Arbitrary Thoughts

December 15th, 2011 - Arbitrary Thoughts - 12 Comments »

+ Winner of the 1-year subscription to Entertainment Weekly is Jamie Martin. Email me your address and I’ll get that all set up for you.

+ The best rates for Bryan Allain’s Killer Tribes conference end tomorrow. If you’re a blogger, artist, musician, or small business owner, you won’t want to miss this. Click here for more info and to get yourself signed up. Oh, and here’s an interview Knox McCoy conducted with Bryan about it.

+ Interesting insights on how the Electoral College works (and part two).

+ So, Flipboard just came out for the iPhone. It might be the greatest app ever created, eliminating the need for me to check four different apps for Twitter, Facebook, Google Reader and Instagram. Plus, it looks incredible.

+ What the world’s biggest websites looked like at their launch.

+ Anyone do this with their 2 and 4-year-olds? We just started last night. They seem to love it.

+ Finally bought Mindy Kaling’s book. So far, hilarious. Like, Tina Fey good.

+ Remember that Pimsleur language thing I impulsively purchased for $10 and wrote about a few weeks ago? Well, after eight 30-minute sessions, I think I’m more comfortable with Spanish now than after four years of classes and six weeks living in Peru. Here’s the catch though – a couple weeks after your order it, they mail you the “Gold” system (30 more lessons that you didn’t ask for) and let you try it for a month. If you don’t return it, they’ll charge you 4 payments of $64 each. So, beware.

+ I’m probably going to do something like this over the holidays. Just a little heads up.

You got any arbitrary thoughts for us?

  • Adam Buzard

    Ive been waiting to read Mindy Kaling’s book. Mostly because its on reserve at the library and it hasnt come in yet, but I haven’t heard anyone review it… Tina Fey good? that’s impressive. 

  • http://bryanallain.com Bryan Allain

    Just a hunch, but I really think The Killer Tribes Conference is going to be with us for a long time. Not just as a place to learn and grow and excel at building your tribe, but also as a place to connect and grow relationships and friendships, which is what life is all about.

    Saying that you were there at the first one? Awesome.

  • http://sightregained.com Louis Tullo

    The reading chapter books aloud link looks pretty awesome! When I have kids that is most definitely something I’d like to do. What books are you reading?

    • http://tylerstanton.com Tyler Stanton

      I actually started with that tree house one he suggested.

  • http://guidetowomen.wordpress.com Sharideth Smith

    i flung myself down an ice slide last night. there’s video. how’s that for arbitrary?

  • http://missionallendale.wordpress.com/ Joey Espinosa

    Love the link about reading to preschoolers. Especially in the area I work in (with at-risk kids), I’ve seen the problems with families that do not read to kids (for whatever reason). Help give your kids a love for reading, before they can read.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Karen-Moret-Harrison/1553906570 Karen Moret Harrison

    After serving on a jury on a criminal case, I think we have a mighty fine justice system.  Not perfect, but mighty fine.

  • Rodney Eason

    We have read whatever they want us to read (picture books, chapter books, magazines, toy catalogs…). Our kids are: 10, 8, 6, and 6 and they now read all of the time. I just came in from an early morning run and noticed the lamp on in my daughter’s room, which means she is up and reading. They’ll be ready when they are forced to read Melville in high school.

  • Lacey

    I love that you’re reading chapter books to your boys.

    So Charlotte Mason.

    Next thing you know, you’ll be home schooling your boys with our kids.

    When you finish that book I have some great boy book selections for you guys.

    • http://tylerstanton.com Tyler Stanton

      Do tell.

  • http://www.ramblingbarba.com Ken Hagerman

    We borrowed our 
     Pimsleur from the library. That and time with our latino congregation at our church was our base before moving to Paraguay 3 years ago. There were some gaps but i knew how to ask where the bathroom was and order food. Basically the survival skills.

  • Jerry White

    Been reading to my kids at night forever and it’s probably done more for me than them. We loved reading Pilgrims Progress and Louis L’amour westerns (pre-read and cut out bad words though), Junie B. Jones books (Barbara Parks?) are hilarious and perfect for Pre-School K5 kids.  Junie is pretty sassy but the kids realize it’s bad and she didn’t become an influencer.  Was reading Magic Treehouse with my daughter because they are historically awesome, but it started to get to kind of spiritually weird, not evil weird, just weird. 

    And thanks again for your help with the internet TV!