Goodbye for Now and Thanks!

Almost exactly four years ago, I started writing this blog to help people answer a single question: “What are you going to do this weekend once you make your workplace escape?” In fact, every week, without fail, I’ve talked about a game, an event, a movie, or something else that I thought you might find interesting. And, hopefully, in that time, I did exactly that. However, after writing over 200 posts on things you can do this weekend, I thought it might be time to try something different. As a result, I’ve decided to put the blog on an indefinite hiatus, as I try to determine where to go next.

With that being said, I’d like to thank all of you for reading what I had to say, and I hope that some of you found at least a few things that were actually entertaining over the past four years. I have to admit that this may be my last post for a while but it certainly won’t be my last ever, and I hope you’ll keep an eye out for whatever comes next!

Thanks again!
-Evan

Photo credit: sinclair.sharon28 via VisualHunt / CC BY

Last-Minute Gifts for the Gamer in Your Life

Searching for a great last-minute gift for the gamer in your life? Looking for a way to give to charity and get some great games at the same time? Well, if you are looking for a way to help others through gaming, there’s probably no better way than purchasing a Humble Bundle.

A Humble Bundle is a collection of games from either a single publisher or a group of publishers offered by Humble Bundle, Inc. in which a portion of each bundle purchased is donated to charity. Each of these bundles will contain a number of great games, including games from a wide assortment of well-known and independent publishers for a variety of different platforms, and each set of games is only offered for a limited amount of time. As a result, you never quite know what will be in the next bundle, but there’s no question that it will be something worth playing. Best of all, there is no set price on each bundle, so you can actually decide how much you want to pay and whether you want it all to go charity or you want to split it between the developers and the charity of your choice. In fact, most bundles will actually throw in some extra games if you pay more than the average or more than a set amount, so you can get more if you give more. For more information on the Humble Bundle, including which games and/or other software is currently available, please visit the Humble Bundle website.

Photo credit: portalgda via Visual Hunt / CC BY-NC-SA

Give the Gift of Membership!

“Come see us!”
“You know you want to!”

With Christmas now only a week and a half away, time is rapidly running out to finish up all of your shopping and wrap all of those gifts. In fact, if you have just looked at your list and realized that you forgot someone or that you still haven’t found gifts for some of the people that are hard to shop for, you may be starting to reach that point of panic. However, there’s no reason to fear the fact that Santa is coming to town because if you need some gifts quick, one of the easiest ways to grab some gifts (and help out a local non-profit at the same time) is to purchase a membership to a local public garden, museum, or zoo for your friend or family member.

Local public gardens, museums, and zoos typically offer annual memberships that will give your friend or family member a number of benefits including free or discounted admission, discounts on purchases in the gift shop or other similar locations, invitations to special members-only events, and a variety of other perks. In fact, many gardens, museums, and zoos actually have reciprocal agreements with other similar institutions so that if you have a membership for one garden, museum, or zoo, you may be able to use it to get free or discounted admission at another garden, museum, or zoo (although, it is important to note that only some institutions will accept memberships from other institutions, and there may be some additional conditions that apply in some cases.) Best of all, you don’t even need to leave your house to get one. All you need to know is your friend or family member’s address and the website of the organization you want to get them a membership from such as the Museum of Science or Zoo New England.

Photo via VisualHunt

COOOOKIES! The 2016 Girl Scout Cookie Sale Has Begun!

historical-marker-for-girl-scout-cookies
If you’re on the hunt for a great gift for the cookie aficionado in your life and you’re trying to find a way to give back to the community at the same time, the Girl Scouts of America may have exactly what you’re looking for. This is because the Girl Scout Cookie Sale actually begins today, which means that if you have a friend or family member who just can’t resist Caramel Delights®, Lemonades™, Peanut Butter Patties®, Thin Mints ®, Smores™ (the new cookies out this year), and/or all of the other Girl Scout cookies out there, all you need to do is find some local Girl Scouts.

Now, it’s not always easy to find a local troop, but there is, of course, an app (or website) for that. In fact, if you don’t know where to even start looking for some cookies, you can always use the Girl Scout Cookie Finder. This handy little website (which also comes in the form of an app) will allow you to get a list of all of the cookie booths that are scheduled in your area simply by entering your zip code. Best of all, if you decide to buy cookies from a local troop, you will actually be giving money to that troop because each troop will receive a portion of the proceeds from each box of cookies that they sell.

And, if you really don’t want the cookies and you can’t think of anyone to give them to, you can always buy a box or two (or ten) and have them donated to a local charity through the Girl Scouts’ Cookies for a Cause program. This way, you’re not only helping the Girl Scouts but also helping another charity as well. For more information on the Girl Scout Cookie sale, including all of the cookies that are currently available, please visit the Girl Scouts of America website.

Photo credit: Jim, the Photographer via Visual hunt / CC BY

Alex and Ani: Charity by Design

overflowing-jewelry-box
Do you have a friend, significant other, daughter, niece, or other individual in your life who’s really into charm bracelets and/or necklaces? Would you love to buy some jewelry as a gift and give to charity at the same time? Well, if you would, you’re in luck because it just so happens that Alex and Ani has a collection of bracelets that will allow you to do exactly that. In fact, Alex and Ani will donate 20% of the proceeds from any of the bracelets or necklaces purchased from their Charity by Design collection. This collection features a number of different designs and each design is associated with a different charity, including well-established charities such as the Alzheimer’s Association, the American Heart Association, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, March of Dimes, Toys for Tots, UNICEF, and a whole lot more. For more information and/or to purchase items from the Charity by Design collection straight from Alex and Ani, please visit the Charity by Design Collection page on the Alex and Ani website.

Photo via JamesDeMers via Visual hunt