As a casual gamer, I go through phases of playing 24/7 to not playing at all. I’m now in the not playing at all cycle. Sure, I could do links to new games at Big Fish but that’s why I have that set up in the Romperz Games section. So this is leaving me with no blogging inspiration.

I have decided to switch gears a little bit. I will still post about games from time to time but will concentrate on kids stuff like crafts, educational toys, etc. It’s already a topic I know something about and currently interested in.

This week look for posts on:
online coloring pages
Make your own play dough
Stuff your own animal

Summer is just beginning, so I hope to bring lots of good ideas to keep those kiddos entertained. Casual games will still be discussed but Romperz definitely needs some new life breathed into it. I think a change will be good.

If you are a reader of Romperz, then you have probably know that I am part of PayPerPost. Well recently I signed up for their newest service Social Spark. This blog was turned down because to them I just have it to make money. Well, that makes me very mad since that is not the case.

The problem is that I also work for Pay U2 Blog, which I like better. I think Social Spark can see that and doesn’t want Romperz part of their new service. Since I’m royally pissed by this, there will be no more PayPerPosts on Romperz. All old posts(posts have to be up for 30 days but usually I just leave them alone) will be deleted.

So, the only ‘paid posts’ from here on out with be Payu2Blog and those will be links from posts that contain content that would have appeared on Romperz anyway.

Child’s Play is a charity that was founded by gamers and has been called the gamer’s charity. Each year, Child’s Play raises money for children’s hospital around the globe. The first year it helped the Seattle children’s hospital and possibly a few others. It really has grown in recent years.

What they do is buy games and toys for children who are in the hospital at Christmas. I had a niece who spent one Christmas in the hospital. The nurses brought her a present to open. It was a coloring book and colors. It really made her day. A little something on Christmas day when you are sick, especially to a child in a hospital, I believe can really help in the healing process.

Gamers have a bad rap for being selfish and never thinking of others, which is the furtherest thing from the truth. So far, Child’s Play has raised about $325,000. Their goal is $750,000.

Romperz has pledged 10% of November earnings from this site to go to Child’s Play. So far, Romperz has donated $10 and hopes to have a stellar end of the month to be able to contribute more.

Child’s Play is a wonderful charity. Click on the link in this post to visit them or click on the banner located close to the bottom of the page.

Child’s Play is a charity that is near and dear to my heart from two fronts. It’s a charity started by Penny Arcade as a way to show that gamers do care about people in need. The charity benefits children in children’s hospitals. My nephew has spent some time in a children’s hospital because of a heart condition. It’s heartbreaking to see children sick, but Child’s Play helps to put a smile on their face.

Child’s Play raises money for games and other toys to give to children who are in the children’s hospitals at Christmas. I think it is a wonderful charity, and yesterday they kicked off their 2007 campaign. They have a lofty goal of raising $750,000 this year. It’s amazing how much money gamers have given since Child’s Play first was established in 2003. Gamers are generous people and to have a charity that not only breaks the stereotype associated with gamers but helps children is wonderful.

I make a little money from Romperz, and for the month of November, I plan to give 20% of what I make to Child’s Play. It might not be that much but every little bit will help them to reach their goal. They take donations either by Paypal or by regular mail. I will be displaying their banner until Christmas, so if you want to check them out, click on it.

Is your Mom a gamer? Popcap games is giving away Bejeweled Deluxe beginning today in honor of Mother’s Day. Subscribers to Popcap’s newsletter The Fizz will receive an email notification between now and May 23rd for their free copy of Bejeweled 2 Deluxe. New susbscribers to the monthly newsletter will also be able to snag a free copy of Bejeweled Deluxe. Newsletter subscribers will be sent a link to the game and a special code to unlock the game. The offer must be redeemed by May 30th.

Give Mom the gift of fun this Mother’s Day. Since your gift is such a great price, be sure to pick up a card and her favorite flowers.

Toolmonger has instructions on how to convert a real guitar to play Guitar Hero. A nice guitar was transformed into a Guitar Hero controller and was auctioned off with proceeds going to Child’s Play. His website is called Funde Razor and raised over $4,000 for the gamer’s charity that benefits childrens hospitals.

We enjoy Guitar Hero but not sure I want to tackle such a project. I have half finished projects scattered all over the house now. The size of the controller is a nice size for me but for a guitar player having a real guitar controller might be very enjoyable. That is if they can get past destroying a perfectly good guitar to make it.

I haven’t played that many video games in 2006. With the little one and being broke gaming just got lost in the shuffle. Now the baby is a little older and the financial outlook is better, I have begun to play more video games.

My best video games of 2006 is a short list for the above reason that I haven’t played that many. One game that I have really enjoyed is Marvel Ultimate Alliance. While the Marvel RPG improves upon the X-Men Legends, there are some aspects of character building that are automatically set like the automatic distribution of build points. It’s a minor complaint since gameplay is a lot of fun. I love the co-op play.

Guitar Hero. One of the biggest games at our household has been Guitar Hero. Guitar Hero has quickly become the game of choice for me. You can jam out to some great rock and roll songs and quit at any time without losing your game progress. Scores are saved after each song, so when the baby demands me I can just put the game down and tend to her. As a casual gamer, it’s great to play since I can play for 5 or 50 minutes.

Brain Age. We’ve only been playing for about a week and already hooked on this game. In future posts, I will be talking more about Brain Age and revealing my brain age. Brain Age is a fun “workout” for the mind. It’s good to develop the cranium while alsp being highly entertaining.

There have been countless other titles that have come out this year. Since I haven’t played them, I can’t really add them to my list of best video games of 2006. Tell me your favorite games from the past year by leaving a comment.

Child’s Play is the charity created by gamers, supported by gamers that helps out children’s hospitals. I’ve posted before about this charity and wanted to do a little update.

Child’s Play has raised nearly $500,000 this year and has over 30 children’s hospitals around the globe that they will be helping out by donating games to the children in those hospitals this Christmas season. There is still time to give if you would like to help out such a great cause.

Child’s Play charity shows that gamers have really big hearts and do care about others. Sometimes stereotypes can really taint people’s thoughts on people. Child’s Play is helping to brighten the holidays for sick children and their families while giving gamers (and others) a chance to give back to the community.

Here is one of my favorite charities. It’s Child’s Play, and it was started by the folks at Penny Arcade in 2003. Child’s Play takes donations and donations of toys, then gives them to their partnered children’s hospitals. More hospitals are partcipating each year. You can even buy toys directly from places like Amazon and have them shipped to the hospital.

Child’s Play is a gamer’s charity and shows just how generous gamers can be. Too often gamers are shown in negative light when in reality they are just like everyone else and want to give back to the community. Giving toys to sick children at children’s hospitals is near and dear to my heart. My great nephew has hypo-plastic left heart syndrome and underwent 3 surgeries at the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia. Basically the left venticle of his heart was underdeveloped and the surgeries made his four chamber heart a two chamber one, bypassing the left side completely. He is doing great now thanks to the wonderful care he received at the children’s hospital.

Visit Childsplaycharity.org or Penny-arcade.com for more details and track their progress in reaching their $500,000 goal.

It’s nights like tonight that make me wish we had a telescope. The air is crisp and clean with a clear, beautiful night sky. It’s a perfect night for star gazing. My husband has often mentioned how he would like a telescope for a Christmas or a birthday present. If the weather keeps being so nice then this might be the year he finally gets his wish. I had one for my Sims family. The Sims daughter was abducted one night by aliens. After that all she ever wanted to talk about was her abduction. It’s a drawback to being abducted in the Sims is that it becomes your Sims favorite topic of conversation.

While thumbing through some telescope websites, I came across a site that also sells radar detectors. I love gadgets, but this is one gadget that I have never really wanted or needed. A radar detector is a great for those who drive a little fast. I have an aunt who has a “lead foot.” She makes a 10 hour trip in about 8. She should have a bunch of radar detectors.

The spyglass telescope on OpticSale.com is very cool. We are pirate-crazy around here, and this would make a great gift. I may have to order two so I can keep one.