My family assembled this past weekend at my brother's new apartment here in Madison for my Dad's 52nd birthday party. We all chipped in for a brand new DVD player. His old one was out of commission because "someone" inadvertently put two DVDs in at once. DVD players don't like that. When the disgruntled DVD player refused to eject the discs, my Dad decided to take matters into his own hands and disassemble the thing. And as life will teach you, taking something apart is much easier than putting it back together. Thus, the need for the new DVD player. But I digress. …
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Cramming for Kindergarten
Have you ever read something that immediately makes you feel sick to your stomach? This is how I feel right now after having read the article entitiled 'Cramming For Kindergarten,' featured recently on CBSnews.com. I think the title gives you an idea of what road I am going down. Yet another example of adults, and in this case parents passing on their Adultitis to their little ones. Tragic! The article talks about parents who have chosen to seek out tutors for their pre-schoolers, in order to help them 'be ready' for the academic demands of Kindergarten. Christine Califano, one of the …
Become a Playaholic
It's amazing to me. At one time or another in our lives, we've all been experts at playing. I'd even go so far as to say that a vast majority of us were playaholics. And yet, how is it possible that so many of us can grow up and completely forget how to play? Is it possible for a dentist to retire and then forget how to brush his teeth? Or for a kindergarten teacher to forget the alphabet? Of all of the secrets from childhood that we once knew so well but have since forgotten, play might be the one disregarded trait that befuddles me the most. …
Do You Still Jump Rope?
Why not? No matter how "old" you get, you're still and always will be the same kid who "climbed trees and chased around the yard." Evelyn Bence offers up an interesting devotional about how the age of your body really has nothing to do with the age of your spirit. …
Make Time To Play
Some great quotes on the importance of play..."Some relaxation is necessary to people of every degree; the head that thinks and the hand that labors must have some little time to recruit their diminished powers." - Bernard Gilpin "Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer, since to remain constantly at work will cause you to lose power of judgment. Go some distance away, because then the work appears smaller, and more of it can be taken in at a glance, and lack of harmony and proportion is more readily …
Grown-Up Games
One thing I remember about grown-up parties (from my perspective as a five-year-old) was that they were b-o-r-i-n-g. No tails or donkeys to pin them on anywhere to be found. Now that I'm all "grown-up," I've noticed that most get-togethers still lack that needed bit of childlike "oomph."HGTV.com featured some interesting tips by Lisa Konfruff on "how to get the party going with grownup games that will have your guests meeting and mingling in no time." I especially liked her idea: Play the Two Truths and a Lie game. (This one is for later in the evening.) Have …
Dress to Impress
It’s always funny to see a kid wearing grown-up clothes. Ironically, I find it inspiring when I see adults breaking free from the ‘rules’ of adulthood as they add that hint of playfulness while getting dressed in the morning. What you choose to wear and the accessories that go into your 'look' tell a lot about your personality and who you are. Here are 8 ideas to let people know you are Adultitis-free. For Him: 1. Put your best foot forward. How about some novelty socks peaking out under those dress pants? 2. Come on, save the day! How can you not feel five again when sporting your …
Stressed-Out Dogs
My dad recently had to put our dog to sleep. I say "our" as if I still live there and ever really contributed much to the dog's welfare. I didn't have quite as much animosity toward the dog as my mother did, but then again, I didn't pay for the carpet Odie liked to pee on. Yes, our dog's name was Odie, and Odie was a she. We had two dogs in our household, and for some reason, both were females that we named after male cartoon characters. (Snoopy was a black mutt that looked nothing like her namesake. And for the record, Odie was not a slobbering yellow pooch with puffy ears, but rather a …
I Scream, You Scream
Ever wondered what flavor of ice cream you are? I'm just relieved I didn't turn out to be Raw Horse Flesh Ice Cream... You Are Vanilla Ice Cream Your personality is anything but "vanilla" You're a risk taker, who's up for anything new. You go well with anyone and fit into any situation. You are most compatible with rocky road ice cream. What Flavor Ice Cream Are You? …
8 Ways to Prevent a Cardiac Event
The Duke University Medical Center has published a report confirming that stress management appears to reduce the long-term chances of heart patients having another "cardiac event" and also provides an immediate and significant cost savings. The team found a financial benefit of stress management strategies within the first year of the study. Average costs for patients who utilized stress management were $1,228 per patient during the first year, as compared to $2,352 per patient for those who exercised and $4,523 per patient for those who received usual care. The medical center defines a …