Not going to finish Disney Part 3 this weekend, partly because I haven't started it yet, but mostly because I'm going out of town tomorrow. And since that "going out of town" involves a long flight, I finally took the plunge and bought a Video iPod. (Which isn't such an extraneous purchase when you consider that I managed to lose my first iPod like a week after opening the box. I figure punishing myself with an iPodless existence for six months justifies today's big cash sendoff.)
It didn't take long for me to realize that VideoPods are worth more than the ability to watch movie trailers a thousand times. I can't believe I'm going to be able to kill half of my flight time watching Shark Week. I'm really okay with that arrangement. Three hours of mako madness!
I chose the black iPod because I'm a man, dammit, even though the guy at the store said that, while sleeker, black iPods show their scratches far more. That was really just his way of getting me to buy a plastic "Jam Jacket" case, which is, incidentally, white in color. So I may have been had. Actually, I've definitely been had, because now I gotta go around carrying something called a "Jam Jacket." I will never tell anyone it's called a "Jam Jacket," but knowing is half the shame.
While we're on the subject of sharks, vaguely, it's with great pleasure that I confirm the continued existence of Sharkleberry Fin Kool-Aid. There can be no doubts now, as the packages seen above has non-expired expiration dates. It's true -- they're out there. Maybe more so in Canada or the UK than the States, but it's true -- they're out there. For a new generation, the once-pink shark mascot has been reduced to a mere means of transportation for the Kool-Aid Man. Some personality is injected with the shark's penchant for goofy goggles, and while I can't honestly say that I prefer this new rendition to the original talking pink shark dude, I'm still stoked that Sharkleberry exists in any form at all.
It's impossible to know if the flavor's changed, but if it has, it's a very slight mod. It's still a bonanza of fruits -- orange, banana and strawberry -- conspiring to form a Pepto-pink punch that smells stronger than it tastes.
While we're on the subject of liquids and pods, vaguely, there's new "Aquapods" from Poland Spring, which take the very basic and everyday idea of bottled water and turn it into something so unbelievably cool that I'm putting off a dire need to pack for a morning flight to tell you about it. Featuring bottles in an "orbtastic shape," it's 11 ounces of water packaged in what will ultimately make for an awesome night of arts & crafts: The bottles are shaped so much like E.T.'s spaceship that I don't know how long I'll be able to resist yanking out some paint to prove it.
Though Aquapods aren't extremely convenient due to their bloated shape (I wouldn't dare put this in my work bag -- it's gotta be twice as prone to getting pricked and exploding all over everything it shouldn't explode on), they're one of the only ways to make water more exciting without turning it into iced tea. Or, you know, Kool-Aid.
The synergy in this blog post rocks.
And this doubles as your Saturday Night Thread, folks.
Posted by Matt on 06/24/2006. E-mail me!
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My take on the video iPod is that I am against large-scale media on tiny little screens. I’m holding off until they put the finishing touches on either an OLED display built into my glasses or a display which projects the images directly onto my retina via laser scantion. And an automated flying car to watch it in, dammit.
Ryane: Well, then. Next time you’re in central Texas with pressing reference needs, you know who to talk to. Mind you, judging from how my classes are going this month, I’ll probably be doing the sweeping up in the library, but I suppose I can do some freelance information retrieval if none of the librarians are around.