Draw Something

 

There's a new app that is invading people's mobile devices and tablets all around the world and it's called, Draw Something.  If you enjoy playing the game Pictionary, you'll probably enjoy playing Draw Something (by OMGPOP)!

You can find Draw Something for free on the App Store or iTunes store.  It only cost 99 cents to upgrade to get rid of those pesky advertisements.  The game links friends and strangers together as they draw pictures for one another and guess the right word from the picture drawn.

Each turn you can gain up to three coins.  At the beginning of your turn you are given the choice of three different words.  The first word is worth one coin if guessed correctly, and it is obviously the easiest.  The second word is worth two coins at a medium level, and the third word is the hardest and worth three coins.

You may be thinking - oh, I can't draw, that game wouldn't be fun!  That is crazy-talk, this game is a lot of fun whether you can draw or not, my friends and I generally use stick figures to get our words guessed.  The more you play the game, the more coins you'll collect so that you can purchase more colors (the better you'll get too).  These colors come at no additional cost, to get them you use the coins you built up with your own hard work!

Above is a picture that I drew for a friend in a game.

Each game goes in streaks.  The fun part is seeing how long you can make the streak last.  The longest streak I have at the moment is 68.  If one of the players can't guess the drawing they have to choose "pass" and the streak is ended and a new game can be started.

Overall this game is a lot of fun to play with friends and pretty easy at that.  The small screens on cell phones limit the ability to add detail and smoothness to the drawing, but the game is perfect on the iPad!  This game is perfect for a good laugh with your friends or a stranger in Hawaii!  

To buy game at the iTunes Store click here.

To buy game at the Android Market click here.

Worlds of Fun

On Saturday April 14, 2012, one of my most favorite places in the world will open its doors for the season -- Worlds of Fun!

Worlds of Fun, located off of I-435 in Kansas City, Missouri, is a great place to go if you are searching for a family oriented place with great rides to boot.  The Snoopy themed amusement park has rides for all ages, "Planet Snoopy" is an area of the park that is made specifically for the kiddos though. 

I am a sucker for the roller coasters that World of Fun hosts, and there are a lot, trust me!  Worlds ofFun has a ride for everyone, and I'd like to share a few of my favorites.

The big woody that Worlds of Fun has is called the "Prowler".  Many people shy away from wooden roller coasters due to the fact that they come off the ride feeling like they just got out of a martini shaker, but the "Prowler" is nothing short of amazing.

The first time I rode the "Prowler" I was amazed.  There are not enough warnings to give you to explain how fast this ride actually is.  The two and half minute African themed ride snakes you through a wooded area of the park at 51 miles per hour.  It is one of my favorite rides in the park, it surprises me every single time!

Another great thrill-ride you can find at Worlds of Fun is called the "Patriot".  This roller coaster can be clearly seen while driving by on I-435.  This American themed ride offers all sorts of loops, rolls, corkscrews, spirals and turns for its patrons.  The rider's feet dangle for two minutes and eighteen seconds as they plunge down a 123-foot curved drop at 65 miles per hour.  

Last, but certainly not least, we have ... the "Mamba"!  This ride can also be clearly seen off of I-435, and it nearly takes your breath away!  This ride is also African themed and considered to be one of the longest, fastest and tallest coasters in the world (per WoF website).  The first hill takes the rider up and up to over 200 feet before plummeting them down towards the ground.  This three minute ride gets up to 75 miles per hour and doesn't let up until the very end.  This ride is also one of my favorites, it probably ties with the "Prowler".

Of course there are other great thrill seeking rides in the amusement park, such as; Cyclone Sam, Boomerang, Spinning Dragons, Bamboozler, Detonator and the RipCord along with other small rides for the family.

Worlds of Fun makes for great summer fun and I can't wait to start the season!  With Oceans of Fun right next door, I can ride rides and lounge in the sun all in one day!  Season passes run for about $99.99 (or three easy payments of $33.33) but comes with great benefits as well such as discounts on food, early admittance, free parking and access to Oceans of Fun!  The earlier you buy your passes the cheaper, but it's still worth every single cent if you plan on making multiple trips up to Kansas City and are roller coaster fanatic like me! 

(Check out their website by clicking here!)

Turpentine Creek

"To provide lifetime refuge for abandoned, abused, and neglected
"Big Cats" with emphasis on Tigers, Lions, Leopards, and Cougars."

When you think of big cats like lions, tigers, bobcats, leopards, cougars, we assume that these creatures are fierce enough to protect their own life, but if you think this, you would be wrong.

The Jackson Family, Don, Hilda, Tanya and Robert, started the refuge in Eureka Springs, Arkansas in 1992, but since the family already had two lions in their life, Bum and Shelia, they were no strangers to the dangers of owning large cats.  A woman named Katherine Gordon Twiss, a breeder and black market dealer, showed up on the Jackson's front door with 38 big cats crammed in two trailers.  A friend of the Jackson family offered up his ranch for temporary refuge for the cats.  The Jackson family later purchased the property and moved all of the cats there and have been taking in abandoned animals ever since.  Tanya Jackson Smith is the owner of the refuge today.

Seven miles from Eureka Springs, Arkansas off of highway 23, you can find a vast amount of land, 459 acres to be exact, that has large fenced in habitats for all kinds of big cats, and even some bears, monkeys and coyotes too.  Turpentine Creek is a nonprofit organization that gives homes to hundreds of large cats that have been abused or neglected.  The admission to get into Turpentine Creek is $15.00 per adult, but all of the money goes to feeding and taking care of the big cats that live on the refuge.

A map of the property

Upon entering the refuge you will find smaller cages that hold many of the large felines, there are even a few Ligers (a crossbreed between lions and tigers).  After you pass through the small cages, you find the real Turpentine Creek.  Behind tall fences you will see large grassy areas where the cats can run and play, they also have their own dens that they can take refuge in for shade and comfort.

A Liger

I was lucky enough to be with my boyfriend, Lee, who is a zookeeper at the Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, Missouri.  He was able to speak directly with Turpentine Creek’s curator, Emily McCormack.  McCormack gave us an in depth look at some of the animals that the refuge has taken in.  Many of the stories about the cats are sad and horrible to hear, but the stories leave you feeling glad that laws are being passed to prevent people from taking in these wild animals and mistreating them and abandoning them whenever they get to big.  Turpentine is not a breeding facility and they neuter all of their male cats to avoid further inbreeding with the animals. 

Turpentine Creek offers lodging for for some of its patrons.  Imagine waking up, looking out your window and seeing large cats prancing around and playing with the toys that are left in their cages.  There are ten different rooms ranging from $150.00 to $200.00 a night and campsites as well.

Starting at 11:00 AM each day tours of the habitats are given by experienced interns.  These interns take visitors on a half mile walk around the refuge and tell stories about how each cat found their way to Turpentine, most of which are terrible and sad.  Did you know that some of these big cats were bought for just $175.00 at auctions?  That's less than most purebred dogs!  The tours run once every hour until it is feeding time for the animals - over 1,000 pounds of meat are prepared daily for the feline refugees!

Turpentine Creek is a great place that is doing great things for these abandoned and mistreated animals.  If you ever get a chance while in Eureka Springs, make sure to visit the refuge, it's definitely worth the $15.00 - plus the money goes to a fantastic cause!

(All pictures pulled from Turpentine Creek's website - click here to check it out!)