October 22 Tweet Round Up (Links)
You know that twitter thing all the kids are into? It’s not just young’uns that are tweeting. (Actually, for all I know, the kids are into something I don’t even know about yet. If so, don’t tell. Sometimes, in very rare cases, it’s easier to live in denial. And I don’t mean the river.) It’s grown-ups too. Especially Dad Bloggers, Mom Bloggers, Parent Bloggers, Pet Bloggers, journalists, celebrities… who knows. Octopi?
Isn’t that cute? You could get it as a Halloween costume
But we digress. Here is a round up of some tweets we came across that we will now pass along to you, the reader, in the hopes that you will find them intriguing. Click a link or two. What else are you doing? Working? Don’t answer that.
And now… TWEETS!
Space news and pics via GeekDad:
Most distant gravitational lens helps weigh galaxies – but deepens a galactic mystery: http://t.co/Wv0rPDiz3Y
— NASA Goddard Images (@NASA_GoddardPix) October 22, 2013
This one is via HuffPo; the comment is from Brett Singer’s Twitter feed. Still not sure what the headline means. Likely will never know.
What the hell does this mean? RT @HuffingtonPost: White women with black hairstyles redefine corporate America http://t.co/FPMa2q4QXX
— Brett Singer (@brettsinger) October 21, 2013
Next is via reporter Tamara Lush, who has the most awesome Twitter feed ever. Two words — Florida news. Another word — dogs. Follow her. You will not regret it.
Fla. teen’s selfie with teacher in labor a hit (from @AP) http://t.co/kxTsW4uCOe
— Tamara Lush (@TamaraLush) Octaaober 19, 2013
Also from Tamara Lush, a less fun but still interesting news item about bullying:
@jrosicaTBO Stepmom of teen accused in Fla. bullying arrested (from @AP) http://t.co/aelG0wefWp
— Tamara Lush (@TamaraLush) October 18, 2013
Our last tweet is also about bullying, via the New York Times Motherlode.
Should Parents Face Arrest if Their Child Is a Bully? http://t.co/9ZAPWP5Aw4
— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 17, 2013
Playstation Halloween Sale (DaddyDeals)
Lots of horror video games, and also games that kindasorta are related to Halloween (Plants Vs. Zombies, for example) are being sold at “frighteningly good discounts” during the upcoming Playstation Halloween Sale. (That’s what they said at IGN, and who are we to question?) Some prices are cheaper for Playstation Plus Members. Some games might even be free for Plus members. It’s a big list. IGN has it. Go on. Check it out. Don’t be afraid.
Hotline Miami Free During PlayStation’s Halloween Sale – IGN.
Electric Bike Giveaway (Not From Us)
The extremely nifty Whit Honea is a big fan of electric bikes from a company called A2B. Luckily for someone, Whit has arranged for a giveaway. That’s right. Somebody is getting a free electric bike. (But not from us. Just so we’re clear on that.)
The always great GeekDad has the info, but they’re not doing the actual giving away. From their site:
The awarding of the Giveaway prize is the responsibility of A2B and not GeekDad. The winner will be contacted by the author of this post (Whit Honea).
So now you know. Hit up the link below for details on how to try and win this thing, along with Whit’s well-written review. (I’m feeling alliterative today. Probably because I keep watching Agents of SHIELD repeatedly, which makes me think about comic books, which makes me think about Stan Lee, who loves the alliteration. None of that has anything to do with the electric bike giveaway.)
GeekDad Giveaway: Win An Electric Bike From A2B | GeekDad.
Video: Baton Fire at High School Football Game
Via Deadspin, video of a fire at a high school football game that was caused by flaming batons.
The game was not in Baton Rogue. Ba-dum-bum.
Best part is the commentary by whoever shot the video. “That’s a fire!” “Gatorade! Gatorade!” Also, it looks like the cheerleaders/dancers never stop doing their thing. Because it’s only a fire.
Youth sports. Never a dull moment.
Baton-Twirling Legend Causes Fire At High School Football Game
30 Rock – Therapy, Jack Style (Video)
30 Rock has finished it’s run on NBC, but it is in syndication and there are video clips to be found all over the Interwebs. This particular bit, in which Jack Donaghy (played by Alec Baldwin) acts out Tracy Jordan’s (née Morgan) entire family during a therapy session, is one of my favorites.
(The episode is called Rosemary’s Baby and apparently it is one of “Tina’s Top 5” according to Amazon. Nice to know I have good taste. I mean, it’s Tina Fey‘s show and she thinks this episode is one of the best, so do I, and… OK, I’ll stop now.)
Why post this video on DaddyTips? Because despite the fact that, y’know, they’re trying to make you laugh (it works for me every time), there is a more than a hint of what it’s like to be in therapy dealing with Daddy Issues. Granted, this isn’t a typical session. But it works for Tracy. The character, not the actor. I have no idea if Tracy Morgan has ever been in therapy or if he has any need/desire to be.
Anyway, before I talk myself into a corner, here’s the clip. Enjoy. Read more »
Draw My Life – Ryan Higa – YouTube
This video by popular YouTuber Ryan Higa (10 million subscribers and counting) surprised me. Not only does it feature no profanity, it’s intelligent, positive, and offers a reasonable message that… I’m hesitant to type these words, but it actually communicates something that might be worth sharing with your children.
I’m not saying “THIS VIDEO WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE DOOD GO GET YOUR OFFSPRINGS NOW NOW NOW”. I’m not even expressing that sentiment in a more coherent and less caps-locky manner. But Mr. Higa has a pleasant style and not only did I watch all seven minutes of his Draw My Life video, I was rather charmed by it.
(Aside: I suppose “Draw My Life” is a YouTube thing. Who knew? Probably lots of people, just not me.)
Without giving anything away (“no spoilers!”), Mr. Higa does indeed draw his life. Much of it deals with his time in school which makes sense because he was born in 1990. (You may pause to feel old now. It’s OK, we’ll wait.) When he mentioned bullying I thought “oh boy, here we go.” But he handles the topic gracefully, far better than anything I’ve seen so far. He manages to say that yes, it sucked, but also doesn’t try to tell people that his lot was as bad as many other people’s. He also points out that he was lucky to have a loving family. (That part is at the beginning so it’s NOT a spoiler.)
Bottom line: I like Ryan Higa’s Draw My Life video. So much content, online and in traditional media, is hurtful and negative. Higa manages to be positive, funny, and entertaining. It’s probably the first time I watched a YouTube video that is entirely original content without drifting away. Give it a look, maybe you’ll like it too.
Draw My Life – Ryan Higa – YouTube.
Should I Stop Holding Back?
Believe it or not, I hold back a lot. Should I stop? Is it time to to really tell the world (whoever is listening/reading) what I actually think?
Some have told me that no good will come of me expressing my views. Not that I’ve never expressed an opinion. I was particularly harsh to Lance Armstrong, but I felt that he deserved it. (Plus I was ahead of the curve on that story.)
Ultimately this is a parenting blog. It is called DaddyTips. The original idea was to offer, you know, tips. That isn’t always easy because a lot of parenting advice comes from my actual experiences as a father. Why is this an issue? Because I don’t like writing about my kids too much. I don’t use their names, I don’t post their photos, and I think they have a right to privacy.
Note: I know this isn’t what everyone does, and I respect people who make different decisions on this matter. Except for Jon Gosselin and Kate Gosselin. Them I find irritating and always did. Here’s the proof. Notice what I wrote at the end, that perhaps Jon could get a regular job. I wrote that in 2009. This has now happened.
At least he’s not in a van down by the river! http://t.co/177BmifUp6 MT @ABCNewsEnt Jon Gosselin…living in a cabin http://t.co/fQE8P7bZYT
— Brett Singer (@brettsinger) September 19, 2013
And yes, quoting yourself is tacky but it makes fact-checking easier. I will keep writing that until somebody tells me to stop.
Anyway, back to the original topic of whether or not I should hold back. Someone suggested to me recently that they thought I was out of control. There’s a lot more to that story that I’m not going to share because it’s too personal and involves details I prefer not to discuss in public. I have always felt strongly that one way to avoid being “out of control” is to vent. Get it out. Rant, if that helps.
I don’t know. It’s difficult to decide.
Is there a tip here? There is. The tip is to consider whether or not sharing certain things on the Interwebs is good for you or for your kids. It might be. Or not. But like Dora says, let’s stop and think for a minute.
