Creepiness in Advertising

Ok- Long overdue update.

But I felt this warranted sharing. Currently, I am convalescing from a very excellent bachelorette party. Paul is out this evening at the boy version. Since I recently busted my laptop, and blogging is nearly impossible on a tablet (this is basically also exhibit A in the case of why I haven't blogged all year), I am using Paul's computer.

I was also using earlier, to watch some videos on Youtube. As I was watching a few, I noticed a persistent pop up ad that kept coming back on each video I watched. It said "Is he cheating?" and proceeded to inform me of the personal background check service I could use to see if my husband was fixin' to cheat.

It occurred to me that creepy ass google ads probably noticed that I was going to websites this computer doesn't usually go to (AKA Disney Confessions Tumblr and Kimbra Music Videos). Could I be spying on my husband to see if he had those salacious secret website profiles the advertisement portends?

And this was no ordinary pop up either- I just noticed they're now doing this thing where the ad is more ghost like, more transparent, harder to notice right away.

Just the solid letters appear very visibly, in the corner of you vision, planting the seed. Is he cheating?

The future is crazy/creatively manipulative.

More Fitting

Today is Dr. Suess' posthumous 108th birthday. It is also the opening of the major hollywood production of "The Lorax", a film based on Seuss' environmentally conscious tale.

Even ignoring the less than stellar reviews (many written in an homage of rhyme), this movie has kind of rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it was when a tactless car company hijacked the title character to sell their wares, in spite of the crux of the story be a caution about consumerism (Is a Mazda a-fine-something-that-all-people-need?).Or maybe I just never really saw Danny Devito as the one who would speak for the trees. I don't know. I just feel like this story in particular, that focuses so much on condemning greed, doesn't really make sense as a million dollar hollywood blockbuster.

To celebrate the anniversary of our local poets birth, I think this is a much more appropriate tribute:



It captures people of all ages, celebrating life in a colorful, imaginative way. Also, take getting the pants scared off you literally!

Going around in circles

Blogging has sort of taken a back seat lately to my enumerated new hobbies. Foremost amongst these is my endeavor for physical fitness!

What is my choice exertion of the moment?



(just imagine that I am the babe in the video)

Yes, I've taken up hooping. I've been doing it for about a month and a half- two months now and I really enjoy it still. I've learned a few tricks, and the process of learning more is a nice challenge.

What I love about hooping: It's a low-impact, fun aerobic exercise that really does make you break a sweat, without it feeling totally exhausting.

I'm looking forward to warmer weather, so I  can take my hoop outside to practice. Right now I'm down in the basement doing it (due to lack of space upstairs) and  it's fraught with peril. I'm always worried about smashing a pipe/lightbulb/ hot water heater if I make a misstep.

Here is the latest trick I'm practicing:

Super Music

Right this instant, I am super in to Dr. Dog! They are a relatively new music discovery for me, so I've got about 6 albums worth of listening to catch up on. But that's a-ok. I love their video for "Shadow People"-



I also love the singers voice- so interesting! They are playing in Boston on March 22. I would love to go, but it is on a Thursday....hmmmm!

Magical

On the recommendation of a great musician, Paul and I have been watching Workaholics on Netflix.

It's a pretty awesome show, that has undeniable appeal for the millennial workforce. 3 Ridiculous Slackers living like it's college, but working as telemarketers. Though almost every single premise of this show is unrealistic and farcical, it's actually kind of strangely easy to identify with main characters.

I'm so bummed that there was only 10 episodes! It led to us going online to dig up some of their old material This is one of the gems. Wizards. Rapping. It makes perfect sense.

'Hogs

Today is Groundhog day. I can always remember what day groundhog day is on because of the 1979 Rankin Bass TV Special "Jack Frost." Which is a pretty ok movie, I guess.



Specifically the song that starts at 6:30. I would actually recommend skipping right to that. After all, the movie is just pretty ok.

Plot: Jack Frost turns human, then turns back to a spirit, saves the day. The end. OOPS SORRY I FORGOT A SPOILER ALERT!

After this creepily mild winter, I wouldn't be surprised if the groundhog gave us spring today. The most popular 'hog, Punxsutawney Phil, predicted it would be early spring last year, and we all remember how that turned out though.The snow didn't melt till April!

His record is a lot more varied than I realized. There's a nice chart going back the 1800's on the wiki. As a kid it always seemed like we were getting 6 more weeks of winter- but there was a fair amount of hopeful spring in there too.

All Consuming

Oh wow, where did the month of January go? Is it possible I blew through it obliviously, due to my newest obsession?

Paul and I have been playing a lot of Go this month. A LOT of go. Like almost everyday. To the point where it like starts seeping into your dreams.

What is Go? It's a strategy game that is mostly popular in Asia, where the object of the game is to outline the most territory for your color on the board. It;s been fun learning how to play better, but it's also been frustrating. Paul and I have actually gotten in some pretty heated discussions about playing style and the feeling of futility that often comes along (at least for me) while playing. It's kind of a love-hate relationship with a board game, where you want to like and want to be good, but it also irritates you sometimes to play. You know what I mean?

I guess a certain level of drama is inherent in the game though, especially if Hikaru No Go (2001)  is to be believed. Oh what's that? I forgot to mention that in addition to obsessively playing Go, we're also watching a cartoon about playing Go? Yes. Yes we are.

 

The show follows Hikaru, the boy with awful two-toned hair as he enters and excels in the world of competitive Go. What's his secret? He is possessed by the ghost of an ancient Go master (the girly purple haired guy), who escapes from a blood-spattered board and into his heart (aw). It's a show that takes the mundanity of playing a board game, and makes  it seem like a drama-filled epic adventure somehow. I still haven't quite figured it out. The show is really good though, and actually inspired a new trend of playing Go amongst young people across Japan, Korea, and the USA. 

So, in conclusion, play Go, watch this show about Go, and become a board game zombie like us. Jooooin usssssssssss!

Particle Man is from the Water Nation

I haven't been this excited about a video I stumbled across on the internet in awhile. This is so good!

Who knew that all the characters from "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and the relations between them could be summarized by the 1990 TMBG hit "Particle Man"?



OF COURSE - Aang is so Triangle Man. But my favorite part is Universe Man's watch.

Caturday XXXIX- Say "Meow!"

Most of my dear readers probably know that my wonderful husband got me a new camera for Christmas. It's a beautiful Olympus F1.8, and I'm enjoying taking pictures a lot more since I've gotten it.

Obviously, one of my most frequent subjects is our adorable/crazy fur monster, Kitty Roosevelt. Caturday seemed like as good an opportunity as any to share my latest shots of our shameless beast. Enjoy!

Snow Saureses

Can you believe it hasn't snowed, like, at all yet this year? It's kind of a relief. I would only like to see big piles of the white stuff on the condition that somebody makes me an amazing snow sculpture like these:

I would put on my snow pants and ride them! These Dinosaurs are from the Saporro Snow Festival in Japan. They are truly in the tradition of Calvin and Hobbes!

Late Arrival

1. Happy New Year! Ok, I'm a little behind...but I'm ready to commence a new year of blogtastic blogasms. In 2011 I wrote 178 posts- about one every other day. That's pretty good! I hope that I will endeavor to be as prolific in the new year. I've decided that my New Years resolution is to create more in the coming year, so there will be ample opportunity to post on the fruits of my crafty labor (I hope!). Thanks for your continued readership!

2. Here's another late arrival- This was intended as a stocking stuffer for Paul, but it turns out that it takes a really long time to ship things from Singapore.

It's a keychain featuring his favorite Bleach character: Urahara Kisuke AKA Hat and Clogs. The small girl with a big gun, Ururu is there too. Neat-O. Purchased Here!