Elenco Electronic Snap Circuits

This came into our home at Xmas time and didn’t come out right away (I kept forgetting to get batteries) But once it came out it has been out almost out every day since…

Snap Circuits is all about circuits. You build a circuit by snapping the pieces together (hence the name). You can make a light light up, music come out of a speaker, make a fan go (and fly off) etc. You put resistors in, or add things in different sequences and see what happens… what happens when you add a cup of water to a circuit? I can’t wait to find out! The instructions and explanations are clear and though we just have the basic kit for now, there are so many things that can be done and I am sure we will add other kits in the future.

At the moment, it is Xavier that has the most interested since he can read he can read the instructions, though the diagrams are quite easy to read also so slightly younger kids or not yet reading kids with an interest probably will be able to do some of them also…

I remember taking electricity classes in High school, I remember not understanding the diagrams. I remember a friend doing the work for me because we were in pairs and he got it and I didn’t and leaving the class most likely as ignorant about electricity and elecronics as before the class, and maybe slightly more confused. If we would have had something like this, I would have understood completely. Even in a tactile sense snapping the pieces together is satisfying and I am looking forward to having a turn too…

Star Wars Jedi Academy: The game

[Here is a little game summary by Xavier, transcribed by me.]

First you start in a shuttle

and then you crash on Yavin IV.

Then you have to rescue Rosh;

you will fight human sized Howlers,

weird lizard creatures,

and then you arrive at the Temple.

After the little movie,

you can choose

from a wide selection of missions.

You’ll see lots of cool stuff, like…

Lots of Disciples of Ragnos,

who are Siths (evil Jedis) that you have to fight;

their lightsabers are red

and they hold the handles with two hands;

at the bottom of their lightsabers

is a ball of spikes.

Traveling to a different galaxy, and doing lots of missions with Kyle Katarn…

Lots of cool Force powers that you can use…

A sand planet where you have to find all the parts for your shuttle,

but you have to watch out for big creatures that come out of the sand to eat your flesh…

A sky planet, with a racing tram that you fight on and have to stop…

Another mission where you have to fight your way

through all the Stormtroopers and their boss

— without you lightsaber —

trying to make you way back to your ship in the hangar.

Tags: Computer games, jedi, light sabre, space, star wars, xavier

Colin’s Joke (?)

We’re sitting at the supper table, eating and talking.  At one point I say something outrageous, don’t really remember what, to which Colin replies: “Are you joking daddy?”

- Yes.
- Why do you always joke?
- Because I’m the Joker.

He thinks for a moment, and then:

- No you’re not.  You’re a fan.
- A fan?
- Yes.
- What does that mean?
- You’re a fan.  It means you blow.

Parental hilarity ensued.

Tags: colin, Jokes

Xavier’s Joke

Xavier’s got such a sharp, unique mind.  I feel close to him, because I see a lot of what I was and still am in him, but at the same time he amazes and surprises me, every day, in an array of different ways.

Tonight, we were playing Knights of the Old Republic, and we were nearing the end of the game.  Xavier and Colin were very excited, very attentive to what was going on.  At one point, a bunch of Dark Jedis were attacking our three characters, and Xavier asked me to put a mine on the ground, to make a trap for them.  So I did, and — as he had planned — one of our enemies stepped on it and it blew up and injured him and a few others close by.  He was ecstatic; he understood precisely how the weapon works in the game, and how it would pan out.  He then said:

- They walked right over the mine.  Are they out of their minds?  Mines, minds, in their heads, get it?

And we all laughed.  And later, when I told Melissa about it, the five of us laughed even more.

Tags: Computer games, Knights of the Old Republic, star wars, xavier