The Bouncy Castle in Space

swachski

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It's so nice to hear others say that video games have gotten a bad rap. My boys are gamers, but they are also A/B students who don't get into trouble and aren't too cool (well, usually) to talk to their parents.

This discussion is actually making me consider getting a workout video to use on my sons' xbox. I can see it now: mom, stop hoggin' the xbox, we wanna play!
 

Smish

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I'm getting my Amazon cart ready, as we speak. I'm getting the Xbox 360 with Kinect, which comes with the Adventures game, and I'm getting the Dance Central and Sports games. I can't freaking wait to do the dance game. It's going to be so much fun! And yes, a good workout, too (and one I'll actually DO). ;)

And how cool is it that a video game can detect your entire body and every move you make, without a controller?!

Yayy! Happy birthday to ME! :D

(Oh yeah, and it comes with a $50 dollar Amazon credit, so I'll be able to buy several books! :e2woo:)
 

Kitty Pryde

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i have had a terribly exciting weekend! I totally met AWers xiaotien (bought her book and got it signed) and blondchen (her book is not out yet but i rilly want it!). I won a free copy of Bartimeous: The Ring of Solomon and Savvy. And got to see lots of rad authors doing talks--Rick Yancey (!), Jonathan Stroud, Gennifer Choldenko (!!!), Gayle Forman, and a bunch more. I was fangirlishly squeeing all over the place.

today i went to a thing called Pitchapal00za, a 1 minute book pitching contest with these folks who help people with pitching and marketing and whatnot for their books. I was just gonna watch but I decided at the last minute to do a pitch...and I won! The winner gets a "personal introduction" to an agent from these folks. Maybe nothing will come of it but it was certainly exciting! I pitched the story about the action boy in the wheelchair. Woo woo! I certainly had an advantage over most of the other folks, having already become well acquainted with the squirrels with bazookas.
 

swachski

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That is so cool, Kitty! And it's great that you acknowledge the squirrels in your success. Crossing my fingers that something comes of it!

fangirlishly squeeing — not sure what that looks like, but :roll:
 

MsJudy

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Kitty's walking on sunshine, o-o-o-oh!

That sounds like a super weekend. Congrats on the pitch! Fingers crossed!
 

clare

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Awesome news, kitty! congrats. My son will be sooo jealous that you met Rick Yancy (so am I)!
 

MsJudy

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smish inspired me. I just bought Dance Dance for the Wii on eBay.

Gonna shake my booty!!!!
 

Smish

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Yay!

Have fun. :D

I can't wait for my Amazon order to arrive! I got the free shipping, which takes longer. :(

I still really need to clean the living room floor, but I suspect what I'll end up doing is shoving everything against the wall and calling it clean. :roll:
 

CheG

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Important letter key iz dead and gone!!! :( * sob* guezz which one it iz!!! It has been dying for awhile but iz well and truly dead this morning!!!

And Google Chrome zpellchecker can't recognize the word iz!!!!!!!!!!!! Or zpellchacker apparently...
 

Smish

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Well, you managed to use the "s" key in the word "sob", so I must admit, I'm at a loss as to which key is truly dead and gone. :e2shrug:
 

CheG

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Well, you managed to use the "s" key in the word "sob", so I must admit, I'm at a loss as to which key is truly dead and gone. :e2shrug:

That iz thanks to Google Chrome and it'z zpellcheck! It'z a wonderful thing. I just go back and correct what I can when I'm done typing. The ezz key. I can't type the letter s but I can copy and paste and spell check
 

Alanna B.

Um,yeah so... ok then.
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i have had a terribly exciting weekend! I totally met AWers xiaotien (bought her book and got it signed) and blondchen (her book is not out yet but i rilly want it!). I won a free copy of Bartimeous: The Ring of Solomon and Savvy. And got to see lots of rad authors doing talks--Rick Yancey (!), Jonathan Stroud, Gennifer Choldenko (!!!), Gayle Forman, and a bunch more. I was fangirlishly squeeing all over the place.

today i went to a thing called Pitchapal00za, a 1 minute book pitching contest with these folks who help people with pitching and marketing and whatnot for their books. I was just gonna watch but I decided at the last minute to do a pitch...and I won! The winner gets a "personal introduction" to an agent from these folks. Maybe nothing will come of it but it was certainly exciting! I pitched the story about the action boy in the wheelchair. Woo woo! I certainly had an advantage over most of the other folks, having already become well acquainted with the squirrels with bazookas.

Kitty! Awesome, awesome and awesome! :) :) Jealous of all of the above! Sending positive/hopeful thoughts your way~~~~~~~
 

Kitty Pryde

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So I really need a job. I wrote an email replying to a 3 week old ad looking for a bookseller at a kids bookstore, ranting about what a huge fangirl I am of kidlit and YA. They wrote back and said they weren't hiring but they loved my enthusiasm and they would keep me on file :D

This weekend I have an interview for a really bitching job at a summer camp at the beach. Fingers crossed!!!!! I have to bring a kids game for 20-30 adult interviewees to play--anybody know one that is super fun? We used to do a lot of team-building/icebreaker games at the last camp I worked but I am struggling to remember any thrilling ones.
 

jtrylch13

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I do think video games can be a problem when not used in moderation, which I'm sure we all understand. I have some acquaintances who use it to entertain their child. I met them when he was 4, I think, and he always had his nose in the Nintendo DS. Even during dinner. If he wasn't playing it, his behavior and manners were atrocious. That was a couple of years ago and I haven't noticed any improvement, though we don't see them much. While video games are fine in moderation, under supervision, with age appropriate games and if you don't use them to babysit your kids all the time (I have done this before) it annoys me when I see people allow them to take the place of them being a parent.

Having said that, I like playing the Harry Potter games myself! I can't get past that Hinkypunk level on the Chamber of Secrets game!
 

SheilaJG

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Totally agree that video games can be overused. I cringe whenever I go to my kids' soccer/baseball games and the younger siblings are playing their gameboys. At the park! Outside! And I see that a lot (one kids' mom brings a portable DVD to entertain the young ones). All kids need is a trickle of water and a stick, or a pile of rocks. Their imaginations can do the rest.
 

sissybaby

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Kitty - It's not so much a game, but it is hilarious to watch. Called Tooty Ta - I think you can find it on youtube. It's for preschoolers, but it's much more fun to watch adults do it.

There's also the game where you have to sit on a bench and pass cooked spaghetti noodles down the line - using only your bare feet. Our kids always loved that one.

Good luck with the job hunting - and hope you get good results from the pitch!
 

jtrylch13

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I read a book, I think it was called Epidemic, but it was written by a psycholigist (psychiatrist?) about our current parenting methods and failures. One thing it mentioned was that kids need time to be bored. I know that sounds weird, but their brains need time to just think, or maybe not think. Constant stimulation can be very bad for them. I sometimes feel guilty when my three year old has to sit for hours in the car on long trips, which is fairly often. We take toys and books, which he'll use, but sometimes he just stares out the window. (Hence the feelings of guilt) He is one of the smartest and creative todlers I've ever seen though, so I think those staring out the window times are good for him.
 

jtrylch13

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Isn't this supposed to be a bouncy castle? Too much heavy thinking.

Bouncin'! Bouncin'! Bouncin'! Watch me get down! Doo - doo - doo - doo - doo! All of the time!

Okay, my own made up version of Dancin'!, but what the heck.