Want to do something good AND get something spiffy?

The Reading Rainbow Kickstarter has reached its second half. It blew its one million dollar goal out of the water, though sadly it looks like it might not reach the new five million goal. ($3,850,905 made and 13 days left to go.)

The goal of the project is to bring Reading Rainbow (thus a love of reading and books) into classrooms everywhere. You can read more about it at the link above.

While I donated early on, I had been depressed that I couldn't get a copy of the Reading Rainbow calendar (it was a $150+ pledge reward). I'm not sure how many people use paper calendars anymore, but I do at work, so I was really hoping to get one.

Yesterday they changed the reward system, so now you can get a number of items (t-shirt, bumper sticker, mugs, etc) as an "add on" reward -- for $25 or $30 more, you can get the reward you want. So I pledged $25 more and now I can get the calendar, yay!

Why would you want the calendar? Check out the artists who will draw art for it! MARY GRANDPRÉ ("is best known for her iconic work as the artist and illustrator of the Harry Potter books"), BRETT HELQUIST ("is best known as the illustrator behind the beloved children's book series, Lemony Snicket"), the Penny Arcade team, two different Marvel/DC artists, and MIKE MAIHACK (webcomics and Jim Henson company artist). All are doing artwork for free for this project! The remaining pieces will be drawn by fans, voted on by everyone who contributes.

So if you'd like the calendar or some other prize, just donate $5 (or more if you can!), then donate $25 more (or $30 for a t-shirt). It's a very good cause, plus the prizes are spiffy!

But you don't have to take my word for it...

Don't Starve

I'm kind of sad I didn't go crazy, but I guess it'll happen eventually. I did almost get set on fire by lightning though, that was kind of spiffy.

'Lines you only hear from gamers' is always a fun thing. My mother called me tonight, and I frantically told her I couldn't talk because a giant frog was trying to eat me. That sort of thing no longer fazes her.

teaandfailure posted an amusing write up about a game called Don't Starve (you can read it here!). I've been wanting to pick it up, and today it's on sale for 75% off in the Stream Summer Sale (for the next 12 hours!), so thanking my good timing, I grabbed it. Can't go wrong paying $3 and change for a game!

I only had time to play two games of it tonight, but I'm really liking it. One of the fun parts is that there are no instructions! No text when you hover over icons or something, nothing telling you what to do. (Having read teaandfailure's posts, I knew a little.) You just have to try to live (and not starve).

My first game was really short, but I have no idea why. I just fell over dead for seemingly no reason. (I might have starved, as I didn't know what the icons were indicating. I need to obey game titles better!) The second game lasted longer (three whole game days!), until a frog killed me. Not the same frog I mentioned when my mother called, that was a totally different game. I guess today was just a dangerous day to be around frogs.

I don't have any peachy keen screenshots yet, as mostly all I did was pick grass and chase after birds with my axe. Visit teaandfailure's LJ to see some! The graphics really are cute and funny.