I want it: Plush Pac-Man

You know the mental condition where someone sees something and suddenly she MUST HAVE IT or she'll blow up the entire building?  I have that problem.  I believe it's commonly referred to as immaturity.  The other morning I walked into Denny's and saw a crane game full of plush Pac-Men and ghosts.  I am a child of the 80's and Pac-Man was a big part of my life.  My brother and I played Atari until both joysticks broke (Atari 5200 joysticks were such a joke).  I even had a Pac-Man themed birthday party when I was in elementary school. 

In the end I decided against trying to win the plush Pac-Man dolls.  I know I would have gone crazy if one slipped through the crane hand.  I had the option of paying for one, but they cost $20!  I could buy five boba teas or my entire Denny's meal for that price.  In the end, maturity and common sense won out.

"Brave Roar" by Sara Bareilles and Katy Perry

Move over Pharrell and Robin!  My favorite duet of this summer is the mash up of Katy Perry's new single, "Roar" and Sara Bareilles inspirational anthem, "Brave."  Perry's been criticized for copying Bareilles song by critics and fans--basically everyone except Bareilles herself.

Listening to the catchy songs individually, they sound vaguely similar.  Listening to them layered (all thanks to Tumblr user, portkey) is when things get downright funky.  I'll tell you this, the mashup is a great duet and it beats Perry's song "Roar" by itself.  Read about the hub-bub and listen to the mashup for yourself.

Pics via homorazzi and Last FM

Love Life by Danny Vino

I passed a poster of Hobbes flashing a heart sign with his paws, today, at Huntington Beach.  He made me feel instantly cheery.  The posters were created by street artist Danny Vino. 

Hooray for Tukrong Klengdong!

My husband and I have enjoyed the same TV show only twice in our ten year marriage.

1) Spartacus: Blood and Sand- Season one of the sex-filled cable series about gladiators earned two swords up from me in 2011.

 

2) Sasuke- This Japanese TV show features athletes taking on ridiculously challenging physical obstacle courses requiring strength, agility, balance, and strategy.

Now we watch another show together; American Ninja Warrior!  On American Ninja Warrior, Americans maneuver through a series of Sasuke obstacles trying to qualify to compete in Las Vegas. If they are victorious in Vegas, the next stop is Yokohama.  In the U.S., rock climbers, free-runners and gymnasts seem to be most successful at clearing the stages.  In Japan, fisherman like Nagano Makoto take the cake.

The other night on American Ninja Warrior we watched Tukrong "TK" Klengdong persevere at Miami's finals.  We cheered TK with gusto because he's Asian American, he's our height at 5'4", he smacked his nose but he kept on going, and he hugged Jenn Brown during his post-course interview.  Plus his trainer cried with emotion, which was sweet.  I hope TK continues to kick ass all the way to Midoriyama in Japan.

American Ninja Warrior airs on NBC on Monday nights at 8 pm.

In the pink

 Musician M.I.A.

 Actor, musician Jared Leto

Television personality Kelly Osourne

 

Performer Kwon Ji Yong

 Actress Raven-Symoné

 Actress Rachel McAdams

And, of course, singer Pink

Photos via Stereogum, 20poorandfabulous, Style News, We Heart It, Style News Network

Summer read: The Body by Stephen King

Horror mastermind, Stephen King, penned one of my favorite shorts stories of all time in 1982.  The Body, from his Different Seasons collection, is (to borrow words from Mary Poppins) practically perfect in every way.  The Body takes place in a small Maine town during the sweltering summer of 1960.  Days before the start of middle school, four boys set out to retrieve the dead body of 13 year-old Ray Brower.  Brower's gone missing, and only a handful of souls know his location. King's pacing, dialogue, and fleshing of the characters is masterful. The only time the story falters is Chapter 7, the abrupt insertion of adult-Gordie's perverted story, Stud City. 

In 1986, Rob Reiner transformed The Body into a full-length movie renamed Stand By Me.  Reiner stayed remarkably close to King's story down to much of the dialogue.  (Blessedly, Reiner decided not to include any references to Stud City.)

I re-watched Stand By Me, this summer.  For the first time I saw the boys not as my peers, but as twelve year-olds coming to terms with neglect, addiction, and violence in their families.  Also, the adults in their community have decided they are disposable, and the boys know it. It's painful to watch, especially knowing kids the world over are receiving this same message every day.

You can read Stephen King's complete novella, The Body, online.

Stylish rice packaging

I love packaging and I love rice!  Here's ultra cool, award-winning, and sustainable packaging by design company Green in Hand. Read more at Creative Roots.

Friday haiku

Dragonfly on a rock-

absorbed in

a daydream

Santoka 

山頭火