Whatever Works

Post whatever you want

Hey friends, I know you don't need me to tell you this but I just want to say it: When you are sharing via social media, please post what you want.  I keep seeing all these articles about How to Be the Most Annoying Person Online or What Everyone Needs to Stop Posting About and I just don't get it.  Trust me, I don't like everything I see online.  There are so many posts that I think are ridiculous that I get tired of seeing day in and day out.  There are many people I've blocked from my newsfeeds because we do not see eye to eye on topics.  But trying to get them to stop posting their ideas...? Nope.  It's their space to do whatever they like in.  Just because I may not agree does not mean they should stop.  It's up to ME to filter out the things I don't want to see.  It's not up to them to change for ME.  I'm the one in charge of my own happiness.  I can filter.  I can block.  

The reason I bring this up is because just this morning I was motivated by one of those posts I've heard people complain about.  One of those get-off-your-ass-and-do-something posts that make a lot of people roll their eyes.  But guess what.  It motivated ME.  I'm glad to have read it.  Because of that post, I got off my ass and did something in the form of a 2 1/2 mile run.  It felt good.  I feel like I'm a better person today because of it.

I can tell you from my own experience that I KNOW not everyone likes all the posts I make.  I know that I'm blocked from more than a few people's newsfeeds.  That's totally fine with me!  I post for many different reasons.  

1) I post for myself.  Yep, that's right.  I post most times to make sure I'm relevant in this world.  I post to make myself feel good.  I'm not trying to be needy, but sometimes I AM needy and those few likes or comments make me feel good.  Sometimes if I'm in a funk, I throw myself out there into the social media abyss in hopes to grab onto the arm of another drifting soul.  It usually works, too.

2) I post to help others.  When I find something that I think may help someone, I'll throw it out there. Hey, 98% of the people who read it may scoff at it, but that post might be useful to that 2%.  I'm cool with that. 

3) I think I'm funny.  I laugh at a lot of things that maybe I shouldn't.  I can't help it.  If someone falls down, but first instinct is to laugh.  I like to post funny stuff.

I do NOT post for anyone's approval.  I do NOT post without acknowledging the fact that what I post will not be received well by everyone.  There are always consequences for every action whether it be in real life or online.  

I won't stop anyone from posting what they want.  It's not fair for me to try to change people to make MY life better.  I can only change myself. 

So post away, my friends! Know that someone somewhere loves what you're doing. :-) 

4 reasons we love LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham

I received this game in exchange for my review.  No other compensation was given to me.  All opinions are my own.

photo from videogames.lego.com

Everyone in my family is a gamer of some sort.  My husband is a shoot-em-up master. My daughter has beaten basically every game she has gotten her hands on.  My son can pick up a controller and understand any game within 3 minutes of playing.  Me?  I'm the gaming equivelent of a backseat driver.  I like to watch everyone play and give my two cents.  "Shoot that guy!"  "Go over there!"  "Why didn't you jump over that fence?  If you would've jumped over that fence you could've gotten the sword back!"  ...stuff like that.

So when we got LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham to review, I was very excited.  Watching the kids play is like a workout for me.  While they loaded the game and got situated, I put on my sweatbands and got ready to yell out some serious instructions.  

Instead, though, I ended up just sitting there in awe.  Watching.  Admiring.  Listening.  And laughing.  Want to know why?  Here are 4 reasons:

1. The game is beautiful

Isn't that gorgeous? Photo from videogames.lego.com

Seriously.  The detail in every scene and within every aspect of the game is flawless.  You may wonder how a bunch of electronically drawn LEGOs could have any detail, but these do.  They look three dimensional.  The colors are tremendous.  While the kids navigated through each level, it became more intricate.  

2. All the throwbacks throughout the game

Not only are there over 150 characters to choose from, they range from characters of today to futuristic to retro!  There is a level that plays the old Batman music from the Adam West show.  Oh, and Adam West does the voice, too!  It's awesome.

3. The Storyline is appealing 

There are not many things about the story that do not draw you in.  There are many differnet story arcs that come together which include Batman battling his normal enemies like the Joker and Killer Croc and many other DC Comics superstars fighting in space.  They all come together to get back the rings for the Lantern Corp which protects our galaxy.

4.The Comedy  

I always love the silly comedy LEGO movies and games use.  They follow the storyline they are supposed to follow, but always add humor to make it more interesting.  The kids love the slapstick portion while we adults like the dialogue.

 

So do I think LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham is worth the purchase?  Yep.  It's one of those games that you will love playing along with your kids.  It's got something for everyone.  Check it out!

Here's my affiliate link, which is really just a link to Amazon.  But if you click on it, I could be paid a commission and I would really appreciate it.  Thanks!

 

 LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham is available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, and iOS. The game is available for Mac via Steam.

My visit to Philadelphia Magazine's Design Home 2014 with XFinity and Real Mom Media

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.  I was a guest of Real Mom Media for this event and was given a lovely parting gift of a Samsung tablet from XFinity before I left to go home.

Today I got to visit Philadelphia Magazine's absolutely stunning Design Home 2014.  It was AMAZING.  The house itself was gorgeous, but then they went ahead and added about a million cool techy things through XFinity/Comcast that just threw its cool factor completely over the edge for me.

The thing that floored me the most about the house was that although it had all the latest technology within, it didn't look high tech.  It looked comfortable.  Like people could actually live there within this century.  All the colors were perfect.  The floor plan flowed so smoothly, and yet there were about a million nooks and crannies all over to explore.

One of my favorite parts of the house was the lowest level which included a living room area, bar, gym, laundry room and the nanny's quarters including a bedroom and bathroom.  We were brought in to learn about XFinity's X1 system which allows you to customize your TV viewing experience throughout your home.  It seems like a pretty cool system with lots of features like:

• the ability to record up to 12 shows at once
• flip through the guide and watch shows that may not be on at the moment
• make playlists of your favorite shows to play on a continuous loop

We then took the stairs (although there WAS an elevator available, it was that immense...) all the way up to the top floor which was designed as a kids' playroom.  If I know my kids at all, this would definitely be their favorite room in the house.  Up there, we learned about XFinity wifi services and all its capabilities using hte XFinity wifi app.  Just wait, soon it will be available for use even when you are overseas!

We made our way downstairs to the kitchen... I feel like kitchen is too small a word for the place we were in.  It was more like what I have dreamed heaven might be like.  There was a ginormous marble island in the middle of the room, cabinets everywhere, a butler's pantry in the corner, a TV on the wall, and just so much more.  The dining area was across the room and had not one but two - TWO wine cabinets.  It was my favorite room in the house.

The XFinity guys were there to tell us even more about the XFinity Home at that point.  We learned that it is possible to basically set up your entire home on your tablet so you can view, adjust, fix, or turn on or off anything at all.  It can be used as a security system, a thermostat, a baby/pet monitor, a lighting adjuster, and much more!

At this point, my head was exploding with knowledge and I took a little wander off by myself to check out the rest of the house.  Let me tell you, I almost got lost in the master suite's bathroom.  But don't worry, I found my way out and was able to find all the other gems throughout the house like the upstairs laundry room, the three additional bedrooms, huge walk in closets, and did I mention there was an ELEVATOR?

I was very impressed with everything I saw today.  I wanted to get it all out right now before I went to bed or I would probably not sleep thinking about it!  

Oh, and to top it off, XFinity gave us all beautiful Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 (7-Inch) as a parting gift! I couldn't have asked for a better day.

Thanks to Real Mom Media, Comcast/XFinity, and Philadelphia Magazine for a wonderful time!

If you are interested in learning more about the Design Home 2014, XFinity, Philadelphia Magazine, or Real Mom Media, please visit their webpages by clicking on the names here in this post! 

And you can view my entire album of pictures on my Whatever Works Facebook page.  

If you need me, I'll be off somewhere dreaming about laying next to the pool on a hot day... 

 

An interview with my daughter: Our review of the Gripcase iPad2 cover

 Disclosure: I was given a Gripcase iPad2 cover and asked to write an honest review.  I was not given any compensation otherwise.  All opinions are my own.  Er, I should say all opinions are my daughter's and my own.

My daughter has always been fond of electronics.  She is a natural gamer and loves to mess around on the computer any chance she gets.  She is 10 so we thought it was time for her to have her own computer-like device.  But before we made the plunge into the world of iPads, we wanted to see what type of covers were available to protect our investment.  As if she read my mind, my friend Kelly asked me right around the same time if I would like to review a Gripcase.  

Yes, please!

 

When the Gripcase came in the mail, I immediately fell in love with it.  But I knew I wasn't going to be the one using it, so I thought it would be fun to interview my daughter and get her thoughts on it.  Here's how it went:

Me (M): So, how do you like your new iPad2?  

Daughter (D): I love it!

M: How about that Gripcase?  How's that working out for you?

D: It's awesome.  I love the color.

M: What else do you like about it?

D: I love that I can hold onto it without worrying I'm going to drop my iPad.  I don't have to hold it like a book; I can hold it down at my side like a bag.

M: Anything else?

D: Yes, I like that I can lay my iPad upside down on my desk and not worry about the screen getting scratched.  

Me: Is there anything you aren't really fond of?

D: Well, sometimes it's hard to use my thumbs for swiping the screen when the Gripcase is on because the handles make it difficult.  But that's no big deal.

M: Great!  Thank you!

I would also like to add a few of my own observations: 

1. I feel more comfortable allowing my 5 year-old son to play with the iPad when the Gripcase is on.
2. It's easy to clean.
3. It makes the iPad more visible so the kids are less likely to sit on it or throw something on top of it.
4. It is easy enough for me to pop the iPad in and out, but not easy for the kids to do it.
5. The color selection is really nice.  We chose green because my daughter's sports teams are green. 
6. As a bonus Gripcase is offering to give one Gripcase to the school of your choice when you purchase a Gripcase for yourself during their BOGO Buy One, Give One event.  I think that's fantastic.

We love the Gripcase we received and would definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking for a safe, sturdy holder for an iPad.  

Gripcase offers cases for all iPad minis, iPads 2,3,4 and the iPad Air.  Gripcase is made of lightweight EVA foam with 4 protruding handles and corner cushions to help protect your device during any impact.  Gripcase comes in a variety of colors and is available through their website www.gripcase.com.