wackington

Hello Cellphone! Hello Pink iPod Mini!

2005-03-12T14:02:00.000-05:00

I am the Luckiest Daughter-in-Law in the World. Not only did my inlaws produce Justin, but they have bedecked me with amazing technology for my birthday (not today, don't worry).

Thanks to my mother-in-law, Carol, and Bob, I am now the proud owner of the just released Hello Kitty Nokia cellphone with Cingular service. It has HK wallpaper, ring and signal tones, and even a Hello Kitty game. Jum-pa Jum-pa is like Donkey Kong's Japanese cousin. There are other games, applications, and features besides, most of which I have yet to discover. I promise I will turn the sound off when I play Jum-pa Jum-pa on the trainride home. And when the phone number is operational, I will let you know.

To match the phone, I used my Amazon gift certificate from Justin's dad to buy a pink iPod Mini. Even as I type, Justin is loading it up.

Thank you thank you thank you, inlaws! You are the best.

Tsunami Aid

2004-12-31T10:59:00.000-05:00

Charitywatch.org, the American Institute of Philanthropy's website, has this page on recommended aid organizations (listed in alphabetical order). They are listed here too:

Americares (A)1-800-486-HELP
American Friends Service Committee (A-)1-888-588-2372
American Jewish World Service (A)1-800-889-7146
American Red Cross (A+)1-800-HELP-NOW
Brother's Brother Foundation (B)1-412-321-3160
CARE (A-)1-800-521-CARE, ext. 999
Catholic Relief Services (A-)1-410-625-2220
Children Incorporated (A-)1-800-538-5381
Christian Children's Fund (A)1-800-776-6767
Church World Service (A-)1-800-297-1516
Direct Relief International (B)1-805-964-4767
Doctors Without Borders (A)1-888-392-0392
International Rescue Committee (A)1-877-REFUGEE
Lutheran World Relief (A+)1-800-597-5972
MAP International (B)1-800-225-8550
Mennonite Central Committee (A)1-888-563-4676
Mercy Corps International (B+)1-800-292-3355, ext. 250
Oxfam-America (A-)1-800-77-OXFAM
Project Hope/People to People Health Foundation (B+)1-800-544-HOPE
Samaritan's Purse (B)1-828-262-1980
Save the Children (A-) 1-800-728-3843
World Concern (B)1-800-755-5022
World Vision (B+)1-888-511-6589

If you are thinking of making a donation, you may want to check with your company to see if they will match your contribution.

You can also email President Bush and urge him to increase the amount of U.S. aid by clicking on this ActForChange link.

Hello Holidays

2004-12-24T13:40:00.000-05:00

Sorry that I've neglected you, blog audience. I confess that I have been feeling the holiday blues. Just not into it this year. But I do want to wish you all a happy holiday season, and all the best wishes for 2005.

=^@x@^=

Hello Skeleton!

2004-12-10T20:33:00.000-05:00

I think it is a sign when three of my close associates (thank you Justin, David Z., and Heather H.!) email me within a 24-hour period to find out if I have seen a piece of Hello Kitty art. It is either a sign that I am crazy and everybody knows it, or that there is a particularly stunning piece of art that I need to see in order to complete the circle of my existence. In this case, the answer is (c) both of the above.

The artwork in question is Michael Paulus's Skeletal Series Hello Kitty Skeleton. Do you even need to ask whether this is on the Official 2004 Holiday Wish List? Do you? No, you do not. The only question is whether you will be the one to make my dream come true.

To help you out, I emailed Michael Paulus (mike@michaelpaulus.com) to see if his Hello Kitty Skeleton pieces were for sale. Here's what he said:

"Yes, the Skeletal Systems series is currently for sale (as is some of the other artwork on the site) at a gallery/coffee shop in Portland, OR, but few are left from the show. I am producing more, which are the same as the ones listed on the site. Each is built and rendered from scratch, the same as the ones currently on display. A note: These are full, two-part pieces, not just drawings. The photos of Hello Kitty on the site give an accurate idea of what the actual, assembled pieces look like---with the hinged translucent cover both closed and open. The rest of the characters shown on the site are approximations of what the transparency overlay looks like since I don't have actual photographs of all of them. All of the pieces are identical in construction and size and each is numbered above the skeleton. For instance: Blossom has "fig.5" above her head and the word "Blossom" below her--both in script. Each is hand-drawn with archival ink onto vellum on wood panel. There is a brass-hinged acrylic transparency hinged to the top with a translucent image of the character covering the skeleton, which can be lifted to reveal. Each panel is 7.5 inches tall by 5.5 inches wide and 1 inch deep. There is also a small, metal hanger recessed into the back of each panel, the top of which is exposed about 1/2 inch above the piece for hanging. I am offering online sales through Paypal for $210.00 each, which includes priority shipping, insurance, packing, etc. International orders are welcome but we would need to discuss extra costs before paying."

He also mentions that at this point he cannot guarantee delivery in time for Christmas. Do not let this deter you from what you know you must do. For me. Do it for me.

Hello Bhangra!

2004-12-05T22:02:00.000-05:00

Justin, Bill, Jennifer, and I attended our friend Reg's 34th birthday party last night, hosted by Reg's girlfriend, the lovely Gabrielle. A grand time was had by all, particularly when we started to get our bhangra on later in the evening. Bhangra is traditional Punjabi music and dance that has gained popularity around the world and fused with house, trance, and hip hop. Mad props to Chris who showed us a few moves. Definitely want to learn more. Fun workout. They even have bhangra aerobics videos that you can add to the Official 2004 Holiday Wishlist.

Hello News Flash... MY CHOCOCAT WATCH IS HERE!!!!! =^..^=!

2004-12-04T01:08:00.000-05:00

It's here.
It's cute.
I love it.

Never mind that it was sitting in our mailbox for x number of hours before I asked Justin to see if we got any mail today.

The only gravelly part is the little winder knob. The rim of which is somewhat sharp. Oh well. I am sure I will develop a callous in just the right spot. Still totally worth it.

Chococat Watch Update #3

2004-12-03T21:57:00.000-05:00

One of the webstores listed in the Google search mentioned below has Chococat Watches in all three colors. Sign of the Cat is selling them for only $14 each, with $5 added for standard shipping. That's cheaper than what is currently on eBay and is a few bucks cheaper than what I paid for mine.

As Justin would say, finding out that I overpaid for my watch was like "finding gravel in my Sno*Cone." I'll just be happy when my watch arrives. I'm sure you will hear all about it. At least I'm guaranteed that it will work for 180 days by the manufacturer. Hmm. I wonder if that includes the days that have already passed since the watch came off the assembly line. Could this be more gravel? Probably best not to think about it.

Still no sign of the watches at the official Sanrio online store.

On a more positive note, I did spy these little ceramic treats: Chococat Salt and Pepper Shakers.

As you may have guessed, my order was placed faster than you could say "Official 2004 Holiday Wish List!!"

Hello Google

2004-12-02T20:54:00.000-05:00

Try this little experiment for kicks:

Go to Google

Type in chococat watch

Hit the Google Search button

Tell me who is at the top of the list

!=^..^=!

Disturbing Gnomes

2004-11-27T22:34:00.000-05:00

Please be advised that the items in this posting are NOT on Wackington's Official 2004 Holiday Wishlist, or on any other wish list attributable to Wackington and its affiliates. Just want to make that clear.

So, Justin and I drove to Holyoke last night to see our friends Jennifer, Bill, Ginger, and Collin. Somehow we got to talking about the engagement "gift" that we gave to Jennifer and Bill over a year ago. It was a garden gnome that let loose a cacophony of farts whenever the internal motion detector was triggered. Sophisticated, yet disturbing. Just like Bill and Jennifer.

Bill and Jennifer did not keep our gnome, but ended up selling it on eBay for about $30. Suffice it to say that Justin and I were pleased with this outcome, and are thinking that disturbing gnomes might become a traditional present that we give to our closest friends.

Here are just a few of the disturbing gnomes that I recently found on eBay:

1. Farting Gnome Just in case you want one too.

2. Marvin the Hilarious Bare Assed Mooning Gnome

3. Gnome Taking a Dump "Hysterically Cheeky."

4. Matching Latex Gnome Masks (with Hair). There are furries, people who enjoy having sex while wearing furry animal outfits. Perhaps there are also gnomies.

5.Gnome Horror/Porn DVD "Blood Gnomes" description from listing:
"In this steamy horror picture, Daniel (Vincent Bilancio) is shocked to discover that a series of recent sex murders are actually being committed by a monstrous band of demons called Blood Gnomes. As the clothes continue to disappear, so too do the lives of their mutilated victims. Featuring erotic superstar Julie Strain, John Lechago's film combines horror with sexuality, doubling the pleasure for fans of both genres."

6. George W. Bush Garden Gnome Already has 23 bids.

7. Wim the Butcher Gnome That's a disproportionately large sausage that Wim is holding.

Edward Gorey Goods Galore

2004-11-26T09:08:00.000-05:00

Edward Gorey is one of my favorite authors and illustrators. One of the things he was best known for is the animated intro to the PBS Mystery! Series. My husband, Justin, also liked Gorey from childhood. His high school yearbook entry was a picture of Gorey's Doubtful Guest character.

Perhaps it is no surprise, then, that we settled on Gorey as the theme for our wedding in 2002. We even went to the Edward Gorey House (a.k.a., the Elephant House) in Yarmouthport on the Cape for part of our honeymoon. Gorey died in 2000, and his house is now a museum that "celebrates the life and work of Edward Gorey, and focuses on animal welfare and art education through an array of projects for people of all ages." Highly recommended.

Also worth a visit is the Edward Gorey House website. They have all the info one might need if one wanted to visit Gorey's house and learn more about Gorey. They have an online store with Gorey goods galore. Wackington's Official 2004 Holiday Wishlist includes the sweater-wearing Gorey plush cats by Gund and the mini Gashlycrumb Tinies lunchboxes.

Another awesome source for Gorey goods is Pomegranate's online Edward Gorey Artist Gallery. They have an impressive range of Gorey themed stationery and calendars.

And, of course, there's always eBay, where you can find rare Gorey books, limited edition Gorey prints, plus all manner of Gorey-themed collectible t-shirts, jewelry, toys, posters, etc.

Chococat Watch Update #2

2004-11-26T08:25:00.000-05:00

I checked the Hello Kitty kiosk at the Prudential Center. No Chococat Watches on order that they knew of.

Ebay still has two of each color up for auction.

I had mentioned in the last post that there was a green watch. Apparently the color is more of a tan or putty.

Chococat Watch Update

2004-11-23T22:22:00.000-05:00

Official Sanrio online store: not yet.

Kitty World, Newbury St., Boston: not yet. Their order comes in at the end of the month. I'll stop by again next week.

Prudential Center HK kiosk: will check back tomorrow

eBay: 1 pink, 1 green, and 2 brown watches available. Just type in "chococat watch" (as I have done for the past year or so at least).

So put the green and pink ones on Wackington's official 2004 Holiday Wish List. Of course: I must have all three colors. Yes. Yes yes yes.

(I can hear Justin doing his Martin Short smoking neurotic lawyer impersonation at me right about now: I'm not crazy. You're crazy. I don't know what you're talking about. Puff, puff....exhale...)

Hello Chococat Watch?

2004-11-23T01:46:00.000-05:00

I'm still stunned. I just bought a Chococat watch on eBay. A new Chococat Tree wristwatch in brown, no less. The same seller also offered the same in pink and green. I suppose I should thank the universe and its mysterious ways and leave it at that. But I wonder. Did Mr. Hensley know about this? Is this why he laughed and said that he wanted a Chococat watch too? (See "Wackington! Has! Spoken! =^..^=!" from November 18, below)

The other strange thing is that the official Sanrio store does not seem to be offering these watches. Not yet anyway. Maybe they haven't gotten around to posting them. Or maybe the watches I found are cheapo knockoffs. I am going to have to run to the Kitty store on Newbury Street tomorrow to investigate further. I will update you as events unfold. Stay tuned.

Hello, Cthulu!

2004-11-22T21:25:00.001-05:00

!=^..^= Wish List Item Alert =^..^=!
These Cthulu plush toys are one of the top items on Wackington's official 2004 Holiday Wish List (2004 HWL). Hint, hint. I am especially fond of Santa Cthulu. Note the cute little jingle bells appended to each fuzzy green tentacle, the jaunty hat, the festive scarf.

Sushi Pillow Angst

2004-11-21T22:56:00.000-05:00

Imagine this: full-sized plush sushi pillows that would transform beds into obento boxes and sleepers into sashimi.

Now, I am not the only person who has thought of sushi pillows. The Original Sushi Pillow has a whole menu of nigiri and maki pillows. They even have edamame body pillows. If you need an immediate sushi pillow fix, they are the place to go. However, I think that it would be possible to create much cuter versions. The question is, who should make them?

At first I thought that I would mention this to Mr. Hensley at Sanrio. I wrote about it in one of the emails that never seemed to go through to him. During our phone call, though, I had a change of heart. I decided that maybe I should hold onto this idea in case I ever start Wackington, Inc., a company that would make sushi pillows and other such products.

It is conceivable that I will never realize this dream. I know that, and maybe I will regret not mentioning it to Mr. Hensley. But if I don't give my dream a chance, then no one will.

Wackington! Has! Spoken! =^..^= !

2004-11-18T20:18:00.000-05:00

Wackington! Has! Spoken! to Bill Hensley, Marketing Director of Sanrio U.S. !

YAY!

Mr. Hensley is a very nice man. Ken Belson is a nice man too. He kindly gave me Mr. Hensley's email (which always bounced back for some reason) and telephone number after his Hello Kitty the Book talk (see previous post).

Mr. Hensley answered his own phone and politely explained that Sanrio does not solicit or accept product ideas from sources outside the company. However, they do listen to customer requests. Then he was nice enough to listen to mine. :

1. Hello Fiestaware! I can't imagine anything more classic or collectible than Fiestaware with a Hello Kitty and/or other Sanrio characters on it. Unfortunately, Mr. Hensley was not familiar with Fiestaware. I tried to explain what it is, but suspect I might have failed due to a lack of preparation and overexcitement.

2. A Chococat watch. I explained to Mr. Hensley that I have tried in vain to pick up a retired Chococat (stripes) watch on eBay and other online sources. Tried and tried. Mr. Hensley laughed and said that he would like a Chococat watch too. More Chococat items are being rolled out within the next year; maybe a watch will be among them

3. Chococat or Hello Kitty prescription grade eyeglass frames. I think he mentioned that this was in development by a licensee, but was not sure when they would be out. I think that 's what he said. Again, with the overexcitement (Mr. Hensley laughed! Wants a chococat watch too!), maybe I am getting this wrong.

Thank you, Mr. Hensley, for taking my call. I really do appreciate it.

Jennifer Boyle Is My Daddy

2004-11-17T21:57:00.000-05:00

I would not be writing this blog if it weren't for my friend Jennifer's blog, This Is the Life. I am inspired by her sense of humor and moral outrage, and her general take on life. Plus she is the most dedicated Red Sox fan I know. I am not just saying this because she recommends Wackington on her blog or because she says that I am a fantastic writer. Nope. It's just the truth.

Hello Email

2004-11-16T20:54:00.000-05:00

My new email address is wackington@hellokitty.com . I couldn't believe Wackington wasn't already taken. Go figure.

You too can have your very own hellokitty.com email address. Just go to Sanriowave.

My yahoo email still works too.

Hello, Depression!

2004-11-11T21:52:00.000-05:00

Sadly, and despite our best efforts, the Hello Kitty Airstream Trailer for Me Fund (HKATfMF) did not prevail at auction. I hereby concede the victory to my worthy opponent, patrickrobeson. To all of my supporters, I feel your pain. We fought the good fight and I thank you so very much for your encouragement, inspiration, and financial backing. I feel blessed to have been your leader. I believe that we will live on to fight another day. We must. In 2014, Hello Kitty will be 40. That is right around the corner, folks. If 30 was an Airstream, what might 40 be? Let this question bring us the hope and courage to pursue our dreams. Good night, America, and God bless.

Hello Kitty Online World

2004-11-04T22:31:00.000-05:00

Kitty Kingdom, here I come. Seems like a cute enough retreat from reality for the next four years. I have signed up to be one of the first to play Hello Kitty Online World, the first online community using Sanrio characters. I am especially eager to "make new friends using special in-game telepathy." Sounds like something I might be able to sell on eBay for cold, hard cash.

Hello, Canada!

2004-11-04T22:01:00.000-05:00

Now more than ever, I need your support. Please consider a modest contribution to the Hello Kitty Airstream Trailer for Me Fund (HKATfMF).

With your donation, I will be able to live in mobile Hello Kitty comfort and style in, say, Vancouver. Or maybe Nunavut. There are only six days left for you to make your pledge. Wackington's operators are standing by.

Please Vote and Let Vote

2004-11-02T19:34:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry that I didn't get to post earlier in the day to encourage people to vote. I hope you did, or if the polls are still open in your community, I hope you will exercise your right to vote.

Justin and I voted at about 7:10 a.m. this morning in Amesbury, MA. There was already quite a line by the time we got there and the polls had only been open for ten minutes. Gave me warm fuzzy goosebumps full of civic pride.

I wish that I could say that every voter across the country was welcomed at the polls the way we were. Instead, I was angry to learn that Republicans won the right to challenge 23,000 "suspect" voters--many of whom are minorities--in Ohio. Why are they suspect? Are they suspected Democrats? As Jennifer Boyle says, this Jim Crow b.s. has got to stop.

Hello, Hello Kitty Book Co-author!

2004-11-01T20:48:00.000-05:00

10/29/04: Ken Belson, co-author of Hello Kitty: The Remarkable Story of Sanrio and the Billion Dollar Feline Phenomenon gave a talk sponsored by the Japan Society at the Omni Parker House in Boston. Belson was impressed by my Hello Kitty prescription sunglasses; I was impressed with his book. And just a little jealous.

Happy 30th, Hello Kitty!

2004-11-01T04:42:00.000-05:00

I knew that this year marked Kitty's 30th anniversary, but I had totally forgotten that today was her actual "birthday" until I received a voice mail last Thursday from Mopsy, my therapist, life coach, fairy godmother, and fellow cat enthusiast. She said something like, "Leese, if you can get a copy of the Victory Edition of the Globe--which might be kind of hard since they are collector's items--do. There is something in the Life at Home section that is right up your alley." And indeed there was: a feature article on Hello Kitty and her 30 years of cuteness.

The article mentioned that Ken Belson, co-author with Brian Bremner of Hello Kitty: The Remarkable Story of Sanrio and the Billion Dollar Feline Phenomenon, was giving a talk the following evening at the Omni Parker House in Boston, just down the street from work. I just had to go and see who had written a book that I wish I could have written. So far, it has been an interesting and thought-provoking read. Belson and Bremner ask the questions that I have been asking myself: why is Kitty so huge? Why does she capture the imagination of so many people, including children and adults, artists and academics, ravers and rock stars?

I am fascinated by Hello Kitty, by the sheer bulk of Hello Kitty goods that are marketed to adults. I am the proud owner of several of these items (but not, sad to say, the Hello Kitty Personal Massager. This is my Grail.). For my Hello Kitty themed wedding shower, friends gave me the Hello Kitty toaster that burns the negative space around Kitty's head onto your bread (The bow gets extra burning to make it darker. For the record, I think that there should be more image-producing toasters. For example, a Shroud of Turin Toaster would be perfect). I procured a Hello Kitty glitter lava lamp and Hello Tarot! deck from various online sources. And then there's the piece de resistance, my Hello Kitty prescription sunglasses.

I consider myself a Hello Kitty fan and a feminist. The two are not mutually exclusive. I do not think that Kitty necessarily promotes or celebrates women's subservience just because she is a supercute feline Philomena (there is an essay on Philomena called "The Voice of the Shuttle Is Ours," that talks about voice and voicelessness and power -- but of course I have no idea where I have put my copy)who has no mouth and therefore cannot speak. I think that one could argue that a lack of an orifice offers Kitty a form of protection because it renders her impenetrable, unknowable in several ways. Perhaps it is an adaptive mutation to a cruel, manipulative, and meaningless world.

So, Kitty is silent but she is far from powerless or dead. My favorite factoid from Belson and Bremner's book is that Bill Gates offered $5.6 billion through an intermediary to purchase the rights to Hello Kitty--but apparently was turned down. If that is not power, what is? Hello Kitty shows us that cute can be very powerful, indeed.

I agree with notion mentioned in the book that Hello Kitty's silence creates a receptivity (nay, a lacuna!) that encourages consumers--including young girls, perhaps especially young girls--to project onto Kitty what they want her to be, think, and say. These projections help them become active agents of their own imaginations and voices. They shape Kitty as much as she shapes them. Which sounds a little bit feminist to me.

Achewood!

2004-10-27T20:51:00.000-05:00

Wackington says: =^..^=^..^=^..^=^..^=^..^= (Five cats out of five)!!!!!

Justin, Jennifer, and Bill kept ranting on and on about Achewood, an online cartoon world and store. Finally checked it out. It didn't grab me at first. Then I started to read some of the story arcs. The one that hooked me in particular features Philippe the five-year-old otter boy who believes that he impregnated a petunia by touching it. I don't want to spoil it, but Philippe attempts to do the honorable thing. I haven't belly-laughed that hard in a long, long time. Can't wait to read it all. The store is pretty nifty too.

Wackington for President '04

2004-10-25T22:17:00.000-05:00

When I become President for Life of Sanrio or Homer Laughlin or both, there will be enough Hello Kitty Fiestaware for every man, woman, and child in America.

BWAH HAH HAH HA HAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

My name is Wackington and I approved this message.

Do I Heart Huckabees?

2004-10-22T20:35:00.000-05:00

Wackington says: =^..^=^..^=^..^=^. (3.5 cats out of 5)
First, I should say that we missed the first fifteen minutes of it. But yes, yes I do heart Huckabees. It's something I suspect our therapist and her cat would enjoy. My favorite part is (and I don't think this is a spoiler--sorry if it is) the close up of the Isabelle Huppert character's business card. This is not to say that everyone would heart Huckabees. It's one of those love/hate films. Probably best to go see it with low expectations. Personally, I would be willing to pay full price to see the fifteen minutes that I missed plus the rest of it all over again.

Tchotchke lovers will be pleased to know that they seem to be giving out promotional I Heart Huckabees pins when you buy your ticket.

Happy Birthday, Aisha Shmaisha!

2004-10-20T21:12:00.000-05:00

Today is my friend Aisha's birthday. How old are you now?

Hello, Donations!

2004-10-20T19:33:00.000-05:00

Please contribute generously to the Hello Kitty Airstream Trailer for Me Fund. The HKATfM Fund needs to raise at least $150,000 to help me make my winning bid for this Sanrio Hello Kitty 25 Airstream Trailer:

http://page.auctions.shopping.yahoo.com/auction/87637183?aucview=0x30

Your contribution will help me feel complete as a person.

An extra special shout out to Mr. Bitterness for revealing the selling price of my soul.