Super Mega Cool: Boynton Book Apps

The future is now. And the future is super mega cool.

Have you heard some of that yammering going on where everyone’s all like, “Kids books on ebooks, yeah whatever. How is that ever going to work?” Well, Sandra Boynton is on the ipad (screw the ereader–it’s too one-dimensional!) and she’s whatevering right back at those boringheads. A good dose of Boynton creativity and she’s showing us just how fun kids books can be. Look out ereader, kids books on the tablet and on smart phones are going to kick your butt!! (Is this a sign of the possible end for basic ereaders?)

Two of Boynton’s board books (click here for The Going To Bed Book) are available at the Apple app store for less than $3 (that costs less than the real book) and are incredibly cool and interactive. The board book app is like the book (same words and illustrations), read-along tape (you can click on the words to have them narrated or have the whole story narrated), video game (on the ‘bath’ page, watch the page steam up and then write in the condensation, or wipe it away!) and movie (watch the critters move and the boat sway) all in one little app package. Little fingers (okay, and mine too!!) will have a blast poking at the animals and making them oink, run, or jump. (Some of them run right off the page!)

Kids books just got way more interactive. Go Sandra Boynton!! Lead the way, girl!

The future is here. And the future is FUN!!!

Gorilla Me

I just registered for a 5k run.

I can’t run 5k.

I can’t even run 2k.

Or 1k.

What the hell was I thinking?

Oh yes, that I get to dress up in a gorilla suit with my hubby and raise money for Silverbacks. I mean, that’s pretty awesome. Anytime there is an opportunity to dress up like a goof, I’m in. I mean, have you seen my most recent passport photo? I look like I’m getting arrested for hanging out with Lindsay Lohan. A gorilla suit has nothing on me.

Running 5k, however… that’s got something on me. I’d better get cracking. I have 95 days including today and race day. I can do this.

Hmmm… 95 days? Really? In that case, pass another slice of cake. Plenty of time….

A Cat’s War Journal

Our cat, Yuna, hasn’t sold the dog on eBay (probably because we don’t have a dog), but she does have some other interesting methods up her sleeve (if, say, she had sleeves) on how to annoy and pester her owners. Here are some snippets from her diary… or should I say, her war journal.

1. At all opportunities, particularly those involving delayed journeys to the basement to feed you, attempt to take out humans by rocketing underfoot as they make their way downstairs. Note: If you move fast enough, you can send them plummeting (they will learn the consequences of making you wait for your breakfast and supper) while you barely feel a thing.

2. Ignore the person who takes you to the vet even if they are the one who adopted you from the shelter, buys your food and gives you treats and catnip. The person with the worst allergies really does want your love the most. They just don’t know it yet.

3. Anytime you are on the wrong side of a closed door scratch the hell out of it, or better yet, grip the bottom of the door with your paws of steel and rattle it incessantly. Humans have very little patience for this type of behaviour and will open the door quite promptly. (While they may think they are ‘punishing’ you for not exiting the laundry room when they call by locking you in, really you are getting your way.)

4.When humans momentarily turn their eyes from the open outside door rocket through it like a bullet shot out of a high powered rifle. If you find yourself locked out in less than optimal cat weather, do not meow, see #3.

5. If you try hard enough, you can open a Rubbermaid bin that contains your food. Same goes for less challenging containers. The best time for this is when the humans are asleep. They hate to get out of bed. Plus, if they do wake up, they erroneously figure that the few kibbles you do manage to dig out are merely replacing the calories you’ve burned in obtaining them. (Real cats do not diet.)

6. When sprayed with water for doing something the humans don’t want you to do, pretend it doesn’t particularly bother you. The humans won’t have a clue what to do.

7. Never leave a task like eating a plant, hanging out on the kitchen counter, breaking into your food, or beating up the smaller, older, and much more submissive cat unless the humans are within striking distance.

8. If humans decide they don’t want your beautiful fur all over their new couch and cover it with a blanket, find the one corner not covered and sleep there. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

9. If there is furniture (or counters) you are not allowed upon make sure you leap up on them when the humans are in some way indisposed and unable to get to you, but can see you. Saunter and act like you do this all the time. They will go crazy.

10. Find the busiest area of the house. Stretch out across the narrowest part of the passageway, forcing people to repeatedly step over you. If they act like the are going to step on you in order to teach you that this is not a good place to stretch out, curl up around their foot and attack it. Gently. But let them gather a hint of how serious you are about them disturbing you.

11. Just when they are ready to give you away, be the sweetest, cutest, most irresistible, wonderful and loving creature there ever was.

So, in closing I will say… if I don’t blog for awhile, it is either because I am in a body cast (see #1), in an insane asylum (see #9), or simply too busy cuddling my cute widdle puddytat (see #11).