Search Episodes (Go Away Kid)

Back to School: Home Alone-While the Parents are Away, the Pet...

Added 02/09/12
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GET MONEY, TURN GAY - Songify The News

Added 01/23/12
6 Views

GET MONEY, TURN GAY - Songify The News

Added 01/23/12
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Episode 026: Trouble By The Foot

Added 01/07/12
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Episode 026: Trouble By The Foot

[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 04:48:53 01/07/12
My Meat Foot. Ok, Ok, Ok, so maybe I shouldn?t have gone all the way to ABC at 21,000 feet. The funny thing is that the altitude wasn?t a problem. Only in the morning. I?d wake up and would have my vision be somewhat spotty, strobing and tracing. After I?d stumble down the path to the ?bathroom? and nearly careen down the slope into the Romanian tents (ABC has no ground, it?s all a glacial moraine which means it?s all loose rock like a scree slope) my vision would clear up. Usually just as I was pulling down my pants to do my business in the open air toilet I?d look over and see a member of the British Royal Navy Team squatting on his open air toilet and we?d wave to each other. Friendship in misery. After a time at ABC, I realized it was beautiful but it sucked up there. You just can?t rest. The entire time you can feel your body deteriorating. So, it was time to climb down. I made the 22km in one very long day but it was very painful. In fact I totally messed up my left foot. I?ve never had a problem with my boots, but leave it to Everest to change that. The trail is only loose rock and every step I took pounded my toenail into the front of the boot. By the time I made it back to BC, I knew it was a bad situation. I had a terrible pain in that Big Toe, but I was just too tired to deal with it that evening. I slept and the next morning inspected the damage. My toe didn?t look like a toe anymore. In fact, one of my French friends, Bertrand, described it as a sausage floating in water. It was really surreal to look at my toe and think it was an alien. Luckily, my Russian friends have a doctor here at Base Camp. I?m really good friends with him, Dmitri. I hobbled over to the camp and went into their Comm tent. He wasn?t there but some other friends were. Vova said he thought I looked in pain. I took off my sock and they all yelped in Russian. Vova jumped up, slapped me on the shoulder and ran out to find Dr. Dima. Minutes later my foot was in this huge surgeon?s fleeced lap. He said it would take a small operation and that I would be fine. He said something in Russian to Vova who immediately jumped up and disappeared from the tent. Seconds later he returned with a bottle of whiskey. Dima handed the bottle and suggested I drink up.?For pain.? I grabbed the bottle and thought of every Old West movie I?d ever seen, looking around for a wooden spoon or something to put between my teeth and bite down on. I raised the bottle to my lips and was about to drink when Dima grabbed the bottle. The joke was on me. The whiskey was actually rubbing alcohol and he was only kidding about me needing to drink up. Apparently Russian airlines do not allow the passengers to transport running alcohol in their luggage, yet they DO allow unbelievably high proof liquor. Dima simply fills an empty whiskey bottle with rubbing alcohol and can easily sneak it through security! I washed my foot, then Dima shot my toe up with novocain and sterilized his tools with the alcohol and cut here and there releasing pressure, then cut away the nail. It was gross, but I was fascinated! Afterwards, he put a ton of Russian antibiotic cream on it and wrapped it in sterile gauze his wife had carefully prepared in St Petersburg (she?s apparently an anesthesiologist). In 30 minutes it was all taken care of and only hurt a lot for a minute. That was 3 days ago and every morning Dima comes over and gently changes my dressing. These people are so great. I offered to pay since I have some cash on me but Dima just raised his finger to his head and twirled his finger to say I was crazy. I almost cried. I would be totally in trouble of infection without him. But he really cares about my well being and I?m being taken care of with immaculate care. He said I was his first American patient and I said he was my first Russian doctor. All in broken English, of course. I?ll never forget the generosity I?ve experienced here. I?m sitting in their Comm tent right now using their generator since mine is busted again. Everyone is glad I?m here and it?s wonderful. Everest North Side would be a totally dead landscape if it weren?t for all of the great people. They?re what I?m going to remember, not the Mountain. Jon Miller Total Running Time: 23:28

On "If I were a poor Black kid"...

Added 12/28/11
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On "If I were a poor Black kid"...

[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 07:41:54 12/28/11
[ VIDEO ] Joe Hicks discusses the controversy over Gene Marks' blog post at Forbes entitled " If I were a poor Black kid ". Basically he asks, "Why can't white people contribute to the national dialogue on race and racism?" It does seem like a cop out to just tell someone that they have nothing to say because they're not a poor Black child so they can't relate in any way. I've had a white geography teacher in high school - GO FALCONS - who said that he could relate because he was poor. Of course the conclusion could be that he thinks all Blacks are poor, but that's only a thought and not necessarily based on reality. All the same Marks bounces off of a recent speech by President Obama in Kansas where he discussed the gap between the rich and the poor: > The President’s speech got me thinking. My kids are no smarter than similar kids their age from the inner city. My kids have it much easier than their counterparts from West Philadelphia . The world is not fair to those kids mainly because they had the misfortune of being born two miles away into a more difficult part of the world and with a skin color that makes realizing the opportunities that the President spoke about that much harder. This is a fact. In 2011. I am not a poor black kid. I am a middle aged white guy who comes from a middle class white background. So life was easier for me. But that doesn’t mean that the prospects are impossible for those kids from the inner city. It doesn’t mean that there are no opportunities for them. Or that the 1% control the world and the rest of us have to fight over the scraps left behind. I don’t believe that. I believe that everyone in this country has a chance to succeed. Still. In 2011. Even a poor black kid in West Philadelphia. It takes brains. It takes hard work. It takes a little luck. And a little help from others. It takes the ability and the know-how to use the resources that are available. Like technology. As a person who sells and has worked with technology all my life I also know this. If I was a poor black kid I would first and most importantly work to make sure I got the best grades possible. I would make it my #1 priority to be able to read sufficiently. I wouldn’t care if I was a student at the worst public middle school in the worst inner city. Even the worst have their best. And the very best students, even at the worst schools, have more opportunities. Getting good grades is the key to having more options. With good grades you can choose different, better paths. If you do poorly in school, particularly in a lousy school, you’re severely limiting the limited opportunities you have. And I would use the technology available to me as a student. I know a few school teachers and they tell me that many inner city parents usually have or can afford cheap computers and internet service nowadays. That because (and sadly) it’s oftentimes a necessary thing to keep their kids safe at home than on the streets. And libraries and schools have computers available too. Computers can be purchased cheaply at outlets like TigerDirect and Dell’s Outlet . Professional organizations like accountants and architects often offer used computers from their members, sometimes at no cost at all. You will see at the end of this posting links to several rebuts to Marks' comments. I will add my two cents just as Hicks and those other links have. I didn't go to the very best schools in Chicago. I'd say my old elementary school was an average at best school and my old high school - when I attended - was one of the worst. My marks weren't that great in elementary school but for some reason my marks in high school were often in the honor roll range. With that in mind though I consider that a fluke today. My time in high school wasn't a time to seek out options. I never thought of my grades as a ticket mainly because they were had too easy. It was never a challenge academically and who knows how that would've been weathered. The serious challenge was in college where I struggled to keep up. If only I had the tools back then that the young people have today to help me study and understand the various subjects. I wouldn't just be ahead of my peers but it would be light years ahead of them. But when I was in public school most of those tools did not yet exist. In spite of the nay sayers - and I will get to one in a moment - Marks isn't wrong. Make the best grades you can where you are take advantage of all the tools you can. Don't have a PC at home go somewhere to use one, especially the library. At that there are people at your school who if you establish a relationship with them will help you move forward. This nay sayer, well is making more of this than he realizes: > No believer in Bell Curv-ish nonsense about black intellectual inferiority, Marks makes clear that the children about whom he speaks are no less capable than his own kids. Of course, one wonders just how much of a compliment Marks really intends for this to be, given his strange habit of dissing his offspring, on more than one occasion, as rather unintelligent, unmotivated, promiscuous and even inclined to petty criminality. Not sure what kind of asshole says things like this about his children in print, but I suppose we can leave that discussion for another day. No doubt Marks would say that he was simply encouraging poor African American kids to take personal responsibility for their success. He might even say that by acknowledging unfair and unjust structural inequity (and even, indirectly, white privilege), he was doing so in a politically ecumenical way. Certainly Marks would perceive his words and intentions as quite different from those of right-wingers whose hectoring of the poor so often involves blaming those at the bottom of the nation’s economic hierarchy for their station in life. To Marks, poor black kids are not to blame for the position in which they find themselves, but they nonetheless hold the keys to their own liberation, and if they would simply follow his sage counsel they could surely make it, like anyone else: even the cerebrally challenged and oversexed spawn who slumber each night just down the hall from he and his wife. There is much one could say about Marks’s advice — rather typical bootstrapping fare about studying hard, coupled with a more modern emphasis on becoming a techie like him, and thereby, presumably, an irresistible college or job applicant — and most of it has been said already. Like, for instance, this piece , or this one , or this one , or maybe this one , all of which eloquently critique the privileged and naive mindset displayed by Marks, and explain how even when poor kids of color do everything right, the structures of society are too often set up to help them fail anyway. ... And it’s this last point that we might do well to explore further. Fact is, Gene Marks knows his readership at Forbes . He knows that it includes virtually none of the people to whom he is ostensibly offering advice, which means that he isn’t really giving them advice at all; rather, he is inviting his mostly white, mostly affluent audience to engage in a perverse moralistic voyeurism at the expense of impoverished African American youth, almost none of whom that readership will ever meet, and whom they will, in fact, go out of their way to avoid. He is offering a kind of secret white-male handshake to others in the club, assuring them that the problems of urban poverty are not theirs to fix, that they are off the hook as it were, and isn’t that a relief? That Marks may not be as vile in his desire to blame the poor for their status as some, hardly acquits him of the charge that by pandering to the biases of his readership, he has, with some 700-odd simple (and simplistic) words, managed to reinscribe all the worst of their prejudices, many of which one can see on grand display in the readers’ comments section of the original article. Make no mistake, Gene Marks’s column is contempt cloaked as compassion and bigotry dressed up as benevolence. And it can do nothing but contribute to the indifference and even antipathy towards the poor that those who rely on Forbes for insights already possess in ample supply. Starting with that last paragraph it's true, Forbes may not have a significant audience in poor inner city communities. Without having to purchase a subscription you can always go to a library to access past issues of magazines. Also with internet access you can access magazines as well and blog posts such as this one which surely don't require a subscription. As for Mr. Tim Wise who wrote the above excerpts, how is he going to call that man out for what he refers to his kids. Yeah it may be wrong to say your kids are very bright, but somewhere out there some parent is doing it. I also recognize that Marks is merely a commentator who is definitely using his platform to say what he wants to say. The main point surely Marks is making is that his children are not much different than poor inner city children. Just that they have different opportunities living in a different part of the Philadelphia area than the inner city children. Perhaps even different expectations from parents, perhaps different staff and different schools. He didn't write the "poor black kid" piece to denigrate his children. I think what he wrote was real. It shouldn't be impeached merely for that reason. That alone is weak! Although to Mr. Wise's credit he is at least has some suggestions for Marks to put his money where his mouth is. Marks could always help get the information out aside from using his platform at Forbes.

Christmas is over! - Outnumbered Christmas Special - BBC One

Added 12/09/11
1 Views

Christmas is over! - Outnumbered Christmas Special - BBC One

Added 12/09/11
1 Views

2012 Chevy Volt Review

Added 12/02/11
0 Views

How to Thrift Store Shop for clothing:

Added 12/02/11
11 Views

How to Thrift Store Shop for clothing:

[LESS INFO] 11 VIEWS | ADDED 02:35:59 12/02/11
FACT: Thrifting can be overwhelming: > What store do I chose? Once inside, where do I start? When should I go? Do I need cash? Because those thoughts can flood your brain, its understandable why many of you just don’t do it all. BUT if you don’t do it all, then you are missing out on a really invigorating shopping experience. I like to think of it as treasure hunting. Every time I go to a thrift store I walk away with an amazing, unexpected find, at a remarkably bargain of a price. Best of all…it’s recycling! > I started thrifting because I love fashion, but could never afford (without going into debt) to buy trendy and designer clothing. I learned from an old friend who was a fashion stylist and another friend who used to work at a thrift store how to navigate them successfully. Step#1: Before you even go into a thrift store you need to establish why you are going. (At least if you are a newbie.) This will prevent the feeling of being overwhelmed and frustrated. The best way to do that is to list what you need. If I don’t have something in particular that I am looking for, like a brown cardigan or sequins dress, then my strategy is to hit up certain things that I know that I will always need, like flowy work blouses. > Here’s my personal l ist of things that I always check when shopping at a thrift store: Leather Sequins Jewelry Dresses Blouses But I do recommend that you skip out on buying lingerie, bathing suits…you know items that get really personal. Step#2 Research thrift stores in your area. Each one offers something different. I categorize the in three ways: pure thrift, general thrift, and boutique thrift. Pure Thrift: usually bigger, warehouse stores. Sorted only by sections like women’s blouse and men’s blazers. And also sorted by colors. Some even just have big piles of clothes that you have to dig through. They are generally not sorted by brands or quality, so this is where you really can treasure hunt and really find “gold.” This type of thrift store is my preference. I find top brand names, clothing with tags on it, etc. Because they are minimally sorted, the prices are usually the cheapest. But you have to thoroughly check for quality, flaws, weird stains, etc. In the Southeast, Value Village is the best example. Also, oodwill Warehouse’s (not to be confused with standard Goodwill Stores) Other thrift stores are sorted a little more. I call these general thrift stores. You are familiar with their names mostly because of the charity they serve. These places have less selection and the prices can be about 100 percent higher and are conting ent on the brand name. Meaning, a dress that cost $4 at Value Village can cost anywhere between $5 and $10 depending on the brand name. Examples of these thrift stores are Goodwill and the Salvation Army. Next we have boutique thrift stores. Usually, these places also offer consignment items. (*Stay tuned for post on how to shop and sell at consignment stores.) Wanna know how the owners of these stores stock their shelves? They basically shop Pure Thrift Stores (see above). These stores don’t take donations unless they are top label brand names in mint condition, and most of the time, if it’s in that’s the case, they will either flat out buy it or co nsign it for you. So for all of their work, you can expect, cha-ching, higher prices for second-hand clothing. In your area, you can google “boutique or designer thrift store”. Consignment usually comes up next to the stores, but I just explained why above. Step#3 Once you determine which store type (see Step#2), research the nuances about that store. Does it have sale days? Does it open early? Is there a day that they get fresh shipment and stock the shelves? Do they have dressing rooms? Doing these extra steps will help you save more money and have an efficient shopping trip. More tips before you enter: * If you can, go early. Some thrift stores open as early at 7:30 am. * If possible, choose a sale day or a restocking day. * Dress comfortable…so you can easily try on clothes. *Even if there are no dressing rooms, if you wear comfortable clothes you can easily throw on items in the isle, run to the mirror to see if works for you. * E xpect to spend a couple of hours shopping, at least. Prepare for that. * Do you shop with friend? *I personally do better alone. I need to concentrate. If with friend, make sure they know the time that it will take. Also, what’s their purpose: to help dig or be second eye. Make sure you know because it’s not a typical shopping trip. Now, you’re ready to go inside. Step#4 Once inside: 1. Get cart if you can. 2. Pick a section…for newbies, I say look for just try two. For example, long skirts and blazers. 3. Then go through that section piece by piece. Touch them all! As you get better, you’ll go faster, and take on more sections. Remember you’re digging for treasures, and the best treasures are usually hidden. So dig, dig, dig! 4. Try on and make sure you like the looks you’ve selected. If you’re going vintage, are the sleeves from the ‘80’s? Do you like the look after all when it’s on your body? Is the number size that you know fits you too small after all? Is it ill-fitting? Can it be tailored? Trying on clothes is essential, especially in a thrift store . Again, if you don’t like it when you get home, you know that you won’t wear it and it will just eventually be donated back. Now, let me dispel a myth. “It’s a thrift store, so I shouldn’t have high expectations on quality and condition.” Absolutely not! Why would anyone ever want to put on trash? You don’t have to settle for that. I only buy things that are perfect for what I need at thrift stores. If it’s not, I put it back. You don’t have to resolve for less than wonderful: bad stains, tears, smells, etc. Now, if it is something you really love, like a great leather coat and you think that you can work with the imperfection, then buy it. You have to weigh the blemish to see if it is fixable, cleanable or mendable…or if it is something that you can live with. If it is something that you can fix, how easy is that challenge? Do you want to send it to a tailor? Well then how much will that cost you? Weigh the costs, if it’s not worth it, then leave it alone! Walk away. You won’t wear it and will end up donating it back. > My example: I am pretty handy with sewing simple projects, but I happened upon a sequins dress made in the ‘80’s. I almost passed on it, but a friend that was with me said…”You better not.” Now that I think about it, I should’ve bought all the sequins I saw that day…and there was a lot. I got the dress for $5. I spent $50 to shorten the hem. It was worth it, because sequins is impossible for the novice to work with, and I didn’t want to ruin the dress. The dress was my New Years Eve dress and it was amazing! With that… Thirft stores are great places you can take fashion risks , with minimal costs and potential loss. You can pull an inspiration outfit online or just happen upon something funky. Buy it and work with it at home. If it doesn’t work out…oh well…it only cost you a few bucks, right? Now it’s time to donate it back. My thing is that I love to repurpose outfits. Many of my shopping trips have been just to pick up things to repurpose. I may like the texture (leather), or the pattern of a dress (but plan to turn it into a blouse), I may find a dress but it’s too long, so I’ll shorten the hem; the same with sleeves. *Stay tuned for upcoming posts and videos on how to repurpose things. For families... Probably the best secret is taking advantage of thrift stores. Little kids, especially babies, get very little wear out of their c lothing. So scour the thrift stores for everything from packaged onesies to baby formal wear. You can find designer jeans and many things with tags still on. Now that you have your big bag of goods. Next…what to when you get home…. *Check my thrift store challenge video on my show Charlotte Today.

Mariah Carey, Jessica Simpson & More Outrageous Quotes!

Added 11/10/11
6 Views

Mariah Carey, Jessica Simpson & More Outrageous Quotes!

Added 11/10/11
2 Views

Paul Ryan Tells Student To Work Three Jobs Rather Than Take Pe...

Added 10/21/11
7 Views

Paul Ryan Tells Student To Work Three Jobs Rather Than Take Pell Grants

[LESS INFO] 7 VIEWS | ADDED 16:00:06 10/21/11
I have a secret hope. I hope that on Paul Ryan's Judgment Day, I get to watch from a teeny crack in the door while stifling squeals of glee at his fate. This is a man who loves that authoritarian "We Can't Afford It" line while sucking up everything he can from the public coffers. Don't forget, Paul Ryan is the guy who saved his survivor's Social Security benefits to go to college . Ah, but what's good for the goose isn't so great for the gander, it seems. Think Progress has the transcript : > LOWE: I come from a very middle-class family and under President Obama, I get $5,500 per year to pay for school, which doesn’t come close to covering all of the funding, but it helps ease the burden. Under your plan, you cut it by 15 percent. I was just curious why you would cut a grant that goes directly to the middle- and lower-class people that need it the most. RYAN: ‘Cause Pell Grants have become unsustainable. It’s all borrowed money…Look, I worked three jobs to pay off my student loans after college. I didn’t get grants, I got loans, and we need to have a system of viable student loans to be able to do this. The second concern I have is, in the health care bill — people don’t know this — for budgetary gimmickry reasons, the administration and Congress at the time, took over the student loan industry. So they had the federal government, the Department of Education, basically confiscate the private student loan industry. Paul Ryan loves student loans. Loves. Via TNR : > Ryan is a fervent ally of the college lending industry. In 2007, he was one of only 71 Republicans to vote against the College Student Relief Act , which would have cut the interest rate on many student loans, including the FFEL program, in half. Inside Higher Ed noted that the bill would cut “deeply and directly into lenders' profits.” The bill passed the House 356-71, but stalled in the Senate. And of course, the Affordable Care Act ended the profiteering by our favorite bankaneers by taking them out as middleman, so they're a little bit flushed over that and looking for their favorite stooge to punish students, it seems. On a personal level, the one goal we've had is for our kids to get a degree without being in debt. We're one semester away from the first graduation. The next is heading to college next year with what I hope is a good enough academic record to qualify for some scholarships. The eldest paid for college by enlisting. This is all wonderful, but they're facing the same problems as everyone else: no jobs. Paul Ryan's cynical, nasty retort to this student is emblematic of what the Republican Party has become. I can't wait for him to get what he's dished out to everyone else. In the meantime, here are some visual reminders of what people who went into debt to go to school are living in today's world: enlarge and this: enlarge Source: Wearethe99percent Tumblr here and here

NOAH COMPRENDE | Hammer Away | PBS KIDS

Added 10/13/11
6 Views

Volcom Europe 2011 Wild In The Parks Sweden

Added 09/30/11
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Volcom Europe 2011 Wild In The Parks Sweden

[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 10:53:02 09/30/11
September is witp season over here and this year was no exception. On friday we packed up the car and headed south to Swedens skate capitol - Malmoe. During the summer they have rebuilt the whole park and just three days prior to the WITP they reopened it. If the "old" park was good this one is insane! We opened the doors at 11 and kids started signing up right away to make sure they got the free t-shirt and the chance to go away with a ton of prices and a ticket to the upcoming finals in Denmark. (which is only a 20 min train ride away from Malmoe.) As always we started out with the qualification for the -14 category. Every year we just get amazed how good the kids are becoming. With 45 kids entering this category we did three heats to decide which lucky 15 would end up in the finals. After the -14 it was time for the 15 and over category. To some of the kids in +15 Bryggeriet Skatepark is actually their school yard since they attend the skate program at Bryggeriet Highschool. Their teachers is doing an amazing job. The kids rip!! In the ProAm it was time for the heavy hitters such as Herman Stene, Fernando Bramsmark, Didrik Galasso, Slomo Andersson, Christian Sandell among others to enter the park. Three heats later we were blown away by the level of skating we just witnessed. The judges had a really hard time picking the lucky 15 for the finals. After a well deserved lunch break with plenty of drinks and Bryggeriets great sandwiches it was time to kick off the finals. Once again we were blown away by the kids in the -14 category. They were killing all three obstacles during their 15 minute final. It´s gonna be very interesting to see what guys like Jacob Stein can do in a few years. I´d guess we´ll see them in the ProAm division. That´s how good they are!! In the +15 category the "Bryggeriet-school-kids" once again made their teachers proud by absolutely ripping the park apart. Insane level! In the end it was Simon Isaksson who walked away with first price, a ton of products and a ticket to the finals in Copenhagen. We ended the day in best possible way - the Pro Am final. If the judges had a hard time up until now this was going to be a nightmare. So much good skaters! Well, check the video and you´ll see…. After a long judges meeting to decide Top 5 it was history repeating from the Norwegian witp with Herman Stene in 1st place. What can you say!?! The kid is insane!! Big thanks to John and his staff att Bryggeriet Skatepark . You guys are the best!! Thanks to judges Steffen, Brage and Daniel. Thanks to speaker Peter for doing an excellent job. Thanks to Erik and Basse for calculating the scores etc. Thanks to Burn for the drinks. Big thanks to all the riders attending!!! See you next year!!!

Noah Comprende | A Whale Tale | PBS KIDS GO!

Added 09/26/11
7 Views

Plan Perfect Playdates for Your Kids

Added 09/15/11
8 Views

Plan Perfect Playdates for Your Kids

[LESS INFO] 8 VIEWS | ADDED 10:30:26 09/15/11
Megan Gates - There%rsquos no doubt that playdates are beneficial to kids. No matter how old your children are, playdates encourage sharing, taking turns, and socializing with others. But when it%rsquos time for you to host the playdate, it can be challenging to know what to do! While there%rsquos no need to throw a party-like atmosphere, a little preparation can go a long way. There are a few things you%rsquoll want to handle prior to the playdate to ensure that you get started on a good note. First, make sure your child puts away any toys that he or she doesn%rsquot want to share. You may also want to place a few activities within reach for the kids, such as those that encourage them to play together. Good examples include arts and crafts, puzzles and board games. And of course, make the playdate suitable for the ages of the children. If you%rsquore inviting a toddler, 45 minutes is adequate. Even older kids can get overtired, so limit the playdate to 2 hours or less. One of the best places for a playdate is outside! Not only do you minimize a messy house, but being outside always seems to make kids play better. Don%rsquot think you need to arrange an outing at the park, either. Open up the sandbox, play a round of catch or drag out the soccer nets. This fall, it's fun to rake leaves and jump in the piles! Have fun treats on hand such as popsicles, frozen lemonade, apple cider, or fresh fruit slushies. You can even let the kids help make some of these fun treats. While outdoor playdates are always a hit, the weather may not cooperate. And some kids simply don%rsquot enjoy what the outdoor has to offer. As long as you don%rsquot mind the mess, opt for an arts-and-crafts playdate. Take out the play-doh, fun cookie cutters, and plastic utensils. For added fun, bake the kids%rsquo creations so that they harden. If you have an easel, let children paint with tempera paints. Or, simply set out coloring pages that can be printed online for free, along with crayons and markers. You can also bake treats with the kids and take pictures to email to the other child%rsquos parents. Have the ingredients for cookies or brownies measured out. Then let the kids mix the ingredients and wait for them to bake up. Just be sure that the child you're hosting doesn%rsquot have any allergies you should know about. You can also let the kids pick their own ingredients such as white chocolate or milk chocolate chips, dried fruits, and different colored sprinkles. If you have an active playdate on your hands, encourage the kids to build a fort. Drag out blankets and pillows, as well as old boxes and containers. Let the kids use plastic dishes and pots and pans to %ldquocook%rdquo with inside their fort. Or let the kids put on a dress-up show and provide them with fun clothes, shoes, and jewelry to inspire their imaginations. Take pictures, upload them to the computer, and you can all make a slideshow with music. To bring the playdate to a close, clean up the toys and set out a quiet activity such as books. Megan Gates is an active blogger who provides written work to the blogosphere pertaining to New York Real Estate , Suffolk Rentals , home improvement and the latest architecture, design and fashion. Follow her on twitter @MEGatesDesign. Click here to subscribe to our daily design videos.

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Back to School: Home Alone-While the Parents are Away, the Pets Will Play…Petproofing Your Home

GET MONEY, TURN GAY - Songify The News

GET MONEY, TURN GAY - Songify The News

Episode 026: Trouble By The Foot

On "If I were a poor Black kid"...

Christmas is over! - Outnumbered Christmas Special - BBC One

Christmas is over! - Outnumbered Christmas Special - BBC One

2012 Chevy Volt Review

How to Thrift Store Shop for clothing:

Mariah Carey, Jessica Simpson & More Outrageous Quotes!

Mariah Carey, Jessica Simpson & More Outrageous Quotes!

Paul Ryan Tells Student To Work Three Jobs Rather Than Take Pell Grants

NOAH COMPRENDE | Hammer Away | PBS KIDS

Volcom Europe 2011 Wild In The Parks Sweden

Noah Comprende | A Whale Tale | PBS KIDS GO!

Plan Perfect Playdates for Your Kids