, I was in the wedding. We did something a little different. Instead of standing up with the bride like a girl usually would... I stood up with the groom. I had a different color dress on than the bridesmaids, it was so much fun!

So I am back at work just in time for the kiddies to be out of school... I thought tomorrow was the last, but it sure doesn't feel like it. It's been crazy since 1 PM. Fourteen kids were playing kickball in here for a while. Surprisingly that was a more relaxed part of the afternoon. I sent 3 kids out of here within an hour. I decided to be low tolerance for bad behavior right away. Maybe within a couple weeks all the wrinkles will be straightened out... and I will have a happy no yelling summer.

I am wishing....  :-)

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Things that Kids Say, An on going post.

These things have been said to me (or in the room) in the last month-ish:


Me: "Isaiah, don't throw the babies!"


One kid to another: "Eat goldfish nuts"


Two boys were asking me random questions. If I knew anyone from Turkey (because of the Turkish Festival). If I had kids, or a boyfriend and then to top it off: "Meghan, do you have a dildo?" 


And from the same kid last month: "Meghan, is it true... that... you give as much as head as shampoo?" He was messing up the line as he was saying it. I replied with go away. 


Aren't they cute?!?!

Toy Story


So, I am not a big fan of movies based on books (especially when the screenplay comes out at the same time as the book like Dan Brown) Or movies remade 20 years after the original (Hairspray). Or... movies that are remakes of movies made in other countries (Death at a Funeral). Not that I'm a movie snob or anything :-)

On the other hand, I do like movies based on toys. It is kind of hard to believe that the original came out 15 years ago. I was young enough at the time that it was "cool" to watch it. That same year it came out, I think I wanted a Mr. Potato Head for Christmas. And it was because of the movie.

I find it exciting to see toys that have been in not only my life, my my parents life (and soon to be my niece's or nephew's life!) as characters in movies. I don't think that kids quite grasp that... that it was a toy before a character. And it's not that it even matters that they get it, but in hindsight it is pretty cool.

The other reason I really liked this movie is that the characters (and the toys) are still popular. Disney hasn't created too many sustainable movies and/or characters since Toy Story. The seem to be popular for a bit and than vanish into memories. I grew up in the Disney Princess era of Disney. The princesses are still popular. I am not going to say if the movies were better or worse than now. They are a whole lot funnier now!

I have a little boy who comes in here with his parents. He is 3 years old, his two brothers are over 10. He is absolutely in love with Woody and Buzz.(You should have seen his face when I showed him a new Buzz Lightyear toy with a spaceship!) I have a Woody doll behind my desk on display. Without fail, when he comes in, it is the first thing  he asks for. I asked his mom how he knew who Woody was... a valid question considering the movie came out over 10 years before he was born... and it was from his brothers who continued to watch the movie with him. Then I realized how much of a classic it had become...

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Games that Adults Play

So for once, instead of talking about kids and toys, I will talk about adults and the games we like to play. And by "we" I mean my little world of people.
Apples to Apples has been a favorite in my household for a while now. There are red cards and green cards. At least 4 people are needed to play, but it's really more the merrier. Each person is dealt 7 red cards, and then one person, each round, is picked to be the judge. They pick up a green card and put it in the center of the table. The others all place a red card down from their hand trying to pick the card with the best association to the green card. The judge then picks he winner. It is a simple game of word associations, but what makes it fun for us is the strategy of knowing the person well enough to guess what they would pick. Hilarity typically ensues.

We used to play LCR at family picnics and parties. There are chips shown as score keepers, but we used to play with dollar bills. You would start with $3, and if you rolled the dice and it came up "L, C and R", you would put one to the left, one in the center and then one to the right. The black dot meant you were safe and could keep it. You take turns clockwise around a table until there is only one left still rolling (and they kept the pot).

Another dice game that I just learned how to play recently is Greed. There is an official game with "greed" dice but I played a simpler version. All you need are 6 dice and the set of scoring rules. It is easy to learn. And highly competitive towards the end.You have to roll 500 to get on the scoring board and then we played up to 10,000, but you have to score 10,000 exactly, no going over.


My family is not allowed to play Taboo anymore. It's been over 5 years now, and no one can really remember why we're not allowed to play... maybe us girls were cheating? I guess that shows how competitive we are. Anyway, this is another word association game, but you're not allowed to say one particular word. You're trying to get your team to say it in a designated amount of time. There is a buzzer involved, which can get quite obnoxious, but I have never played this game without laughing hysterically.

I would be maimed if I didn't mention Euchre. I actually forgot about it until I went and asked the circulation desk what games they typically play. I will admit right now that I don't know how to play. I have been taught a couple times. Every party we have at our house turns into a Euchre game. It is one of those games that people take so seriously. I have pictures from the Euchre games. The look on the people's faces is ferocious. It is one of the most competitive games I have ever witnessed. And this is why I fear playing again. I'll stick with my Connect Four.

And now, I want to know... What are the games you play at parties or gatherings?