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Now, usually spring is an underwhelming time for game releases, and if you take a quick peek at this year’s slate it’s exactly that…ZZZzzzZZZzz…but if you look a little closer, there are some interesting gems hidden in the clutter of Indie games and, somehow, another Final Fantasy game!

Sea of Thieves

Arrrhhhhh! (Had to be done) Sea of Thieves is a new type of multiplayer game that delivers all you ever wanted in a free-roaming pirate life.  Whether adventuring as a group or sailing solo, you’ll encounter other crews – but will they be friends or foes, and how will you respond?  You’re free to approach this world and its wealth of challenges however you choose.  Sail for the sheer joy of discovery or undertake dramatic voyages, following maps and untangling riddles. Xbox/PC

State of Decay 2

This is a personal favorite in the plethora of zombie survival games.  The dead have risen, and civilization has fallen.  Even the military couldn’t stop the zombies, and now humanity stands on the brink of extinction.  It’s up to you to gather survivors and build a community.  Play solo or team up with up to three friends (this is a big deal) to explore an open world filled with dynamic zombies, human enemies, and the valuable gear necessary to keep your community alive.  Xbox exclusive.

Assassin’s Creed Rogue Remastered

Ok so I am a bit of an Assassin’s Creed fan boy…or at least I thought I was.  I don’t recall the original at all!  I guess this one slipped by me.  Assassin’s Creed Rogue, Assassin-hunting odyssey through pre-Revolution America and the North Atlantic, is making a gloriously remastered return on PS4 and Xbox One, complete with 4K support for PS4 Pro and Xbox One X.  Looks to be the same loot grinding, parkour jumping, Templar killing…wait the storyline says he goes rogue and turns on the brotherhood.  How have I not played this!?

Nintendo Labo

At first glance, this appears to be some sort of Nintendo executive’s cardboard fever dream, but it’s actually pretty cool!  If I had a kid old enough to enjoy building stuff out of cardboard and learning awesome sciencey things, I’d be all in.  Lobo consists of DIY kits that come as sheets of cardboard.  You pop the pieces out, use the instructions on your Switch to assemble them, and you’re left with incredible interactive video games that merge the physical and virtual worlds.  Switch only.

Now that Spring is here (as I look outside to 36″ of snow), it’s time to do a little PC cleaning. Saving space on your PC has a lot of benefits. Not only does it mean your machine files stay tidy, it also keeps it running smoothly.

Most users aren’t aware that there are hundreds – if not thousands – of unnecessary and unused files sitting on their PC, just gathering virtual dust. Some are tiny note files, others are larger installation packages, but big or small, you don’t need them and they are a useless waste of space. If you want to give your PC a good clean, follow these tips.

1. Uninstall bloatware and unused software

Bloatware are programs that are already installed on your PC when you buy it but you don’t necessarily need. These can range from free trials of anti-virus software, to DVD players – you don’t really need these at all, so you can just uninstall them.

Are there other bits of software you installed ages ago but don’t use? These could also be uninstalled to free up a lot of space.

To do this, open the Start Menu, select the Settings cog and click Apps. You will see a list of apps on your device which you can install – a word of warning, it’s probably best to keep anything marked as ‘Microsoft Corporation’.

A good way of seeing whether you use something is by looking at the date next to the app’s name; this indicates when you last used it. If it has sat idle for a while, you should consider getting rid of it.

2. Clear temporary files

Your PC stores loads of temporary files which aren’t needed. They’re small, but over time they will build up and take space.

To clear temporary files, search ‘Disk clean-up’. Tick all the options in the list and then click the “Clean up system files” button.

3. Disk defragment

Defragmenting the hard disk is a classic way of keeping your PC running efficiently. The defragment tool basically tidies up how everything is stored on a hard drive – think of it as a librarian putting books back in the right places on the shelves so they’re easy to find.

To defragment your PC, search ‘Defragment’ in the search bar at the bottom of your screen. Select the (C:) drive and click the Analyse button. To defragment the drive, click Optimize.

4. Tidy up your files

It might take a little bit of time, but tidying up your documents, photos, videos, music and more will help.

More often than not, people discover duplicate photos that are just wasting space. Get organized and gain some space.

5. Move files to Cloud

You could go one step further and move your files to a cloud service. This will not only save up a lot of space on your hard drive but will also save them from any potential loss should your PC breakdown.

Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft all offer reliable cloud services.

6. Delete old downloads automatically

Many people forget about files they download and all those little images, PDFs, and other documents can soon add up. Windows 10 has a nifty way of letting you manage this without having to do anything. You can set your PC to delete any downloads that have been untouched for 30 days automatically – however, this only applies to anything in the Downloads folder and it’s always best to check that there isn’t anything you want to keep before doing this.

“You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read with a child.”

Dr. Seuss had it right when he concluded that there is no age restriction on sitting down with a child and sharing a story.  No matter the age, the mind thrives on imagination and information – Oh, the Thinks you can Think!  This is why the NEA enacted the Read Across America (RAA) program, celebrating its 20th year, on Dr. Seuss’ birthday – March 2nd.  The program is intended to motivate everyone, young and old, to read more by organizing local events and offering a smorgasbord of resources to make reading as easy as One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish!

Let’s face it, In a People House we don’t all have libraries adorning our spare rooms, so if you’re limited on books don’t be discouraged!  There are a ton of online resources to find a plethora of books and activities.  You may also come across some summer reading programs that you and your young readers can make a pledge to commit to in order to keep the momentum going!  Check out the Library of Congress for additional online books not specific to the Dr Seuss or RAA theme for continued adventures for kids, teens, and adults too (because You’re Only Old Once! – okay, we’re stretching it here…)

Do you need some ideas for inspiring the young readers in your life?  Of course, a quick Pinterest search will reveal a ton of printables and activities at your finger tips.  For toddler crafts, my personal favorites are Thing 1, Thing 2 blow painting!  Pull out your favorite book on the adventures of these two crazy characters, like the Cat in the Hat or How Do You do? by Thing One and Thing Two, then have your Little One blow into a straw to turn some watered down paint into crazy blue Thing hair!  Another favorite in our household is Oobleck!  Let your older readers (6+) save the kingdom by mixing this recipe of special slime after reading about Bartholomew and the Oobleck!  If you enjoy these, here are some other activities to check out on a Rainy Day.  If your reading adventures have left you exhausted, then before you Sleep Softly, kick back with some family time and watch Dr Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat featuring Mike Myers, Alec Baldwin, Sean Hayes and Dakota Fanning.

For continued inspiration, you can get a calendar from the NEA that will outline a book a month with diverse topics as well as activities and resources that support the message of neighborhood and community.  Literacy Central has a great set of tools that can help keep the momentum going for continued reading, such as a mobile app that will scan books bar codes to bring up free resources based on that title and they will soon be adding a Literacy Tracker  tool to see how your child’s literacy skills will progress throughout the year!  With all of these resources, you’re bound to be immersed in some fun stories and activities while teaching the importance of reading and exploration to our younger generation.

So what are you waiting for?  Pick up those books and Go, Dog. Go!