I prefer to try new foods at home and not in a potentially embarrassing public setting. So when dining out, especially in a fancy new restaurant, I stick to familiar dishes that I know and love. Macaroni and cheese is my personal favorite but I will never refuse a good hot dog or cheeseburger. For dessert, plain vanilla ice cream is sure to please me.

When partaking of traditional Christmas confections that are covered with powdered sugar such as Polish Chrusciki, Italian Pizzelle or German Pfeffernuesse, it is important to eat while leaning over a plate or table so that your clothes do not get covered with crumbs and powdered sugar. Dark clothing is best avoided.

Basic musical instruments can be quickly and easily fashioned from readily available Duplo blocks. While their timbre can not be considered orchestral quality by even the least demanding ear, these plastic instruments provide the building blocks for your music education and are cheap enough to be smashed after just one use.

Always set up your Thomas the Tank Engine tracks on a carpet. The padding underneath will provide hours of comfort for your knees and butt and will also offer excellent protection to the painted finish on your valuable engines and other rolling stock when the inevitable derailment occurs.

When carving Halloween Jack O' Lanterns, handle the pumpkin glop very carefully or else it will get stuck to your hair and clothing as well as the floor, the ceiling, the walls and the furniture. If this happens mom and dad will not be very happy so try to put most of the pumpkin glop in the special glop bowl that mom provided!