Practically Speaking - ElmGroveNOW

It's spring! Time for Midwest Gaming Classic at Brookfield's Sheraton Hotel - March 23 & 24

Posted by Kyle Prast on March 19, 2013

Brookfield, Just for fun!, Special events


Billy Mitchel - 2004*

Broke world record!

Although the weather isn't exactly springlike, the calender says it's time for that annual springtime treat for gamers, the Midwest Gaming Classic! What's a Midwest Gaming Classic? Why, its "the largest all-encompassing electronic gaming trade show in the Midwest:"

This year, it will again be held at the Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield Hotel, at 375 South Moorland Rd., just south of Brookfield Square and north of I-94.

The 2013 event runs from Saturday, March 23, from 10am to 8pm, and Sunday, from 10am to 5pm. Check their Event Guide for the schedule. Tickets are $35 for the entire weekend or $30 on Saturday and $15 on Sunday. Children 10 and under get in free with a paying adult. There are pinball and video arcade games to play--all set on free play, pinball and video arcade machines, accessories and parts to purchase, and fun to be had!

Don't feel like playing non-stop? Attend a Panel or Presentation. Billy Mitchel will be returning to present Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and High Scores at noon on Sunday. And unlike Mitchel's last visit, in 2004 when Mitchel publicly broke the record on my son's Donkey Kong machine, my hubby will have his Sharpie ready for an autograph!

*Photos are from the Midwest Gaming Classic archives.

Past Posts:
Midwest Gaming Classic at Brookfield's Sheraton Hotel - March 27 & 28, 2010
Play pinball and arcade games at the Midwest Gaming Classic

Come out and play at the Midwest Gaming Classic, March 26 & 27

Posted by Kyle Prast on March 23, 2011

Brookfield, Family, Just for fun!, Special events

It's that time of year again, the Midwest Gaming Classic comes to Brookfield's Sheraton Hotel, 375 South Moorland Road this weekend. Pay one fee and play all day: $20 Admission on Saturday, March 26th, 10am - 8pm, and $10 Admission on Family Day, Sunday, March 27th, 10am - 5pm. Children 12 and under are FREE if accompanied by an adult with paid admission.

This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the Midwest Classic. Billed as "The largest all-encompassing electronics gaming trade show", it has grown quite a bit since its early days. They are also offering a bus tour to the Stern Pinball factory in Illinois for $95 on Friday, March 25th. (Stern is the last of the pinball manufacturers in the US.)

There are tournaments, $5,000 in prizes, speakers, vendors, 100s of games to play, vintage games and computers museum section, and games to purchase. If it plugs in and has buttons, it probably will be at the Classic! The weather this weekend returns to the low 30s, so I would think attendance would be up. Check out the Event Guide for specifics.

Have fun!

Past Posts: Midwest Gaming Classic weekend, play pinball, arcade games & more!
Play pinball and arcade games at Midwest Gaming Classic .

Don't laugh, this is serious, Rand Paul is pro-choice on toilets!

Posted by Kyle Prast on March 10, 2011

Going Green, Conservatives, Product safety, Just for fun!, Legislation

I think we could all use a little comic relief, so when I saw this caption on the Drudge Report, I had to snicker: Paul wants government hands off his toilet.

That's right. Newly elected Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky (Rep. Ron Paul's son) asked, "If the federal government can support abortion rights, why can't it also support light bulb choice."

I don't mean to diminish the serious side of Rand's inquiry, but it is a good question.

If you have shopped for incandescent light bulbs lately, you probably noticed that some higher wattage models are becoming scarce. (My personal favorite is the 150w large white globe bulb. It gives a nice even bright light for open ceiling fixtures, and because of its large size, the filament doesn't overheat--it lasts a long time. I can only find them at my trusty Elliot's Ace Hardware store.)

The article went on to suggest it was better not to "get [Paul] started about his toilet".

Rand Paul said, “'Light bulbs, refrigerators, toilets, you name it. You can’t go around your house without being told what to buy. You restrict my purchases. You don’t care about my choices. You don’t care about the consumer.''' (I would add phosphate dish-washing detergent to that list--you know, the kind that actually works.)

Shades of Mr. Popper's Penguins, meet Lala

Posted by Kyle Prast on Feb. 21, 2011

Just for fun!, Family, Movies & Books, Pets, Weather

On a snowy day like today, wouldn't it be nice to have someone go to the store for you? Check this out.

As a child, I enjoyed reading Mr. Popper's Penguins. As a mother, I enjoyed reading it again to my son. The story held up well over the years; he thought it was a real hit too. (It is available at the Brookfield Library.) But never in my wildest dreams did I think anyone would ever have a penguin for a house pet! Yet there he is on YouTube.

Unlike Mr. Popper, who kept Captain Cook (his pet penguin) in a freezer, the Japanese family seems to have an air conditioned porch for their pet. I hope you caught that the family gave Lala his freedom after they rescued him and nursed him back to health, but he chose to stay with them. Don't you love his backpack?

By the way, the story of Mr. Popper's Penguins makes it to the big screen this summer, starring Jim Carrey. (Though I am not a Jim Carrey fan, I do like penguins.) The story has been changed some in that this Mr. Popper is a single businessman who inherits several penguins. Hope the movie version maintains the charm of the book. The preview pictures look cute.

In the meantime, stay warm.

Mr. Popper's Penguins book review

Love that lasts a lifetime, still holding hands at 90

Posted by Kyle Prast on Feb. 14, 2011

Family, Holidays, Just for fun!

Today is Valentine's Day, a day that celebrates LOVE.

It is also a day that makes retailers happy if they happen to sell greeting cards, candy, flowers or jewelry! While those items might help show how much you care on February 14th, the other 364 days are equally, if not more, important.

Shortly after Christmas, I was privileged to witness a very dear couple (my aunt and uncle--both 90 years old) silently express their love for each other after nearly 65 years of marriage. My uncle was in the hospital and not expected to recover; my aunt was sitting next to him holding his hand. Our family was visiting.

There seemed to be something going on between them beyond just hand holding, which was touching in itself. They were playing the squeeze game: One party squeezes 4 times, the other answers with 3 squeezes, the reply is 2 squeezes, followed by a long squeeze answer.

Don't you know this? my aunt asked. We were clueless. No, we said. She joked Oh, you young people don't know everything and explained they had been doing this game for years--even before they were married.

This is the game:
Person 1 squeezes 4X, this asks the question, Do you love me?
The other person, Person 2, squeezes 3X in reply, Yes I do.
Then Person 1 squeezes 2X again to ask, How much?
The final answer from Person 2 comes in the form of 1 l-o-n-g, firm squeeze to say, THIS much.

They sat there and exchanged squeezes for quite some time as we chatted about the fun times we all had together.

The game was just a silly little thing, but it was special for them. I'm glad we were there to witness it. Their game showed that telling each other they loved each other was as normal for them as breathing.

You could tell the nurses thought they were a special couple too. One asked the secret to their nearly 65 years of marriage. Auntie said, Well, we put the Lord first, we're committed to each other--to being married... we love each other.

The book of Proverbs says, A friend loves at all times. And they have loved through good times and bad, through the ups and downs of marriage, a son's serious car accident and hospitalization, a granddaughters long recovery after being struck by lightening, 2 great grandchildren in neonatal ICU, my uncle's and their son's cancer, and financially challenging times. You know, life.

This dear couple would have been married 65 years this February, shortly before Valentine's Day. Unfortunately they didn't make that date; my uncle died the morning after our visit. But their love still lives on and will for eternity.

Be sure those you love know it today, and next time you hold hands with your sweetheart, maybe you want to introduce the squeeze game. XXXX, XXX, XX, X!

On Valentine's Day, Share the Word About the Benefits of Marriage.