.They say this is a monkey, but it looks like a poodle to us. (Photo by rick) In the days before the Internet, if you wanted to learn how to do something, you had to actually go out and seek the tutelage of an expert. If, for example, you wanted to learn how to make balloon animals, there were two options: trial and error (which would likely leave you with a pile of popped poodles) or expert instruction. Good luck getting a clown to give up his trade secrets, though. But nowadays, thanks to online videos, just about anybody can learn how to sculpt a dog or a flower. If you happen to already be versed in the art of balloon modeling, then today is the day for you to make your annual contribution to society. "Balloons Around the World" is a global event where twisters can volunteer their services, either for free or to raise funds for charity. And the rest of us? We can support our local artists at various events. Balloon artists are certainly not relegated to inflating their creations on demand at schools and parties, however. They've touched the world of fashion and set Guinness records. Above all, twisters provide much-needed smiles and laughs to people of all ages around the world. Suggested Sites... Balloons Around the World - official site, with global events calendar. Balloon HQ - professional resources for twisters, plus balloon facts and fun. Twist & Shout Convention - all the best balloon manipulators, all in one place. Basics of Balloon Animals - instructions from About.com, with various techniques and step-by-step guides to making specific sculptures. The Balloon Animals Blog - videos about making balloon figures, including an Oscar statuette.

Directory categories: Inflatable Sculpture, Balloon Artists, Clowning, Volunteerism, Philanthropy

Archived under: Arts, Balloons, Charity, Children, Circus Arts, Clowns, Crafts, DIY, Entertainment, Hobbies, How-To, Philanthropy, Society and Culture

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The women of the Capital Punishment roller derby tournament (Photo by Michelle Tribe) Remember your first pair of roller skates? As you wobbled along, you probably didn't consider the experience a precursor to a future foray into contact sports (aside from contact with the sidewalk, perhaps). For some, it's just a hop, skip, and a roll from the safe sidewalk to the raucous roller rink. The sport of roller derby is making a comeback, and women in particular are lacing up old-fashioned four-wheel skates, donning helmets, and engaging in some serious competition. The rules of roller derby aren't especially complex: "jammers" score points by passing "pivots" and "blockers." The spectacle of the sport comes mainly from the shoves and spills the skaters endure. A decades-old phenomenon, roller derby grew out of the tradition of endurance races early in the 20th century. The first "Transcontinental Roller Derby" took place on August 13, 1935 at the Chicago Coliseum. Less brutal than the endurance race that, years earlier, had killed at least one participant, this Derby went on for weeks and covered 3,000 miles, the distance from Boston to San Diego. Since then, roller derby has come in and out of fashion, and public interest in the bouts as spectator sports has waxed and waned. In recent years, more teams and leagues have formed, with an emphasis on community, sportsmanship, and fun. There’s even an upcoming feature film directed by Drew Barrymore that frames a young woman's coming-of-age story around roller derby. With the known benefits of participation in team sports, and talk of roller sports being included in the Olympics, it may not be far-fetched to see this burgeoning sport playing a role in shaping a girl's future. Suggested Sites... Women's Flat Track Derby Association - tons of resources for skaters, including events, careers, rules, and rankings. Derby News Network - current info for serious derby fans. Roller Derby Foundation - includes an online roller derby museum and hall of fame. RollerCon - start training for next year, rollergirls! How To Pick Roller Skates - eHow video in which Rat City Roller Girl Rahel Cook shows you the basics for selecting a pair of skates.

Directory categories: Roller Derby, Roller Derby Leagues and Teams, Skating Rinks, Drew Barrymore, Women's Sports

Archived under: 1930s, American History, Contests, Hobbies, Roller Skating, Society and Culture, Sports, Women, Women's Sports

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"Say 'cheese!'" (Photo by Robert Mann) Summer is nearly here, so it’s time to officially come out of hibernation. For those of you who have an itchy shutter finger, today is an especially good day to venture out and about with your camera. June 15th is Nature Photography Day -- a great excuse to pause and observe the wild world and contemplate its conservation. Fortunately, you don't need to be the next Franz Lanting in order to participate in this event, or even to plan a trip to an exotic location. The North American Nature Photography Association has a very low-pressure approach. They'll be posting members’ photos in their newsletter, but they offer a few rules to follow. The main rule is that your photographs must be taken within walking or biking distance of wherever you are on June 15. This provides you with an opportunity to find the glimpses of nature that you might otherwise miss amid your ordinary day-to-day routines. You might see the sidewalk in a new way, or gain an appreciation for backyard visitors. Maybe you won’t end up with a print you want to frame at the end of the day. That’s fine. Stopping to "snap the roses" is its own reward. On the other hand, maybe you’ll be inspired to develop your skills as a photographer. The next challenge: kids! Suggested Sites... Wildlife Theater - pics taken in one suburban back yard. Wild Light - Rick Lieder's images of the birds and the bees. A Walk Through Durham Township, Pennsylvania - corn in morning fog, and other cool things. The photo.net Nature Photography Pages - guides, equipment reviews, field ethics, and much more. Nature Photography Day on Flickr - public Flickr group.

Directory categories: Nature Photography, Personal Nature Photography Exhibits, Resources for Photographers, Photo Contests, Nature Photography For Purchase

Archived under: Animals, Arts, Cameras, Conservation, Environment, Events, Hobbies, Home and Garden, Photography, Wildlife

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Even if you're a nerd, you don't have to make your poor dog suffer (Photo by Felipe Ibanez Guzman) There's a moment in everyone's life when they come out of the closet -- not necessarily that closet -- but rather when they realize that that thing they’ve always been interested in and fascinated by isn't something to be embarrassed about, but is something to be acknowledged and celebrated. In my own case, it was (and is) comic books. Even though I've been reading them for half a century, when I was in high school, it was worst sort of social embarrassment to admit that not only did you read and enjoy them, but you also collected them. When I got to college, I met men and women who were smart, funny, and who actually read comics -- and admitted it. Since then, I've been more than proud of my fanboy status -- even if some of my fellows are still stereotypically geeky. May 25th is Nerd Pride Day, a holiday that started (in Spain, of all places) in 2006, and is dedicated to allowing all of us the freedom to be geeks or nerds about anything we like -- no, not just like, but are really into. With that in mind, I polled my fellow Sparksters to find out what floats their particular boats. Robert: As far as nerdy and geeky interests, there's too much to choose from, so I’ll just go with role-playing games -- "Dungeons and Dragons" in particular; a game that even nerds call nerdy. I used to play "Dungeons and Dragons" back in the '90s when TSR was still around and supported the "Ravenloft" (gothic horror) and "Dark Sun" (kind of like "Mad Max") campaign settings. These days my D&D lust is satisfied by war games like "Warhammer" and board games (especially horror games) like "Arkham Horror," which is a perfect meld of board games and another nerdy interest of mine: H.P. Lovecraft and the Cthulhu mythos. But, still loyal to my old passion, I keep a bad-ass "Dragons of Krynn" painting I got way back in high school hanging in my room. Sarah: I am a total history junkie. I will read, watch, or listen to anything involving history (as you can probably tell from my Sparks). I'm partial to European history, especially anything weird, corrupt, or scandalous -- and it’s even better if it involves the monarchy. But surprisingly, I've never been to a Renaissance Faire. Suzi: This Memorial Day, I hope to be sitting by the pool, soaking up the sun, enjoying a bevy of tunes from my iPod Classic, whilst reading some lovely literary selection on my Kindle. I'm sure I'll be in contact with loved ones, as my Blackberry Pearl never leaves my side. Yes, folks, I am an unabashed gadget girl. I wear my Nerd Pride badge, well, proudly. Richard: I became painfully aware of my status as a gay nerd while creating a spreadsheet of "Golden Girls" episodes that I wanted to rip to my iPhone, organized by season, disc, and featured musical number (where applicable.) Jessica: I am nerdy about snowboard construction. My own snowboard has a Kevlar core for strength and flexibility (and in case bad guys are after me on the slopes, a la James Bond). It's pretty new, but the latest in board tech is bamboo veneer, which, in addition to being sustainable and looking very board-like indeed, reduces vibrations on icy snow and at high speeds. So cool. Adrienne: I collect Japanese toys. Okay, I'm not a master collector, but I still spend too much money of ugly vinyl monsters and fanciful plastic windup toys. Source of neurotic nerdiness: Crying over Gamera's apparent demise ("Don't die, Gamera! Don’t die!") in a fellow 3-year-old’s Gaithersburg, Maryland basement. It's one of my earliest memories. Do manicured lawns spawn escapist fantasies? Chris: I am an unapologetic sci-fi nerd. A good sci-fi novel/movie inspires you to think deeply, often forcing you to consider possibilities that never occurred to you. The prescription for all closed-minded individuals who just can't show any empathy or sympathize with any unknown point of view is an assigned list of the best sci-fi. Mike: I am a Disneyland nerd and proud of it! Since I was 10 years old, I’ve been going there at least once a year. After my first son was born, I have shared my poison, I mean passion, for it with my family -- my eight-year-old son has been there 15 times. I know ... it's nuts. And that’s why it's the nerdiest thing about me. Suggested Sites... Wikipedia: Geek Pride Day - we call them nerds, they call them geeks -- and there's probably a subculture dedicated to determining the differences. Nerd Country - "your complete nerd resource." Wikipedia: Trekkies - for some, these are the ultimate of geekdom. 501st Legion - for me, it doesn't get any lower than this, though. Okay, you think Boba Fett is cool; we get it, already! Kelly's World of Airsickness Bags - see, there's nothing that doesn't have afficionados.

Directory categories: Comic Books, Consumer Electronics, The Golden Girls, Collectible Toys, Disneyland

Archived under: Authors, Board Games, Books, Celebrations, Collectibles, Comic Books, Comics, Counterculture, Cultures, Disney, Disneyland, Entertainment, European History, Extreme Sports, Fanatics, Fiction, Gadgets, Games, Gay Pride, History, Hobbies, Holidays, In Character, James Bond, Japan, Literature, Monsters and Creatures, Parenting, Royalty, Science Fiction, Sitcoms, Society and Culture, Sports, Star Trek, Star Wars, TV, Technology, The Spark, Toys, Winter Sports, Yahoo! Directory

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(Photo by Mo Riza) It's a good time for books. This week we celebrated "Read Across America," and today our friends in the U.K. are marking World Book Day. In January the National Endowment for the Arts offered some good news about reading as well. Just a few years back, the NEA released a report called "Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America" that showed a general decline in the pastime. The more recent 2008 survey, with the equally alliterative (but more optimistic) title, "Reading on the Rise," shows that we’re turning that trend around, and that more Americans -- especially 18- to 24-year-olds -- are reading novels, short stories, plays, and poems. I was a little surprised by these findings, what with all the "non-literary" texting and Twittering and Facebooking we Americans do. But then I realized that the Internet and social networking can help foster our relationships with books -- and even assist in matching us to just the right "next read." Online reading groups provide a way to find like-minded book lovers in any genre. If you prefer to read solo, but would still like to get good recommendations, there's plenty of help for you online. If you want a list from a famous source, you’re not limited to Oprah's Book Club -- Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna recently dished on their own favorites, and many authors offer their own lists of books they've enjoyed. There are sites that generate recommendations based on other books you like, your mood -- or even through a psychic. One book enthusiast is dedicated to listing books for busy people (each under 250 pages). A good place to start your book search is, of course, the Yahoo! Directory, where you can browse sites that recommend books for readers of all ages. Suggested Sites... Goodreads - social network for book fans and authors, with book groups, recommendations, trivia, and more. Library Thing - catalog your book collection and find out what you should add to your shelf. Guardian Unlimited Books: Top 10s - fascinating picks from fascinating folks. The Psychic Book Project - based on the name of your pet and your favorite natural disaster, your next book is divined. Book Adventure: Help Me Find a Book - kids need good recommendations, too!

Directory categories: Online Reading Groups, Book Recommendations, Children's Book Reading Lists, Book Personal Predictors, Young Adult Reading Lists

Archived under: Authors, Books, Children´s Literature, Entertainment, Fiction, Hobbies, In Character, Internet, Paperbacks, Reading, Social Networking, Society and Culture, Writers, Writing, Yahoo! Directory

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