Showing posts with label write. Show all posts
Showing posts with label write. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Mumbo Jumbo Parlor Game: Having Fun During COVID-19


Mumbo Jumbo Parlor Game: Having Fun During COVID-19

Coronavirus/COVID-19 has left many of us speechless.  So, let's have fun and make a game out of it!

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

2) That's What That Is - Grab your dictionary.  Don't have one, use dictionary.com.  If you want to make this even more difficult, fun, "adult," use the Urban Dictionary.

Game Rules:
3) The Definition Is... - Choose a player who'll start the game.  That player will select an obscure word from the dictionary, but will not reveal the definition.


4) It's All Made Up - One the obscure word is given, all the other players will write down a made up or guessed definition.  When finished, they'll give it to the player who chose the obscure word.   

5) Does That Sound Right? - Make sure all definitions are written discreetly by using the same paper.  If that's not available, have a cardboard screen or other means to block the view.  

The player who chose the obscure word will shuffle the real and made up definitions before reading them out loud.  Feel free to use voices and act it out.  Ham it up.

6) This Is a Democracy - Players will vote for the correct definition of the obscure word.  
a) 1 point for every vote a fake submission receives.
b) 2 points to every player who guesses the correct definition
c) 3 points to the obscure word selector if no one votes for their word
d) 4 points to a player who provides the correct definition to the obscure word.
First player to 20 points wins.  Or you could say whoever has the most points after reading two or three times from the dictionary.  


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


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).
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.

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Celebrating Women: Having Fun During Coronavirus


Celebrating Women's Suffrage: Having Fun During Coronavirus

YAY!  Women fought for and won the right to vote in the United States 100 years ago.  While that battle was victorious, their fight continues because of wage inequality, violence against women, healthcare access and quality, political/corporate representation, and many other issues.  

Coronavirus (COVID-19) doesn't mean these issues have been forgotten.  In fact, they are more necessary as we need to improve safety for essential workers, ability to work from home, child care solutions, etc.  Here are some safe and healthy ways we can advocate for women.

1) Learn the History - There's WAY too much information to share on a humble blog post.  But, some good places to learn are: Women's Vote Centennial, Susan B Anthony Museum and House, and the National Women's History Museum

2) Understand Your Rights - to a proper education, equal pay, to own property and so much more at: Women's Rights

3) Speak Up - Your experience, thoughts, feelings, and opinion are important.  So, don't be silent during meetings, conversations, and on social media.  Expose the injustices in your life so they can be corrected.

4) Encouragement - Just listen, acknowledge, praise, help, introduce, and celebrate dreams, goals, and accomplishments.  And take responsibility for making it a safe environment for free expression.



5) Online Volunteering- Here are some safe and healthy virtual volunteering opportunities:
-National Organization of Women (NOW)
-League of Women Voters
-Emily's List
-Live Your Dream
-Dreamscape Foundation
and more at: Volunteer Match

6) Online Fundraiser - Choose a cause or organization, set a goal, define your audience, pick a theme, have a system to collect donations, then promote and share. 

7) Give - It is crucial that funds are provided for gender equality.  And there are so many wonderful organizations internationally, nationally, statewide, and locally.  Find a cause that is important to you and give.  


8) Support Women Owned Businesses - Shop at women owned businesses.  
Invest in new, existing, or established businesses.  Start your own business: Women-owned businesses resources.  If you're a successful female business owner, support other women's businesses and organizations.  


9) VOTE! - And if you're not registered to vote, please visit: US Vote Foundation




For Male Allies:
1) Shut Up and Listen - And after understanding their experiences and gaining their trust, ask "how can I help?"  Take the situation seriously, provide time and space, and be visible.  

2) Safe At Home Chores - I'll admit this is my greatest weakness.  I was bad at chores living alone.  I was bad at chores pre-Coronavirus.  And I'm not the best at home during a pandemic.  Now that our homes are also our offices and school, we need to improve our game.  Let's clean the dishes, help the kids with virtual school, make meals, and tidy up the constant clutter from all the chaos.  A little effort really makes a big improvement.


3) Mentor - Men tend to advance as a protégé.  They are guided into prominence by other men of prominence.  Open doors for women by skill training, team involvement, important assignments, and promotions.  Introduce her to influential people that could boost her career.  


4) Am I Being Fair?- Studies have shown that when men and women reach the same accomplishments, the men receive much higher praise and recognition.  Be aware and open about gender bias.  Establish clear and measurable goals.  And use the outcomes to explain your decisions.




5) Allow Participation - Allow time and space for women in meetings.  Ask for their involvement, their suggestions, and acknowledge their ownership of proposals.  When interrupted, halt the intrusion to allow them to complete their statement.


6) Office Chores - What chores around your office need to be done, but aren't a part of anyone's core responsibilities?  Tasks like organizing events, meeting notes, training new staff, cleaning, meeting set-up, and other non-promotable activities.  Consider rotating these needs or other equitable system to allow full participation in all work activities.  


7) Honor Your Family - Studies show men are severely punished for taking time off from work to take care of their family.  But, it is expected for women.  Yet, the act of becoming engaged or married stalls or completely stops the progression of a woman's career path.  Allow and encourage mother's to take on special projects and promotions.  Advocate for equal maternal and paternal benefits and use for all staff.



8) The Spotlight - An ally should not be publicly celebrated for doing what is right.  We don't experience these issues on a constant basis.  If praised, be humble and turn the spotlight on the heroes that are on the frontline of the cause.

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




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).
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.

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!


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


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).
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.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Shameless Self-Promotion

Just wanted to make sure my friends saw I posted another zine. To view it, go to the links at the bottom.



View A NEW TOMORROW No. 25 (February 2008)

View A NEW TOMORROW No. 26 (August 2008)

Visit A New Tomorrow's MySpace Profile Page

Thanks for your encouragement and support!

Mike Kraus

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