Mike Kraus: games

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Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Halloween Gravedigger Flashlight Game: Having Fun During Coronavirus

Halloween Gravedigger Flashlight Game: Having Fun During Coronavirus

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has changed how we celebrate Halloween, but it won't stop us from having fun. Here's a fun game, especially on a dark, foggy, autumn night.

1) What You Need - A flashlight, yard, black/dark clothes, and a dark and eerie night.

2) Set Up - Use items to mark "graves." It can be anything, but cardboard tombstones can be fun to make beforehand. Spread them out evenly throughout yard.

Place 4 "cemetery exit" alarms equally around the yard. These should be something that light up or make a noise (ie - bells, whistles, kazoo, lantern, etc).

3) Choose the Gravedigger - It can be completely random. Draw straws, closest birthday, etc. Give them the flashlight. To have extra fun, wear an oversized black coat/blanket and carry a shovel.

4) Choose your Grave - Lie down in the marked grave. You and everyone else are now a Zombie

5) Play Game - The game starts when the Gravedigger says "Who goes there?" The Zombies must crawl to one of the 4 exits to set off the alarm. But, if the Gravedigger shines the flashlight on you while moving or making noise, you must return to your grave they say "back to your stone wayward soul." You may remain if you're perfectly still and quiet.

6) Other Movements - The Gravedigger cannot touch the Zombies. But, the Gravedigger is allowed to try to trick you into moving, laughing, or making other noises.

7) New Gravedigger - The first Zombie to reach a cemetery exit and say "Mmmm... Brains!" is the new Gravedigger. All Zombies must return to their graves.

AND DON'T FORGET TO HAVE FUN! And, please feel free to contact if you have any questions or suggestions!

More Having Fun During Coronavirus

https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/p/covid-19coronavirus-resources.html

Health and Safety Considerations for gathering:

1) No indoor activities

2) No sharing bathrooms

3) Wash hands before and after gathering. Don't touch your face.

4) Bring your own food, snacks, drinks, and utensils.

5) Do not attend if you have asthma, heart disease, diabetes, overweight, have/survived cancer, or 50+ year old.

6) Do not attend if you have or have had Coronavirus or showing symptoms (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html).

7) Wear a mask and practice social distancing (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/social-distancing.html)

8) Limit attendance. Check local health department for guidelines and restrictions.

9) Talk with everyone about comfort levels. Expect and allow non-participation and last minute cancellations.

Mike Kraus was born on the industrial shoreline of Muskegon, Michigan. After earning his Fine Arts Degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he attended Grand Valley State University for his graduate degree. From there, he gained varied experiences from the Chicago Architecture Foundation, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Children's Memorial Foundation. And every place he worked, he had his sketchbook with him and found ways to be actively creative. In 2014, Kraus became a full-time artist by establishing Mike Kraus Art. Since then, he has sold hundreds of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. Currently, Kraus lives in Rochester, New York with his beautiful wife and goofy dog.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MikeKrausArt

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mikekrausart

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MikeKrausBlog

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Working For the Weekend: Having Fun During Coronavirus

Working For the Weekend: Having Fun During Coronavirus

While job hunting isn't "fun," work pays for all the entertainment. Coronavirus (COVID-19) has changed the hiring process. So let's work together to find you a great new job.

1) Where To Look - Make sure your friends, family, former co-workers and neighbors know you're looking for work. On average, you probably know about 600 people. Those 600 people know about 600 other people and so on. Use that network to your advantage. There are also job boards. If you apply for a job, look on social media to see if anyone you or a friend knows someone at that business.

GENERAL
1) https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/heres-whos-hiring-right-now-andrew-seaman/
2) Indeed.com
3) Monster.com
4) CareerBuilder.com
5) Ziprecruiter.com
6) GlassDoor.com
7) better.job
8) jobs.birddoghr.com
9) careerjet.com
10) jobisjob.com
11) jobrapido.com

SPECIALIZED
Health
1) MedicalWorkers.com
2) HealthECareers.com
Student/Graduate
1) CareerOneStop.com
2) AfterCollege.com
3) CareerRookie
4) DiversityJobs
Construction
1) mepjobs.birddoghr.com
2) procoreconstructionjobboard.birddoghr.com/
Nonprofits
1) Idealist.org
2) jobs.philanthropy.com
3) PhilanthropyJournal.org
Disabilities
1) abilityJOBS.com
Advertising/Marketing
1) Adzuna.com
Entertainment
1) EntertainmentCareers.net
2) jobs.variety.com
Finance
1) CareerBank.com
2) eFinancialCareers.com
Military
1) https://usmilitarypipeline.com
Law
1) LawJobs.com

2) Beat the Bots - Human Resources will receive thousands of resumes because of online job boards. AI-powered platforms will scan your resume to determine if you will get through the initial screening. To do this, use the same descriptive words from the job description in your resume. The main focus should be the last ten years of work experience. And don't include pictures.

3) Ignore Job Titles (mostly) - Titles have largely become meaningless. What is a "Talent Delivery Specialist?" It may be the person who gives you your next job... What you need to do is talk to a human being. To do this, showcase your skills. You don't need 100% of the skills on the job description. Just enough to talk to someone about what the position is truly like and show your willingness to learn.

4) LinkedIn - I could give you a thousand reasons why LinkedIn is annoying, cumbersome, and counter-intuitive. But, one reason you should use it: recruiters and human resource departments use it A LOT. So, start or update your profile right now. Tell us what makes you unique and your achievements in the "about" section. For "experience," list all titles from organizations if you've received a promotion. Give a short summary of responsibilities and focus your project successes. In "skills and endorsements," add anything and everything you think is relevant to your career. This will help recruiters find you instead of you having to find them. If your project or program is featured online, include links. Have you ever been quoted in an article, spoke at a conference, or talked publicly: add it to your profile. And don't be shy about asking for recommendations from people you know from very different parts of your life.

5) Other Social Media - What will your future boss think about your posts? Use your empathy and/or ask someone you trust professionally to review your pages. Do you have posts about personal/relationship problems, complaints about boss/work, use violent/vulgar language, party/alcohol/drug photos, and religious/political rants? Be honest with yourself. It may determine if you'll get a job.

6) A Remote Interview? - This is how interviews are now conducted. This means you need to do more than wear your most professional outfit (Don't be casual just because you're at home). You need to "stage" your video call. This includes background selection, camera placement, lighting, and outfit choice. For more details, visit: Tips For Working At Home: Staging Your Virtual Office - https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2020/03/tips-for-working-at-home-staging-your.html

Make sure the space you interview in is quiet and private. No distractions from kids, pets, or anything else. And have a backup plan just in case your internet, video, or microphone fails.

7) Character Over Skills - Have you ever been hired because they "liked you" or were friends with someone who already worked there? Everyone knows or can be trained to use MS Word, but a bad personality can be difficult to change. So, don't be afraid to showcase your kindness, communication, adaptability, empathy, and problem solving talents. During a remote work pandemic, these skills have a much higher value.

8) Gaps In Your Resume - In 2020 and beyond, almost everyone's resume will have lapses. But, you can be proactive in standing out as a candidate by filling in those spaces by volunteering, publishing articles, passion project, and online classes. Also, the people you meet may lead you to your next opportunity.

9) Thank You! - Before Coronavirus/COVID-19/politics, I would have suggested mailing a thank you note because they are more memorable (https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2020/08/save-post-office.html). But, with HR staff at home and severe post office delays, decision makers may not see your letter until after they've hired someone else.

Instead, send individualized emails to everyone you've talked with at the organization. People are visual, so try to include a relevant photo in the email. If it's something of personal interest, even better (ie - if you talked about flowers in your gardens, send a photo of your landscaping). Anything that can make you positively stand out from the crowd.

AND DON'T FORGET TO HAVE FUN! And, please feel free to contact if you have any questions or suggestions!

More Having Fun During Coronavirus

https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/p/covid-19coronavirus-resources.html

Health and Safety Considerations for gathering:
1) No indoor activities
2) No sharing bathrooms
3) Wash hands before and after gathering. Don't touch your face.
4) Bring your own food, snacks, drinks, and utensils.
5) Do not attend if you have asthma, heart disease, diabetes, overweight, have/survived cancer, or 50+ year old.
6) Do not attend if you have or have had Coronavirus or showing symptoms (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html).
7) Wear a mask and practice social distancing (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/social-distancing.html)
8) Limit attendance. Check local health department for guidelines and restrictions.
9) Talk with everyone about comfort levels. Expect and allow non-participation and last minute cancellations.

Store: MikeKrausArt.etsy.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MikeKrausArt
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mikekrausart
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MikeKrausBlog

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Have Some Theme Spirit: Having Fun During Coronavirus

Have Some Theme Spirit: Having Fun During Coronavirus

We're all in this together. While fighting Coronavirus (COVID-19), we need to find ways to stay safe, entertained, creative, and healthy. To make nights and weekends special. Time to be with our family. Something to look forward to after work and school. "Theme Nights" are a great way to do that.

1) When? - Anytime. It can be every night with everyone in your household or it can be once a month over Zoom. An easy weekly theme night can be Taco Tuesday. Make it as simple or complicated as you want.

2) Choose A Theme - Here are some of my weekly favorites: pizza night, B-movie night, wino weekend, ice cream Sunday, backyard camping night, evening nature walk, family Zoom night, game night, driveway chalking, and countless others. Are your kids or roommates musical? Then have a "band night."

For a "one-night only" event, try something more creative like: Robots and Aliens, Punk Rock, Monster Trucks, Jungle, Nerds, 7 Deadly Sins, Mythical Creatures, etc. A great way to come up with an idea is to dig through the closet, attic, or basement for things you don't need or use anymore. Give it one last hurrah and then donate it or throw it away the next morning.

3) Getting Together - Make some snacks and beverages and gather your family/roommates in the living room. Don't have enough people or want to include those with health issues? Invite people to participate on Zoom, Facetime, Google Hangouts, or countless other virtual platforms.

4) Decorate - Transport yourselves someplace new. If your theme is "Dream Vacation," start with everyone packing a suitcase with what they want to see or do most. Set up your living room like a airport terminal for a few games. Eat food from that location. Create experiences inspired by that vacation destination. Immerse yourselves.

5) What To Eat - Food makes everything better. But, unless your theme is "cooking," make it simple. Pre-made meals from the grocery store or takeout are just fine. Everyone should participate in the fun and not be stuck in the kitchen.

This applies to drinks too. Use the theme, but don't force someone to be a bartender all night.

6) Getting Dressed Up - Working from home and virtual school has made life very casual and comfortable. Let's break that routine for a night. Be ridiculous and wear a tuxedo, old costume, a prom dress, or whatever else you can find. If you have lots of old clothes, this can be great inspiration for themes.

7) Entertainment and Sharing - Find some way to integrate a board game, movie, TV show, music, etc. If you're theme is Dr. Seuss, play The Cat In the Hat Game, watch The Lorax, and find some strange music. Share with friends using #DrSeussNight

AND DON'T FORGET TO HAVE FUN! And, please feel free to contact if you have any questions or suggestions!

More Having Fun During Coronavirus

https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/p/covid-19coronavirus-resources.html

Tuesday, September 8, 2020

You Haven't Seen That?!? Game: Having Fun During Coronavirus

You Haven't Seen That Game: Having Fun During Coronavirus

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has given us an unpleasant reality. Fortunately, movies are a great source for escapism. A necessary distraction into the world of imagination and fantasy. Let's put our tendency to be couch potatoes to good use by making it a game.

Games improve our outlook on life. It activates neurons in our brain, which prevents diseases like dementia. Having fun is medicine to fight anxiety and depression (https://anzmh.asn.au/mental-health/the-psychological-benefits-of-playing-cards/#:~:text=In%20fact%2C%20reconnecting%20with%20the,loss%20associated%20with%20older%20age.)

1) Getting Together - Make some snacks and beverages and gather your family/roommates in the living room. Don't have enough people or want to include those with health issues? Invite people to play on Zoom, Facetime, Google Hangouts, or countless other virtual platforms.

2) The Rules - All you need is 2+ people. Find a popular movie that someone hasn't seen. Then ask them to describe the movie. Once complete, reveal the true synopsis.

3) Speed Up Suggestions - This helps for a larger group. Most people know, and may be proud, of pop culture films they haven't seen. So, have everyone write down their missed piece of cinema for the group to select on their turn.

4) The Rules: The Sequel - Be sure to draw out and explain plot at characters. What is the setting and conflict? What attempts have been made and failed to solve a problem? What is the turning point? What is the results after the turning point? How is the story finally resolved?

5) Movies Suggestions By Era: This is not an exhaustive list. There are countless other movies, foreign films, and other features people know and love.
2010+: Star Wars (sequel trilogy and spinoffs), Avengers (multiple), Black Panther, Jurassic World (multiple), Incredibles 2, The Lion King (Live Action), Finding Dory, Frozen (multiple), Batman: Dark Knight Rises, Toy Story (multiple), Beauty and the Beast (Live action), Captain Marvel, Hunger Games (multiple), Wonder Woman, Iron Man (multiple), Captain America, Harry Potter (multiple), American Sniper, Boyhood, Moonlight, 12 Years a Slave, Selma, Things To Come, Coco, John Wick (multiple), Train To Busan, Ladybird, Margaret, Toni Erdmann, Get Out, Carol, No, The Tree of Life,
2000-2009: Avatar, Batman: The Dark Knight, Shrek (multiple), Pirates of the Caribbean (multiple), Spiderman (multiple), Transformers (multiple), Star Wars (prequel trilogy), Lord of the Rings (multiple), The Passion of the Christ, Finding Nemo, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Mulholland Drive, Gladiator, Children of Men, Lost In Translation, Sweet Home Alabama, 13 Going On 30, I Am Sam, Catch Me If You Can, The Notebook, American Psycho, Punch-Drunk Love, Grizzly Man,

1990s: Titanic, Jurassic Park (multiple), The Lion King (animated), Forest Gump, Independence Day, The Sixth Sense, Home Alone (multiple), Men In Black (multiple), Toy Story (multiple), Twister, Mrs. Doubtfire, Beauty and the Beast (animated), Ghost, Aladdin, Saving Private Ryan, Austin Powers (multiple), Terminator 2, Armageddon, Dances With Wolves, Batman Forever (Val Kilmer), The Fugitive, Liar Liar, Before Sunrise, Groundhog Day, Goodfellas, The Shawshank Redemption, Pulp Fiction, Fargo, The Piano, Close-Up, Schindler's List, An American Tail: Fievel Goes West, Selena, The Matrix (multiple), My Girl, Roger and Me, The Silence of the Lambs, Clueless,
1980s: E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Batman (Michael Keaton), Indiana Jones (multiple), Ghostbusters (multiple), Beverly Hills Cop (multiple), Back To the Future (multiple), Top Gun, Tootsie, Crocodile Dundee, Rain Man, Three Men and a Baby, Fatal Attraction, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Gremlins (multiple), Rambo (multiple), Do the Right Thing, The Shining, Die Hard (multiple), The Terminator, Dead Poets Society, Heathers, The Verdict, Blow Out,

1970s: Star Wars (original trilogy), Jaws (multiple), Grease (multiple), The Sting, Superman (multiple), The Godfather (multiple), The Exorcist, Smokey and the Bandit, Animal House, Blazing Saddles, Rocky (multiple), Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Towering Inferno, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Love Story, Kramer Vs. Kramer, Airport, American Graffiti, Saturday Night Fever, The Poseidon Adventure, The Trial of Billy Jack, The Amityville Horror, Young Frankenstein, Every Which Way But Loose, Apocalypse Now, Star Trek (multiple), The Goodbye Girl, Heaven Can Wait, Alien (multiple), Hooper, Fiddler On the Roof, The Muppet Movie (multiple), Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Suspiria,
1960s: The Sound of Music, The Graduate, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Jungle Book (animated), My Fair Lady, Thunderball, Cleopatra, 2001: A Space Odyssey (multiple), Guess Who's Coming To Dinner, How the West Was Won, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Funny Girl, Herbie: The Love Bug (multiple), James Bond (multiple), Bonnie and Clyde, The Dirty Dozen, Lawrence of Arabia, Midnight Cowboy, The Odd Couple, Valley of the Dolls, West Side Story, Doctor Zhivago, Bullitt, Easy Rider, The Longest Day, Romeo and Juliet, Tom Jones, Oliver!, The Bible: In the Beginning, Hawaii, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Hello Dolly!, Bob and Ted and Carol and Alice, Paint Your Wagon, Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines, Mary Poppins, The Sand Pebbles, The Guns of Navarone, The Carpetbaggers, Spartacus, 8 1/2, Psycho, The Good the Bad and the Ugly, The Parent Trap, To Kill a Mockingbird, Z,
1950s: The Ten Commandments, Lady and the Tramp (animated), Peter Pan (animated), Cinderella (animated), Ben-Hur, Sleeping Beauty (animated), The Bridge On the River Kwai, Around the World In 80 Days, This Is Cinerama, The Greatest Show On Earth, Rear Window, South Pacific, The Robe, Giant, Seven Wonders of the World, From Here To Eternity, White Christmas, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Sayonara, Cinerama Holiday, Demetrius and the Gladiators, Peyton Place, Some Like It Hot, Quo Vadis, Auntie Mame, Seven Samurai, Singin' In the Rain, Tokyo Story, The Seventh Seal, The Night of the Hunter, A Face In the Crowd, Rebel Without a Cause,

Not satisfied with this list? The American Film Institute has a bazillion more options at: https://www.afi.com/afi-lists/

6) SPOILER ALERT! - I recommend choosing movies that aren't recent releases or something you REALLY want to see. Obviously, because the entire plot will be revealed at some point.

DON'T FORGET TO HAVE FUN! And, please feel free to contact if you have any questions or suggestions!

More Having Fun During Coronavirus

https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/p/covid-19coronavirus-resources.html

Health and Safety Considerations for gathering:

1) No indoor activities

2) No sharing bathrooms

3) Wash hands before and after gathering. Don't touch your face.

4) Bring your own food, snacks, drinks, and utensils.

5) Do not attend if you have asthma, heart disease, diabetes, overweight, have/survived cancer, or 50+ year old.

6) Do not attend if you have or have had Coronavirus or showing symptoms (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html).

7) Wear a mask and practice social distancing (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/social-distancing.html)

8) Limit attendance. Check local health department for guidelines and restrictions.

9) Talk with everyone about comfort levels. Expect and allow non-participation and last minute cancellations.

Store: MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MikeKrausArt

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mikekrausart

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MikeKrausBlog

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Parlor Game: Having Fun During Coronavirus

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Parlor Game: Having Fun During Coronavirus

Having fun in isolation can be a great source of inspiration. For example, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley (the first science fiction novel) was created because she was bored during long duration of stormy weather in an isolated home (Dr. John Polidori, Percy Shelley, George Gordon "Lord" Byron were staying at the house and played as well). Sound familiar?

Let Mary Shelley inspire us during our Coronavirus/COVID-19 quarantine. We'll use her example. Maybe in 200 years, something you created during this time will be considered "a classic?"

Story Writing Game:
1) Getting Together - Make some snacks and beverages and gather your family/roommates in the living room. Don't have enough people? Invite people to play on Zoom, Facetime, Google Hangouts, or countless other virtual platforms.

2) Time Together - This can be done in one night. It can be done over several weeks. If you want to allow more participation, one part per week.

3) Choose A Theme - These can include: love, death, good vs. evil, coming of age, power/corruption, new/future technology, survival, courage/heroism, prejudice, individual vs. society, war and so many more. Feel free to make something up personal to the group, like a specific location or event.

4) Write A Story - Take 30 minutes to write a quick story. Make up a character and plot from your experience. Think of a specific location (real or made up) to put them in. What is the incident? How did that incident impact the character? What does that incident lead to? How does the character change? How is the story resolved? It doesn't have to be perfect. In fact, it's better if it's not.

5) Read the Stories - Everyone takes a turn and reads their stories and/or outlines. Use voices and act out scenes. Find props or a costume if available. When everyone is done, vote for who wrote the best story/outline.

6) We're Not Done - Take the best story and make it yours. Spend another 30 minutes using the best story/outline to make a new story. How? If it's about love, tell it from the perspective of a jealous lover. A story about hero from a villains view. Write the opposite of the story. Or add you opinions and experiences.

7) Read the Stories, Again... - Repeat step 3 and pay attention to the differences. That's it!

8) Is That Really It? - It doesn't have to be. You can take your story and work on it on your own time. Think of your inspiration. Of everyone else's point-of-view. Different opinions and experiences to the same story. Use it. Expand on it. Develop and refine it. You may surprise yourself (and others) with your (possibly monstrous) creation!