Video Tuesday: The Gateway Toy

Tonight a cautionary tale about the perils of the gateway toy!

You may think everything is fine and dandy in this typical suburban home on this typical December evening.

Supper is finished; dishes are washed; children are playing cheerfully. But a baleful presence lurks!

NOTE: To appease Lynda, who refuses to see the humor here, let me state that this video does, in no way, aim to cast any aspersions upon the general cleanliness of the house. I fully recognize that our home is very neat, tidy, organized, and put together--extremely so when you consider that we have three children. I am simply pointing out the concept of toy creep--how one toy leads to another, leads to another, leads to . . . well, whatever.

Yet, in fairness to ME, I must point out that the video was taken AFTER I had picked up a bit. To say that the toys don't get cluttered is to be willfully in avoidance. I will also say that keeping the toys in their corners IS a daily task, as I said. We could--like many parents--simply give up and let the chaos reign, winding out footsteps through a Sargasso sea of stuff.

I chose NOT to accept that lifestyle.

And so, the Gateway Toy is, in my view, presents a valid--and intentionally humorous--point.

My plea is now over.

Updates on LOST

The premiere of Season 5 of LOST is slowly approaching.

You can get a glimpse of a new promotional poster for season five, PLUS a two-minute preview of the season premiere episode "Because you Left" via Slashfilm.com.

You can also catch up on previous episodes via a limited time offer on the seasons one through three CD boxed sets via this link. (h/t again to Slashfilm.com)

But if you don't want to spend that kind of money right now, then you can catch up on some of the most important moments in LOST history via the five videos I have linked to over on WWYG?! Omnimedia.

Of Lights, Dates, and Pumpkin Cakes

My back hurts.

I don't really know what I did to tweak it, or pinch the nerve, or whatever has led to the pain. I just know that if I twist the wrong way or bend a bit too far, the dull ache in my right mid-back flares into something more difficult.

Perhaps I just tried to get too many things done today.

It started out well, pretty much.

Going into the weekend, I had some things I wanted to accomplish--get the Christmas lights put up outside the house and also get my Gluttonfest baking done.

What's Gluttonfest, you ask?

Well, Gluttonfest is a December tradition at my office department. It used to be a month-long sybaritic celebration of holiday food. Every day someone would bring in brownies, a cake, some doughnuts, popcorn, fudge, cheese, olives, fruit, you name it. (Heck, one year, my man B. cooked waffles to order on a electric skillet.)

The idea was, I think, kicked off by one of the department managers before I showed up. But after he left, I took over the unofficial oversight of the Gluttonfest insanity. A few years back, I cut the length of the affair down to two weeks in December to appease the growing number of people who were slowly revolting against the excessive food and extra poundage that every December signalled. 

And but so, tomorrow is  the first day of Gluttonfest 2008. I am bringing some date bars (recipe courtesy of Grace's godmother--she of the excellent white chocolate cheesecake) and a new cake creation that is some sort of fusion of pumpkin pie and a yellow cake. I've never tried it before (and, truth be told, Lynda put that particular recipe together this morning . . . so I still haven't created it) so, when it gets tasted tomorrow, I hope it is well received.

I usually end up going first on Day 1, since I'm the organizer--I keep the sign-up sheet at my desk and I'll send out the email announcement tomorrow morning. I feel I should go first to keep the pressure off of anyone else. Though I worry that I'll completely shatter my on-again/off-again "diet" during the next two weeks, Gluttonfest is an important morale booster around the office (I think, anyway) so I don't want it to fade away.

The other task I accomplished today was (with Lynda's help) getting lights strung up out front. We hung some icicle lights on the porch eaves and draped a few more icicles lights around one of the bushes out front. But it wasn't enough! I went out later in the evening and found a nice outdoor lighting thing of a polar bear and a wrapped Christmas gift. It wasn't hard to put together and I think it adds a nice whimsical touch to the outside of the house--plus a bit of extra color. I'm not about to start over-accessorizing and turn the house into some kind of Clark Griswoldian nightmare . . . but it is nice to have a cheery looking home when the snow on the ground makes everything seem dark and cold.

Chock full o' video

Tonight's post is some text, but really, the text only exists to deliver the video.

Why?

Well, perhaps today I am textually bankrupt. (Does that even mean anything?)

Or perhaps I am thinking about concepts--always THINKING about concepts and never fully making concepts become viable, regular reality.

But, the REAL reason is that I am trying out a new camera with a stouter memory card that allow for more lengthy videos. And with lengthier videos comes the idea of video podcasting now and again. I won't go so far as to prematurely announce Video Thursdays or anything, but the thought did cross my mind. It would be something new--and I'm always thinking (but not doing) something new.

So, here is a video. It's lengthy and you can probably skip right on past bits of it--if you don't find kid-based stream of consciousness interesting. (But you will get to see brief Christmas decorations--but no presents yet, so back off Internet thieves!!)

STANDfast

December 3 is STANDfast day.

On this day, why not give up some regular purchase that you make every day and instead donate that little bit of savings to the STANDfast organization? All of this collected money will be donated to relief efforts in Darfur and eastern Burma.

Most people (in the U.S. at least) would probably say that we don't think about the plight of these people enough--if at all really. Most people, if asked, would like to find a way to help.

This opportunity to fast from something of your own and turn that money toward something more beneficial is such a small sacrifice. But collectively, these small actions can add up to something impressive.

(Taking a deep breath and hoping this won't turn anyone off. PLEASE just hear me out!)

I first heard about STANDfast through my regular Harry Potter podcast listening, where I was introduced to Andrew Slack, who created the HP Alliance. This grassroots organization has taken the compassionate example shown by  many of the characters in the book series to act on behalf of the less fortunate and the severely disadvantaged all around us today.

I must say that I have always been mightily impressed by the charitable willingness of the Harry Potter fans that have taken many opportunities to turn their purchase of HP-related items into sizable charitable donations over the years. (For instance, the last two years, sales of a Wizard Rock Christmas album has generated money for Book Aid International.) 

So, give up Wednesday's cup of Starbucks. Eat a smaller lunch--to save weight and to gather some donatable savings. And make sure that whatever money you save is submitted to STANDfast.

Thanks!