My Beef with Grimm

On paper, the NBC show Grimm seemed like something that would really appeal to me. It had fantasy with a dash of sci-fi, monsters, and the element of drama associated with week-to-week prime time shows. Not to mention my having been a fan of the book- a collection of macabre fairy tales- so when the first episode didn't wow me, I decided it was worth it to give it another shot.

Then a few more.

Then I lost interest entirely.

This whole time it's been floating around in the back of my mind; I don't care for the show at all but I couldn't pinpoint exactly why. Last night I think I worked it out.

Let me start with a brief introduction to the series:

Homicide Detective Nick Burkhardt of the Portland Police Bureau learns he is descended from a line of "guardians" known as "Grimms", charged with keeping balance between humanity and the mythological creatures of the world, called Wesen. Throughout the episodes, he must battle against an assortment of dangerous creatures, with help from his friend Monroe (who is a reformed creature), and his partner Detective Hank Griffin.

On the surface it reads almost like a distant follow-up to the film Brothers Grimm. You'll notice I didn't link that, and with good reason. If you're fortunate enough not to have seen it, the plot is essentially "these Grimm bros were actually monster hunters AND storytellers, only they're really REALLY con-men who fake their monsters. Then there are real monsters to fight and they win and I think one of them has a girlfriend to save at some point. Or something."

Back to the Grimm incarnation at hand, it may have had potential initially, but as with so many films and tv shows these days the writers seem to focus so much on the special effects, the monsters, myth, and crazy rules of this world that they forgot to flesh out their main protagonist (read: Walking Dead).

More specifically, let's look at the character Detective Burkhardt for a moment. In the first episode, the audience gets to see his happy, stable life, living with a beautiful fiance, flowers and hearts all over everything. Domestic bliss for a normal, well-balanced guy. Boring, but we'll chock it up to realism.

My problem with the series stems from the time Burkhardt learns of his Grimm heritage. His reaction to learning that the world around him is not now nor has ever been the world he thought he lived in- that there are hoards of werewolves and vampires and the like ready to descend on the human race at any moment and the only thing protecting us is him- all seems to slide off his back like water off a duck. He doesn't start drinking heavily, have a mental breakdown, nothing. He becomes a slightly more angsty, but otherwise there is little to no character development by the protagonist of the show.

This is a problem because the writers appeared to almost ham-fistedly shove the normalcy Burkhardt used to have down the throats of the audience, only to have his reaction to his world being turned on end essentially be "Oh, okay this now."

If you disagree, please comment and let me know!

Serenity/Firefly Themed Gift Basket

A little late I know, but I wanted to share my experience from this past Valentine's day.

Now, I don't generally go overboard for Valentine's Day- the beau's birthday is just the month before and our anniversary is right afterward so those holidays get priority in the budget. This year, I decided on a creative, budget friendly little gift basket themed around his favorite series, Firefly.

When I hit the internet I couldn't find another example of anyone doing this, so I decided to record my process in pictures so I could share it here.

Allons-y!


First off, the tools and components:

• Small wood crate- Amazon
• Shredded paper- Michael's Art Supply
• Swing-top glass bottle- Amazon
• Scissors
• Double-stick tape
• Aluminum foil
• Nature Valley Trail Mix Bars
• Kahlua
• Skyy Vodka
• Fruity Oaty Bar wrappers- deviantArt
• Mudder's Milk label- deviantArt

Not Pictured:

• Bao
• Milk

A couple things to touch on here- There are actually quite a lot of recipes on the internet for Mudder's Milk and Fruity Oaty Bars, but the Mudder's Milk recipes all contain dark beer which gives beau headaches and I'm crap at baking so the bars were out as well.

Back to it! I chose Nature Valley Trail Mix bars for my Fruity Oaty's because they have (you guessed it) fruit, and oats! Since the label was proportioned more for a flat chocolate bar than a granola-type bar, I had to smoosh the trail mix bars- luckily they were pretty soft so I was able to do this without any additional tools. 

Nestle it up in some foil...

Wrap 'er nice and snug in the label, and tape...

Repeat as needed!

To mix up my beer-free version of Mudder's Milk, simply do a 1-to-1 ratio of vodka and Kalhua into your glass bottle, and top with chocolate milk, to taste (wipe the outside of your bottle clean at this point if need be). Next, cut out your Mudder's Milk label, hit that bad boy with some double-stick tape and throw it on your bottle!

Bam.

I actually wound up unable to find any bao, so I picked up the most similar pork-buns I could find at a local Chinese place. All I did was place it into my wood crate atop the straw and all was well.

The "bao" looking like boobs was just a happy accident.

I welcome questions and/or comments! Thanks for reading!

  

The happy recipient!

Celebrity Spotlight: Shoko Nakagawa

I've always been a fan of Japan's rich, unique culture. As one of the oldest civilizations, and one of the farthest from our Western shores, every aspect from their quirky mythology to their day-to-day lives is fascinating to me. I'll admit, my interest was initially sparked by exposure to anime/manga, but I'm hesitant to place myself in the camp with "otaku", if only because I see my interest as more anthropological in nature.

That being said, when I discovered pop idol Shoko Nakagawa, I was really just... taken aback.

She's the 27-year old daughter of 80's actor/musician Katsuhiko Nakagawa, and best known as being the host of PokéMon Sunday. Shoko Nakagawa, or Shokotan as she is sometimes known, is about as big an ootaku (a huge fan of anime/manga) as you can find; she is an avid cosplayer, talented illustrator, voice actor, and singer. She runs a blog that's hit over a million views and loves interacting with her sizable fanbase.

Shokotan is talented in many respects, to be sure, but the real love she gets from her fans stems from them identifying with her as an otaku/cosplayer.

But her multitude of talents are not the only things that garner interest in Ms. Nakagawa. She's also really... well, weird. She owns around ten cats and has said she enjoys "tasting" them and occasionally posts photos to her blog showing her doing just that:

Don't worry, she's only smelling her cat's anus in that last one. #thingsyoudontexpecttosay

Every year in Japan, summer is ushered in by the buzzing of cicadas and as children flock outdoors to enjoy the warm weather, some of them with net in hand to catch said critters, and yet another bug-related tradition has popped up in recent years. Shoko Nakagawa, like clockwork, will go out and collect cicada skins and arrange them in her hair and on her face. For real.

You didn't need to sleep tonight anyway, right?

I don't get the impression she does this stuff to get attention, after all, she already gets plenty for her many talents and pop-icon status. It seems more like she just gives absolutely no fucks and does as she pleases; in one interview she even stated:

I just want to leave proof of my life in my blog, and I just want to be as free as possible. Sometimes I'm too free, and my manager will get mad at me. 

I've got to admit, despite the flood of NOPE that overcomes me when I see those photos with the cicada skins, I admire this lady. She's turned her fandom into a career, and an impressive one to boot. Plus, you can't argue with that level of "don't give a fuck-titude ".

Wreck-It Ralph

E3 2012 started up yesterday, and while I'm avoiding regurgitating all the same highlights you can read on hundreds of other blogs, one thing that stood out was the trailer for Disney's newest Pixar jam, Wreck-It Ralph, about a video game villain who gets sick of being the bad guy, and starts game-hopping to find a place where he can be a hero.

With the voice talents of John C. Reilly, Jack McBrayer, Sarah Silverman and more, the bar is already set pretty high.

The problem with this kind of movie is that it's really unlikely it won't go one of two ways:

1. It'll be targeted at your more general audience of "family gamer" types, and resulting in sweaty gamer outrage being splattered all over the internet.
2. It'll be so chock-full of obscure nods that hardly anyone will get it, and it'll flop.

Hopefully Disney finds a happy medium and we wind up with a nice Roger Rabbit for the video game industry, and not another Cool World fiasco.


**EDIT: To be clear, it was shown DURING E3, but not at Disney's panel.

Gamer Fuel: DewRito Cupcakes

In the first of this new series on Geeky/Gamer eats, I'll be attempting to recreate the gametastic Dorito/Mt. Dew cupcakes sold at 4Rivers Smokehouse in Orlando, Fl.

I scoured the internet but couldn't find anyone who had duplicated the recipe, but I did find this Mt. Dew cupcake recipe from The Geeky Hostess, which I worked from as a base.

In an interview with John Rivers, owner of the aforementioned 4Rivers Smokehouse, Mr. Rivers advised in making one's own soda-flavored cakes, the use of a soda reduction was key.

Lovely ingredients!

Making a soda reduction takes quite a bit longer than I realized. You'll wanna use at least two or three times the amount you want to end up with, about 3 cups. Start by bringing your soda to a nice rolling boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1-2 hours until it becomes a syrup.

Stir stir stir

When done, mix 1/2 cup of your syrup reduction, and two eggs into your white or lemon cake mix (I used lemon for mine).

Throw that bad mama jama into your cupcake cups, filling to 1/3 full.

Bake at 350 for the time specified on your mix box (about 20 minutes) or until a toothpick/skewer inserted into the middle of cakes comes out clean.

For an extra kick of flavor, you can top each hot cupcake with a light drizzle of reserved syrup, creating a nice glaze.

While those babies cool, go ahead and start on your icing. You can either use a store-bought icing and add a tablespoon of Mt. Dew syrup and a squeeze each of lemon and lime, or you can go the from-scratch route, as I did.

Mix up your butter until it's nice and fluffy(ish), then add your lemon, lime, and Mt. Dew. Mix 'er up again, and start adding your powdered sugar a cup at a time until you get to the consistency you want.

When your cupcakes are nice and cool, top each one with icing and then just roll the edges in your Doritos.

(NOTE: You'll wanna do this right before serving, as the Doritos chips on your cupcakes will go stale rather quickly)

All in all, I'd say the flavor is... unique. I'm not in love with the icing recipe, as it had a very strong powdered sugar taste. The cake was good, and as noted the Doritos need to be added shortly before you're actually planning on eating them. :)

Happy noming!

Wonderful photography by HylianxPrincess of our sister-blog (literally) Ctrl Alt Petite.

A Reflection on the Nature of Comedy

I saw an ad for The Comedy Awards, which apparently began last year. Almost immediately, it struck me as really odd to have a big cable TV (it's a Comedy Central jam) awards show for comedians. Like it's contradictory to the very nature of comedy.

Historically, comedians have always been the kind of people you don't want to keep on display out in the daylight. You'd go and see them late at night, in an ill-lit, smokey club, and the whole scene had an amazing underground element to it. Comedians, just as brilliant and creative as any other artist, were regarded as less worthy of being recognized for the unique genius they possess. But that's okay. They fed on that. They were the underground, the drug-addled, alcoholics reflecting openly all the stuff everyone does in private, saying the dick lines it's in our nature as human beings to think, but socially unacceptable for us to say.

It was amazing, brilliant, and really filled a very specific void in our collective subconscious.

The entire comedy sub-culture seems to have been slowly creeping it's way into the mainstream since the 90's when open-mic nights started disappearing, and it's watering down the entire experience. Then there was another leap in the early 2000's when Dane Cook and Blue Collar Comedy Tour gained popularity, and now we've got this award show.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say every funny person, or even every professional comedian is some kind of a train-wreck of a human being. Although most of them will.

I have the pleasure of being friends with someone who has experience on the stand-up circuit, and one of the first things he said to me when I approached the subject was "most comedians have a very dark side". He continued, saying:

...My best friends that are comedians and that are actually good, have experienced so much more in life than most would. They are literally down for anything, any drug, any situation. They don't say no to anything, because regardless you can get a story or an experience out of it. Some of the stories that I've heard just bs'ing after a show, is 10x funnier than bits they do in their acts. You can't make that mainstream.

In all honesty, I'm not sure I could write a more accurate conclusion than that final line:

You can't make that mainstream.

Still Alive

So I have been CRAZY busy the past few months and I do actually intend to re-visit you lovely reader(s) very soon! Here's what I've been up to:

• Had some paintings on display at an art show
• Zip-lined over alligators
• Went skydiving!
• Worked on a couple of commissions
• Lots and LOTS of work and study time
• Ponies

And here's what's on the docket for some upcoming posts!

• Spoiler-free Cabin in the Woods review
• Mt. Dew/Dorito Cupcakes! The ultimate in gamer chow condensed into one culinary confection. Featuring food photography by CTRL ALT Petite.
• New post in my series on internet memes

Stay tuned, and happy geeking!

Q: Aren't You Too Old for PokéMon?

Character © Nintendo/Rare, Art © Sarah Hendricks

A: While it tends to be marketed to a younger demographic, there is actually a sizable group of PokéMon fans in the 20-something range. They are the individuals who began playing the games- or watching the show, or reading the comics- back in '95 when they were released, and simply continued to do so through the present. When a generation grows up with a franchise as a constant it becomes timeless, not unlike Mickey Mouse or Winnie the Pooh.

So no bitch, I am not too old for PokéMon.

Tattoos & Video Game Culture

About 13 years ago, my best friend and I were playing through The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time together. It was the first game I ever really got into and played all the way through (although it certainly wouldn't be the last), and it was amazing. At 12 years old, when we first defeated Ganon, we were so excited we had accomplished such a feat (together, mind you) that we jumped up and down and hugged.

I've already done a post on how video games have influenced me (really gotta follow up on that), and one on today's tattoo culture. For good measure, let's combine the two for an exploration of the overflow of tattoos based on video games.

Many people (non-gamers, feh) find it difficult to understand the logic behind getting an image from a video game emblazoned in permanent ink on your body. "It's just a stupid game" is one common response, and there's always the classic "Er... that's... cool". Yep, way to not be obviously awkward.

But tattoos are just an outlet for our love. These games, these worlds, and characters... when you're enveloped in a game something incredible happens. You go on an adventure. You save a princess (unless you visit the wrong castle). It's akin to the thrill of getting sucked into a great book or movie. Only with video games you're capable of doing so interactively with a friend or family member, strengthening your bond as a result.

... Unless you're playing Mario Kart. Never play Mario Kart with someone you love.

Best of all, you don't even need to have played a game with someone to get in on that sweet, free-love action. Make one mention of it being "dangerous to go alone" or "all your base are belong to us" to the right person, and you are instant friends.

So, video games can bring people together in a very unique way. And with long-running series like Mortal Kombat, Pokémon, and everything Shigeru Miyamoto touches it's no surprise that, when someone grows up playing a game series, it can be as much a part of their life as anything else. It's what inspires people to go into the field in the first place.

Now- finally- let's check out some sweet ass video game inspired tats that you haven't had shoved down your throat all over the internet:

"I got Squirtle Squad Squirtle because I will forever be Pokémon faithful. He's my favorite little guy."

Power-ups from Mario 3

Bullet Bill

"Dead mans hand holding Nintendo Zapper."

Blood-Sin from Vagrant Story

My little sister and I got Legend of Zelda series brotats, here's hers and her story:

"I grew up watching my older sisters play Legend of Zelda all the time. I used to follow them everywhere and it always annoyed them, but when they were playing LoZ I could sit and watch and they wouldn't mind. Growing up, none of us really lost our love for the LoZ series and I feel like it will always be something my sisters and I can go back to. LoZ was also one of the first fantasy 'worlds' that I could get immersed in."

And mine, naturally with the most long-winded explanation c;  :

My Zelda tattoo (just an outline for now) is based on a sketch I did of the Wind Fish from The Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening. Obviously one of the main reasons I wanted a Zelda tattoo was because it had always meant a lot to myself and my sibling, and many friends along the way. I chose Links Awakening because it was always one of my favorites, one I played  countless times right through the end boss (I'm notorious for not quite finishing games. Like ever). I was also always attracted to the extra quirky characters and the existential undertones in the game.

Feel free to comment and share any pics or stories, I'm interested in the different perspectives people have on this subject.


Tats pictured belong to:

• Squirtle belongs to Brittney
• Mario power-ups, Bullet Bill, and Nintendo Zapper are Jason from Designs by Voorhees
• Vagrant Story tat belongs to Sam
• Zelda chest piece is my lovely little sister Olivia of sister blog Ctrl Alt Petite
• Wind Fish is of course, yours truly.

Most of these, including my own, were done at Harris Ink right here in J-ville. Awesome atmosphere and awesome artists, check them out for your next ink.

Official(?) Legend of Zelda Timetree

Last week it was announced that an official Nintendo-approved timeline for The Legend of Zelda series was going to be released in the special 25th anniversary Hyrule Historia book. The book, which is being edited by Zelda developer Eiji Aonuma, will feature the timeline (more of a time tree in its current condition) mapping out the history of the franchise and linear(ish) order of the games.

Many a fanboy/girl has wiled away hours of their life to the maddening quest of unraveling Link's enigmatic story. It is common canon that there is more than one Link, as the Hero of Time reincarnates- a fact that makes it all the more challenging to construct timeline for the games. It is not especially clear how many Links there are, but at the very least the Wind Waker version is mentioned in the game as being a descendant/reincarnation of the Hero.

Here is the timetree as it stands now:

It's not a finalized version but particularly interesting is the fact that some of the games branch off in a universe where Link doesn't beat Gannon in Ocarina of Time. Here's a link to the full-sized version, in case you can't read the above: Click

My primary question for Nintendo is this: What in the HELL am I supposed to make my life's work now?


NOTE: For the next post I'd like to do a write-up on video game tattoo culture, so if you have a video game tat please send me a photo: strayxdogxstrut@gmail.com
I could easily Google some up but I'd rather use ones that haven't been passed around the internet like a cheap digital whore. I'd be much obliged.

Skyward Sword: First Impressions

On Sunday evening I, along with millions of others the world over, picked up my copy (limited edition bundle pictured below) of the latest installment in the Legend of Zelda franchise, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. I didn't get a chance to play until yesterday evening, and only for about 2 1/2 hours or so, but thus far I have to say I am most pleasantly surprised.

Limited Edition Bundle w/Soundtrack and Gold Wiimote

Now when I say "pleasantly surprised", I remind you that I have been a huge fan of the series for over a decade; but I've said it once and I'll say it again, I did not care for Twilight Princess. It was lacking something, I still can't say quite what, but it just didn't feel like I was playing a Legend of Zelda game. It can't have been the darker tone of the game, because Majora's Mask was honestly one of my absolute favorites.

I digress, back to the game at hand. As I mentioned I got in about 2, maybe 2 1/2 hours of playtime, enough to get past the first hump of the game- just before entering the very first dungeon.

The overall feel of the game, the world of Skyloft, it's inhabitants, and the music are all very fresh; new, yet still familiar. The music for the game is perfect, it's the same songs as in the iconic Ocarina of Time, but re-done to sound just different enough. The character's dialogue is also reminiscent of its predecessors, while the character models are unique to this game.

The graphics were not what I was expecting, being comparable to PS2 graphics, although I haven't played my Wii since moving and may just need to re-adjust my graphics settings.

My brief introduction to Link's newest companion, Fi, was also very positive... what can I say I like cold, analyzing characters that talk like robots.

The main thing to take away from this, I'm excited to continue playing it and would much rather be doing that than working right now.

Also where the Hell is my fucking Loftwing?

Artist Feature: Yang Young-Soon

Yang Young-Soon

Yang Young-Soon is a Korean comic artist with whom I am completely fascinated. Unfortunately, there isn't too much info on him I was able to find online.  As a matter of fact, about the only thing I could find on the guy outside of actual comics, was that evidently one of his comics (I couldn't find a link to it) was turned into a series of softcore Korean sex cartoons. Cool?

And I'm not sure if it's just the cultural gap, but I find the level of awkward he's able to conjure up with his comics absolutely brilliant, and oh-so-funny to boot. His facial expressions remind me of watching late-night "odd" anime and gives me the warm-and-fuzzies, which as it turns out is a confusing feeling when faced with something as baffling as say, this:

What I don't even

I was able to find a site that appears to have a large collection of his translated works:

Clicky

There are also some translations available here, although it's not quite as easy to navigate. At any rate, I hope you take a few minutes to check out these awesome (y/n?) comics.

... Also, if you speak/read Korean, and are willing to translate some information on this guy, let me know.

Joss Whedon Loves Sailor Moon

... That, or he saw it once and it was locked away into his psyche. I'm convinced, watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, that Joss Whedon had to have been at least influenced by Sailor Moon. And if not, we have one kooky coincidence on our hands here kids. Allow me to break this down for you, nice and clean starting with the name similarity:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer:

• Buffy
• Blonde, popular, pretty
• Cheerleader
• Raised by her mother
• "Chosen"/ "The One"
• Starts out spoiled and bratty, eventually growing into a strong, mature leader
• Battles demons/monsters
• Elder English mentor- Giles
• Awkward nerdy friend- Xander
• Lesbian couple friends- Willow & Tara
• Handsome, dark-haired love interest who fights for good- Angel
• Family member (younger female) from an alternate reality/future- Dawn (sister)
• Rival turned ally- Faith

• Large ensemble cast

Sailor Moon:

• Bunny
• Blonde, popular*, pretty
• Tried out for cheerleading squad
• Raised by her mother
• "Chosen"/ "The One"
• Starts out spoiled and bratty, eventually growing into a strong, mature leader
• Battles demons/monsters
• Elder English* mentor- Luna
• Awkward nerd friend- Ami/Mercury
• Lesbian couple friends-  Haruka/Uranus & Michiru/Neptune
• Handsome, dark-haired love interest who fights for good- Darien/Tuxedo Mask
• Family member (younger female) from an alternate reality/future- Rini/Mini Moon (daughter)
• Rival turned ally- Minako/Sailor Venus
• Large ensemble cast

        And here's even one more little bonus for you... The ship in Firefly, as you likely know is called the Serenity, the same name as Sailor Moon takes on when she takes on her alter-ego the Moon Princess, Princess Serenity.

Bunny as Princess Serenity

Bam.

Thoughts?

       Note, Serena/Bunny/Usagi: In the original Japanese, Sailor Moon's name is Usagi, which is Japanese for "rabbit". This is a play on an old Japanese myth that a rabbit lives on/in the moon and in the US Manga, she is called "Bunny" to try and maintain that reference. Why her name was changed to Serena for the US dub of the anime I have no idea but "Bunny" is the most common name used by English-speaking fandom.

*in some versions she's more spazzy but overall she was the preppy/popular sort.

*in US dub

I'll Lorem YOUR Ipsum!

       A technology post! Huzzah.

       Most web designers- as well as a handful of misguided small business owners- have probably at one time or another downloaded an HTML or CSS website template. If you have, you may have noticed the odd text in the template. It may just look like gibberish, but it's actually a chunk of Latin text commonly referred to as Lorem Ipsum.
       Lorem Ipsum has been used as placeholder text in design, layout, and graphic industries since the 1500's. It's roots are in fact in a Latin text (de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum, or The Extremes of Good and Evil by Cicero) from 45BCE.

But What Can Lorem Ipsum Do for Me?
       There are a couple of advantages to using "dummy text" or "Greek text" in your design, whether it be for a webpage, a magazine layout, or any other visual presentation. In some instances one may not receive content until after an actual layout has to be completed or approved. Yet a more valuable aspect with Lorem Ipsum, one is able to show the graphic elements of a design without distracting your audience with comprehendible text. Yep, if people can read the text on your layout they're less likely to pay attention to the design as a whole.

If you'd like to make your own (read: let a generator make for you) lorem ipsum, there is a link at the bottom of the post.

Now go forth, and Lorem Ipsum.

New Avengers Trailer

       A proper theatrical trailer for The Avengers was released yesterday, and it looks AMAZING. Kind of shitty that they just sort of tacked the Hulk on as an afterthought at the end, but then again his wasn't the face that appeared in the most recent incarnation of his character. I'm just glad they left out fucking Ant-Man. Although if Nathan Fillion got signed, I might be inclined to retract that statement. At any rate, here's the theatrical trailer for The Avengers, in all it's high-def glory:

NOTE: You may need to view on YouTube (just click the YouTube logo on the video) in order to see the 1080p option.

Ghostbusters Limited Re-Release

       Since you're probably already aware of how awesome Ghostbusters is, I'll keep this one short and sweet. Beginning this Thursday, October 13, a digitally remastered version of the original Ghostbusters will be back in theaters. The film will run once a night, October 13, 20, and 27 only.

       There is a facebook app you can use to get showtimes, found here.

       However, I did go ahead and get the showtimes for the Jacksonville area, so if you're in my neck of the woods, here is an easy quick-ref for you:

Thursday, October 13 

AMC Regency 24
9451 Regency Square Blvd. Jacksonville FL

    7:00pm

Cinemark Tinseltown and XD
4535 Southside Blvd Jacksonville FL

    7:30pm

Thursday, October 20

AMC Regency 24
9451 Regency Square Blvd. Jacksonville FL

    7:00pm  

 Thursday, October 27

AMC Regency 24
9451 Regency Square Blvd. Jacksonville FL

    7:00pm 

So, it looks like I might miss class one night this month. Hopefully my professor is a fan of timeless humor that spans generations and touches the hearts of millions.

Post the 13th: In Which a Mysterious Object is Found

       This one really does contain adult content, although I'll try and present it somewhat politely, since I don't want to classify my whole blog as having "mature content". You've been warned.

       I debated over whether or not I wanted to post this, since I've been trying to stay on topic with my posts. It hasn't got anything to do with popular culture, but it sure is entertaining, and I can't resist weaving a colorful narrative, so here we go.

       Based on several different accounts, I've assembled a timeline for the events which transpired yesterday evening at my place of employment.

       Two co-workers were walking by the restrooms as a janitor was in the ladies room, door ajar (since it was a male). They saw him pull something out of the trash, they couldn't tell what it was because it was wrapped in some kind of plastic bag or paper, but they heard him react to it.

       "What the f-"

       Later on, he took the object he found to the poor, poor front desk attendant, a very nice woman who's reaction I'm kind of sorry I missed.

       The object, ladies and gentlemen, was in fact a woman's "pleasure device".

       In the trash can. Of this office building.

       There are a number of questions that I don't think anyone wants the answers to, not the least of which being "Why the f^ck was there a d^ldo in the ladies room, and who did this?"

       Why did she cast it aside? Was she ditching evidence? Why would she be ashamed to have it? Did she break it?

       I'll no longer be able to look most of my third floor co-workers in the eye now. Is this not the craziest shit you've heard of happening in an office building?

       Please, let me know if you've had something nuttier *snicker* happen at your workplace. My productivity is more or less f^cked for the day anyhow.

       And in case you're feeling like there's grime in your brain, here's something cute:

Mameshiba the Bean Dog

       I discovered Mameshiba yesterday while reading Manly Guys Doing Manly Things, and over the past two days, I've watched every episode.

       Mameshiba (豆しば), if you're not familiar, is a Japanese character that is part bean ("mame") and part dog ("shiba inu" is a Japanese dog breed). The name "mameshiba" is also a pun of the Japanese word for trivia (mamechishiki), since the characters say a trivial fact in every episode.

       Basically, in each episode as someone is attempting to enjoy some manner of bean-based food, one of the mameshiba (there are twenty different varieties) will pop out and terrorize, disgust, or otherwise disturb the unsuspecting individual with a piece of useless trivia. One of my favorite things about the shorts is the completely reasonable reaction people have to the mameshiba. Despite the happy and upbeat music and overall tone of the videos, for the most part people are shocked, question their sanity, and have their appetites ruined. Additionally, the trivia is often relevant to what the person is doing, such as the man who has his date ruined when the peanut mameshiba informs him that "when you kiss, 200 million germs per second are exchanged between mouths".

       So these little beans spend their time popping out of your food and fucking up your day. Assholes.

Screen from the upcoming Mameshiba game

       As I mentioned, there are 20 different mameshiba, each a different type of bean with a different "personality". Although you don't really see any variations in personality in the videos, the website assures us each one is an individual. Except for the jelly beans, which are a cluster of 7 beans. Oh, also the one that's not really a real bean and is candy, is "American". Harumph.

       Now it seems they are making a Mameshiba video game. And why not? The franchise, whose source material is literally 20 short animated films, has grossed over $100 million worldwide since it's conception in 2008. The game is essentially a Nintendogs style game, where you raise and train your pet, except that you also talk to your mameshiba and unlock bits of trivia along the way. The game is set to release in Japan in Fall 2011. No word on a US release as of yet, but here's the weird-ass trailer anyway:

Tattoo Culture, 2011

Example of tribal tattoos

       During the early 1990's there was an influx in the popularity of tattooing in the US. Specific designs became canon, and people would just go to the parlor, pick something out of a book, and get it permanently etched onto their bodies. Tribal tattoos, images of cartoon characters, and tattoos on the small of a woman's back (unfortunately dubbed "tramp stamps") were hugely popular at the onset of the 90's.
       Nowadays, however, it's more about the individual. As made clear by sites such as Fuck Yeah, Tattoos!, the more personal and artistic the tattoo, the better. Tattoo artists are now actual, proper artists, who can create the designs they transfer onto their clients, rather than just copying the same pre-made image over and over.
       There are still trends that come and go, for a while everyone wanted tattoos of Koi fish, cherry blossom trees, and other Asian-inspired pieces. Recently, meaningful song lyrics or poems have become popular as tattoos, as well as 3D tattoos.

Gorgeous gypsy from "Fuck Yeah, Tattoos!"

       But why the change? There are a number of different factors that one can attribute to any society-wide change. In this case, I think one of the largest contributors is the Internet. Compared to one or two decades ago, our culture as a whole is changing at break-neck speed, and I for one believe it is because we are also sharing, growing, and changing as a society so much faster thanks the ever more available access to the Internet. Now any small idea can spread and become a trend within hours, and everyone has a voice they can have heard by a seemingly infinite audience.
       Personally, I'm glad for the change. I love spending time looking at all the aesthetically appealing and emotionally moving works of art that others are designing and getting as tattoos. I believe it is a great way to express one's individuality, and show an appreciation for fantastic artwork.

Watch Thundercats. Watch it NOW.

Hahaha, oh Snarf you suck so hard!

Shiny!

       Being born in 1987, I didn't watch the original Thundercats cartoon when it ran from 1985 to 1989. The boyfriend, however, did watch the original series as a kid. So together, as a fan of the original and someone with no prior knowledge of the series, we sat down to watch the first few episodes.
       As a Thundercats n00b, I gotta say I'm pretty taken with the series so far. The artwork is beautiful, and the character archetypes are distinct and recognizable, without feeling tired. The story arch thus far has remained intriguing, and the pacing has been pretty ideal. Things progress at a good clip, but not so fast as to rush the plot, just enough to keep things interesting. Also, Snarf is no longer the second worst character ever (Towelie still wins). Instead of this horrible thing that just loafs around and calls out it's own name like a goddamn PokeMon:

Get a job, Snarf!

       We get this charming little guy, who makes cute cat noises, only occasionally making anything close to a "snarf" sound:

You so cute now Snarf.

       The most recent episode in particular had an excellent plot that incorporated themes from old samurai movies, and almost had a Kurasawa feel to it. Lion-O enters a town full of swordsmen to obtain supplies and is challenged to duel by a "sword collector" type (a recurring character in Japanese tales) and loses the Sword of Omens. A literal drifter comes along to teach him to cool his fevered way of approaching battles and be more flexible. It reminded me of Bruce Lee's "flow like water" ideology.

       I can't get too into the differences between the original and the new incarnations, not having seen the first series. The boyfriend seems just as into the new one as myself though, if not more so. All I can say is I can't recommend this show enough, if you haven't been watching it so far I highly suggest you start watching this week. Additionally, if there's anyone that's seen the original and has any comparative feedback, please comment. Or even if you've seen the show, I'd love to hear what you think.

Thundercats airs on Cartoon Network, Fridays at 8:30pm EST.

Yeah, I had to create a Thundercat. It happens.