Forget standing out in the cold waiting to see if a groundhog is afraid of his shadow – let’s celebrate Crêpe Day instead. The French traditionally flip crêpes while wishing for prosperity while Americans celebrate Groundhog Day – which one sounds more fun to you?
Fun + Games
Empire Avenue
A new way to play around, literally, with social media: Empire Avenue
Non-peer pressure
So you’ve probably seen the Sound of Music Train Station Dance video – if you haven’t, you should. Nevermind that it’s a publicity stunt – it’s touching and funny. Even though it’s planned out, there are obviously some random people who jumped in to join the fun.
It reminds me of the IMAX movie theater at Six Flags Great America (Gurnee, IL). I grew up near there and used to go all the time, and before the movie started there was always this long ad for Chevy. In fact, I’m not sure if it was actually a commercial or just the logo up on the screen, but there was this song, “The Heartbeat of America,” that played for a while – 3-5 minutes, maybe? – and it had an intoxicating effect on the audience. After a minute or two, men, women, young, and old would all start swaying, and then clapping hands to the beat, and sometimes even sing. It was great. I don’t remember any of the movies I saw there, but I sure remember those audiences that spontaneously joined in with the music.
Nice Carnaval 2009
Nice Carnaval is the largest winter event on the French Riviera. In 2009, Carnaval de Nice took place from 13 February to 1 March, and the theme was Roi des Mascarades (King of Masquerades). With 20 tall floats (up to 14 meters / 46 feet high); 20 flower floats; 200 “big heads”; and countless dancers, musicians, and other participants – not to mention tens of thousands of spectators, it was a fun and crazy celebration.
Travian – Online Game
Just started playing a game called Travian that I really like. It reminds me a bit of Sim City and Civ, but cuter and with more hand holding. You start with a plot of land and have to develop it to produce land, metal, wood, and food. You can also war with neighboring towns if you’re so inclined, but right now all is at peace chez moi. 🙂
Seinfeld Dictionary
Do you ever use any of those great Seinfeld expressions like “regift” and “low talker”? You won’t find them in the American Heritage Dictionary, but there are some websites that aim to fill this gap in our cultural lexicon.
The Jerry Seinfeld Dictionary of Terms and Phrases
The Seinfeld Dictionary (searchable)
Seinfeld Dictionary (short listing but allows additions)