Happy Halloween!

Halloween is fast approaching, so for all you furry, fangy, and freakishly fun ghouls out there, I send out a wish for a safe and happy one! If you're going out, be sure to go in a group, and if you'll be outside, wear something reflective so that cars can spot you. Take the little ones to one of the many fire stations doing free candy checks. (Or, if you're a mom like me, take some of that candy loot to a dentist who's offering candy buybacks!) There's lots of fun to be had out there if you celebrate this spookiest of nights, so take advantage, and have a great time. Boo!

Ain’t Technology Grand?

Skimming through my Twitter feed last night, I discovered a snippet posted by actor Ian Somerhalder (of “Vampire Diaries” fame), saying he would be streaming live from his living room.

What?!?

As it turns out, Ian was watching last night’s presidential debate, live, with some 10,000 of us and counting, and tweeting ongoing discussion-prompters regarding both parties’ statements. Very cool. Ian is very environmentally active, and his concerns included their views on clean energy and where we’re getting our energy from. He’s passionate about protecting our planet (see the Ian Somerhalder Foundation), and it was great to see him using his popularity to get people involved in the election process, regardless of their own political leanings. (There were the expected “I love you Ian” posts, but some of the folks commenting had interesting things to say about the environment, jobs, and healthcare.)

I’ll be honest, and say that I hadn’t been planning to watch the debate ... but watching it online, live, with 10,000 people certainly put an interesting spin on what the candidates had to say, and how people reacted to the discussion. I couldn’t stay on for the whole thing, but what I heard, from the candidates and listeners alike, sure got me thinking.

The Internet is full of fluff, it can’t be denied. But things like this make it cool again. I, for one, am going to start watching more of the election process online.

And this can’t be denied, either: it sure didn’t hurt that I was watching it with Ian Somerhalder. :D

How To Make A Smile

My husband made some kids very happy this morning at my son's before- and after-school program ... and he wasn't even there.

The kids at this program are given a choice of things to do during their stay, ranging from crayons and books to games. Many mornings, I find them gathered around an old wooden chessboard, playing chess. The board is missing a few of its pieces, so the kids had been making do with checker pieces and Legos as stand-ins for the missing chess pieces.

My husband, who loves chess, thought this was a shame, so off he went to a gaming store to buy an inexpensive, full set of chess pieces. When my son and I brought them in this morning, the teachers at the program were thrilled, and so were the kids. They left off every other thing they were doing to play chess. Lots of smiles and thank-yous all around. For under ten bucks, he made someone's day by being a little kinder. If only everyone would do something like that every once in a while, imagine how much nicer a world it would be!