Men's Suits = Recycled Bottles

How many plastic bottles does it take to weave one tailored suit? Just 30 bottles says the Bagir clothing company.

For $200 you can purchase an EcoGIR suit made of100% recycled post-consumer materials made from PET bottles. It's an incredible concept and environmentally conscious choice. You can now literally wear your politics on your back to the work place and formal events. Bagir also offers a hybrid suit line which uses 55% PET bottles combined with bamboo and organic cotton. These casual suits have buttons made from palm tree seeds that are eco-consciously grown. Supposedly 1 in every 6 European men own a Bagir suit. They are becoming more visible around the world, and are leading the way in greening the fashion houses.

For more Info see:
http://www.bagir.com/?CategoryID=204&ArticleID=288

Free Yoga & Pilates Classes

Although on the expensive side, I like the fabric and quality of the clothing at Lululemon Athletica at the Ala Moana shopping mall. It's one of the few apparel companies specifically inspired by the practice of yoga itself.

The Scoop: Free weekly yoga or pilates classes in the store!
When: Every Sunday, 8:30-9:45 a.m.
Where It's At: 1450 Ala Moana Bovd, #2406 (downstairs in the new Nordstrom wing)
808.946.7220
www.lululemon.com

Bon Chic, Bon Genre (BCBG)

Bon Chic, Bon Genre = Good Fashion, Good Life

Ah, Paris (pah ree)--I love all things French. The French know how to live. If you just take the label "BCBG" it's like they are marketing a French life style: dress well and you'll have a good life. Now if only life were really that simple--how nice would that be.

If I had to pick one clothing line that I could say was "me," it would be BCBG. When I walk into a boutique, I find that I like 80% of the pieces. Afterall, if it took me one hour to just pick this image for this post...can you imagine how long I spend browsing in the actual stores? My only critique is that the materials used is mainly cotton, nylon, silk or some blend of these. MaxStudio does a finer job in selecting fine clothing material and does a fabulous job in their stitching detail.

BCBG Shopping Tips:
Order online: All online items are returnable at boutique stores for a full refund! This is a real treat given that items purchased at the boutique itself have an "all sales final" policy (no returns allowed).
Best BCBG sales are at Macys (Pasadena on Lake; Ala Moana in Hawaii) and Saks Fifth Avenue (Newport Beach); Plus, all items are returnable at chain department stores.
Try the outlets for some good finds (Camarillo outlet in CA has the best selection)

Where to Shop:
Best BCBG store: Paris (exit the Madeline metro stop, approx 1-2 blocks from Fouchon)
Hawaii: BCBG boutique in Ala Moana mall; Macys Ala Moana; Nordstrom; Neiman Marcus
Mainland: Most malls and major department stores
Online: www.bcbg.com

Shout out to Julianna who treated me to a $400 shopping spree to BCBG and got me hooked on the BCBG line. She's my best shopping buddy--we can shop for hours in just one store.

Vietnamese Summer Rolls

In Hawaii, eating Vietnamese Spring Rolls are called Summer Rolls, so when I want an Imperial Roll I need to ask for a Spring Roll and when I want a Spring Roll I need to order a Summer Roll. Confused? I wonder where Hawaii picked up the term Summer Rolls anyway? All the other major cities in the U.S. (e.g. D.C., Boston, LA and New York) use the same terminology. I wonder why it's different in Hawaii?

Clockwise from Top Left: Hawaii Summer Roll, Hawaii Spring Roll, Mainland Spring Roll, Mainland Imperial Roll (Culture Shock #79)

Kimono Festival

Sharon, Naoko and I attended the Kimono Fashion Show at the Japanese Cultural Center in Honolulu. 86 people from Japan flew out just to participate in this cultural exchange. The room was packed with around 200 attendees (more than was expected), and never before seen dressings of the imperial kimonos were shown as well as obi-tying choreographed to music, and contemporary obi's (tied in a hibiscus for example).

After the show, the 3 of us feasted at the Big Greek Cafe. Took 50 minutes and three attempts to find parking. The outdoor setting was quaint and I almost forgot I was in Kaimuki. The food was good too(until the mouse and cockroaches came out).



This was my first time using my Canon 50mm 1.8 lens. Only turned on the Canon EX580 flash at the last 5 minutes.

Animal Rescue - Click to Give

For those with tender hearts, click the button on the website below, and a donation will be made to provide food and shelter for unwanted animals.


http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

Obon Festival - Mililani

I had been wanting to go to Mililani for a long time, curious to see with my own eyes, the new suburban community that I hear so much about. In my mind I imagine that it looks like Irvine, but even after going there I'm not so sure...we got to the Obon festival when it was dark at night.

This Obon had the largest crowd I've ever seen out of all the festivals I've been to (Japan excluded). Five rings of dancing circles moved in unison filled with kids, teens, seniors and even the mayor. What surprised me most was to see the masses of teens eagerly run to join in the dance once the live music played. (An Obon with live music and taiko drummers? Right on!) In Los Angeles I don't think teens think it's hip and cool display this much Obon-eagerness, but it was sure refreshing to see the youth reclaim their cultural heritage in Hawaii.

Carnival - Night Photography

Andrew and I went to the Honolulu Family Festival at Magic Island to practice digital photography at night. It was a frustrating experience trying to take a) night time shots b) with motion and c) with lights while learning how to d) use manual mode for the first time e) accounting for both shutter speed, lighting and apeture.

These are taken with my Canon 17-85mm lens and a compact tri-pod (too light with stand the weight of the camera/lens). Forgot the shutter release at home.

Made in Hawaii Festival

Hundreds of homemade Hawaii themed items lured shoppers from around the island: Rice bag boxers, clay leis, hand towel "desserts", sushi pillows, and washi lamps were some of the items for sale. The yearly event at the Blaisdel Center allows island-only artists and entrepreneurs the chance to sell their regional products. Admission is $3 and the event usually draws an average of 65,000 people.

Fred Segal - Eco-Chic in '08

Wow, who would have guessed that the popular Santa Monica store would branch in this direction? Maybe with the number of celebs gone green, Fred Segal has found a little niche for their clientèle. Opening this summer, the 1,200 sq ft store specializes in green furniture, baby wear, pet accessories and home items. Something to check out!
Where to Get It:
Fred Segal Green
500 Broadway
Santa Monica, California 90401
http://www.fredsegalgreen.com/

Leave it to Google -411

I'm a Google-girl! I love and use Google daily. I can't afford their stock--not even one share--but I bought a book to read about the history of the company. Interesting!

Well, leave it to Google to think of just another way to improve communication in our society--it's the new free information line. Just call toll free:

800-GOOG-411

If you’re ever in need of a business or service and there’s no time to drive to a nearby gas station to find a phone booth (yes, old school style)...there's no time to run home to get to the internet...and you can't remember where you last left your iphone and blackberry...

All you need to do is call Google and they will direct you to your destination.

For a YouTube demonstration see:
http://www.google.com/goog411/

Happy Meals, Easy Bake Oven & Gendered Toys

So, I’m sitting here eating a McDonald’s Happy Meal. And does it make me happy? Well, sort of. I ordered the Happy Meal because I was saw the poster outside for the new Star Wars Bobble-Head toys that it came with. Cool! When I asked the lady at the drive-through window what toy was being given away this week, she pointed to Darth Vader on a Ty-Fighter. Very Cool! So I ordered a 4-piece chicken McNugget meal and eagerly stuck my hand in the bag to pull out the toy. Not cool! It was C3PO. I like 3PO, he’s just not the toy I was expecting.

As I sit here eating my fries I laugh as I recollect this funny childhood memory. When my brother was in kindergarten, his teacher, Mrs. McKibbens, made the class write a list of everything they wanted Santa Claus to bring them. In pencil, my brother wrote down only one thing--the two words: “at-at.” Yes, “a” “t” dash “a” ”t”. The teacher circled it in red, put a question mark by it, and had a private meeting with my mom. Perhaps she was concerned that he was having trouble spelling. Or maybe that he had trouble following assignments. Or maybe she was concerned that my parents wouldn’t know where Santa would even buy—I mean make—such a thing, an “at-at.” But my mother reassured her that it was a Star Wars toy…an All Terrain Armored Transport (AT-AT) to be exact. I can imagine how confused the teacher must have felt.

I remember how excited and thrilled my 5 year old brother was that Christmas morning. Per his annual routine, he woke up super early on Christmas morning, shaking me out of my slumber, so we could rush out and see what Santa had brought. Sure enough, Santa had brought an AT-AT down through our chimney tied with a perfect red bow. It was a cool toy to play with; after all, you could stuff a ton of action figures in that thing.

Don’t get me wrong, I also enjoyed playing with girl toys too. That was the year I got my Barbie swimming pool. But there were few girl toys that really had any real purpose behind them. It’s a testimony to how gendered children’s’ toys are, and the ways in which it socializes young girls to be passive recipients in society and into nurturing, care-taking roles. Girl toys rarely allow girls to build and construct, battle for power, or take over the universe. Rather, we are socialized to brush the hair of My Little Pony, change the wardrobe of Barbie, and go marketing with miniaturized plastic food. I appreciated my Strawberry Shortcake collection, but again, the best part of these doll was being able to smell their hair. The extent of fun with this toy was to make my brother close his eyes and guess which character he was smelling. Poor guy! The Easy Bake Oven played into stereotypes and gendered processes of socialization but it was one of the few toys that allowed girls to start and complete a mission and purpose. To bake, albeit, but at least this was an active rather than passive way of playing with toys. I mean, who knew that you could actually bake a brownie or small cake via the heat of a light bulb? Genius! The Easy Bake Oven took ‘playing house’ to the next level.

All in all, I will probably return to McDonalds for another Happy Meal soon. They really should make Happy Meals for adults. After all, we work hard and deserve some fun in life too!

Clone Wars toys are available for 4 weeks only. See: www.happymeal.com for details. My favorite Happy Meal toys are: Boba Fett on the Slave 1, Darth Vader on the Ty-Fighter and R2D2 in a plane, and the Stormtrooper on an AT-AT. (If you understand any of these terms you are either:r a) born in my era b) a Star Wars geek or c) the parent of a child born in the 70s or late 60s)

Hawaiian Host Memories

I don’t even know if people even bring these back to the mainland as omiyage any more.

When I was a kid, I used to love when friends and family members returned from Hawaii leaving behind an omiyage “Hawaiian Host Macadamia Nut Chocolates.” I always remember the dark brown bod with the Tiki figure on the cover, lifting up the airy bubble sheet and finding individualized compartments each spooning it’s chocolate delight. We used to keep the box on our long wooden living room coffee table. It was always so tempting to want to take a peek…even if we already had our day’s share.

Today, I still find myself driving to Longs to kick the late night choco-craving with a box of Hawaiian Host chocolates. I had passed by aisles of these boxes at Walmart and Costco when I first arrived—“eh, nothing special” I’d say rather snobbishly and brush off the sale signs and advertised 6-pack deals. But a couple months ago CK gave me a party favor from a recent bowling event he went to. It was a snack pack of the new Hawaiian Host ToffeeMacs. Yum! I was hooked. It was like eating Almond Roca without the outer almonds, and with a solid toffee bar middle mixed with tiny mac nut speckles. At less than $4 a box and with its availability everywhere on the island, this Hawaiian Host line has become my favorite quick fix for chocoholic cravings.

Meditation - "Finding Peace"

I found this little 4x4" Hallmark gift book called "Finding Peace." Artful watercolor marks fill each page as short inscriptions guides this meditative thought. Below, I use works from artist Jon Schueler:

"The Lord was not heard in the earthquake or the fire, but in the still small voice." --1 Kings 19:11-12


Go to that place today.
You know,
that one place
where everything else
just doesn't matter anymore--


the traffic, the deadlines,
the streets, the demands,
all the hassles of doing life.
in a world like ours.


Go to that quiet place.
It doesn't have to be for long--
Just long enough
to breathe,
to be.


Give yourself the gift
of time,
of space,
of freedom from distractions.


Go there.
Remember.
Listen.
Look.
Listen some more.


And in that still, small whisper,
Hear the Lord...
and know that you are loved.

The art pieces are by Jon Schueler, whose ability to create mood through the paint brush was a source of inspiration for my own work last fall. His book is titled, "To The North."

Sending an international blessing to Chris who is celebrating his birthday in the P.I. (Philippine Islands) today. May you hear the whisper of God's still small voice as you celebrate and honor the gift of your birth & life.

Happy Birthday!

Cody Enters the World

Little Cody was born on July 17, 2008. Proud parents, Sheila and Jon, cooked up a great grilled steak dinner. We did a spontaneous photo shoot of the family. Here are a few selected images:

Happy Birthday to Lily, Stephanie & Suzanne!

Three special friends celebrating three special birthdays.
Wish I were at home to wish you the warmest of days and give you a big birthday hug!



Red Velvet cupcake from my favorite bakery, Cake Couture, in Aina Hina, Hawaii.

"Slip of the Tongue" video - Asian American Beauty

I showed this excellent 3.5 minute video in the Asian American Studies course I taught. Using the spoken word, it cleverly speaks to issues of beauty, gender, sexuality, and ethnicity in Asian America.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQZwZVBDAHI

Let me know what you think!


[If anyone knows how to post YouTube clips on blogs, I'd love to learn]

iilids – double eye lids

The secret to maintaining double eye lids? > Eye Tape

What is Eye Tape? They are sheets of clear plastic moon shaped pre-cut stickers to tape into the folds of one’s eyes, used to form lid creases. I use them for the mornings when I wake up and see that my natural eye lid fold has gone haywire. For a quick way to fix my eye lid crease, I put the tape on for 30+ minutes until they flip back to normal, then discard the stickers.

In college, this is the way one of my Chinese American roommates gave herself double eye lids. No surgery needed. She just scotch taped her eyes at night until they were trained to create a crease. She now has natural double eye lids.

Where to get it:
Japanese “Eye Tape” by Koji ($4 for 30 sets of two) – Shirokiya, Honolulu
Korean “Eye Tape” – Cosmetic stores in Koreatown, Los Angeles

(See video in today's other posting for commentary on Asian American beauty)

Couture Pet Accessories

You don't need to be a dog owner to appreciate the humor in these clever squeak-toys:

The products are listed on the company's website under the fashionable cities that inspired their creation: Paris, New York, London, Miami and Hollywood.

The Paris collection offers: "Chewy Vitton" and "Pawda" purses along side bottles of "Dog Perignonn Champaign" (Cute and clever? Oui Oui!) The New York line has "Kate Spayed" purses, "Manolo Barknik" shoes, and "Sniffany & Co" jewelry. Hollywood sells "Woof-gang Puck Pizzas" and London, a pair of "Jimmy Chew" shoes. Other accessories such as the "iBone" (iPhone) and "iDog" (iPod) are also avaiable.

Where to Get It:
Online: http://www.hautediggitydog.com/
Bark Avenue: Koko Marina Shopping Plaza, 7192 Kalanianaole Highway, #C-126, Honolulu, Hawaii 96825. (808)394-2343

Sushi Dog Toys

Is your dog Japanese at heart?
Then how about getting a sushi squeak-toy?

These toys were too cute to resist. They are made of soft fluffy material and run $7-9 a piece. Hey, just like ordering sushi at a real restaurant!

Where to get it: online at www.sushipup.com
On Oahu: Bark Avenue, Koko Marina Shopping Plaza

Free Zagat Guide - Hawaii Edition

For over a decade I've been a huge Zagat fan. When I started my first full time job out of college I'd spend the majority of my paycheck trying out the hottest restaurants in LA and across the country. Although I'm toning down my foodie urges and refer less and less to the Zagat guide (due to lack of budget or a shift in priorities perhaps)...I still trust the reviews and comments of each edition.

You can get your own free edition of the upcoing "Hawaii Zagat" by participating in their online survey by August 31:

http://www.zagat.com/promo.aspx?PN=98

Happy Voting!

Split Obsession - Toy Collectors

Toy collectors of all ages will love this store: Split Obsession. It's for folks who have that private dual side to them...a collection obsession.

Most of the toys in this store are unique ones shipped directly from Japan. Next Tuesday a special shipment of Bobafett and other Star Wars items will come in. The items are being internationally distributed now that the Japan Star Wars Convention has ended. The conventions, drawing over 35,000 people each, were held in London, San Francisco, Tokyo and Los Angeles. Exclusive toys were made for each country.

My brother's "split obession" is with Star Wars, a movie our family enjoyed and grew up with. It was the very first drive-in movie we saw as kids. We got dressed up in our PJs, brought our pillows and favorite stuffed toy, and eventually fell asleep in the car before the movie was over. Leah confronting an angry Darth Vader was the last scene I remembered on that big screen. It was a fun family experience.

Today my brother owns a house, and has dedicated one room specifically to his Star Wars collection. His room looks like a specialty store--literally!, with gray and black painted walls lined with hanging action figures (much like Toys R Us aisles), different Star Wars space ships hanging from the ceiling, and artfully placed on tables and the ground. Bruce, the owner of Split Obsession, was so intrigued by this that he wanted to see the room...until he learned it was on the mainland. Yet in the typical aloha spirited way, he offered to order my brother any Star Wars items from Japan that he might want. Sometimes I get "good" culture shock when I'm in Hawaii--when I see how genuinely friendly and kind people are here and how they go out of their way to help one another. Through these small acts, I find my soul refreshed time and again in the land of aloha.

For a fun Star Wars blog see:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://geekologie.com/2007/04/papercraft-star-wars.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.geekologie.com/mt/mt-search.cgi%3Ftag%3Dstar%2520wars%26blog_id%3D1&h=360&w=320&sz=29&hl=en&start=14&sig2=Op7QgkY1-Yc9ecfxzYKLyg&tbnid=m37SkmV9Mv4fbM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=108&ei=jPSgSLP5CoyipwTtq5DgBw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dstar%2Bwars%2Btoys%2Bfrom%2Bjapan%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG

Where to Shop:
Spilt Obession (in the Koko Marina Shopping Center)
7192 Kalanianaole Hwy, #D-100
Honolulu, HI 96825
808.395.3380
www.splitobsession.com

Star Wars Gone Green?

Some of my favorite Star Wars finds:

Recyclable R2: Has Star Wars Gone Green?

Can Vader Actually Breathe while Dancing?

Will the candy now stay fresh?

Shoyu D2? ...Someone had way too much time on their hands!

Fireworks - Photographs

Kudos to the city of Hawaii Kai for a great 1st Annual 4th of July celebration. Since I had forgotten my tri-pod (a must when shooting fireworks) I was surprised that these images came out decent just using a remote shutter-release. Look for the pineapple!

Peek-a-Boo

With blue-ish brown eyes, the little hapa girl sits perched in the green supermarket wagon swinging her legs, laughing. I conclude that she thinks we're playing a game of “peek a boo.” And so she laughs some more. The truth of the matter is that I’m actually trying to sleep, or at least get some rest from the night before. When I open my eyes to check if she’s still watching me, she smiles and squeals with a giggle. From her perspective we’re playing a fun game.

I’m trying to rest my eyes and still my shaky body. It’s shaky from the adrenaline rush from the late night before, exhausted from the lack of sleep. I finished writing my chapter draft at 4am and woke up at 7:30am to head out for the morning’s plans. I can feel the age in my body. I’m too old to do this.

As the little girl pretends to hand over her cookie to me, I smile and pause to philosophically wonder why bodies must age. Why must we grow old? And why does time always have to move forward?

The notion of time—of stopping time, of going back in time, of time travel into the future—has been a fascination of writers, poets, scientists and film directors. It’s as if the human soul, in the midst of life’s busyness and in the midst of life’s joys and pain, secretly yearns to stop…to pause long enough to be still. And perhaps it is not so much that we desire to recapture our youth, or that we want to know the future, or that we want to be someplace else but here. Perhaps it’s just the paradox of knowing that even in our most still moments, time still moves forward. And that we cannot stop it. We can only pass through it. And in knowing and recognizing this, we must come face to face that this thing called life is so much bigger than us.

We can’t control time. Nor can we control life. We can only surrender to it. And acknowledge that there is a bigger force, a greater universe, and more powerful God who cares for us more than we can ever imagine.

Peek a boo.

What our eyes see and what our minds know is so limited in comparison to the unknown of that which is not yet seen.

The little girl waves her open palms at me and lets out another squeal. I open my eyes and catch her watching. She laughs uncontrollably. And I smile.

Dust

Hawaii is such a dusty place. It’s unbelievable. I wondered aloud to a friend why I have to dust so much. He said it was Hawaii. And that I live on the ground level.

My room sits perched in front of a marina where ducks pass by my sliding glass door and jump into the ocean water just outside my bedroom window. Ducks!? Swaddling by my room?! (culture shock #239) Where in mainland cities does that ever happen? Here in Hawaii it is a daily occurrence for me.

What drives me nuts is that I find myself sweeping and dusting at least once a day. Sometimes little dust balls come rolling out of no where! I mean, if I sweep the floor before going to bed, where do all these new little dust balls come from when I awake? I swear that I have a secret dust 'rabbit' hiding under my bed who creates little dust bunnies during the night.

My parents used to tell me Hawaii stories about dust. Mom’s weekly chore as a little girl was to dust the furniture every Saturday. I could just picture all those picture frames and white hand-knit doilies that had to be removed so the family furniture could be properly dusted. And as a kid my dad installed an outdoor water spout so brother and I could wash our feet before going in the house. I never understood this ritual. Why did we have to wash our feet when other families didn't. Turns out that my dad used to play bare foot in the red dirt on Maui, tracking into the house its dust and other fine particles which his sisters had to delightfully clean in their spare time.

Hawaii. Dust. And the blowing wind. They all go hand in hand.

Next time I'm getting a room on the second floor.

It wasn’t until I moved to Hawaii that I began to understand little things about why our family does some of the things we do. I'm finding that some of these little nuances are geographically and culturally based—tied to life ways in Hawaii.

08.08.08

today is a special day

| 08.08.08 |

by numerical standards alone.

according to chinese numerology
the number 8 is a lucky number
today is an auspicious day they say.

yet today is a special day
because each day, no matter the number
is truly a gift from God.

this i know for sure
this moment is all we're given

may yours be filled with hope, peace, abundance and deep joy.

Spencer arranged for a group of us to have lunch at Chinese restaurant called "Little Village" in honor of 8/8/08. Chinese food, how appropriate. There are a number of special events going on in Chinatown for this special day. And the Beijing Olympics kick off their opening ceremonies today at 8:08pm--shown in Hawaii at 5pm. They chose the time 8:08pm because...well, you get the picture. Barrack Obama is having a campaign rally at 12:30 noon, but I'm not sure why he picked today to do it. I doubt it has to do with lucky 8/8/08.

Nordstrom Beauty Exclusives - Starts Today

Nordstrom Beauty Exclusive – Aug 7^th+

Starting today, Norstrom will give away a special black bag full of make up goodies when customers spend a total of $100 from the different cosmetics counters. Just save your receipts!

In my opinion, this year's gift isn’t that worth it. The black plastic bag is poorly sewn and in a shape I'm not likely to use. However, if you’re like me and purchase items from counters like Bobbi Brown, Channel and Nars that rarely have gift promotions, this department wide offer is a chance for you to get a little treat for yourself.

Other stores that have special storewide gifts:

Bergdorf Goodman (my favorite Chicago department store) also offers a store-wide makeup gift. Unlike Nordstroms, each individual makeup counter gives away their own product gifts...and on top of this, Bergdorf Goodman will additionally also give you an additional gift for purchasing $100 in store-wide beauty products. Gifts are usually full sized make up cremes, mud masks and other quality products. (Usually in February)

Saks Fifth Avenue has a similar promotion as Bergdorf Goodman twice a year. Their gifts are so-so...usually specially designed make up bag sets. I’ve done this on two occasions and got a set of cheetah printed bags, and a pink travel bag with four fillable plastic bottles. The gifts were just "okay." (The Bergdorf Goodman beauty exclusives are your best bet—and they usually give free shipping for out of state (Chicago) phone orders.)

Barbies, GI Joes and Legos

My brother probably hated playing with Barbies. I mean, what really does Barbie do? I had a collection over 20 dolls but did I really need that many? The most fun you can have is dressing her up in the latest outfit and maybe seat her with her friends near her real-water swimming pool (a memorable childhood gift from Santa) or in her Barbie Dream House (another cool gift from Santa). But it’s not like the dolls talked or had conversations with each other. They just sat there, looking pretty, staring at one another in their nice clothes and styled hair.

But Star Wars and GI Joe action figures on the other hand were quite fun. The clawed hands could actually be fit with guns and light sabers (with Luke and Vader’s eventually built directly into its arm) and the figures could actually battle one another for ruling power. Sure we had to move each figure with our hands, but hey, at least there was a bigger story and purpose for these toy lines. The GI Joe guys had cool code names like “Snake Eyes” and “Storm Shadow” and were equipped with their own specialty weapons. My brother made me memorize these facts for days. He would quiz me on the real name, code name, specialization, and weapon of each different GI Joe. I spent many summer hours reading the information on the back of the action figure cardboard cut outs. He even made a little box out of white construction paper and staples to file all the cards in order. Eventually all those memorization exercises eventually paid off and got me through high school and college.

Transformers were cool because the concept of attaching multiple robots to build an even larger robot was a thrill. And who, but the Japanese, would think of turning each transportation vehicle into a dinosaur, bird, animal, or robot. My brother and I would have timed races to see who could transform each toy the fastest. It was such a hot concept that even McDonald’s Happy Meal toys would transform plastic mini McNuggets, Hotcakes, Shakes and Fries into a robot of sort. Of all the Transformers, Bumble Bee the little yellow bug (VW) was my favorite. Perhaps that’s why I wanted a VW in college. My friend Angie and I wanted to paint one hot pink and plaster sorority Greek letters on the hood and doors.

But in my opinion Legos are the best toys of all time! I’ll have to write a stand-alone post for Legos next time. They are in a category of their own.

Cheers to my brother who was my best friend and who made childhood and growing up so much fun and memorable. I can’t imagine my childhood without him