a peek inside the fishbowl

Awhile back I had a conversation with a young woman about her habit of downloading music without paying for it. She really didn’t think it was a big deal, after all, record companies make ZILLIONS of dollars right?

Hmm. Okaaaay. Maybe they’re the richest folks on the planet, but what about the writer of the song? How does illegally downloading a song affect that person? And how different is ripping a song of the Internet from pocketing a tube of lipgloss at the drugstore?

I don’t want to generalize but I’ve encountered way too many young people who don’t seem to understand that just because something is on the Internet, it doesn’t mean it’s there for the taking. I’ve also had to deal with this recently as it pertains to photography too, and as a person who creates content for a living, I am rather sensitive to the issue of people taking stuff that isn’t theirs. It’s wrong – and it’s stealing – no matter what kind of spin you put on it.

Anyway, yes. It’s been something I’ve been thinking a lot about, and it’s actually something that we talk a lot around here at Casa Fishbowl. You can read about how we’ve broached the topic over at MediaSmarts.ca this week.

I’d love to know if you have discussed copyright with your child. Like many issues that fall under the GENERAL LIFE EDUCATION category, it’s important to start those conversations when they’re little, because when they hit their teens, preaching, nagging, and finger wagging might fall on deaf ears. Sigh.

Related: Have you ever wondered if song writers can support themselves off of the royalties for one song? Well, here’s the answer you were looking for. And it’s pretty surprising.

A significant part of Sarah’s Birthday Weekend 2013 went down at Funhaven (a Fishbowl patron FYI) on Saturday. This made me very happy because (a) I knew everyone would have a great time and (b) it’s been a busy week around here and I knew I wouldn’t have to do anything other than show up.

Party planning started in March with these easy birthday party invitations. We planned the party for Saturday night over dinner hour. I knew that the girls could handle it and I thought an evening party would have a certain about of caché for tweens.

And then, wouldn’t you know it, the big day was finally here! So there we were, with nine girls, all rarin’ to go. They could hardly contain themselves, but it was the kind of chaos that was somewhat contained well-controlled… if you know what I mean. ;)

Our party package (you can read about the different ones here) included a bunch of different activities as well as some money for the arcade. We started out in Ballocity… which I had mistakenly referred to The Ball Room but was immediately corrected. :)

Clearly they have not outgrown this area yet, and I don’t know if they ever will.

The girls tore around the climbers and pummelled each other with soft balls, and then they pummelled their mother at the first opportunity.

After that it’s a blur. There is so much to do here. They had two turns in Laser Tag before dinner. The first time they played against a group of older girls and the second time they played a group of boys who appeared to be 7 or 8-years old. They beat both teams (HIGH FIVES), and I got to watch from the observation deck. It was hilarious to see them skulking around and sneaking up on one another:

They were huffing and puffing by the time they were done (bwa ha ha! my plan worked!) and feeling rather victorious as they swaggered out to dinner. We had our own little room to enjoy our thin-crust pizza and raw veggies, which was followed by a very memorable opportunity to make-your-own-sundae. (There was cake included in the package but I opted out.) I took a photo of each guest with their sundae for us to keep as a memento and to email to each family as a thank-you afterwards.

Then we opened gifts, and THEN, went out on the floor to do more stuff… like conquer the climbing wall, and take a spin (or two) on the bumper cars:

As I mentioned, each guest received a card with some cash on it to spend in the Funhaven arcade. The kids went wild and I lost them all in the blink of an eye. But I wasn’t worried. They grouped up and did their thing… they are TWELVE after all. Practically grown up! Some flocked to Dance Dance Revolution while others tried their hand at THE CLAAAAAW:

They really enjoyed the different arcade games and it was hard to tear them away. There’s one that simulates a roller coaster, one that has you driving a car, and another that simulates a motorcycle race. (I just hope none of the children were inspired to take this up as a career. Eep.)

The kids had a great time. Really great. The staff was organized. The attractions were fun. The pizza was good. And it was just go-go-go the whole time. Perfect.

Not that it was ever really busy or crowded, but by 8:00 p.m. the place was nearly cleaned out of people. (Mental note!) At the end of the evening they discovered the photo booth (where we took the photo that’s pictured in this post) and they went to town. Hilarity ensued – with fantastic and memorable results:

Sarah declared it to be The Best Birthday Party Ever… and this mom (and dad!) were very happy.

Here’s the giveaway part… Funhaven wants YOU to come and experience all of this for yourself. That’s why they are giving me THREE annual passes to give away to three lucky kids out there. You can read more about the annual pass on their website but I will say this: it’s pretty sweet and your kid will love it.

Interested?

• This giveaway is for THREE (3) annual passes to Funhaven. Each has a cash value of $99. Please have a quick look at the Funhaven website so you’re clear as to what this includes. Please note that the annual pass is good for one child only.
• This giveaway is open to anyone residing in the Ottawa area but is void where prohibited by law.
• In order for your entry to qualify you must answer the following question in the comments below: what part of Funhaven does your child enjoy the most? (If you’ve never been, have a look at the list of attractions and take an educated guess!)
• One entry per child please! If you have two kids, leave a separate comment for each. So for example, your first entry might look like this: “My son Parker (11), loves to practice Mission Impossible-style maneuvers in Laser Frenzy!” Your second entry (second comment) would refer to your other child.
• Winners must pick up their membership at Funhaven within 30 days. Another name will be drawn if it’s not picked up before then.
• If you can’t post your comment here for whatever reason, you can email it to me for posting. Send it to andrea at quietfish dot com … however I cannot be responsible if your entry is misdirected or gets stuck in my Spam folder.
• Good karma goes to those who tweet or share this giveaway on Facebook. Do you know someone who would appreciate the chance to win? I bet you do. Forward this info to them!

I will choose three winners using Random.org at noon EST on Tuesday April 23, 2013.

That’s it! Over to you. And good luck!

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a Good Eats post. But I’m back, and hungrier than ever! These recipes are the ones that caught my eye this week:

First up: this recipe for Roasted Coconut Lime Thai Chicken from A Pretty Life. I’ve been in a chicken rut, and I think this looks like the perfect antidote.

Source: aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com via Candace on Pinterest

And because I love breakfast – for breakfast, lunch and dinner – maybe I’ll whip up some of this super decadent french toast from Life in Pleasantville on Sunday:

Source: lifeinpleasantville.com via Candace on Pinterest

And since we’re not counting calories here, I spied these Peanut Butter Crispy squares from Ottawa Valley Moms and there was no question about sharing it here this week:

Source: ottawavalleymoms.com via Ottawa Valley on Pinterest

What good things have you been cooking up lately? I’d love to see!