Good Times Made Simple

The Lost Art of Fun

FROM THE CENTER FOR A NEW AMERICAN DREAM

i
Dear friend,

T
If you never did,
Thes e things a re
you should.
fun and fun is good
SS
!
DR. SEU

hank you very much for your interest in the Center for a New
American Dream. If this book is your introduction to the Center,
we’d like to welcome you to a growing movement of Americans who are
challenging the “more is better” definition of happiness.
Good Times Made Simple is based on a very simple premise. In
our hectic day-to-day lives, it’s easy to lose sight of some of the things that
bring us real joy - connections with family, friends and nature. This book
offers alternatives to commercial TV, video games and trips to the mall.
We hope it helps you rediscover the simple pleasures of good, old-fash-
ioned fun.
We’ve included suggestions for all kinds of different activities. They
may be things you haven’t done in years, and there will certainly be some
things you’ve never done. We hope you have a fabulous time trying them
out. In many ways, the key to fun is creating the space to follow your pas-
sions. We don’t have a roadmap, just some helpful tips to set you on your
way. We hope you’ll contact us with your own suggestions for how to have
more fun with less stuff.
We’d appreciate your help spreading the word about non-commercial
fun and the Center for a New American Dream. If you aren’t a member
yet, please join! Membership comes with a whole host of benefits (see
enclosed envelope for details) not least of which is that you’ll be helping us
shift American culture away from its excessive emphasis on acquisition
toward a more balanced, sustainable and satisfying way of life.
When you join the Center, we’ll send you a free copy of Good
Times Made Simple to share with a friend. Better yet, share the Center
h
with a friend! If you buy a gift membership for a friend when you join, your
friend’s membership is half-price. We’re hoping you’ll agree with us that
some things, like games and innovative non-profit organizations, are too
good not to share!

Sincerely,

Betsy Taylor
“Life is meant to
be enjoyed, not en
dured.”
ANTHONY J. D’ANGEL
O
1
Good Times Made Simple
The Lost Art of Fun

Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Spin a Tale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Oh, Starry Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Creative Carving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Play Ball! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Sing! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Create a Wildlife Sanctuary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Trace Your Roots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Board, No More! Indoor Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Cut a Rug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Create Your Own Red Wiggler Worm Bin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Bad Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Forcing Bulbs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

3
 Spin a Tale

W hether it’s an eerie ghost story told around the campfire,

the oral history of long-lost relatives plucked from the
depths of Nana’s memory over Thanksgiving Dinner or a bedtime
story shared with a child drifting in and out of sleep, we all love to
hear a good story.
Storytelling is one of the simplest ways to have free, non-com-
mercial fun and maybe even learn a little something in the process.
Anyone who says that the spoken word is dead is, well, telling you a
tall tale. Why not invite a few friends over, bring out the candles,
turn out the lights, and share some homemade stories? Be funny; be
scary; be inspiring; be unexpectedly bizarre. Be all these things and
more!

Not sure how to start?

Here are some suggestions for first lines of stories you might tell:

The stars were bright in the sky...

It was a night like no other...
Someday, in the future...
The most exciting thing that ever happened to me was...
I once dreamed that...
I’ll bet you’re wondering why...

What comes next is up to you, whether true, fiction or a com-

bination of both. You might know exactly where you want to go with
your story, or you might improvise as you go on.
If you’re a little nervous about putting a whole story together
on your own, another way to have fun with stories is to create one
together in a group. Sit in a circle, choose a person to begin, and
have each person add one line to the story. Collective creativity can
be wacky or profound, but it always turns out fun!

4 GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

Resources
Storytelling festivals and celebrations are thriving across the country,
and there are now more than 300 storytelling organizations in the
US. You can even get a Master’s Degree in Storytelling from East
Tennessee State University. For more information about the rich
world of stories, contact:

National Storytelling Association

Jonesborough, TN
1-800-525-4514
www.storynet.org

The California
Indian Storytelling
Association
Fremont, CA
510-794-7253
www.cistory.org

East Tennessee State

University
Johnson City, TN
423-439-4297
www.etsu.edu/stories

August House Publishers

Little Rock, AK
800-284-8784
Offers a free catalogue of books
and tapes related to storytelling and
folk tales.

GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

5
Oh, Starry Night

I f you travel to the most remote corner of the earth, hundreds

of miles from any artificial light, you will notice the night sky
looks gray. Why? Pollution? No, stars! Billions of them, as thick as
sand on a beach.
Of course, the sky is a big beach. Some of the
stars we see are 60 trillion miles away. And they are the
close ones. They’re so far away that if one of them would
blink out today, ten years would go by before the end of its light
finally reached the earth. (Hint: this is too far to drive.)
Fortunately, you don’t have to visit Alpha Centauri or even
Australia to see these ancient lights. The theater of the sky
plays a new show every evening in your own backyard
or neighborhood park. Take some time to really look at
the night sky. The darkest, moonless weeks fall toward the
end of each month. If you live in town, find a safe park or a flat
rooftop to block out the signs and street lamps. Then give your eyes
fifteen minutes to adjust.
Look for constellations. The names for these arbitrary groupings
of stars vary from culture to culture, but sky charts showing the
Ancient Greek figures are common. Orion, the hunter, is an easy
constellation to spot because of the three bright stars that
make up his belt.
Try to find Lyra, the lyre, which includes the
bright star Vega. In April, in mid-northern lati-
tudes, it will rise around 9:00pm local time.
Lyra appears to be the source of an annual
fireworks display known as the Lyrid Meteor
Shower. Chinese records from 687 BC describe
“stars that fell like rain.” More recently, viewers
have counted ten to twenty streaks per hour. Who
knows what we’ll see this year!

6 GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

 During meteor showers and other sky spectacles, many com-
munities host star parties. Sometimes, amateur astronomers bring
their telescopes and let
families take turns look-
ing at craters on the
moon, or the rings of
Saturn. Contact your
local natural history
museum, planetari-
um or observato-
ry to find out if there are star-
watching parties where you live.
Or throw a party of your own. Dress warmly if the night is
chilly, pack cookies and drinks, bring blankets or lawn chairs and
take an evening walk. The show runs all night without intermission,
and it’s completely free.

Resources
Two books with simple, monthly maps of constellations and stories
from Greek mythology are Discover the Stars by Richard
Berry (Harmony Books, 1987) and Stargazing for
Beginners by John Mosley (Lowell House, 1998).

A great web site for star watching beginners is

www.calweb.com/~dmurry/. The site features
resources and frequently asked questions, teaching
resources, telescope information, links to astronomy
clubs and star gazing party planning tips.

GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

7
Creative Carving

C reating something with your own hands can be a truly

rewarding experience. Carving is a great way to slow down
and find the intrinsic beauty in sticks, twigs and other everyday
objects and to find an unexplored artisan within yourself.
If you’ve never carved before, start small. How about grabbing
a bar of soap and a butter knife? Start by chiseling away the brand
name and allow your imagination to roam from there. For small
children, give them a plastic knife (and keep an eye on them — even
plastic knives can cut). When you’re finished, collect the soap shav-
ings and use them for a bubble bath.
Once you’re ready for real wood, you can start with a penknife
and fallen sticks or twigs from nearby trees. Whittle off the bark and
make fancy designs in the smooth wood. When you’re satisfied with
your craftsmanship, give your creations as gifts to friends for display
in their homes (hint: tell them why you made the design or why it
made you think of them) or hang them in your own home.
Your next step will be to use bigger blocks of wood. You can
buy wood scraps at a hardware store, or maybe you’ll find some in
your yard or local park. From the warm, rich hues of cherry and
aromatic red cedar to the clear grains of pine and maple, there is a
wood with
beauty and func-
tion for everyone’s
taste and purpose.
Begin this next phase
of carving by starting
out small — how about
whittling a key chain?
Perhaps you could move
on to a personalized
foot stool or hand-built CD

8 GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

storage unit.
Discovering your inner woodworker doesn’t mean you have to
invest in lots of power tools or make a bedroom suite. Many items
can be made with tools found in most homes, such as saws, sandpa-
per, chisels, penknives and patience. If you don’t own them, you
probably have a friend who does. Many cities also have woodwork-
ing clubs where you can get together with others and share tools,
and some high schools open their wood shop classrooms to the
public.

Resources
There are tons of information sources for those who want to get
into woodworking. Here are a few to get you started.

www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/index.asp has a list of

woodworking clubs across the country, sorted by state. Some of the
clubs offer demonstrations, discussions and shops with supplies
where you can carve.

www.sculptor.org/Wood has a lot of information about where to

get supplies and links to local carving and wood-sculpting guilds.

www.forestworld.com is maintained by the Forest Partnership. It

features a large database with information about wood species and
technical data, a huge directory of related links, a list of where to
buy and sell certified sustainable forest products and more.

The Forest Partnership

161 Austin Drive #7
Burlington, VT 05402
(ph) 802-865-1111
(fax) 802-863-4344
(email) info@forestworld.com

GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

9
Play Ball!

T here’s really nothing like it. A few hours spent out in the great
outdoors. There’s a lot more to getting outside than weeding
the garden, and some of the best outdoor activities require no fuss-
ing, no advanced planning and no equipment.
Let’s start with the all-time favorite outdoor game.
Yes, we mean catch. Catch is ideal for parents and
children — it’s a classic, all-American bonding activity.
You can play with anything: a softball, a baseball, a fris-
bee, a tennis ball, a soccer ball, a soft football. You can
play anywhere you can find 30 to 40 feet of relatively
unobstructed space. And, with the exception of rainy and
icy days, you can play year round.
Drop the ball? No worries, pick it up and keep playing. You
don’t have to be good. Practice will improve your skills, and you and
your catch partner can learn from each other.
It feels great to be outside and moving around. It gets the heart
rate up and stress level down. It gives you and your partner the
chance to talk in a leisurely way, without the pressure of sitting
down for a conversation. The longer you play, the more things will
emerge in conversation.
Playing catch is a repeated activity that has a Zen-like aspect to
it when you do it for a while. If you play on the street or in a park,
you’re bound to meet neighbors and reinforce your community. And
when you play outdoors, you’re spending time in nature. It’s impossi-
ble to play without noticing the sky, trees, birds and the colors of
nature.
For a variation on the theme kick a ball back a forth. Same idea,
same fun, just use your feet instead of your hands.
Other timeless classics include hopscotch, jump rope and tag.
These games were fun when you were young, and they’re still fun.
Introduce them to someone under ten as an alternative to video
games. Don’t know anyone that young? Play anyway! You may just

10 GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

discover playing around outside is even more fun than you remem-
ber. So, come on, give it a go!
Outdoor games range from simple to complex. It all depends on
just how involved you want to get, how much equipment you have
around and how creative you are.
If you have a badminton or croquet set, pull it out, dust it off
and give it a whirl. Or consider playing horseshoes without horse-
shoes — wedge a stick in the ground and pitch rocks at it. With a bit
of ingenuity, the sky’s the limit. Invent new games and modify old
ones!
There are no good books or websites for this activity: just find a
ball, find a friend and get outside!

GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

11
Sing!

S inging is a vibrant part of our history. We sang to celebrate and

remember...to preserve powerful stories of love, struggle and
wisdom...to elevate tedious work in fields and factories...to proclaim
our religious faith in churches and temples...to entertain and warm
ourselves around campfires...to join families and commu-
nities around pianos in homes and schools...to connect
with others in recognition of common ground and soli-
darity. We sang for joy. We sang for fun!
To start, hum a quiet tune while alone in the car or
sing out loud in the shower. Can you sing with your family?
Ironically, many of us blush at the thought of singing with others, espe-
cially our relatives. But in days gone by, family and friends often gath-
ered together to sing by the piano. After decades in decline, many
families are re-discovering just how much fun it can be.
If there are no pianos or pianists in your household, buy an album
of your favorite tunes and
sing along. Or if anyone in
your family — young, old,
accomplished or amateur —
can play an instrument, invite
them to accompany you.
Don’t worry about how it
might sound to a critic. Enjoy!
There are also many
venues outside the family. In
this age of heightened tech-
nology and spectator enter-
tainment, small groups of
people throughout the coun-
try are creating new outlets
for the old-fashioned fun of
singing by establishing

12 GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

 community song circles. According to the Seattle Folklore Society,
a song circle is just a bunch of folks who enjoy getting together
to sing. Starting a song circle is simple:
Announce date, time and location (for example: your
home, a local park, a community center) to your friends, in
the calendar of a community paper or in a folk society
newsletter.
Decide whether to invite all instruments, limit
instruments to acoustic only or sing a cappella.
Compile and copy initial song sheets or booklets.
In most song circles, singers form a circle and take turns choos-
ing songs. Your song circle format may vary depending upon the
musical talent of the average member and the vision of the
originator.
For more information about creating local song circles or finding
established song circles, contact your nearest folk organization or
folk music society. For a list of Folklore societies across the United
States, visit the Folklife Sourcebook at http://lcweb.loc.gov/folk-
life/source/societie.html.

Resources
Rise Up Singing:The Group Singing Songbook by Peter Blood
and Annie Patterson — Sing Out! Publications (Volume II is on its way)

Songs and Creations by Yohann Anderson, Songs and Creations,

Inc. Publications

For the Beauty of the Earth by Pete Seeger, Raffi, John Denver,
Tom Paxton, Tom Lehrer, Bill Staines and John Gorka, Sing Out!
Publications

Sing for Freedom:The Story of the Civil Rights Movement

Through its Songs edited by Guy and Candie Carawan Sing Out!
Publications.

GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

13
Create a Backyard or
Balcony Wildlife Sanctuary

W hen is the last time you got into nature and admired the
beautiful wildlife? You don’t have to go out to the woods.
Suburbs, towns and even cities all have their share of wild creatures
— raccoons, beavers, turtles, squirrels and birds — struggling to find
a home in an urban world. By planting a few bird- and butterfly-
attracting flowers and building some homemade animal feeders, you
can provide a safe space for these creatures while appreciating them
up close. This year, try adding a new dynamic to your gardening by
creating your own private wildlife sanctuary.
If you have a yard or a garden, you can go even farther with
birdbaths, feeders and greenery. Summer-fruiting plants such as mul-
berry and honeysuckle attract catbirds, waxwings and robins. Like
Simon and Garfunkel, butterflies love parsley, sage, rosemary and
thyme. Squirrels and rabbits munch on wild plums and cherries. Be
sure to plant species that are indigenous to your area —
once established, native plants don’t require fertilizers,
pesticides or extra water, so they’re low-maintenance
and safe for the environment. You can also build feed-
ers and shelters to attract wildlife. A small, circular hole
in a dried-out gourd makes a great hiding spot for finches,
swallows and wrens. Scrap wood can easily be turned into funky,
creative bird feeders or bat houses. With a little paint and ingenuity,
old ceramic pots or even old toilet bowls and bathroom sinks can
become beautiful bird baths.
If your access to outdoor space is limited, don’t despair. Plant a
window box full of purple bee balm to entice butterflies, or build a
small feeder to hang outside for birds. You might consider adopting a
neglected area in a public space nearby, collecting litter and scatter-
ing birdseed so all the neighbors can enjoy a little wildlife. Don’t for-
get to establish your sanctuary in a prominent location, such as out-
side a kitchen or living room window, for optimal viewing delight.
Library books on indigenous critters can help you and your family

14 GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

learn to distinguish a nuthatch from a downy, a weasel from a mole.
So get outdoors and let the fun begin!

Resources
National Wildlife Federations Backyard Habitat program offers a free
brochure, Creating Habitat for Wildlife at Home, School,
Work and in Communities, which is packed with useful advice
for beginners and resources for additional information.

National Wildlife Federation

Backyard Habitat Program
8925 Leesburg Pike
Vienna, VA. 22184-0001

Or check out their web site at www.nwf.org/habitats.

The Wild Ones Handbook focuses on the importance of finding

and planting native species and has tips on landscaping for wildlife.
You can read it online at:
www.epa.gov/glnpo/greenacres/wildones/#HANDBOOK

GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

15
Trace Your Roots

A h, America, the great melting pot. Living in a country noted

for its diversity, most of us know the basics about our ethnic
backgrounds. Whether we’re Irish, Lithuanian, West African, Native
American or a huge mishmash of ethnicities, we take pride in our
respective heritages. But how much do you really know about your
family history? Who were your ancestors? What did they do? What
kind of people were they? The answers aren’t as hard to find as you
might think, and the stories of your
past may be even more intriguing
than the latest novel. If you wish you
knew more about the lives of your
great-grandparents and beyond, then-
genealogy is for you.
To get started, take a stroll down
memory lane with your parents, grand-
parents, great-aunts and uncles or other
older family members. Ask them about
their great-grandparents. Chances are
good that they’ll remember relatives
who spoke English as a second
language. Perhaps they migrat-
ed to America as children or
young parents or had parents
who did. Your elders can tell you
many stories, from unlikely marriages to
unexpected births. The stories you gather from these conversations
will help you establish a base of knowledge from which you can draw
your extended family tree. And it goes without saying that you’ll
probably get the dish on some eccentric ancestors! Be sure to record
your interviews. You’ll want them preserved in years to come.
Once you’ve got the oral history covered, many books and web
sites can help you fill gaps in your data and continue your journey. It’s

16 GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

likely that other distant family members
have begun your research for you. Look
at family and local histories, articles in
periodicals and collections of family
papers. Photo albums and scrapbooks
are also good sources of clues. The
internet has taken genealogical
research to new heights of conve-
nience; often you can view online
images of documents housed in
other states and countries. Your
genealogical search can be as detailed or as simple as you
choose. Use what you learn to draft a thorough treatise or just con-
sider it an excuse to sit down and chat with beloved family members.

Resources
Libraries and local historical societies can help you get started. You
can also check out:

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Genealogy by Christine Rose

and Kay Germain Ingalls. MacMillan Distribution. Don t be insulted
by the name; this is a fabulous sourcebook for anyone interested in
tracing their family tree.

Unpuzzling Your Past: A Complete Guide to Genealogy by

Emily Anne Croom. Betterway Publications. This book will walk you
through all the stages of genealogical research, and includes every-
thing you need to know about utilizing family, state, local and federal
resources.

www.genealogy.com is a great starting point for beginners and old

pros alike. It has tips for recording oral histories, recommended
reading lists and lots of links.

GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

17
Board, No More!
Indoor Games

H ave the rainy day blues? Had your fill of Candyland and
Monoply? If so, it’s time to get creative!
Some of the best games require no batteries, assembly or expen-
sive gadgets to play. The more games rely on human ingenuity, the
more fun they tend to be. To help you get started we’ve pulled togeth-
er a list of some of our favorite indoor games. Play them as they are or
invent your own variations — indoor games can be as fun as you make
them!

Fictionary Open the dictionary and put your finger down without
looking. What word have you chosen? If it’s one nobody is likely to
know, then read the word, but don’t tell anyone its meaning. Everyone
takes a turn making up their guess the goal is not accuracy, but hilarity.
The person with the most votes for their meaning scores one point,
and gets to pick the next word.

Scavenger Hunts are a fabulous, free activity for an hour or a

whole afternoon. Begin by choosing a theme and the boundaries for
your hunt. Will you be looking for objects in a specific area, or will the
items be pre-hidden with clues that reveal where? How long will con-
testants have to find the items and meet the judge? Make your clues
creative — write silly poems, include the participants’ names, jokes or
pictures. Have a worthwhile but cost-free item be the winner’s reward:
no chores for a week, a back rub or a special meal. Making up the scav-
enger hunt can be almost as fun as playing it.

Fun with cards Decks of cards are so versatile they can be used
for games for children and adults of all ages. Instead of the traditional
Go Fish, try something new. Learn some card tricks. Build card houses.
Play a game you remember from your childhood. Or learn a new game
and teach it to your friends and family.

Ghost This game requires no materials at all and can be played by

two or more people. The players spell out a word, saying letters one
by one. The object is to avoid finishing a word, while not saying a letter

18 GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

that spells no word at all. (For
example, if the first two letters
were B-I, a G would complete
a word, adding another I
would spell no word and an
M would be a good answer.)
If you suspect that a player
has said a letter from which X
no word could be created,
you can challenge them. If the player has a correctly-spelled
word in mind, you lose the round. If not, you win. When a word is
completed, the person to complete it loses the round. The loser of
each round gets a letter, beginning with G, spelling out the word
GHOST. The last person to avoid becoming a ghost wins.

But don’t stop with these games! Play charades, stage a play or
invite your friends and family to invent new games. Pair up and have
two people work out the details for each one. Dare them to be cre-
ative. Once they’ve created it, play the game, no matter how silly it
seems. You could have the next Trivial Pursuit on your hands, or a
game that will entertain your family for generations. In any case,
respect the creation of each family member, and have fun!

Resources
For a list of terrific games, old and new, visit the Game Finder at
http://family.go.com/.
For card games from the U.S. and all around the world, including
children’s games, solitaire and multiple player games, and games that
others have created, visit www.pagat.com/. For great card tricks to
impress your family and friends, visit www.web.superb.net/cardtric/.
101 Best Family Card Games by Alfred Sheinwold and Myron
Miller. Sterling Publishing Company. A wealth of resources for card
game rules and variations.

GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

19
Cut a Rug!

I f those interminable fifth-grade gym classes made you swear off

dancing for life, it’s time to take another look. Dancing can be
more than learning moves to music. It is a great way to increase your
heart rate and get exposure to a wide range of cultural traditions,
while meeting new people and having fun. In cities all over the coun-
try, it’s increasingly common to find places that can teach you to
move to African rhythms, to twirl around the floor in a Viennese
waltz, to get down with a mean hustle or to stomp and kick to an
Irish beat.
Don’t worry about whether or not you have rhythm or coordi-
nation. Many programs are geared specifically at beginners with two
left feet, and the humor involved in the learning process is a perk in
itself. However, when your feet finally take over and your mind lets
go, there are moments full of the sheer joy of motion.
Your local yellow pages might list dancing organizations, but also
check the bulletin boards in coffee houses, book-
shops, and music stores. Folk societies often
have contacts for specific ethnic
dances, and clubs may advertise
nights specifically for swing
or salsa. If you’re shy,
you can always start
by borrowing how-
to videos from your
local library. Invite
your friends to watch
the videos and learn
with you. Or simply gather
friends for a free-form dance, boogeying to the
moves of your own inner choreographer.

20 GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

Resources
There are so many kinds of dancing, it’s hard to provide even a
basic listing of sources, but here is some more information that can
help you put your best foot forward.

US Amateur Ballroom Dance Association

1-800-447-8047
www.usabda.org

Folk Arts of New England

A good resource for folk dancing, especially in the New England
area.
1950 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 02140
617-491-6083
www.facone.org

Sapphire Swan Dance Directory

This online resource (www.sapphireswan.com/dance) provides
links to three kinds of dance web sites: 1) sites that have good col-
lections of links, usually in a specialized area of dance, 2) sites that
include information about an area of dance and 3) selected sites of
dance organizations and individual dancers.

International Network for Dances of Universal Peace

Drawing on a variety of religious and ethnic traditions, these
simple circle dances combine music, lyrics and movements to
create a profound and fun collective experience. The website
www.dancesofuniversalpeace.org can help you find events in
your area.

GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

21
Create Your Own Red
Wiggler Worm Bin

H ave you ever wondered what happens to the scraps of fruits

and veggies you throw away? You can prevent them from
ending up trapped in plastic bags in a landfill. For a creative, educa-
tional experience for the whole family, use worms to compost
food and plant material. This process, called vermicomposting, is a
natural, odorless, low mainte-
nance way to recycle animal-
free food waste.
Redworms (Eisenia foeti-
da, if you must know) are the
species used in worm bins
because they are comfort-
able in moderate tempera-
tures and low-soil environ-
ments. Redworms are
hearty and prolific, and can
adapt to a broad range of living
conditions. For optimal worm productivity, put your worm bin in a
cool, dry basement or closet. Worm bins should be kept inside since
cold weather and outside insect predators can kill your worms.

Simple Steps for Getting Started

1. Obtain a plastic or wooden bin (approx. 2 x 3 feet and 1 foot
deep) with a cover, a stack of old newspapers (not too much
colored ink) and a pound of red wiggler worms.
2. Drill or punch holes in the top sides of the bin.
3. Rip the newspaper into strips, place it in the bin and then moist-
en the newspaper. Make sure the newspaper/bedding is moist at
all times.

22 GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

4. Place the worms in the bin under the newspaper. Do not
scatter the worms through the bin. Keep them together.
5. For approximately one week, leave the bin lid off and make sure
it gets light. This will keep the worms in the bin (since worms
don’t like light) until they settle into their new quarters.
6. After the week is up, you can cover the bin and begin to feed the
worms. Place small food and plant scraps under the newspaper
(not on top, or the food may mold). One pound of worms can
eat a half pound of garbage per day.
7. Add fresh bedding (moist shredded newspaper) to the bin every
month or so.
The compost that your worms create will provide plenty of nutri-
ent-rich soil for your garden!

Resources
Worms Eat My Garbage: How to Set Up and Maintain a
Worm Composting System by Mary Appelhof. Flower Press.
(www.wormwoman.com). Covers all of the Dos and Don’ts of
composting a great book for beginners. You can also buy worms at
her site or by calling her at 616-327-0108.

Let it Rot!:The Gardener’s Guide to Composting by Stu

Campbell. Storey Books. A classic in the composting world, this
book explains many different techniques for composting waste
materials around the house.

Worm Digest (www.wormdigest.org) provides a comprehen-

sive list of worm composting internet sources. You can also buy
worms and other supplies on this web site.

GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

23
Bad Art

A mong adults, it’s pretty much universal. Most of us shy away

from art and deny any hint of artistic talent. Even good
artists protest that they’re nothing like Picasso. (And who but
Picasso was?!)
Maybe what we have here is a problem of unreasonable expec-
tations, or maybe we’ve just lost sight of the end goal. Art is not
about perfection but about expression. This is something the kids in
your life would be glad to teach you. Here is an opportunity to let
go, have fun and make bad art.
The proper supplies can help give you the courage to take artis-
tic risks. So take a few minutes to figure out what materials stimulate
your creativity. Buy finger paints or water colors, sketch books and
colored charcoal. If you have an art store nearby, don’t be intimidat-
ed by the art students. Go right in and buy colors that don’t match.
Or maybe you prefer a different medium. Perhaps collage is
your style. There is no need to limit yourself to old magazines: try
gluing yarn, fabric or leaves to paper. Or perhaps you’re an amateur
sculptor. Bend scrap wire into figures, or create outdoor sculptures
out of garden trimmings and yard waste.
Printing is also a rich medium. But there’s no
need to buy expensive stamps when you can
carve your own out of rubber erasers, or
even potatoes and apples. Even your
thumbprints can yield works of art if you
use them creatively. There are many other
media at your disposal.
Why not make a book (express
yourself in a sequence of pages!); or
draw with sidewalk chalk (it’s not just for
hopscotch anymore) or use paints or
makeup to create your own elaborate
temporary tattoo? When you find supplies that inspire you, the

24 GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
Once you’ve got the supplies, the next step is to set aside a bit
of time. Tell your family or friends that you’ll be having a Bad Art
Night and invite them to join you. Cover
all your valuables with
newspaper and get
to work. The
goal here is to
create bad art.
We know,
you’ve
heard all
your life
that the
point is to
make beautiful,
good art.
Tonight, make it
as ugly as you
can imagine. Put
hot pink stars in an orange sky. Draw bodies out of proportion. Glue
fabric on leaves. Stamp star patterns. Express yourself. Have fun.
At the end of the evening, give all participants a chance to
describe their work. Have them interpret their intentions as a lunatic
critic would. Have them explain what they did to make it bad art.
Laugh. Offer positive reinforcement. In case there is any question,
the point here is to have fun. Go for it!

GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

25
Forcing Bulbs

I f you like fresh flowers, you’ve probably noticed that they’re a

bit harder to get during the winter months. The flowers that are
available at this time are often shipped great distances and kept fresh
with chemical preservatives. Forcing bulbs refers to the gentle art of
persuading flowering bulbs to bloom early, indoors. Even when using
imported bulbs, this technique requires far fewer chemicals and
climate-controlled trucks, airplanes and warehouses than buying a
similar quantity of imported cut flowers.
For little expense and minimal effort, you can nurture and
admire beautiful flowers all year long. Beautiful and fragrant paper-
white, hyacinth and amaryllis bulbs, three of our favorites, are among
the easiest to grow. Here’s how it’s done:

Paperwhites and Hyacinth

Paperwhites (members of the narcissus family) and Hyacinths are
inexpensive, pleasantly scented and easy to prepare week after week
for months of elegant spring atmosphere.
Buy the bulbs in the autumn and winter for less than a dollar
each. Until you’re ready to plant, store them properly. Paperwhite
bulbs should be stored at room temperature in a dark spot. Hyacinth
bulbs should be stored in brown paper bags in a cool place (about
45o F) for six to eight weeks. A refrigerator is great, providing you
don’t also refrigerate fruit. Ripening fruit produces ethylene gas,
which will deform the flowers of your bulbs.
To plant, put several inches of pebbles in the bottom of a jar or
bowl. Line the top of the pebbles with bulbs, sprout ends pointing
up. Fill the jar so that the water level barely touches the bases of the
bulbs and keep the water at this level. You can also use specific
water-forcing jars (available at craft stores and florists).
For paperwhites, encourage their already quick growth by keep-
ing the jar in a brown paper bag until roots sprout and the top shoot
is about two inches high. Then enjoy the flowers in indirect light. For

26 GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

Hyacinths, put the bowl or jars in a
paper bag in a cool location (50 o to
55o F). When the shoots are two
inches tall, move them to a cool,
light-filled position.

Amaryllis
What these dramatic flowers lack in
scent they make up for in spectacular
blossoms, as many as a dozen per bulb.
Buy the bulbs in the autumn for $8
to $12 each.
Store them in a paper bag in a cool
place (about 55o F) until you’re ready to
plant.
Place an individual bulb in a pot that is only an inch wider than
the bulb. Surround it with soil.
Keep the bulb warm but out of direct sunlight. Don’t water it
for two to four weeks until the flower bud and stalk appear, then
water it daily to keep the soil moist.

Bulbs forced with pebbles and water grow quickly but will not regen-
erate for a second season. But with proper care, many bulbs can be
potted in soil and coaxed to bloom year after year.

Resources
Forcing, Etc. by Katherine Whiteside. Workman Publishing.
Flowering Bulbs for Dummies by Judy Glattstein, National
Gardening Association.

Visit www.gardenersnet.com/hplants/hp6.htm for bulb sources

and more forcing techniques.

GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

27
Further Fun Resources

L ooking for more fun activities or more reasons to play? Look

for these resources at your local library or bookstore.

For Families
Fun Time, Family Time by Susan K. Perry, illustrated by Sandra
Forrest (1996, Avon). There are many, many books about fun
activities for parents and children. This is one of the best.

Just Family Nights, edited by Susan Vogt, illustrated by Beth

Gallo. (1994, Brethren Press). A values-oriented approach, present-
ing almost more fun than you can handle!

For Adults
Simple Fun for Busy People by Gary Krane, PhD. (1998, Conari
Press). Krane sees fun as an attitude, and he emphasizes the ways
that playfulness can strengthen relationships. Full of good anecdotes
and suggestions.

The Pleasure Zone by Stella Resnick. (1997, Conari Press). If

you need psychological justification for having fun, here it is. A good,
readable book that has inspired many readers.

Utne Reader website: www.utne.com. If you search the

archives for secret and fun, you’ll find Utne’s article on rediscovering
the lost art of play. They also have a discussion forum in Café Utne
(www.café.utne.com) completely dedicated to Play.

28 GOOD TIMES MADE SIMPLE: THE LOST ART OF FUN

About the Center

T he Center for a New American Dream is a national non-profit

organization helping Americans consume responsibly to protect
the environment, enhance quality of life and promote social justice.
We work with individuals, institutions, communities and businesses to
conserve natural resources, counter the commercialization of our cul-
ture and promote positive changes in the way goods are produced and
consumed.

Why a New American Dream?

The American dream once focused on greater security, opportunity and
happiness. Increasingly, that dream has been overshadowed by an extra-
ordinary emphasis on acquisition. The more is better dimension of the
American dream has enormous hidden costs for the environment. It
also affects our financial well-being, psychological health and personal
happiness. At the Center for a New American Dream, we’re commit-
ted to restoring balance, for ourselves and for the planet.

We Need You!
We’re moving American culture away from today’s emphasis on com-
mercialism toward a more sustainable, fulfilling and just way of life. We
will succeed — but only with the personal commitment and financial
support of individuals just like you. Please become a member and join
us as we help Americans to have More Fun, Less Stuff!
With your membership, you will receive a copy of the Center’s
new 30-minute video hosted by Danny Glover, More Fun, Less Stuff:
The Challenges & Rewards of a New American Dream; our quarterly
newsletter, Enough; and a More Fun, Less Stuff bumper sticker. We’ll
also send you a copy of Good Times Made Simple to share with a friend.
Better yet, if you buy a gift membership for a friend when you join, your
friend’s membership is half-price.

Some things are too good not to share.

We hope you’ll think the Center is one of them.
 The Center for a New American Dream
6930 Carroll Ave., Suite 900
Takoma Park, MD 20912
VISIT US ON THE
WORLD WIDE WEB!
Resources, updates and lots
more about how materialism
affects us and the environment:
www.newdream.org
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