X-Entertainment.com X-Entertainment.com A Proud UGO Affiliate
My dying wish is for an owl/camel hybrid, which I call camowl.
« [Main Index] »

New Article: Book Reports. Plus Turtle Comms!

If you can believe the rumors, there might be a new, normal, regular X-E article up. Book Reports is its name, and its game is reviewing five different children's books that for one reason or another manage to make me turn glee into a verb and glee my way to Happyland. Everything from the Berenstain Bears to the Jolly Green Giant to God and dinosaurs, all in one space, with yummy parchment background. Enjoy.

In other news, I received a package the other day from my editor at Box Office Magazine, and assumed it was just another in a long line of "generic" gifts companies send to their clients and cohorts. This would've been fine by me: A gift is a gift. But something tells me that vintage TMNT Turtle Comms aren't something companies send in mass to their contacts...

As it turns out, my editor had this baby and figured I might like it, and I figure she's right, because I somehow never landed myself a Turtle Comm toy in all my years of Turtleing. It's neat. Comes with all of these character cards with specific Morse codes that let you contact them, or at least, let you pretend you're in contact with 'em. I can't believe I now have the means to play Walkie Talkie with Usagi Yojimbo, and this is definitely the kind of gift that'll get me to lower my rate on articles written at 3 AM the night before a 9 AM deadline. Thanks, C!

She even included a note saying that she liked the 2005 Advent Calendar, which is my perfect segue into answering the question of a few who asked: Yes, it's been archived, and it can be found here. Will put the archive on the headlines list on the main page as soon as I write up the descriptions.

3 Stupid Things I'm Currently Into:
1) King Kong lore. Bit by the bug after seeing the remake (which was excellent), I've been immersing myself in All Things Kong. I'm really fascinated with the many interpretations of what goes on on Skull Island, and that's reason enough to see virtually all Kong-related films ever made. Next on my list is Son of Kong, and from what I've read, I think this will be one to review on the site.

2) Metroid Prime Pinball, for the Nintendo DS. Bought this baby with a Christmas gift certificate, because the holidays are the only time my video game library ever grows. This is one addictive little bitch. I'm a sucker for virtually every pinball game I've ever played, and this one doesn't disappoint. The Metroid theme is in more than just music and graphics, too. Heck, you don't shoot a ball, you shoot a rolled-up Samus who occassionally spreads out ot shoot demon bats with high energy beams. Between this and Mario Kart, I have found my offerings to the gods of procrastination.

3) The Secret Life of Lobsters. I'm really not sure where this book is going yet. It's obstensibly about the lobsters of Maine, but I may have been tricked into reading a novel about fisherman and scientists trying to find common ground. Not really sure yet, but they dangle the big claws often enough to keep me interested.

Posted by Matt on 01/04/2006. E-mail me!



Discussion Thread: 194 comments

kb, I was jonesing for that new Office ep like mad. Now that I’m familiar with the storylines from the UK version I was a bit concerned about where they were going to be heading with Pam and Jim but they seem to be taking it in a little bit different direction. Actually the new ep wasn’t as overwhelmingly hilarious as some others have been but the bit where Jim tries to work up his nerve was worth the wait. All verklempt and whatnot.
Back on the Kong topic: Am I the only one rocking catchphrases from the movie? Mr. Hayes’s impassioned cries of "Jimmy!" have totally worked their way into my vocab…I also shout "Koooooong!" at what I judge to be appropriate moments.

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 01/06/2006 10:24 AM

I think that book clubs contributed to my love of online shopping. I remember them passing out those small paper catalogs. I’d decide what I wanted and, if I was lucky enough to have money that month (or mom was having a good day and able to be talked into paying), I’d actually place an order. Then there’d be that glorious day when you’d walk into class and your gear would be waiting at your desk. It’s the same thrill I still get when I’m waiting for something cool and I see that UPS box at the front door.

By the way, did anyone have RIF (Reading Is Fundamental) books? That was the coolest day of the year. At my school, they’d take you into the library and everyone could have one free (usually very thin) paperback book. I think it was a federal program, but I don’t remember. I still have my copy of Freaky Friday. What a great book. I’m in the mood to read it right now, actually.

kb – I never miss The Office! The only thing that sucks is that now I have to tape it. I only have two favorite shows and it seems completely unfair that the programming gods have seen fit to schedule them at the same time. How scheduling The Office against the most-watched show in America (CSI) is supposed to save it, I don’t know. I’m glad it’s found it’s own niche though. Those first season episodes that were direct copies of the BBC ones just drew unflattering comparisons. The feel of the shows is too different for that. I loved the British version, but once you stop comparing them, you can enjoy the American one so much more.

Chestnuts roasted by Lori @ 01/06/2006 10:25 AM

"gonna be off topic. . .
anyone watch The Office last night? I am starting to look forward to it as though it’s a soap opera. Dwight steering the boat at the end was priceless. "

I watched it, I never miss it. Yeah, they are adding some drama. My girlfriend and I feel really bad for Jim. I doubt Jim and Pam will ever actually get together. Jim was really pissed and upset. I loved the whole scene when the captain asked someone to hold the limbo stick. Dwight insisted holding it. The captain told dwight usually a woman holds it and dwight responded, yea but I’m stronger. ha.

Chestnuts roasted by Geoffinsanity @ 01/06/2006 10:28 AM

Lori I totally agree with you that it’s much more enjoyable if you dont try to compare the two Offices. I absolutely love the BBC version and I absolutely love the US version, but for totally different reasons. I’m glad the plots are starting to diverge from eachother, but I will be pissed if Jim and Pam dont end up together in the end like Tim and Dawn did.

When I was little all I ordered from the book club was posters and stickers.

Chestnuts roasted by schroeder @ 01/06/2006 11:06 AM

Lou Rawls died.

Chestnuts roasted by schroeder @ 01/06/2006 11:09 AM

Lori, it’s not NBC trying to save The Office, it’s NBC hoping The Office can save them. They’re banking on it helping them win back Thursdays…I didn’t know it was up against CSI though…that doesn’t seem like a great thing to go up against for any fledgling show.
Anybody read The Great Brain series as a kid?

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 01/06/2006 11:10 AM

squee
was that with encyclopedia Brown? I read those ones.
I remember reading books where in the end of the book the solutions were backwards. **fuzzy memories**

I’m probably running alot of different series together in my head

Chestnuts roasted by kb @ 01/06/2006 11:14 AM

Busy blog today! Love it.
I avoided UK Office for a long time since I was really excited about the HHGTTG movie and didn’t want to see Martin Freeman as anyone but Arthur. That movie sucked, so my priorities were totally off.
Great Brain was about Catholic kids living in predominantly Morman Utah. Not sure the time period, but they were the first family in their town to get an "indoor water closet". Illustrations were by Mercer Mayer. I loved Encyclopedia B too.

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 01/06/2006 11:37 AM

Hitchiker’s Guide was a huge disappointment for me too. Dont even think I finished watching it.

Chestnuts roasted by schroeder @ 01/06/2006 11:47 AM

I used to read all kinds of books in school. Except the "icky girl books." Anyone ever read "Arrow To The Sun" in elementery? That is one of my favorite all-time books. I had great reading skills as a kid, so I was already into Clarke, Bradbury, and Asimov by the time I got into junior high. Even now, I still recommend "The Fun They Had" to my young nieces and nephews.

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 01/06/2006 12:04 PM

off subject, kinda of, everyone is talking about ccd and stuff and religion kids books.

I collect records(for sampling, so the odder the better)I picked up soley because of the cover. I had a weird cartoon robot and cartoon kids on the front. I didn’t really take notice of the title. I go home and play it. During the first track the kids go to a mad doctor’s house. When they get there, he presents to the kids a robot. A robot created to teach the kids songs about god and Dejesus. I take a look at the cover and the title reads something like, Johnny (5) the robot sings songs of joy.

Chestnuts roasted by Geoffinsanity @ 01/06/2006 1:42 PM

Lou Rawls died.

Darn. Beaten to it.

I remember him most from the Garfield specials he sang on. :(

Chestnuts roasted by Invader Norbert @ 01/06/2006 2:15 PM

When I was little I had a record called "The Music Machine" and it started with a skit where two little kids met a magical machine that played songs about jesus. They would stick an object in the machine and it would make up a jesus song related to the object.

Probably the same people that did the Johnny 5 Jesus Joy album.

Chestnuts roasted by schroeder @ 01/06/2006 2:17 PM

I’m protestant, and I was so jealous when my best friend had her first communion and got all kinds of presents.

Chestnuts roasted by Jessica Marie @ 01/06/2006 2:28 PM

Hate to post all over the place but. . .
**schroeder** did you also have "Bullfrogs and Butterflies"? I think every church going family in the 80′s had that record. I also remember a SUPER freaky blue guy called Psalty the singing songbook.

Chestnuts roasted by kb @ 01/06/2006 3:11 PM

kb,

YES! I’m choking on my flashbacks! The trauma of being a cynical, rebellious little girl trapped in a super happy christian world was just too much to bear sometimes. All my friends wanted to BE those kids on those albums, and I wanted to kick them in the head and go home.

Aah, the memories.

Chestnuts roasted by schroeder @ 01/06/2006 3:17 PM

Amazing article…

I always wanted a turtle-comm more than anything…except maybe a turtle-van.

Chestnuts roasted by mtrox @ 01/06/2006 5:02 PM

KB: Are you talking about the various "Choose Your Adventure" or "Clue" books with the multiple endings? Those were fun.

Anoher series of books I enjoyed were "Ms. Piggley Wiggley." It was basically about a bunch of brats who had something happened to them: Ex: If you were constantly angry, you turned red. Jealous? Got turned into a frog. They were then taught a lesson and Piggley Wiggley turned them back to normal.

There were a series of "mystery" books about a dog, a cat, and I believe a rabbit that got into Scooby-Doo like adventures.

My favorite Troll Books: The Puppy Nobody Wanted. Great drawing of a sad puppy on the front. Obviously it ends happily. Also, 101 Mummy Facts. I used that for a diarama in one of my middle school classes later.

Chestnuts roasted by JLAJRC @ 01/06/2006 6:44 PM

Those childrens books sure do bring back memories. I had the Berenstein Bears Junk Food book and the Dinosaur one. I still like to read childrens books and get to often now with a one year old. She has sooo many books because I cant resist the pretty artwork… Golden Books still exist and they just recently rereleased some of the old favorites like the Pokey Little Puppy and The Color Kittens (still cant find this one…GRrrr). I still read alot, mostly fantasy/sci fi books.

I loved Book Fairs andd the Scholastic Book Club. My parents would usually give me money for the fairs and sometimes would show up to go with me when parents could come. They were awesome because they had books with stickers. Books with stickerse rock.

Does anyone remember the name of a book series for children that was focused around a unicorn? She had all these animal friends and the books came with stickers… I cant remember the name of them which is a shame because my daughter would like them.

Chestnuts roasted by Kittycatgirl @ 01/06/2006 6:52 PM

I posted this on the old thread grr….
I just had a late christmas present. I was out of koolaid, (somebody took it!! I swear they did I had two fruit punches and one orange) and my sister (I am living with her to get back on my feet, I have a job but it’s not much yet) takes out this small tupperware retro tub and she offers these packets from the stoneage! And guess what I found GHOULAID!! It was sweet, it’s sitting in a ziplock packet in the closet now, with some mountain twist cranberry raspberry. Is that just as rare? the art looked very simple. I am keeping it though, and I made up a batch of lemonade tea ice T kind. I am sitting on my high horse now cause that’s my fave. I think Ghoulaid would be better, but it’s so rare I am just going to keep it.

Chestnuts roasted by Goob @ 01/06/2006 7:18 PM

Kittycatgirl – I totally had The Colour Kittens too! With the record that you played along with it! And at the end they knocked over all the paint cans and made a rainbow…sigh.
Did anyone else have those books that came with records? Mine were all hand me downs from my older sister, all my friends at the time had books with tapes.

Chestnuts roasted by Lizzy @ 01/06/2006 8:01 PM

I loved Arrow to the Sun. Mainly because the art and various kivas made it look like a videogame.

Chestnuts roasted by RewolfJ @ 01/06/2006 8:07 PM

I was such a nerd, I entered a horor book of the month club, where every month, a stupid plastic bag with handles that snapped together would come to my house, complete with a bunch of random horror books.

I remember there usually being this little pocket sized book about a specific topic like Vampires or Ghosts too.

It was actually quite sweet, and I kept in the club for months until I got one of those Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books. One picture of a girl with spiders coming out her face. Yeah, that gave me nightmares for weeks and I cancelled it.

Chestnuts roasted by AJ @ 01/06/2006 9:21 PM

JLJARC
I think it was maybe the Clue books, not sure. I do remember Mrs Piggle Wiggle though. I wanted to go to her house SO BAD. Remember the Slow-Eater-Tiny-Bite-Taker? It was like a pre-teen girl with an eating disorder.

Chestnuts roasted by kb @ 01/06/2006 10:15 PM

Post #100

I remember one of those Scary Stories books, but my overactive imagination causes me to get frightened…easily.

Also, there’s still no 25th Advert! When will we see the final piece of the X-E Xmas Puzzle??

Chestnuts roasted by Invader Norbert @ 01/06/2006 10:20 PM

Add A New Comment!


This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 4th, 2006 at 8:41 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.