Favorite Fictional Character --- Sooki the Saggy Baggy Elephant

I don't think it's possible to grow up without having body issues.  I don't care what you look like, none of us are completely comfortable in our own skin.  Between thinking we are too fat, too scrawny, not cute enough, too gangly, too whatever, it's hard to be like the way we look when we look in the mirror.  It's why so many of us have eating disorders, or get obsessed with working out, building our bodies into muscle bound temples.  It's the reason why plastic surgeons rake in the money.

There aren't a lot of characters who make it okay to like the way you look, regardless of what others think.  The Ugly Duckling is one that comes to mind, but for me, that story was about how our bodies will change as we get older, how we grown into our looks.  It's Sooki, the Saggy Baggy Elephant who is a better example of a character who comes to realize he is fine just the way he is.

Sooki doesn't know that he is supposed to look a different way, that is until a parrot makes fun of the way he looks.  At first, the poor guy is heart broken.  Nobody likes to be made fun of, and Sooki is no different in that regard.  But as the book progresses, as he starts to see all the different body types that animals come in, he starts to realize that maybe his body is the way it's supposed to be. It's when he sees himself, reflected in others that look just like him, that he truly realizes he is beautiful the way he is. 

I would like to say that I took Sooki's lesson to heart as a kid, but I was that typical scrawny guy who was always wanting to have more muscle, to look like what I thought a man was supposed to look like.  As I got older, as my metabolism finally started to slow down, I had the opposite problem, I didn't like the way I looked as I started to gain a little weight.  It's really within the last few years that I've started to understand that my body is my body.  Yeah I can obsess about changing it, and I do think I can lose 10-15 pounds, but I'm pretty okay with the way I look.  I'll never be model material, but I'm okay with that.  Like Sooki, I think I'm perfect the way I am.

Favorite Fictional Character --- Poky Little Puppy

I'm pretty sure that at some point in our lives, we have been just like Poky Little Puppy.  There are always those moments when something catches our eye, and we get distracted.  It may be a really cool shirt at the store, you stop to look at it, and the next thing you know, your friends have disappeared on you.  I find myself copying Poky Little Puppy every time I'm in a bookstore, record store, or an antique mall.

You see, Poky Little Puppy just can't seem to turn his curiosity off.  He finds himself being left behind by his brothers and sisters all the time.  At first, it keeps him out of trouble, but after a while, he starts getting so behind, that he ends up in trouble.

Now I don't know about you, but when I get in a bookstore, I'm always in trouble.  I go in, thinking I'll only be in there for a 10 to 15 minutes, before I know it, I've been in there for an hour or two.  I would see the bargain stacks, get distracted by the new paperbacks, and get stuck in the cafe, staring at the cheesecake.

Poky is my hero in a way.  He doesn't allow himself to feel guilty over his curiosity, he lives his life the way he wants to, and doesn't let those around him dictate the speed he lives life.  He enjoys his life, and doesn't stress out when plans don't go quite his way, well unless he misses dessert. 

Favorite Fictional Character --- Scuffy the Tugboat

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only adult who remembers the The Little Golden Books with a lot of fondness.   Many of the stories were written years before I was born, but there was something so wonderfully innocent and magical about them, that they have endured long after many thought they would.

I can still remember sitting on the floor, paging through a few at a time, asking one of the adults around me to read them to me.  If I couldn't get anyone to read them to me, I would just stare at the pictures, getting lost int he visual adventures.  Once I started to read for myself, they were some of my best friends, never leaving my side.  I probably read them long after I should have stopped, though I doubt I'm the only one.

So for the next few weeks, I'm going to be sharing with you guys some of my favorite characters from those books.  They are probably not going to be long posts, mainly because they weren't long books.  They will be characters that have stayed with me over the years, characters I hope that you guys remember with just as much fondness.

Growing up in Two Harbors, MN, tugboats were a natural part of my childhood.  For much of it's history, Two Harbors has been an important shipping port for iron ore.  Rail cars would bring the ore to the docks, and that ore would be placed on giant freighters bound for the manufacturing centers that sprang up around the Great Lakes.  Tugboats were used to help bring in the freighters, and the Edna G., which was in operation until 1981, is the oldest coal fired, steam powered tugboat on the Great Lakes.  It's now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is still sitting in the harbor, open for tours. 

As you can see, I love tugboats, and Scuffy the Tugboat was one of my favorite Little Golden Books. Scuffy, for those of you who don't remember, was a toy tugboat, who longed to see the world outside of the bathtub.  One day he gets his wish, and like most things in life, it's way more than he bargained for.  At first, when his young owner, the son of the toy shop owner, puts him into a small brook, Scuffy is about as content as he can be.  It's not too long though that the current carries him away, and before long, he's seeing the world in all it's glory.  As the waterway continues to grow, Scruffy starts to realize he may be in over his head, and by the time it looks as if Scuffy is about to get lost int he great big ocean, he's ready to go home. Luckily, his young owner rescues him in time, and Scuffy is content to remain at home, in a world that he knows is safe. 

Looking back at the book, you have to wonder if the owner was trying to warn kids to not grow up too fast.  Scuffy, as an adult, has taught me to enjoy what I have, and not allow myself to wish for something that in the long run, could be bad for me.

Favorite Fictional Character --- Clifford the Big Red Dog

I'm a natural dog person and it's not that I hate cats.  Okay, maybe I do just a little bit, but not enough that I would ever wish harm on one.  I actually don't mind them when they are around me, but I would never go out and purposefully bring a cat into my home.  Dogs are just nicer.

Now I know there are always exceptions, and I know a lot of you adore your cats, but in general terms, dogs are better.  They tend to be better friends.  They, at least the impression I've gotten from every dog I've ever owned, are more expressive than cats, and are way more sympathetic to their human's moods. They show their love more, and tend to be more protective of the humans in their lives as well.  They also seem to enjoy our company more, where cats want us around when we are needed, but could do without us.

With that inborn love of dogs, it's pretty obvious that I feel in love with all the fictional dogs I was exposed to as a kid.  I've featured a lot of them over the years, and I'm hanging my head down in shame that I haven't let you know before this,  how much I love Clifford the Big Red Dog.

I don't know how it would be possible to not love Clifford. You would have to hate all dogs for that to be true, and I can't understand how anybody would be of that temperament.  Even though he is 25 feet tall, he's so friendly.  I think a lot of that has to do with his owner, young Emily. When she got Clifford, he was the runt of the litter, but because of her love and care, he grew up big and strong.  He just got bigger than anyone could have anticipated. 

Even though he is so big, he is a gentle puppy at heart.  He is always ready for a good romp around his island home, or in the ocean for that matter.  He loves to play with his friends, and he understands that because of his size, he is normally the playground equipment.  He is always the first one to help someone out, but the poor guy is easy to fool.  He often gets into trouble, either because of his size, or because he tends to go with the flow when it comes to his friends.  But when he does something wrong, regardless of the reason, he is always quick to fix it.  The size of his heart is proportional to his body, and to do this day, I think Emily was one lucky girl. 

In Memoriam: July Through December, 2014

It's almost impossible for any of us to really pay attention to all those that have passed from the public eye.  Whether they are famous or not, every year we seem to lose those that have contributed to society in ways that we may never realize.  They are actors, musicians, entertainers, politicians, activists, scientists, and writers.  They enrich our lives through their works, and without them, our lives would be just a little bit more empty.  I would like to take this time to thank many of them for their contributions.  I obviously can't include everyone on this list, so I will let those I can include, stand in for those I can't.  Whether they are on this particular list or not, we owe all of them a big thank you.

Back in July, I tried to bring to your attention some of those that we lost in the first half of the year, January through June.  This post will be my attempt to do the same thing for the second half of the year, July through December.  I hope we will all take the time, as this year is wrapping up, to remember those that we have lost, whether they were in the public eye, or in our own lives, they will be missed.

July 2014

Louis Zamperini, 1917-2014.  American Prisoner of War during World War II & American Olympian. 

C.J. Henderson, 1951-2014.  American Author of Brooklyn Knight & Central Park Knight. 

Dave Legeno, 1963-2014.  English Actor, the Harry Potter movies. 

Philip Hurlic, 1927-2014.  American Actor, the Our Gang movies. 

Dick Jones, 1927-2014.  American Actor, the Our Gang movies, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and Pinocchio.

Elaine Stritch, 1925-2014.  American Stage And Screen Actress.

James Garner, 1928-2014.  American Actor; The Rockford Files, Maverick, The Great Escape.

Alex Angulo, 1953-2014.  Spanish Basque Actor; Pan's Labyrinth. 

Margot Adler, 1946-2014.  American Journalist and NPR Correspondent. 

August 2014

James Brady, 1940-2014.  American White House Press Secretary and Gun Control Advocate. 

Robin Williams, 1951-2014. American Actor; Mrs. Doubtfire, Mork & Mindy, Good Will Hunting. 

Lauren Bacall, 1924-2014.  American Actress; The Big Sleep, Key Largo, Designing Woman. 

Jim Jeffords, 1934-2014.  American Politician; United States Senator from Vermont. 

James Foley, 1973-2014.  American Freelance Journalist.

Richard Attenborough, 1923-2014.  English Actor, Producer, Director; The Great Escape, Ghandi, Jurassic Park.

September 2014

Joan Rivers, 1933-2014.  American Actress & Comedian; Spaceballs & How to Murder a Millionaire. 

Richard Kiel, 1939-2014.  American Actor; The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, & Tangled.  

Bob Crewe, 1930-2014.  American Singer, Songwriter, and Manager; "My Eyes Adored You", "Lady Marmalade", "Walk Like A Man", and "Rag Doll."

Buster Jones, 1943-20147.  American Voice Actor; G.I. Joe, Super Friends, The Real Ghostbusters, and Defenders of the Earth. 

Polly Bergen, 1930-2014.  American Actress; Cap Fear, Cry-Baby, The Winds of War, & War and Remembrance. 

October 2014

Marian Seldes, 1928-2014.  American Stage & Screen Actress; The Haunting, Perry Mason, & If These Walls Could Talk 2. 

Jan Hooks, 19572014.  American Actress; Saturday Night Live, Designing Women, and Frosty Returns. 

Elizabeth Pena, 1959-2014.  American Actress; Jacob's Ladder, Blue Steel, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, and Resurrection Blvd. 

Marcia Strassman, 1948-2014.  American Actress; Welcome Back, Kotter, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, and Honey, I Blew Up the Kid.

November 2014

Larry Latham, 1953-2014.  American Animator and Director; TaleSpin, Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears, and Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers. 

S. Donald Stookey, 191-2014. American Scientist and Inventor of CorningWare.

R.A. Montgomery, 1936-2014.  American Author of more than 50 of the Choose Your Own Adventure books.

Ken Takakura, 1931-2014.  Japanese Actor; The Yakuza and Black Rain.

Carol Ann Susi, 1952-2014.  American Actress; The Secret of My Success, Death Becomes Her, and The Big Bang Theory.

P.D. James, 1920-2014.  English Mystery Author; The Adam Dalgliesh series & Death Comes to Pemberley.

December 2014

Mary Ann Mobley, 1937-2014.  American Actress and Miss America; Diff'rent Strokes, Match Game, Perry Mason, and Burke's Law.

Norman Bridwell, 1928-2014.  American Cartoonist and Author; Clifford, the Big Red Dog.

Joe Cocker, 1944-2014.  American Singer & Musician; "With a Little Help from My Friends", "Up Where We Belong", and "You Are So Beautiful."

Leelah Alcorn, 1997-2014.  American Transgender Teenager.

Edward Herrmann, 1943-2014.  American Actor; The Lost Boys, Gilmore Girls, Overboard, and Big Business. 

100 Ghosts: A Gallery of Harmless Haunts by Doogie Horner

I never thought a book about ghosts would be described as cute, adorable, sweet, or childlike.  I really never thought I would read a book that would entertain and thrill a five year old and make a thirty-six year old laugh out loud.

And when I say read, I'm not truly being honest.  This is a picture book after all, so other than an introduction written by the author, the rest of the words are simply the names of the one hundred ghosts represented on the pages.

Marilyn Monroe makes an appearance, picture the typical sheet ghost above a street grate,   Charlie Brown and R2D2 are both represented.  As are more whimsical ghosts; Russian Nesting Ghost, Cyclops (Mythical), Topiary, and Grumpy Cat to name a few.

Now I just need to figure out how to turn a few of these ides into real Halloween costumes.  How cute would it be to see a Holy Ghost sheet costume walking down the street.  Imagine this Halloween and a young girl comes up to your door looking like an Outhouse sheet ghost, how could you do anything but smile.  If this book wasn't $9.95 each, I know exactly what I would be giving out to trick-or-treaters this year.

Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffmann (Plus Giveaway)

Synopsis From Dust Jacket:

The tale of the Nutcracker, written by E.T.A. Hoffman in 1816, has fascinated and inspired artists, composers, and audiences for almost two hundred years.  It has retained it's freshness because it appeals to the sense of wonder we all share.

Maurice Sendak designed brilliant sets and costumes for the Pacific Northwest Ballet's Christmas production of Nutcracker and has created even more magnificent pictures especially for this book.  He has joined with the eminent translator Ralph Manheim to produce this illustrated edition of Hoffmann's wonderful tale, destined to become a classic for all ages.

The world of Nutcracker is a world of pleasures.  Maurice Sendak's art illuminates the delights of Hoffmann's story in this rich and tantalizing treasure.

Believe it or not, I have never read Nutcracker before, I've never seen the ballet, nor have I ever seen the various TV productions that have come out over the years.  Despite all of that, I still had a vague idea of what it was all about.  I knew it was about a young girl who loved her Nutcracker and how that Nutcracker battled the evil Mouse King.  

What I didn't know, was all the stuff that happened in between.  I didn't know that there was this rather creepy godfather who was a genius clockmaker and would make her and her brother magnificent Christmas present every year.  I also didn't know that on one particular Christmas, the young girl, despite her lovely dolls and pretty dresses, fell in love with a little Nutcracker, a gift for the entire family.  I didn't know the legend behind the Mouse King or why he was so bent on destruction.  I didn't know of the magnificent battles the toy soldiers, lead by the Nutcracker, fought against the hoards of mice.  I never would have guess the real identity of the Nutcracker and how he came to be cursed in such a way.  I didn't know how action packed, romantic, and plain fun this would be to read.  Having illustrations by Maurice Sendak, was icing on the cake.  

Thanks to the lovely people at Crown, I have a copy of this book to giveaway.  All you need to do to enter, is leave a comment telling me your favorite Christmas story.   You also need to leave a valid email address so I can contact you if you are the winner.  You must be a US resident, sorry guys.  The giveaway will run from now until 11:59 pm CST, on 12/5/12.  I'm cutting this one short in order for the winner to get it by Christmas.  I will use random.org to pick the winner.

Challenges: CS