Anyone reading this blog, even semi-regularly, will know that I have kids. The little ones are 6 and 3 now, and they seem to get cuter every day...
Yesterday, I was giving them a bath, and unfortunately, there was only one rubber duck in the tub. Conflict erupted almost immediately, as did a column of water about the size of the Empire State Building.... as well as a chorus of giggles and squeals.
I have to admit, seeing them there, laughing like that, each with her hand on a duck and most of the bathwater swirling down the drain in the center of the floor, it was hard to suppress a smile. But I did. And took away the duck. And ran a new bath. And sat there and supervised them as they got to work with their bath scrubbies. Neck, armpits, tummy... and then they washed each other's back. Sometimes, I can't believe I got so lucky, to have such great daughters.
It get's better, though. Right before I put them to bed, my wife went in to take a bath. And as she did, the 3 yr old followed her, took the rubber duck off the sink, and gave it to her. Because you just can't have a bath without a duck.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Improving a Rainy Day
If you read this blog enough, I'm sure you've noticed that a lot of what I see as fun revolves around my wife and kids. I guess that makes me a Family Guy. Fifteen years ago, I don't think my friends would ever have chosen me for this role, but as it's turned out, I was the first of my 'crew' to get married, the first to have kids.... You never know what life will bring you.
I got a chance to teach my older daughter that lesson last weekend. In simpler terms, we spent the afternoon playing Chutes and Ladders on a rainy day.
Everyone knows that game; it's a childhood classic. And for grown ups, it's enormously annoying. I mean, there's no real point, the climbs and falls are completely arbitrary, and there's no skill involved. You can never predict what will happen.
Which makes it perfect for a 6 year old. Little kids haven't got the logic skills or patience for more advanced games. What they're really after is the time with a parent. So, between rolling the die, and helping her count out the squares, I got some quality time with my daughter on a rainy day. My wife had taken the little one out to buy some shoes and a potty seat, and I was supposed to take the older one to the park, but it started raining, and the drizzle turned into a full-out thunderstorm, one of those midsummer storms that just blasts in out of nowhere with a lot of noise, a hard rain, and even some hail.
Chutes and Ladders, and some time with Daddy, kept her from getting scared by the thunder and lightning out the windows, and winning one and losing one taught her, in a subtle and fun way that was completely unlike the weather outside, that you never really know what life will bring you. When the game was over, she gave me a hug and helped to make dinner. Definitely a good day.
I got a chance to teach my older daughter that lesson last weekend. In simpler terms, we spent the afternoon playing Chutes and Ladders on a rainy day.
Everyone knows that game; it's a childhood classic. And for grown ups, it's enormously annoying. I mean, there's no real point, the climbs and falls are completely arbitrary, and there's no skill involved. You can never predict what will happen.
Which makes it perfect for a 6 year old. Little kids haven't got the logic skills or patience for more advanced games. What they're really after is the time with a parent. So, between rolling the die, and helping her count out the squares, I got some quality time with my daughter on a rainy day. My wife had taken the little one out to buy some shoes and a potty seat, and I was supposed to take the older one to the park, but it started raining, and the drizzle turned into a full-out thunderstorm, one of those midsummer storms that just blasts in out of nowhere with a lot of noise, a hard rain, and even some hail.
Chutes and Ladders, and some time with Daddy, kept her from getting scared by the thunder and lightning out the windows, and winning one and losing one taught her, in a subtle and fun way that was completely unlike the weather outside, that you never really know what life will bring you. When the game was over, she gave me a hug and helped to make dinner. Definitely a good day.
Monday, March 16, 2009
So Just What is Fun, Anyway?
I'm writing this blog about fun, but what is fun, anyway? I'm not sure that I've ever bothered to define that..... So let's try.
To start with, fun is hardly an absolute concept; it changes with every person, with every situation, with every circumstance. If we pick up a dictionary (Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language, second college edition, 1984, which I have on my shelf) we'll find among the definitions for "fun" the following: "a source or cause of amusement or merriment, as an amusing person or thing."
Hmmm. I don't think that helps too much. Dictionaries are too formal, anyway. So I googled "fun definition," and I found this: "Recreation is the use of time in a non-profitable way, in many ways also a therapeutic refreshment of one's body or mind. While leisure is more likely a form of entertainment or rest, recreation is active for the participant but in a refreshing and diverting manner. ..." Maybe the Internet is too formal, too.
Or, more likely, maybe defining something as amorphous as "fun" is harder than it looks. How can we define something, in a way understandable to everyone, if the very concept is experienced differently by everyone? Even the question has to be phrased in a convoluted way, if we try not to be completely self-referential when talking about the concept.
As you can see, the difficulties here are many. Is there a way out of this?
Well, yes, there is. We can just admit that "fun" is a purely self-referential concept. There is no activity, which one person defines as fun, which will not be though unutterably dull or useless by at least one other person. Fun is defined internally, by the person engaged in it, and that's that.
So now let's get back to the fun!
To start with, fun is hardly an absolute concept; it changes with every person, with every situation, with every circumstance. If we pick up a dictionary (Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language, second college edition, 1984, which I have on my shelf) we'll find among the definitions for "fun" the following: "a source or cause of amusement or merriment, as an amusing person or thing."
Hmmm. I don't think that helps too much. Dictionaries are too formal, anyway. So I googled "fun definition," and I found this: "Recreation is the use of time in a non-profitable way, in many ways also a therapeutic refreshment of one's body or mind. While leisure is more likely a form of entertainment or rest, recreation is active for the participant but in a refreshing and diverting manner. ..." Maybe the Internet is too formal, too.
Or, more likely, maybe defining something as amorphous as "fun" is harder than it looks. How can we define something, in a way understandable to everyone, if the very concept is experienced differently by everyone? Even the question has to be phrased in a convoluted way, if we try not to be completely self-referential when talking about the concept.
As you can see, the difficulties here are many. Is there a way out of this?
Well, yes, there is. We can just admit that "fun" is a purely self-referential concept. There is no activity, which one person defines as fun, which will not be though unutterably dull or useless by at least one other person. Fun is defined internally, by the person engaged in it, and that's that.
So now let's get back to the fun!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
It Was Date Night Again
Sometimes, it seems that my life is just a series of recurring events. Fortunately, "Date Night" is one of those recurring events. If you've been reading here, than you'll know that Date Night is when my wife and I go out on a date. We get a sitter for the kids, and we just take off for two or three hours.
In order for Date Night to work, there are rules. These rules change from time to time, as we figure out what works and what doesn't. Last night, the rules were:
1) No talking about the kids. This was important, as said kids had been driving us nuts.
2) No talking about work. This was important, for the same reason.
3) No buying cigars. Last time, we shared a stogie and then tried to kiss....
So what did we do for Date Night? We recaptured our youth; we went to the roller rink! Ah, the joy of strapping wheels to your feet, and trying to stay upright for two hours.... What could go wrong? Well, considering that my wife is an excellent roller skater (and ice skater), and that I am not, I'll leave that question to your imagination. Suffice it to say that I will be invoking Rule 4 next time:
We always alternate who chooses the date.
Otherwise, it's just not fair, is it?
In order for Date Night to work, there are rules. These rules change from time to time, as we figure out what works and what doesn't. Last night, the rules were:
1) No talking about the kids. This was important, as said kids had been driving us nuts.
2) No talking about work. This was important, for the same reason.
3) No buying cigars. Last time, we shared a stogie and then tried to kiss....
So what did we do for Date Night? We recaptured our youth; we went to the roller rink! Ah, the joy of strapping wheels to your feet, and trying to stay upright for two hours.... What could go wrong? Well, considering that my wife is an excellent roller skater (and ice skater), and that I am not, I'll leave that question to your imagination. Suffice it to say that I will be invoking Rule 4 next time:
We always alternate who chooses the date.
Otherwise, it's just not fair, is it?
Monday, March 2, 2009
Mobile Phone Games
I got a new cell phone recently. Nothing to sneeze at really, but it's better than my last cell phone, gets a better signal, is significantly smaller and lighter, and, well, it's my new toy. I'm having some fun with it.
So the best part of this new cell phone is, it has some games on it. It's not like I never knew about mobile games; of course I've heard of them, I do live in the 21st Century, even if I am a little bit of a technological idiot. But there are some things that just don't "click" for me, and games on a cell phone were definitely on that list. They weren't important to me. I needed a cell phone to make phone calls (rad idea, isn't it?), or to store phone numbers (but only as a backup to the PDA, which is itself a backup to the old-fashioned pen and paper). I have been known to use the cell phone as a small hammer, when I needed a tack to hold securely in the wall. Definitely not a recommended use.
I'm digressing a lot here. I meant to talk about cell phones and video games.
I like video games. I really do. So while I was playing with the new cell phone, I was happy to discover.... a built in games folder! With two games already uploaded! I would have played them longer, except the phone rang. It was my wife, asking for someone's phone number.
So the best part of this new cell phone is, it has some games on it. It's not like I never knew about mobile games; of course I've heard of them, I do live in the 21st Century, even if I am a little bit of a technological idiot. But there are some things that just don't "click" for me, and games on a cell phone were definitely on that list. They weren't important to me. I needed a cell phone to make phone calls (rad idea, isn't it?), or to store phone numbers (but only as a backup to the PDA, which is itself a backup to the old-fashioned pen and paper). I have been known to use the cell phone as a small hammer, when I needed a tack to hold securely in the wall. Definitely not a recommended use.
I'm digressing a lot here. I meant to talk about cell phones and video games.
I like video games. I really do. So while I was playing with the new cell phone, I was happy to discover.... a built in games folder! With two games already uploaded! I would have played them longer, except the phone rang. It was my wife, asking for someone's phone number.
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