More, More, More

EXPERIENCED: Yesterday's blog was all about our trip to the Museum of History and Industry. But that wasn't our only field trip destination on Monday. For, you see, part of our reason for going to MOHAI was we wanted to join there under their "Family Plus" membership level, as that would give us access to reciprocal entry to dozens/hundreds of other museums under the North American Reciprocal Museums program. We did our homework on various museums in our area who participate in NARM, and I found that joining MOHAI was the cheapest way to gain access to that.

So, freshly printed receipt in hand showing our NARM membership, after MOHAI, we headed to Experience Music Project at Seattle Center. We love that place and have been wanting to go there to see their new "The Art of Video Games" exhibit. 

That particular exhibit was in a smallish room. There were a half dozen classic video games you could try your hand at (including PacMan and Super Mario Bros., of course). The kids were both amused by "The Secret of Monkey Island."

Game consoles through the ages were on display, so it was a bit like being in CJ's bedroom. And there were multiple terminals where visitors could pick up a phone receiver and listen to info about classic games and consoles. The huge screen in Sky Theater also features some shorts about video games.

                                       
Upstairs, we found "Worn to Be Wild: The Black Leather Jacket." A fun display, it featured jackets which had been worn by everyone from Michael Jackson to this one of Elvis'.

The kids even got into the act.

EMP has always had a wonderful Jimi Hendrix collection, but right now they have a special exhibit: Hear My Train a Comin': Hendrix hits London.

We saw multiple guitars that Jimi smashed to smithereens.

 He's still watching over them, it appears ...

And here's THE guitar ... one Hendrix played at Woodstock!

Jimi would have been 70 this year. Instead, he's a member of the 27 club forever. Speaking of which, we had to visit the Nirvana exhibit, too. RIP Kurt Cobain, another 27 club inductee.

We always enjoy the Sound Lab, where the kids can play around with instruments. Here they are in a keyboard lab.

And then they went into the 'studio,' surrounded by Marshall stacks and Zildjan cymbals. Rock 'n' roll 4 ever!

WEEKEND REWIND: We had so many photos from MOHAI in yesterday's blog, I didn't post our weekend photos, either.

On Saturday, we visited the kids' old stomping grounds - Whittier Elementary, where they attended preschool. They have fun running round the playground as big kids now.

A home adjacent to the playground had a nice flock of city chickens. They were very social. Guess they're used to having hundreds of people around every day.

On Sunday, we took a jaunt over to Lawton Elementary.

That's always a popular destination, because there are two playgrounds - one down at the schoolyard, and a second one in the next-door park.

Below, CJ sits while Annabelle tries to spin him. The carousel needs some oil. It was hard to turn and squealed. Annabelle said it sounded like a dying elephant.

FINITO: This morning we watched 5 (short) lectures and took two quizzes in week five of our "Astrobiology and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life" class though the University of Edinburgh and Coursera.

As excited as we were to finish the class (all with test scores averaging above 95 percent), we're sorry that it's over, and hopeful for a sequel. The professor, Charles Cockell , is a wonderful lecturer and the material we covered was so interesting. (Prof. Cockell said they plan on offering the course again via Coursera, so if you're interested, keep an eye on the Coursera Web site.

To celebrate the successful completion of the kids' first ever college course, we decided to take a hike to 'the Village' and get some fro-yo at Menchie's. It's not an easy stroll, uphill both ways, as the saying goes (on the way there, we have to climb up our steep hill 5 blocks, descend 7 blocks, then back up 7, and down 5). We did it at a pretty quick pace, though. I was impressed with us. :)

The kids (including Kennedy, who accompanied us) had fun filling up their cups with multiple flavors of frozen yogurt, and then adding all sorts of crazy toppings, from M&Ms to marshmallows, cereal, nuts, cookies, and more. Poor Ken and CJ both got bad brain freezes whilst eating their concoctions!

On the way home,we stopped at Albertson's. There, we ran into the Magnolia Fire Dept. One fireman gave the kids firefighter badge stickers. Nice of him.

Only one checkout lane was open and it was staffed by the checker whom I usually try to avoid as he's typically surly, at least to us. And, of course, as we're checking out he has to say (as he does EVERY time I've ever been in there during the day with the kids), "What, no school today?"

I told him the kids just aced their astrobiology final and so we're done for the day, thankyouverymuch, Mr. Nosy Checker.

BTW, as soon as we finished our tests this a.m., we browsed the Coursera site and picked out our next class. It starts next week - can't wait! It's "How Things Work 1" through the University of Virginia.