14 February 2006

Happy Singles Awareness Day!

What? You've never heard of Singles Awareness Day (SAD for short)?

That's because SAD is overshadowed by that other holiday being celebrated on February 14, Valentine's Day. Yes, SAD celebrates the fact that if you are single on February 14, you're going to be made a lot more aware of it.

I understand people who are alone and/or single being depressed on holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas. There's a real family-vibe about those holidays. But, if you ask me, those holidays have a lot of different focuses. Thanksgiving puts heavy focus on food and being thankful for things you have. Christmas is all over the place.. it's supposed to be a religious holiday, but there's also the whole "being extra kind and giving" aspect as well.

To me, Valentine's Day is one of those holidays that has a singular focus: loved ones. It's all about love, plain and simple. Buying chocolates, candy, flowers, and cards for spouses and significant others. That's it as far as I know. So if you don't have a spouse or loved one, you're out of luck. You can't celebrate this holiday. No flowers and cards for you.

So, my Battle Plan contributor told me about SAD a few years back, and now those who get depressed on February 14 should be depressed no longer. There is a holiday all your own! Sure, there's no SAD-themed cards or candy out there, but there's so much you can do on your own!
  • Watch a violent movie where the love interest gets killed or ends up being the villain. Think Charlie's Angels, Lethal Weapon 2, etc.
  • Sit at a patio or sidewalk restaurant and laugh at couples who are obviously unhappy.
  • Walk into a jewelry store with your credit card in hand, walk up to the counter, then run away laughing and screaming "I'm gonna buy an HDTV for myself suckers!"
  • Create your own greeting cards and send them to those people you know who are married, proclaiming how much you hate them.
  • On the morning of February 15, go to the store and buy a bunch of candy at 75% off and eat it yourself

And those are just SOME of the things you can do to celebrate Singles Awareness Day! Because singles, this day is for you! Do whatever you want and do it for yourself!

12 February 2006

Anime Blog Post Attack Go!!

This will probably belong up there with previous posts like Cereal Thieves as far as completely random topics.

During my channel-hopping the other day, I came across the Cartoon Network. Cartoon Network used to show a lot of their own original shows, but nowadays it seems as if they've imported a bunch of Anime to broadcast.

There's lots of shows like that, from Pokemon to Yugi-Oh! to Zatch Bell. Its not the actual showing of anime that inspired me to write this, it's some of the things that happen in the show. Primarily, during the big battles. The dragon with the lion head is fighting the medieval warrior looking thing, and the lion-headed dragon exclaims, "electric bolt shock attack!!" Sure enough, an electric bolt shoots out of its mouth and strikes the warrior, shocking him. This was a regular occurence in all shows! One combatant yells out their attack and then does said attack.

I thought to myself, isn't that kind of silly to broadcast what you're about to do in the middle of the fight? Imagine in the middle of some giant 17th century battle one of the generals screaming out, "Calvary flanking manuever!" and then performing a flanking manuever. Of course if Anime were any indication, the response would be "Ha ha ha! Your manuever is no match for my Archery Arrow Assault! Ha ha ha!"

Logic would dictate that the reason for this attack announcement would be to know what exactly is happening. Anime isn't exactly the best as far as knowing what is going on in an action sequence. But I'd rather just make fun. :)