Baskets Full of Easter Joy

Rose O'Neill's Kewpie Dolls celebrate Easter

Candies and colored eggs, chocolate bunnies and marshmallow peeps, these are the yummy treats that make Easter second only to Halloween in gustatory delight. If I liked peppermint, then I'd give the Silver to Christmas, but rich Cadbury creme eggs beat them every time. Santa gets a Bronze. ;-)

Now, a good Fourth of July barbecue shouldn't be overlooked, nor should fresh Thanksgiving pies, but, for the intense sugar rush, they just don't compare.

So, we're back again, celebrating a standard holiday. Long time readers may remember that I don't really care about such festivities, which is still the case, but I'm no party pooper or Scrooge. I can find something interesting to celebrate on any day, for numerous occasions, and one of the purposes for which I blog is to share these special events with you. Nevertheless, since our society marks today as a "holiday", it's only neighborly of me to express my best wishes to all.

The Easter Bunny greets children at the Del Amo Shopping Center.

Therefore, may joy and prosperity be yours throughout the year. May you find happiness and reason for gratitude on every day. May you find the strength to overcome any trouble that you may face and the cleverness to make the most out of any good fortune that you receive.

Happy Easter!!!

The World Looks Mighty Good to Me

"Whatever it is I think I see becomes a Tootsie Roll to me!"

Inventions in foodstuffs are notoriously hard to properly date, but today is as good as any to celebrate the creation of the Tootsie Roll in 1896. These chewy chocolate-like rolls have sweetened the palates of children for many generations. Sticky and dark, they've kept many a dentist in secure occupation as well. ;-)

I was never a Tootsie enthusiast. Although chocolaty, they were not actually chocolate bars, and, in my youth, I wouldn't settle for anything less than the real deal. Moreover, the gooeyness never appealed to me, as it clung to my teeth in a viscous tar-like manner. Yuck!!!

Nevertheless, Tootsie Roll commercials filled the airwaves between cartoons throughout my childhood. The famous jingle from 1977 will probably be floating around in my brain long after important memories fade with age.

"Tootsie Roll, I think I'm in love with you!"

Glorious Spam!!!

Sir Can-A-Lot, cartoon promoter of Glorious SPAM!!!

We'll there are a whole lot of silly cartoon characters used to shill various foodstuffs. Perhaps one of the silliest is the  "spokescharacter" that SPAM introduced to celebrate their 75th anniversary, Sir Can-A-Lot. This diminutive knight goes about surprising people in their kitchens and exhorting them to spice up their meals with "Glorious SPAM!"

Yeah, that's not a word pairing that one hears very often. ;-)

Anyways, I figured we could do with a whimsical post tonight.And every one's favorite "mystery meat" is on the menu!!!

Second Star to the Right

"You can fly! You can fly! You can fly!!!" - Disney's Peter Pan was released on February 5, 1953

Today marks the 60th anniversary since the release of Walt Disney's Peter Pan. Although I wasn't around to see the first run of this movie, I caught it on a subsequent re-release during the 1970s. It is one of the first movies that I remember seeing and, therefore, it has always had a special place in my imagination.

As a child, my interest was in the fantasy adventure elements of the story, as well as the mischievous antics of Tinker Bell, always the troublesome pixie. However, looking at it again in adulthood, the themes of nostalgia for the carefree days of youth create a bittersweet counterpoint throughout the story. I eventually read the original work by J.M. Barrie and, though it was a bit of a grind, my appreciation for the story grew.

There's something very pertinent about Peter Pan to those who cultivate artistic aspirations. The desire to express how one feels through an aesthetic work is a very intense engagement with the imagination, an act of innocence which presumes that others would actually wish to receive one's creative vision. Every time one reaches within one's mind to engage in artistry, it is as if the artist is journeying to their own personal Neverland.

Tinker Bell stuck in a keyhole

Yet, it is so hard to make a living as an artist, of any type. There is always a nagging pressure to "grow up" and "be responsible" by getting a "real" job or accepting assignments that pay the bills but have little to do with artistry, in other words, selling out. Moreover, there is nothing fun about being a starving artist, working part-time minimum wage jobs in retail or food services to barely get by.

Even with supportive friends and family, it is hard to ignore the social expectations into which we are born. An inner voice will always criticize the "perpetual childhood" of the artistic life.

But, when the creative spirit flows, all the troubles of this world fall away. You can fly!!!

Living Foodstuffs

Sophie the Pink Lemonade Ice Pop and Vampire Candy Corn from the World of Mr. Toast

Well, we've been looking at various toys over the past few weeks. So, let's check out a few plush dolls from the World of Mr. Toast!!!

You might be wondering why anybody would want to have dolls of drunken carrots or smiling ice pops. You might not find comics of sentient and mobile foodstuffs engaging in absurd behavior, minimal though it may be, to be of great interest. Well, there are some out there that enjoy playing with their food. ;-)

And, anyways, how can anyone dislike a fanged and winged candy corn?!!

Joe the Egg and Shaky Bacon

Fun stuff!!!

Holiday Cheer: Epiphany

A snowman and a penguin go skiing past a golden angel under the colorful holiday boughs.

Today marks Epiphany, the twelfth day of Christmas. So, I think it's time to end our seasonal celebration. Take down those trees. Toss out the eggnog. Dim those lights. It's been fun, but it's time to turn to other affairs.

I don't generally make a big deal about the holidays, but this year brought a change of pace. I hope you all enjoyed the posts and pictures. And the music, my favorite part of the season.

So, since we're celebrating Epiphany today, let's listen to some appropriate music. ;-)

Holiday Cheer #1

Celebrating the season with an inflatable puppy and penguin

Well, I haven't much to say today. I think that the long malaise that has been plaguing my health, sapping my energy, may finally be leaving. That makes me very happy.

And, therefore, I'm up for some holiday cheer.

Let's listen to some music.

Space Age Nostalgia

The Jetsons first aired on September 23, 1962.

A couple things have turned my mind to the Space Age over the past few days.

First, today marks 50 years since The Jetsons premiered. Although the original run was just one season, I must have seen each episode multiple times as reruns. I never really loved the show, but it did capture my imagination with its bright mid-century futurism. Yeah, it was a cartoon, but the science fiction tropes of the setting authentically reflected optimistic views of future technology, such as the robotic maid and flying cars.

Well, with fifty years yet to go before we get to the Jetsons' time, we might have robotic servants, but I'm doubting that there will be floating cities and flying cars anytime soon. ;-)

Space Shuttle Endeavour flies over northern Redondo Beach

The second thing that brings up Space Age nostalgia took place last Friday. As the Endeavour flew around the Southland, it seemed to be a bittersweet celebration. The dreams of manned space flight feel so distant, from a different era. Of course, I have no fond memories of the Cold War and living under Mutually Assured Destruction, but the space program seemed like the bright and inspiring silver lining to the long nuclear standoff.

Finally, when Endeavour flew into view, I was so excited to wave goodbye to this old icon. Certainly, I enjoy looking at the images from our robot explorers on Mars or floating through space, but I really hope that a manned space program isn't too far away in the future.

Oh well, there's always our imagination in which to explore new worlds and fantastic situations. ;-)

Judy Jetson, dreaming of a bright future.

Let's listen to some music.

Betty Does Dishes

Betty Boop sitting in a wine glass

Well, maybe she's not "doing" the dishes. ;-)

In any case, we can't pass up the opportunity to celebrate 82 years of Betty Boop.

Boop-oop-a-doop!!!

The Miracle of Lasagna

Image from Garfield bookmark "Some Call It Laziness. . ." (1978) by Jim Davis

On June 19, 1978, Jim Davis' comic strip, Garfield, was first published. Featuring a lazy, lasagna-loving cat, this comic strip was a childhood favorite of mine. The jokes were really simple, the gags repetitive, and the smug attitude of the rotund Garfield appealed to my youthful sense of humor.

Eventually, I lost my enthusiasm. Perhaps it was the continuing anthropomorphizing of Garfield, who looked less cat-like over the years, walking upright and possessing obvious human-like hands. Maybe it was just the development of mature tastes in comedy. Or it could have been that the lasagna jokes were getting stale. Whatever the case, this comic strip fell out of my favor.

Nevertheless, there is a warm spot in my heart for Garfield, despite the awful unoriginality to which the comic strips have fallen. And the movies were heinous, especially A Tale of Two Kitties. Yikes!!! That was extremely bad!!!

Image from Garfield bookmark "That's Right. . . 100 Pizzas to Go" (1978) by Jim Davis


Occasionally, when looking through my old book collection, searching for something to donate to the local library, I'll find a ratty old bookmark from my childhood, from the time when Garfield comics were the light of my day. Silly and banal though they may be, they nevertheless fill me with nostalgia and return me to a simpler time when a fictional overweight lazy cat could brighten my life.

Don't Come Whining to Me

Motherly advice from Morticia Addams to Wednesday: "Tell him you'll poison him right back."

I'm not one to celebrate the "Hallmark Holidays" but here's a quick post in regards to maternal appreciation and interests. And iffin' ya don't like it, read the post title again. ;-)

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Marge Simpson and her kids: Maggie, Lisa, and Bart

Fun stuff!!!

The Meanest, Roughest, Toughest Hombre

Bugs Bunny tricks Yosemite Sam in Bugs Bunny Rides Again (1947)

In 1945, on May 5th, the cartoon, Hare Trigger, was released, introducing my favorite Bugs Bunny antagonist, Yosemite Sam.

Sam's blustery anger and gun-happy personality were always good for a laugh. Unlike Elmer Fudd, he was a villain, not a bumbling huntsman. Whether holding up a train or terrorizing a town, Yosemite Sam was always looking to cause trouble. And I found it satisfying to see the tables turned.

Sam might say "Why I'll blast the varmint wide open!" but he'd usually end up on the receiving end of the blast. ;-)

Hit the Road to Parts Unknown

Image for The Legend of Sleeping Hollow (1958)

"On mounting a rising ground, which brought the figure of his fellow-traveller in relief against the sky, gigantic in height, and muffled in a cloak, Ichabod was horror-struck on perceiving that he was headless!--but his horror was still more increased on observing that the head, which should have rested on his shoulders, was carried before him on the pommel of his saddle!"

It's been a while since we enjoyed a ghost story. ;-)

This time we're celebrating the birth date of Washington Irving, born on April 3, 1783. Perhaps his best known story is the "Legend of Sleepy Hollow", which has spawned numerous adaptations since it was first published in 1820.

Although I really liked Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow, my favorite adaptation is still the Disney version that originally was part of The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad in 1949. It has an unforgettable art direction, with superb animation. Excellent visual storytelling.

Image from Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Remember, you can't reason with a headless man. ;-)

Somewhere Under the Sea

Ariel from The Little Mermaid (1989), based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale.


Hans Christian Andersen was born on April 2, 1805. I figured we would think about one of his most famous stories, "The Little Mermaid".

Except for the preachy ending, I always enjoyed this story. It captured the thrill of exploration, the wonder of being someplace new. I could empathize with the mermaid as she learned a whole new way of life. The dilemma that she faces when her time starts to run out would twist at my heart; I always wished she could find a way to win out.

Although Andersen gives a "happy" ending, I can't say that I ever liked it. It felt like a dodge. And the moralizing "good child/bad child" situation was simply a manner by which to browbeat the child audience. Very bad form!!! >:(

Detail form the 1989 theatrical release poster of The Little Mermaid


That's why I like the 1989 Disney retelling. Sure, it's a radically different story, but the premise is faithfully preserved. Moreover, it avoids Andersen's relationship angst issues and his sermonizing. All the magic that made the original so effective is kept, but all the dross is discarded. And the Sea Witch is somethin' fierce! ;-)

Friday Flowers: Blueberry Thrill

Viola Wittrockiana: Blueberry Thrill Pansies


Oh, the Places You'll Go! (Stanzas 1-4)
(By Dr. Seuss)

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.

You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any
you'll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you'll head straight out of town.


Today marks the birth date of Theodor Seuss Geisel, born March 2, 1904.

In terms of profound and beautiful verse, it's hard to put his works alongside those of Emily Dickinson or Elizabeth Bishop, but these narrative poems, with their engaging rhymes and imaginative stories, had a profound impact upon my development as a storyteller and poet. As a child, I had committed to memory a few of my favorite works. They planted within me a lifelong love for reading and reciting.

So, I actually have no problem celebrating Dr. Seuss as one of the greatest of American poets. ;-)

Viola Wittrockiana: A field of pansies

As regards the pansies, they've always reminded me of Dr. Seuss' creatures, with expressive "faces" and vibrant, multihued colors. Maybe it's an association that was developed in childhood. Nevertheless, in my imagination, pansies are the official flowers of Whoville.

A Wish Your Heart Makes

Disney's Cinderella was released on February 15, 1950.

It's time to celebrate another Disney animated classic, Cinderella.

The Valentine's Day synergy works well with this film, probably the most overtly romantic of the Disney classics. Sure, Snow White or Sleeping Beauty can contend for the romance title, but I feel that their narratives don't focus on the "girl desires to meet boy" aspects nearly as much as Cinderella. And their antagonists command significant screen time, which some might argue makes the story more interesting overall, with greater imaginative conflict.

But Cinderella is more overt in dealing with wish fulfillment fantasies. Her goal is to attend the Prince's ball, not a matter of survival. She is an active seeker of romance, not the beneficiary of a rescuing Prince Charming. Yes, she must overcome oppression, but it is for love and not for life.

Running in glass slippers is difficult.

So, let's celebrate Cinderella and all the rags-to-riches, "scullery maid Princess" stories that this fairy tale has inspired. ;-)

I've Got No Strings

Pinocchio released from Stromboli's cage by the Blue Fairy

I can't let the day pass without posting a brief celebration for the anniversary of Pinocchio's release date, February 7, 1940.

As a child, this was my favorite movie. The plot, the music, and the characters all caught my imagination, sometimes with a thrill of terror, like when Pinocchio begins to transform into a donkey or the escape scene with Monstro the whale.

That whale scene put such a scare into me that I was not able to get on the Storybook Land boat ride at Disneyland, which begins by entering into the gigantic mouth of Monstro. ;-)

Pinocchio makes a jackass out of himself on Pleasure Island


I don't know if it's still my favorite Disney movie, but it's definitely a Top Five constant.

Beavis and Butt-Head Are Not Role Models

Beavis and Butt-Head in Kevin Kirkpatrick's Dill Hole on view at CoproGallery


Don't try this at home. ;-)

I don't normally visit CoproGallery. It's a mighty cool place, but the exhibits generally aren't my thing. So, when visiting Bergamot Station, it's toward the bottom of my "must visit" list. Normally, I run out of energy before getting to it.

While strolling around Bergamot this week, I happened to wander over and decided to have a viewing. There were plenty of fun hardcore "lowbrow" works on display, but my attention was immediately caught by this sculpture of Beavis and Butt-Head by Kevin Kirkpatrick. It takes the express train down into the Uncanny Valley!!!

You almost expect to hear "Fire! Fire!" or "Uhhhh. . . this sucks! Huh huh huh."

Mirth on the Bough

Donald Duck deals with anger management issues in Self Control (1938)


It seems like there is a Bird celebration every few months. For instance, today is National Bird Day. Well, I see nothing wrong with considering the wonders of our feathered friends, appreciating their songs, colors, and grace in flight.

Last year, I didn't do much birdwatching. Hopefully, I'll get an opportunity sometime this year. I live fairly close to the Madrona Marsh, which is an awesome place to spot some cool critters.

Detail from the cover art of Howard the Duck #7 (1980) by John Pound

Maybe next year I'll have photos of actual birds, rather than cartoon ducks. ;-)

Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers

"Raggedy Ann and Books" from Raggedy Andy Stories (1920) by Johnny Gruelle


Coinciding with Christmas Eve, December 24th marks the birth date of Johnny Gruelle, born in 1880, known primarily as the creator of Raggedy Ann, first published in 1918.

I find something very charming about the simple, old-fashioned rag doll. Unlike ceramic dolls of the era, rag dolls were made for play, to get tossed around, to get dirty. They weren't put up on a shelf for display, touched only for dusting. And unlike later mass produced dolls, the humble handcrafted doll was unique, and not in a faddish "cabbage patch" way.

Now, fancy high tech gifts can be useful, and elite expensive treats are enviable, but sometimes the simple things are the most memorable and lasting presents of them all.

"Flying with the kite" from Raggedy Ann Stories (1918) by Johnny Gruelle

So, let's be thankful for the gifts which we have and will receive. Let's wish that others will find happiness in that which they shall receive. :-)