“My full name is Gertie Ball, but please, just call me Gertie. I want to be your special play ball. Play with me any way you want: Grab Me, Throw Me, Feel Me, Catch Me, Touch Me, Kick Me, Squeeze Me, Bounce Me. I know once you pick me up, you’ll never want to put me down. But if you do, I’ll bounce right back to you.”

— The Gertie Ball, found in a toy store

But what does one do...


…with two Hoihoi-san figures…

Hoihoi-san!

This should be fun


By royal request, I have secured reservations for a nice tea ceremony, traditional lunch, and kimono dress-up lesson, after stumbling across the web site of Tondaya. This will be a nice way to relax on our first full day in Kyoto. I can’t trust the extended weather forecasts this far out, but at the moment it looks like there’s only one day with a chance of occasional showers, and “mostly sunny” for the rest of the trip.

Rest In Peace, Cynthia Myers


I'm not a big one for sharing feelings on my blog, but Cynthia was a warm, wonderful human being, and I will miss her.

...and I can't resist sharing the first picture I ever saw of her...

more...

Ai Shinozaki's film debut...


It, um, exploits her talents.

And it’s called “Pantsu no Ana”.

Found on a map of Osaka...


I respect this maid cafe’s name. Quick review by Danny Choo (as the first destination on a whistle-stop tour of an otaku-centric corner of Denden Town).

Don't be a serial-comma killer


The Times says:

"...highlights of his global tour include encounters with Nelson Mandela, an 800-year-old demigod and a dildo collector"

(via Zhinxy)

OWS, the gift that keeps on giving...


…unless you’re, y’know, actually homeless, instead of being a contributor to the new society:

The Occupy Wall Street volunteer kitchen staff launched a “counter” revolution yesterday --- because they’re angry about working 18-hour days to provide food for “professional homeless” people and ex-cons masquerading as protesters.

For three days beginning tomorrow, the cooks will serve only brown rice and other spartan grub instead of the usual menu of organic chicken and vegetables, spaghetti bolognese, and roasted beet and sheep’s-milk-cheese salad.

Live-action Ranma 1/2 cast photos


Still “no thanks”, except maybe for pictures of the actress playing Kasumi.

Pics and short video clip.

“Need a clue, take a clue,
 got a clue, leave a clue”