Test Your Skills with the Eyeballing Game

Hey kids! Do you like math games? I sure don't, but these geometric challenges are actually kind of entertaining. The Eyeballing Game asks you to perform simple things like creating a parallelogram or finding the center of a circle.


You grab the blue line with your mouse and move it to create the shape or find the point in each puzzle. The trick is that you only get one shot, so you have to do a good job eyeballing the shape before you let go of the mouse. Once you have completed the seven challenges you take the test again (twice) t0 see how your score improves each round. Here were my results:


The lower your score gets the better, so I'd say I didn't do so bad after all.

Take the test and let me know how you did.

Sweet iPhone App: Fare City

This weekend I was sitting around with a group of iPhone users and we were talking about our favorite apps. Someone brought up this free game called Fare City and now I'm basically hooked.

Fare City is a taxi game where you manage multiple cabs while picking up passengers and dropping them off where they want to go.


You start by clicking the cab you want and drawing its destination on the road. The cab lights up and picks up the passenger. Then it's up to you to draw its path to the destination without crashing into other vehicles on the road. It almost has a Pac Man feel to it.


The longer you play the more taxis are added and it becomes quite tricky. Trust me, it's a lot more fun than my explanation may have you think!



If you have an iPhone you can download Fare City here.

Got a Steady Hand? Test It with Perfect Balance

Here's another game that you will either love or will make you go ape shit! You're welcome.

Much like Assembler, Perfect Balance tests your balancing skills with Tetris-like shapes and spheres with some precarious starting situations. Here are a few of the levels I completed before I lost my mind...



Some of the levels are fairly intuitive, but some of them really test your ability to unearth knowledge from high school physics class to solve.

Try out your balance here and let me know how you did. Leave a comment!

Create Digital Sand Art with "This Is Sand"

Sometimes I think I should rename this blog "A Blog About Things That Will Get You Fired" because I come across some of the most addicting and time-consuming sites on the web. I love sharing games and quizzes with my readers (especially ones that drive me crazy), but I just found another one that lets your create your very own sand art! Remember sand art?!


ThisIsSand.com turns your computer screen into your very own fancy glass jar so you can let your creative sand imagination run wild! Check out some of the user-create pieces:


I'm sorry if you had a seizure while viewing these. I couldn't post my own art because it takes 5 million years to actually finish a piece, so you should be impressed with these people who actually had the time and devotion to complete one!

Reader Jae has sent me his creation! Check it out:


Click here to send me yours!

Sorry if you get fired for spending all day on sand art!

Tie Your Brain in Knots with Entanglement

I'm currently loving this tricky and tactical online game called Entanglement.


Using your keyboard arrows or mouse scroll wheel, you rotate the hexagonal tiles to keep your colored line going as long as possible. It sounds simple, but it can be quite challenging once the amount of empty squares starts to diminish.

You can play by yourself or challenge up to six friends to play along.


You can click here to play Entanglement or head over to Gopher Studios to try out some of other fun online games. Enjoy!

[Thanks, Pierce]

VLOG: Pat & Carolyn Try the 'America's Next Top Model' Video Game

After 14 Cycles on the air America's Next Top Model has made its way into the world of video games. The game -- which is out for Nintendo Wii and DS -- takes players inside the model house for challenges and personal interaction. Some info on the game:

"To succeed, the player must convince a very critical jury at various events such as catwalk shows, photo shoots, etc… There are also interactive story elements, which depend on the relationships with the other contestants, boyfriends, admirers and jurors. Will you play the sweet heart and be everyone’s best friend? Or will you claw your way to the top through cat fights and cunning? Choose the path to your destiny as America’s Next Top Model."

Being the super fans that we are, Carolyn and I snagged a copy of the America's Next Top Model video game for Wii and this is what we thought...


So, it may not be the most exciting game around for late 20s bloggers, but for younger ANTM fans it's definitely something to have in your gaming arsenal.



*Full Disclosure: The America's Next Top Model video game was provided to me free of charge, but I wouldn't write about it if I didn't want to!

Can You Locate All 50 States?

Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader was/is a pretty popular show (I honestly have never watched, shocking) but this new quiz I found takes it two grades lower to see if you can do something that is expected of a third grader: Name and locate the 48 states in the continental US.


As soon as the game begins you have a set amount of time to drag and drop the names of the states onto their correct place on the map. Click here to take the test.

Now, I don't want to toot my own horn about how quickly I was able to do this, but... *toot toot* I've always had a knack for geography.

My little tip to you is this: Start with Maine (if you know where that is) because it took me like 30 tries for it to tell me I was right when I was.

So, are you smarter than a third grader? Leave a comment!

Hasbro Made a Game Just for Me: The Game of Things!

All right, maybe they didn't design The Game of Things just for this blog, but it sure was a great fit!

Several months ago I attended a presentation for Hasbro's Family Game Night and saw The Game of Things in their list of cool games. When I mentioned that my site was about "things" they were kind enough to give me a copy of the game to try out.

The premise is simple: One person takes a turn as "the reader" and poses a statement to group such as "something you shouldn't say to your wife" or "what a cow thinks when it is being milked" and then everyone writes down an appropriate answer. The reader then collects everyone's responses and you go around the circle taking turns guessing who said what. Trust me, the explanation is much less funny than actually playing.

It took me a while to finally get a group of my friends together to play but let me tell you -- it was worth the wait. I am a big fan of board games and I think this one ranks up in my top 5 ever. It was so fun and so creative and a really interesting way to get to know more about people. Just when you think you know what someone is going to say, think again!


We played several hundred rounds
We played for a good two and half hours last Friday and the excitement never died down. I think it was specially enhanced by the alcohol we were drinking, but that only added to the insane answers people were leaving. Trust me, it's fun.

If you're a fan of board games then you need to pick up The Game of Things for your next party.

Vlog Challenge #6: Board Games

We're back with another Vlog Challenge and boy, it was a good one!


What should we do for our next Vlog Challenge? Leave your suggestions below!

Cool Game: Must Pop Words

Here's another fun game to waste precious minutes (or hours) from your busy workday! Must Pop Words by Bart Bonte is a fast word game where speed is the key.


As the letter bubbles fall you have to make words out of them -- the longer the better. As they stack up it will become increasingly difficult, plus there are some random roadblocks thrown in your way.


Enjoy the game and don't get fired!

Watch Pat and Carolyn on BFF TV

Carolyn and I were recently on the MySpace gameshow BFF where we were put to the test to find out how much we knew about each other.


Think of it like a Newlywed Game for besties. We won some cool prizes! Check it out...


Head over to Myspace.com/BFF to watch more episodes, read blogs and see photos of us! We were intense!

Can we have our own show now? Thanks.

Which 'Real Housewives' Show Do You Belong On?

Tonight is the season finale of The Real Housewives of New Jersey on Bravo and I CANNOT wait to see the big table-flipping drama! I was pretty skeptical of the NJ cast at first, but hopefully this big finale will up the ante for next season.

In the meantime, have you ever wondered in which season of Housewives you'd fit in the most? Why don't you take the quiz and find out!


I (thank god) am best suited for the Housewives of NYC, which is good because Bethenny is totally my fave, with Vicki "you brought a LITTLE FAMILY VAN?!" from OC in a close second. If you happen to get the Housewives of NJ as your crew be sure to follow the 10 ways to be as fabulous as Teresa... which may or may not involve getting "bubbies."

Related Things:

• Why I Love Bethenny Frankel
• Real Housewives Walk-Off
  
• More things about television
• More games and quizzes

Scarygirl: Exciting Gameplay with a Macabre Twist

Just found a new way for you to waste hours away during your weekend. Scarygirl is a new online game created by Australian artist Nathan Jurevicius. You play as Scarygirl going through different levels of a fantasy world, meeting interesting friends and foes along the way.


I haven't had a chance to play the game for any one extended period of time, but it's simple and fun and the visuals are pretty fantastic. The game looks like a mixture of Dr. Seuss, a Tim Burton film and World of Goo. The animation is great and the music is cool and spooky at times. Check out the trailer:



Click here to play Scarygirl and let me know what you think!

[thanks to reader Maribeth for sending my way]

Related Things:

• More games and quizzes

TV Lovers: Can You ID These Network Logos?

I am a self-proclaimed TV addict and this quiz was even hard for me, so good luck. The folks over at Wired.com have compiled a collection of television network logos, cropped and rotated them and now challenge you to identify them. I got some of them right away and some I seriously couldn't figure out (Univision, anyone?) Here are the logos... give it a shot!


Hang in there as long as you can, then you can click here for the answers. Which ones did you get stuck on?

[thanks, Pierce]

Related Things:

• More games and quizzes
• More things about television

Who Are the Top 30 Contestants of 'America's Next Top Model?'

If there was an all-star version of America's Next Top Model who would win? Well, my friends over at BuddyTV.com have compiled their list of the Top 30 "Top Models" of the of all time, which might give a pretty good indication of who would take it all if past contestants wen head-to-head. Here's a little preview of their top 3 picks, in no particular order:


They have Anya (Cycle 10), Elyse (Cycle 1) and Katarzyna (Cycle 10) holding the top three spots. I can't say that I disagree with them. You can click here to view their entire list of the top 30 Top Models, or create your own list of picks or check out my list by looking under "user reactions."

What do you think of their list of Top Models? Anyone you're surprised to see not on the list?

What's Your Band's Debut Album?

This has been going around all over the place on blogs and facebook, so I'm getting in on the action. Here's how to random generate your new band's name, first album and cover artwork:

1 - Go to "Wikipedia." Hit “random”
or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random Wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to "Random Quotations"
or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”
or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use Photoshop, Gimp or similar to put it all together.

My band is called Absurd and our debut album is You Can't Be Childish Sometimes:


Rad. What's yours?

Related Things:

• More fun games and quizzes
  
• More things about music

Vlog Challenge #1: Shoe Brands

Starting a new series on my YouTube channel and here on the blog. It's called the Vlog Challenge, in which Carolyn and I (and possibly others) will challenge each other to fun games where I will almost definitely win every time.

Check out the first round where we have to name brands of shoes...



Related Things:

• Watch more of our awesome vlogs
• More quizzes and games
  

Waste Some Time with Wordle

A lovely new time waster from the from the folks at Wordle.net. You go to their site and put in your blog or favorite web site's URL and it gives you this pretty image of all the words on it. Here's what ablogaboutthings.com looks like:


Listen, I know it's not that exciting but at least you can avoid work for a few minutes, OK? Just do it!

[thanks, eric and carolyn]

Related Things:

• More games and quizzes

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Music Guessing Game

Stole this from my pal Maria... Good luck, I have some weird music!

Step 1: Put your music player on shuffle.
Step 2: Post the first phrase from the first 30 songs that play, no matter how embarrassing.
Step 3: Leave a comment with your guesses!

1. We in the car, we ride slow, we doing things that the girls don't do...
2. Kinda always knew I'd end your ex-girlfriend, whoa-oh...
3. We text as we eat as we listen to the freaks as we wait for the ride away...
4. aahhhh-hhh push it... ahhhhh-hhh push it... ooh baby baby... b-baby baby...
5. I've had a little bit too much-much. All of the people start to rush (start to rush by...)
6. Never forget who you are, little star. Never forget how to dream, butterfly...
7. I'm givin' you everything, all that joy can bring, this I swear...
8. I haven't thought of you for years and though your memory seems to come and go our time meant so much to me, now you can't be found...
9. If the fish swam outta the ocean and grew legs and started walkin' and the apes climbed down from the trees and grew tall and started talkin'...
10. Me no Bubblicious, me smoke heavy tar, me be groovin' slowly where you are...
11. Let's dance! Put on your red shoes and dances the blues...
12. She's real cute but she ain't got nothing on me boy (uh huh), caught you with her now I'm gonna scratch up all yours toys...
13. Hey Jane, It's been a long time since I've seen you last, I have in 26 years (not time has passed...)
14. Boy I'ma make you love me, make you want me, and I'ma give you some attention tonight...
15. Knew you'd be here tonight so I put my best dress on, boy I was so right...
16. Years on the run, boy I know I can take it, and now that I'm here I know you can't stand the waiting, boy...
17. Let's take our time, boy, love lasts forever, over and over, we'll be together...
18. What on earth am I meant to do? In this crowded place there is only you...
19. I was a little different, I didn't do what the best girls do...
20. Everybody's talkin' but they don't say a thing, they look at me with sad eyes but I don't want their sympathy...
21. (all right, hey) I need it girl, hey, I really need ya. I need ya girl. I think I'm getting a charge, so here the party goes with all my Gs in the back, who needs a bodyguard? I think I need to...
22. I am an arms dealer fitting you with weapons in the form of words...
23. And if you tell me what the hell I should really do whenever you're around I fail to move it, ya...
24. I'm obsessive when just one thought of you comes up, and I'm aggressive, just one thought ain't close enough...
25. Candlelight and soul forever, a dream of you and me together...
26. Want make some music to take me in and outta my head, get into my groove in time with my body instead...
27. I've never written a love song that didn't end in tears, maybe you'll rewrite my love song, you can replace my fears...
28. and I don't know, this could break my heart or save me. Nothing's real until you let go completely...
29. I made it through the wilderness, somehow I made I through, didn't know how lost I was until I found you...
30. He comes from a foreign place, and island far away, intrigues me with every move 'til I'm breathless, I'm helpless can't keep my cool...
    

Click here to see the full set of answers (don't cheat!)

Related Things:

• More games and quizzes
  
• More things about music

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Another Great Way to Get Fired

Well, it's day two back from the holidays... Are you bored yet? If so you should definitely check out this game from GamerClaim.com. It's called Assembler is a challenging mix of construction and physics (almost like World of Goo, but... less goo).

Your goal is to get the green shapes into their stationary green boundaries, which are often up off the ground or in some tight spaces. You pick up the objects in each level and configure them so that the green object can rest in the right spot. The physics of it are spot on, so beware—It can quickly become frustrating.




I keep getting stuck on the higher level with the three triangles... It's really hard!

Let me know what you think!

Related Things:

• More fun quizzes and games
  

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