Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with Fun

What to do with some nerds?

allthewhile — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:06:04 -0800

diy tech-filter: I will be teaching a 45 minute class for 7th & 8th graders title: Technology. What I do in there with them is COMPLETELY up to me, which is both neat and scary. It will be extra-curricular so I can run with things. I'm looking for activities that include building, making, designing, are CHEAP or FREE and would appeal to inner city kids who love technology but don't really know how it works. I would love anyone who has any fun/easy diy projects. Stuff that might be on instructables would be cool.

Thanks!

Activities for a four-year-old who has to be up in the middle of the night

winston — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 10:03:43 -0800

Midnight activities for a 4-year-old that he wouldn't get a chance to do during the day? My son is having an EEG tomorrow during the day. They want him sleep-deprived so he'll sleep without sedation. I'm supposed to get him up for the day at 3:30 am. He's not a morning person at all, so to keep him awake I'm looking for exciting things to do/observe/etc. that wouldn't be possible during his normal waking hours. We're in the east end of Toronto near the Don Valley, so both big-city and nature/wildlife type activities may be possibilities.

Talk like a Pirate Day: More holidays, more fun!

flibbertigibbet — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 10:41:31 -0800

My workplace (retail; caters to a local university almost exclusively) recently celebrated Talk Like a Pirate Day. It was awesome fun. They want a list of other fun holidays they can celebrate, especially ones that occur during the month of September or January (the only months that we have enough employees to make it worthwhile). Could you recommend any other fun holidays? If all else fails, could you help us make up some holidays (and please mention if they're made up)?

Favorite Family games?

keith0718 — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 22:38:51 -0800

What are your favorite family games? What are your favorite games (any age range) to play around the table? Bonus points if it is "fun for the whole family"--age 4 to 94. (Assume nothing. This is the 21st century and many don't know the card games which were common knowledge a generation or two ago.)

Fun Northern California kid-friendly day-trip ideas...

Echidna882003 — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 07:37:24 -0800

Help me plan a short father-daughter outing! Summer is just about over for my 7 year old daughter. She has two days next week with no summer camp and then it's back to school (2nd grade!) I'd love to take a very short but memorable Father-Daughter day trip. We live in the East Bay and I'm thinking of something we can do by hopping in the car for a 1-4 hour drive. Maybe overnight, but that's not necessary.

PSP Hack/Mod advice needed

Ponderance — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:13:00 -0800

I need advice with modding/hacking my PSP. I have info and have tried and failed. Help! Okay, so I have a PSP, the old one, not the slim one. And I have a kid and no money, therefore I was contemplating selling it as I can’t afford cames, and thought I wasn’t clever enough to explore the cool homebrew options.

Then, I saw this article

http://gizmodo.com/5034551/how-to-hack-your-psp-slim-for-homebrew-apps

I ordered the TOOL battery and followed this instructions up to the point where you install the battery and put the new OS on the machine. However, with the battery installed, the green power light shows power, but it doesn’t access the memory stick. What am I doing wrong.

Some clever hive minder has done this, and the various blogs that discuss these issues are written in gibberish. Please help!

If there are details I am not disclosing that are relevane and would help you give adivce, let me know and I’ll post them.

No strings attached, please!

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:10:54 -0800

Am I in the beginning stages of a "no strings" relationship? Not that I mind. Just started seeing this funny guy who is nice in bed, but not my really my type and not a good potential partner: he is much younger (I'm in my thirties), and our backgrounds, interests and personalities are really different. We've been on a few dates, about a week apart, with little communication in between. I'm hesitant to discuss our status because I don't want to hurt his feelings if he's actually into me, nor jinx it or something.

Is this the sort of thing you can just "fall into" or should we have some sort of conversation about it? Or set down rules? I don't really know. Also, I am totally fine with NSA, and would prefer it to dating him in a more romantic way. How do I keep this going? What to look out for? Private answers can be sent to pleasestringsno@hotmail.com. TIA.

Inexpensive awesome in Copenhagen?

jrb223 — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:29:29 -0800

Inexpensive awesome in Copenhagen? I'm headed to Copenhagen for two weeks, and I have heard that the city can be quite expensive. To that end I was looking for recommendations of things to do, see, eat and drink that won't break the bank. Any recommendations of can't-miss spots that are easy on the pocketbook and might not be in the guidebooks?

Looking for international or obscure card games

reenum — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 06:53:28 -0800

CardGamesFilter: International or unusual card games I can play with 2 other people? Last night, I played an Indonesian card game called 41 with some friends and had a real blast. I'm wondering if there are any other international card games that I could play with my friends.

I'll also expand this question to include obscure card games. We already know all about bridge, canasta, euchre, etc. I'm talking really obscure card games.

Links to rules would also be appreciated.

I'm sure all the MeFites have some great suggestions for me.

Thanks!

Bouncy wall, no problems?

muscat — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:47:41 -0800

I'm looking for a big, isolated concrete or asphalt lot in San Francisco that butts up against a tallish brick wall. I want to be able to bounce hard rubber lacrosse balls off of this wall for hours at a time and never be bothered by anyone. Anyone know of a place like this?

Amusing a two-year old

blahblahblah — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:17:58 -0800

I am looking for new things to amuse and delight a two-year old in an urban setting. Most activities are for slightly older kids, so other urban parents, any tips or tricks for fun activities we can do together? Bonus points for Boston-specific suggestions. My toddler is like most kids her age - runs around at high speed, says some sentences, but doesn't really communicate in any deep way; she isn't easily scared, and is fascinated by the usual range of things from dogs to buses.

The playground, Children's Museum, local farm, and pet store have gotten a bit old for me (though not for her), and I am looking for any interesting suggestions of activities to do with her, either in or out of the apartment. She'll get bored during story hours, while arts and crafts projects are probably too ambitious. Any good ideas?

Where can I find people who like to know 'how stuff works' in socal?

tarthur — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:46:18 -0800

Where around socal can I meet other aspiring electronic do-it-yourselfers? [backyard imagineering] I'm having a hard time finding fellow young folks (I'm 21) who read and understand the liking of MAKE magazine... people who like to take things apart and play with electronics.

Looking for others interested in figuring out Arduino boards, LEDs and automation stuff and I desperately need someone who can teach me some new tricks.

Any ideas where I can find (remotely) normal people with similar interests? Are there any user groups or something a bit less geeky?

Your thoughts on upcoming Amsterdam visit, pls?

filmgeek — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:18:58 -0800

Where to stay in Amsterdam? Fun times, easy and inexpensive (see inside)...help? I'm due to take about four days of vacation on my way back home in Amsterdam early in August. I'd like to have 'fun' (red light district to gawk, not to patronize, but everything else is fair game)...but I don't know about the hotel/location/fun.

First, I'm not sure in what part of the city I should aim to stay? I want to be able to be near fun (but not 'frat boy', drink till you puke fun), which leads to...

Second, I need something more secure than a hostel, but not a 4 star hotel (is it best to contact them directly? Or use an online booking site? I'm in the states - and know of Kayak, hotels.com, etc.) Any advice here? I'm looking for a 2-3 star hotel. Ideas? I'm mostly concerned about my laptop. A hotel with free wifi would be great

Any recommendations of things *not to be missed*. Yes, I know - anne frank, van gogh...but how about a specific shop (coffee or otherwise), or a place where the people are really friendly. I'm willing to pose as a canadian if necessary.) Assume I've read the prior questions on Amsterdam.

related meetup here.

Help me find a fun, quick activity to start our management retreat

never used baby shoes — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:21:16 -0800

Off-the-wall, get the day started with a smile activity for a small retreat. My agency's management team is doing a small-scale retreat tomorrow. My boss just came in and asked if I could come up with some type of activity to get the day started that would be fun and different. Some considerations and information that may or may not be pertinent:

-I can't go with the usual "getting to know you icebreakers" because we all already know each other and work together.

-The purpose of the day is to shift through the issues facing the organization and each part of it, and then start developing some plans for approaching them. The morning will be spent with each of us giving a brief presentation on 3 challenges/opportunities we are seeing in front of us at the moment. It would be nice from my perspective if the activity somehow lead naturally into that discussion, but it is not necessary.

-There are seven of us. We range in age from late 20s to the 50s. One male, six female.

-"off the wall" and "fun" were the words she used when she asked me to come up with this. She somewhat suggested bringing her "That was easy" button (the one from Staples, where when you press it, it says "That was easy") and asking us to come up with what we would like our version of that button to say. Not a bad idea, but I suspect we'd all go with very similar answers (and a few of us would stick with the "That was easy").

Help me Hivemind!

It's urban scavenger hunt time!!

wile e — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 23:41:26 -0800

Bored on a lazy Sunday afternoon? How about helping me come up with ideas/suggestions on how I should plan an urban scavenger hunt? We're planning an urban scavenger hunt for a major city and was looking for some ideas/tips on what we should do. I've searched a bit online looking for help with planning, but have been coming up a bit short. It'll be for teams of 2-4ppl, and 10-20 teams.

The group will be mostly in the 20s and 30s age groups so it doesn't need to be aimed at younger crowds. I have found a lot of family/children ones though.

There will be the standard clues of finding historical places and taking photos of this or that, but I want this to be fun, crazy and maybe a little over the top! Ideas can include things that need to be accomplished. Or done with proof. We're open to all ideas, as this is not for an organized group. We're just looking for a fun adventure.

So has anybody done a really fun one? Have any crazy ideas? Are there any guidelines? Some book of rules that is published somewhere?

Not looking for city specific ideas, we have that covered. But for those curious, it will be held in Helsinki, Finland. A smaller city, that has great public transportation.

Any and all ideas/thoughts welcome!

Thanks!

fun things to do alone in Chicago?

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:31:56 -0800

What should I do alone in Chicago? I'm going to be in Chicago July 17-22 with my boyfriend. We already have plans to go to the Art Institute, bum around Michigan Avenue, go to the Signature Lounge, see Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, eat at delicious restaurants, wander through some neighborhoods, and go to some parks.

What I am looking for is something (inexpensive) to do on Saturday while my boyfriend is hipstering around the Pitchfork Music Festival and for other times when he is hanging out with some of his friends that I'd prefer not to spend too much time with (I can't handle hours of indie-rock talk!).

Suggestions for interesting places to sit and read would be nice if nothing else comes to mind. Also, I wouldn't be opposed to renting a bicycle and biking around the city but I am scared of super busy streets so bike route suggestions would also be welcome.

Turn that frown upside down

handabear — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:58:48 -0800

What are some activities to do with an injured friend who needs to get out of the house? Aside from sex, what are some fun things that can I do with my buddy and his recently casted arm? He's fairly active and is bummed that he can't do everything that he used to with two arms.

All suggestions will be greatly appreciated, but bonus points if you can suggest an outdoor activity or something Seattle-specific! Thanks, mefites.

Need access to secret NYC bars/speakeasy. Please hope me.

filmgeek — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:54:46 -0800

There are hidden and secret bars in NYC (Manhattan) and there are really secret. Some need phone numbers. I need your help. There are a couple of bars in NYC that require you to be hip enough to know someone who knows someone who knows their phone number. I won't even mention some of their names....so it doesn't come up on a search.

Essentially, a modern speakeasy.

I'm an occasional NYC visitor; when I'm there, I'd like to take my friends somewhere special (they're all well behaved 30 somethings). I love the idea that there's a secret door, etc.

Except I'm not in the social NYC scene enough (nor are the friends I have there) to get these phone numbers. Can you please hope me?

yes, emailing me via mefi directly is fine if you're uncomfortable posting the number where it can be searched.

Yup I also already know about this prior post.

Family Fun In Montreal?

briank — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 08:43:25 -0800

We're thinking about driving up to Montreal for a 4-day weekend next week -- 2 adults and a 7-year-old girl. There hasn't been a "what to see and do" post about Montreal here since 2005, so tell me what's to see and do these days with a focus on family fun. As I said, we're driving (from Boston), so things to do in les environs are okay, too.

How to not squander a summer?

mumbleitaliano — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:34:54 -0800

I just found out that the contract that I am working on will be ending at then end of the month. I'm elated. I've been in a rut for a while, and this seems like the perfect opportunity to shake things up. What now? I have no desire to find another job right away. I'm going to take the summer off. What should I do this summer? Life changing activities or just memorable fun. Bonus points for something that could generarate ideas for a new career to pursue eventually. I've looked into a few internships/programs but most are geared towards students (which I'm not).

The biggest limitation is that I have a puppy at home, and while I can find someone to watch him for a few days at a time, I can't just dump her on someone and jet off overseas for a few months (which is what I'd do otherwise).

I'm in the central U.S.

'Office Outings' and 'Team Building' ideas in the Seattle area.

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 07:25:33 -0800

'Office Outings' and 'Team Building' ideas in the Seattle area. I work with a fun, young company on the Eastside. We are brainstorming for fun, interactive 'team building' events.

THIS DOES NOT entail trust falls, ropes courses, or get-to-know-you games. We're talking about fun, adult, hang-out time.

What we're looking for...
- Something that can be done between the hours of 3PM-10PM (doesn't have to fill up the entire block of time) on Mon-Fri of any week.

Things you should know...
- This is for a group of 10-12 individuals.
- Average age: 28
- All but 3 are either engaged or married.
- My company has a very large (but not unlimited) budget.
- Alcohol is always served at other company events and placed on the company tab.

No zingers here

reenum — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 18:52:59 -0800

How can I cultivate a quicker wit? I have a decent sense of humor. I can make jokes and people will laugh. When I regale people with my (prepared) bon mots at parties, there are hearty chuckles.

However, when someone snaps on me, I have a hard time coming up with a retort or a comeback. I'll inevitably come up with something lame and make myself look as lame as they allege I am. I'll usually come up with something later, but it's too late to go back and say anything at point (think George Costanza and the jerk store).

So my question is this: Are there any techniques or methods I might employ to become quicker witted?

Appealing, school-appropriate video game clip?

daisyace — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:00:02 -0800

I would like to find a link for a short video clip of a video game that meets certain criteria. It will go into a presentation to elementary school teachers, as a quick backdrop to a point about interactive games that will be used in school, and that will be fun while challenging kids to think and learn. (It won't itself BE that game; it just has to plausibly look the part.) It needs to have some connection to an outer space theme. So to recap and clarify the criteria:
* At least a 5-second, decent quality clip available online.
* Looks appropriate for kids younger than 12.
* Looks appropriate for a school setting (so, no shoot 'ems, etc.).
* Look like it helps kids think and learn, but preferably not as explicitly as math sums that appear on screen or something - think more like 'puzzles and challenges,' less like 'pick the word that starts with A.'
* Looks interactive.
* Some connection to an outer space theme.

Suggestions would be great, links even better.

Montreal Restaurants

asavage — Sat, 31 May 2008 09:35:16 -0800

Going to Montreal next weekend (June 6-8) for pure recreation. I'm looking for great restaurant recommendations, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also: I know now (given the difficulty of booking a hotel room) that it's the Grand Prix weekend. I've heard that it can be difficult but not impossible to go to some events associated with this. Is there a particular event I shouldn't miss?
BTW, this isn't a romantic getaway, it's a reconnect-with-an-old-friend weekend. If that makes any difference.

Fun in Chicago!

ZackTM — Fri, 30 May 2008 13:55:50 -0800

Whats fun to do in Chicago this weekend? My girlfriend happens to be in Chicago for the weekend and wants some fun suggestions for how to spend her spare time. She's currently being a vegan for the month, so any good vegan restaurants she should try out? Cool bars where she can go and not be seduced by better looking men than me? Umm really anything unique works, she's big into culture of all kinds.