"What are YOU doing this weekend?" (Photo by Veronica ML) Ah, the lazy days of summer are here. Wait -- "lazy?" We Americans are lazy enough already, according to this month’s American Journal of Medicine. That means it’s time to get out, get active, and to take advantage of some summertime activities! Nothing on your calendar? No problem! Ours is packed through the season. Here are just a few ideas for just this weekend: In major metropolitan areas, of course, there’s always something going on. If you’re anywhere near Chicago, this weekend is "Taste of Chicago," with free admission and filled with food and music. Speaking of music, everyone in Dallas is likely lined up for the "American Idol" auditions. If you missed registering in Texas, get your plane tickets now for one of the upcoming auditions in Los Angeles, Orlando, or Denver. Are there events geared toward those who want to get or stay fit this summer? Certainly! Remember the "Seinfeld" episode where Kramer swims in the East River because the pool is too constricting? It turns out there's a gaggle of like-minded New Yorkers who are swimming around Liberty Island today. If you can't make it, don’t worry; they have more events scheduled. Of course, you don’t have to live in the big city to find cool things to do. Wherever you are, you can still participate in "Take Your Dog to Work Day" (provided your employer approves, of course!), Some folks in Petaluma, California, however, will be skipping work with their pooches to visit the Sonoma-Marin Fair and enter the "World’s Ugliest Dog Contest." If the thought of big crowds and rats on leashes makes you want to just stay home -- or if you’re just saving all your energy for the Fourth of July weekend -- you can still get involved by watching other people push the limits of hockey, golf, or pure speed. Just don’t say you’re bored!

Directory categories: American Idol, Recreation in Manhattan, Chicago Travel Guides, Activities for Dogs, Sports

Archived under: American Idol, Animals, Boredom, Calendars, Chicago, Cities, Contests, Dogs, Eating, Entertainment, Events, Festivals, Food and Drink, Health, Outdoors, Pets, Recreation and Travel, Regional, Seinfeld, Sports, Summer, Swimming, Tourist Attractions, Travel, Vacations

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"Bit of a sticky wicket there!" (Photo by Peter Dutton) For many of us, croquet brings to mind leisurely Sunday afternoon games played in Grandma's backyard or at family picnics. But for some croquet fans, there's nothing leisurely about it -- and it's no mere game. Welcome to the fast-paced, cutthroat world of competitive croquet! Association Croquet players -- and their counterparts who play American six-wicket -- are as serious as hardcore golfers, adhere to the game's complicated rules, handicapping, mind-boggling jargon, and international tournaments. And lest we forget, croquet was even once an Olympic sport. Sure, casual players can stick to the friendlier nine-wicket version (known to the pros as "Backyard Croquet"), but even that game can have an edge. Modern Backyard Croquet players like a challenge, and have devised variations where they play on extreme terrain that borders on obstacle courses, on beaches, or on pavement. They play in snow and rain, and they play at night. They play in costumes, on bicycles, and with unconventional equipment. So, take some tips from extreme croquet players to liven up the next family picnic. We predict even Grandma will love the challenge of using a potato as a ball. Suggested Sites... Mondo Croquet - croquet played with bowling balls and sledgehammers. Smashing! Lakewood Croquet Club - extreme croquet club and organizers of the annual Champions Cup. Ads Featuring Croquet - beer ads would be better if more of them featured croquet. Oxford Croquet - more croquet information than you can shake a mallet at. Wicket World of Croquet - looking for some croquet action? Head to the tournament at the President Benjamin Harrison Home in Indianapolis.

Directory categories: Croquet, Extreme Croquet, Croquet Gear, Croquet Clubs and Organizations

Archived under: Croquet, Cultures, Fanatics, Games, Home and Garden, Outdoors, Recreation and Travel, Sports, Summer

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The always-dapper Babe Ruth styles for the camera Today is National Tailor's Day; a day dedicated to the men and women who sew and fashion our clothes so that we always look our best. On such an occasion, our minds turn naturally to that most American of outfits, the baseball uniform, for it was on this day in 1849 that the New York Knickerbockers became the first baseball team to wear uniforms. In the century-and-a-half since, the uniform has undergone many changes: pants have been both tighter and looser, as well as shorter and longer. Sleeves have been long, short -- and even non-existent. Materials have changed, from flannel wool to polyester to today's poly-cotton blends. While some teams have maintained the same look for decades, others seem to change with the seasons; sometimes bland, sometimes colorful -- sometimes downright bizarre. While many of us have a mental image of how baseball players are supposed to look -- mid-calf pants, stirrup socks and sanitaries (usually, but not always, white), and short jerseys with colored undershirt -- that combination has all but disappeared in recent years, though some younger players are trying to restore the classic look. Believe it or not, there are some folks who are obsessed with this kind of thing; who create spreadsheets to track the various uniform combinations their favorite teams wear. But let it not be forgotten that all those variations on uniforms are cash cows for Major League Baseball teams, who schedule games saluting individual players, Negro League teams, or who "turn back the clock" to wear modern versions of vintage kits -- all in the hopes of selling replicas to fans. Unfortunately or (fortunately), the teams' ability to salute the past exceeds their ability to predict the future. A 1999 multi-team promotion that "turned the clock ahead" gave teams the chance to wear some designer’s idea of what ballclubs would wear "in the future;" the event provided fans with a bizarre collection of jerseys that made the teams look less like professional athletes than an assignment on "Project Runway." But for every giant compass or silver helmet that the future may (or may not) hold, traditionalists can rest assured that pinstripes and team names rendered in script will never go out of style. Suggested Sites... National Baseball Hall of Fame: Dressed to the Nines - historical archive of every uniform ever worn by every major league club. Uni Watch - Paul Lukas's blog dedicated to the obsessive study of athletic aesthetics (meaning "uniforms"). Wikipedia: Baseball Uniforms - history of how the modern uni came to be. Mitchell and Ness - manufacturer of authentic and replica uniforms for Major League Baseball and other sports. Ebbets Field Flannels - maker of reproduction minor league and Negro League uniforms.

Directory categories: Baseball, Baseball History, Athletic Wear Manufacturers, Men's Custom-Made Apparel, Sporting Goods

Archived under: 19th Century, Anniversaries, Apparel, Athletes, Baseball, Baseball Players, Clothing and Accessories, Collectibles, Design, Events, Fanatics, History, MLB, Sports

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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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Backyard horseshoes The smell of charcoal and charred meat on the grill, the clink of ice in a glass for a mojito, and a warm breeze blowing through the air as temperatures begin to rise. It's the season for that glorious pastime known as the Backyard Olympics: horseshoes, badminton, croquet, and more. This week is "National Backyard Games Week." It precedes Memorial Day weekend, giving bean bag players plenty of time to brush up on their Hacky Sack tossing skills. Backyard sports combine the best of the ice-breaker with the competitiveness of game night. Anyone can whack a two-pound ball across the lawn with a croquet mallet while holding a drink in their hand. (Whether it goes through the wicket is another story.) With bragging rights up for grabs, a friendly game of bocce can quickly turn underhanded, with plenty of room for allegations of cheating, bribery, and even some good-natured ribbing. But why stick with the classics when there are dozens of lawn games out there to experiment with? There’s Mölkky, a Finnish game that involves knocking over numbered pegs with a wooden throwing pin, or washer pitching, a game which rather sadly, does not involve hurling washing machines across the lawn. For those who want to kick their backyard festivities up a notch, there’s glow-in-the-dark bocce, LED horseshoes, and even laser tag for those who really want to go all out. However, it's probably wise to avoid the ever-controversial game of lawn darts, so happy lawn bowling, everyone! Suggested Sites... Tossing Games - forums on dozens of different tossing games. Outdoor Lawn Games - more ideas for your family reunion or bar-b-cue. Cornhole Players - everything about bean bag tossing. United States Croquet Association - all about American Croquet. National Horseshoe Pitching Association of America - forums, rules, leagues, and more.

Directory categories: Bocce, Horseshoe Pitching, Cornhole, Badminton, Croquet

Archived under: Athletes, Celebrations, Children, Croquet, Entertainment, Games, Holidays, Outdoors, Recreation and Travel, Sports, Summer, Toys

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