Here are some my boys have enjoyed, although if they've been voracious readers, they may have covered these:
Outdoors: (they are probably a little old for these, esp the 15yo)
Hatchet, Tracker, lots of stuff by Gary Paulsen
My Side of the Mountain
DIY/Get in trouble: Unbored Manual to Manhood Backyard Ballistics
Calvin and Hobbes or Far Side collections (huge hit at our house)
Nonfiction: What If?
Omnivore's Dilemma (there's a young reader's version, too).
I don't know what the language tolerance is, but mine liked the Martian and Ready Player One, though those might be outside their interests.
Otherwise a bunch of sci-fi/fantasy (sorry, I have nerds). Good luck.
Some more WTF from Disney to warp childhood...
I'm sure I can't be the only kid whose dad took them to see "Disney's version of Star Wars," only to have their brain melted...
Revisiting it as an adult, I still don't know what the hell's going on (literally) at the end, nor do I know who managed to pitch a space version of Faust as a Disney movie, but I thought the inclusion of Goethe's last words was a creepy but underrated move.
And this, along with Condorman, remains conspicuously absent from the Disney+ catalog. C'mon, it's got exploding dirigibles, lost Vikings, vicious inflatable orcas...
Surely Tom wouldn't ask his athletic director to commit multiple NCAA violations on his behalf. I mean, that's the kind of thing that might get a guy fired for cause.
This is definitely true, but isn't it equally true for those who want the government to increase its influence and size? They usually have pretty particular ideas about how they want it to 'do something about X.'
I'm pretty much completely politically disaffected these days, but what frustrates me about the growth of government (and especially the overreach of the executive) is that neither 'team' will consider the consequences of increasing governmental influence when they lose control of it. If you give government the power to do something you want, you've also given it the power to undo it (or do the opposite).
After watching the unhinged mewling of birthers over Obama and the derangement that Trump has caused, with apocalyptic convulsions from both sides, maybe we should consider allowing government a little less control over our lives. I had kind of hoped that the lesson we would learn from this presidency was that if we've given our government/executive so much power as to be seen as an existential threat, perhaps that's a little too much?
Thank you!
I may look at doing a day and a half or two days so they can try out both.
I'll ask them, of course, but any recommendations on what size boat to request (41, 36, 34ft)? I don't have enough experience to know the advantages/disadvantages of each.
I'd like to take my boys fishing for a day. I've seen Keen M recommended on here, is that the consensus? I saw a rec for Obsession on the Fishing thread, but this will be their first offshore trip (and might as well be mine), so that experience seems like it would be wasted on us, plus we could probably go out twice with Keen for that price.
What's the skeeter situation on Isla? We've never been bitten in the PdC area, but I didn't know if I should pack the DEET.
That hurt at $700pp from AUS, but I'm not used to travelling at busy holidays, and that was better than anything else I could find. Also a direct flight back to AUS which will be vital since we haven't gotten our Global Entry interviews done and I'll be herding the boys back through customs for the first time.
We'll take good care of Victor.
I'm carving may way through the thread (and populating my Google map), but are most places on the island still cash only? Didn't know if anything had changed since the Rona.
Fuck it, Dude. Let's go to Isla.
Just booked SWA flights, went ahead and did two rooms at Secreto since I could book through a CC portal and get some point bonuses.
Started this thread over from the beginning and I'll be back with preguntas estupidas. I already have so many restaurants bookmarked that we'll have to eat five meals a day.
Thanks, unfortunately Aluxes is out of 2bdrm units that week. Was thinking about getting a couple rooms at Secreto -- definitely not going to Isla and sharing a room with those two knuckleheads. Just didn't know if kids aren't part of the vibe there.
Somehow I'm off for the week after Christmas this year, so I'm toying with the idea of making this our boys' intro trip to Mexico (15yo and 13yo), and it would the first visit to Isla for my wife and I (we usually do the lazy gringo thing at El Dorado Casitas). What's it like at that time? Does it get bonkers down there for NYE? We're usually more chill-on-the beach types, especially given current circumstances.
Is Secreto a no-go for kids that age? Looked like Ixchel might be a good spot? Any other places to look? I'm fine with a condo but I'm sure as hell not planning on cooking.
In lieu of a real fire feature, we installed a couple of the Pentair Magic Bowls:
(not my photo)
It was the first time our builder had used them, so we didn't know what to expect, but we like them a lot and we haven't had any problems with them (yet) after about two years.
Hassle-free, the kids like hanging around under the spillover, and it gives an approximation of a fire feature without inviting stupid adolescent male mischief.
I have developed a serious problem, but I don't want help. Upgraded my rig to what I was lusting after in Colorado and it's like mainlining heroin. I also have a new fishing buddy. We could both quit our jobs and do this every day.
Quite the stern draw, knowwhatimean, nudge nudge?
The boy's been asking about and looking for a good instructor in Central Texas. Any recommendations?
Found Olympic Outdoor Center in San Marcos, anyone with experience or thoughts? @Snow Dog?
So we're going to hold off for large schools which are more likely to play in a limited geographic area urban district, and let small schools which travel upward of 100 miles to small widely distributed communities with limited rural hospital facilities play? BRILLIANT. Just delay the whole thing. Signed, disconcerted parent of a 4A offensive lineman.
Tried to channel my inner Swayze whilst looking for a fly fishing spot in Salida, CO. Just phone pix, but I figured I'd try. And I hooked into a decent one but couldn't land it, though that's for the fishing thread.