Things I Like: Pikachu (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)

 Like always and forever, Pikachu is one of the most notable members on the roster of Super Smash Bros. I was delighted to see him as Pikachu Libre (from Pokken Tournament) this time, or should I mean her. All pikachus with heart tails are female. The other costume variants of Pikachu in Ultimate are male.

Photo: Turning a Popcorn Bucket into a Navy Blue Trash Bin

I did a similar project about a year ago. Once I was done with the popcorn in this Christmas bucket, I decided to spray paint it, rather than throw it away. They make good solid trash cans.  

 I had some Krylon spray paint left over from another project. Had plenty to do the can with. It's in high gloss with the color navy blue.  

Here's it when it's done. You can't hide the designs (with ease anyway) but with a trash bag over it, you can't really tell either way. 

Fact of the Day: Latin Mirror

The English word mirror came via Old French word mirour. But the French word came from the Latin word mirare which meant "look at". 

Things I Like: Isobel Crawley (Downton Abbey)

 While far from the most important character in the series, I liked Isobel. She's Matthew's mother, and she is with him when he reads the letter than informs him that he is the heir to the Earldom at Downton.

The Seven Deadly Sins (TV Series) Season 2 Review

 Last year as winter was starting, I started watching The Seven Deadly Sins. It was one of the few "Netflix Original" anime series, and probably its most notable. I really liked the first season for its faults, and I really didn't wait to see the next season, which was dubbed Signs of Holy War by the anime TV team. 

Photo: Niece Reading to Niece

My niece Little K loves being a big sister, and she likes reading to her baby sister Little CR. 

Fact of the Day: Urban

The English word urban comes from the Latin word urbs meaning "city". 

Things I Like: Rainbow Cruise (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)

 This stage originated in Melee, returned for Brawl, but was left out of Smash 4. But it came back for Smash Bros. Ultimate. While it was never in my top favorites, I do like it. It's also based on a stage nobody remembers from Super Mario 64, as the Melee game predated Super Mario Sunshine.

Favorite Quotes: The Symbol of America Should Not Be a Wall

"The symbol of America should be the Statue of Liberty, not a thirty-foot wall." 

-Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

Chuck Schumer (U.S. Senator and Senate Minority Leader) has done a decent job standing up to Trump and his GOP cronies. This border wall is a ridiculous idea. It's expensive (way more than what Trump is asking, by the way), easily sawed through, and just puts society (didn't we hate the Berlin Wall?) backward. People often think of America and the Statue of LIBERTY with such respect. If American becomes synonymous for a wall of lies, politics, and racism, Lady Columbia and Uncle Sam will shed more than a few years.  

Fact of the Day: Rural

The English word rural comes from the Latin word rur meaning "country". 

Things I Like: Superspicy Curry (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)

 This item from the Kirby series is not new to Super Smash Bros. but has made a not-so-shockingly return in Ultimate.

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018 Film) Review

 While it doesn't feel like it, but Hotel Transylvania is getting to be a pretty long tenured animated movie franchise. I enjoyed the first two films quite a lot, but I was a bit dubious on the third film. Mainly because many in the genre, start to run out of steam in the ideas department. Maybe not enough to derail it but certainly dilutes the quality.   

Fact of the Day: Polar Bear Land

The word arctic comes from the Greek word arktos meaning "bear". 

Things I Like: Ness (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)

 I remember Ness back during the original game on the N64. Along with Captain Falcon, I had no idea who he was until Super Smash Bros. Since his Earthbound game on SNES, he hasn't had anything else. One of the few in the original cast to be considered to be cut (in Melee and Brawl in favor of Lucas) but he's survived and has been on every roster in the series.

Photo: Proudest Big Sister Ever

Little K really has taken on to the role of Big Sister very well. She adores Little CR. She often claims that Little CR "loves her the most". 

Fact of the Day: Museum

The English word museum comes from the Greek word mouseion, meaning "seat of the muses". 

Things I Like: Merlin (Merlin TV Series)

 You can't really like a TV series if you hate the main character, so Merlin being likable in his own show is a big DUH!

Photo: Natural Blonde?

My brother was being silly with my youngest niece Little CR. She does show signs of blonde color in her hair, but I'm going to say that's a wig. 

Fact of the Day: Viking Cake

The origin of cake itself is debatable especially on what makes a "cake". But the English word is Scandinavian in origin from the Old Norse "kaka". 

Things I Like: Saffron City (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)

 This stage originated from the original game on N64, and it's always been one of my favorites. A simple stage with skyscrapers, but it's very balanced.

Photo: Little R and the Chuck E. Cheese

I didn't see this photo until the other day of my 2nd youngest niece Little R and Chuck E. Cheese from her sister's birthday party. Her cousin Little K screamed in horror two years ago but Little R seems to be okay with the mouse. 

Fact of the Day: Acorn Tree

Oak trees (and its close relatives) are the only trees that produce acorns, which are also called oaknuts. 

Things I Like: Bunny Hood (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)

 This item isn't new to the series, but it came from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. I would say Ocarina of Time, but I'm pretty sure the hood didn't increase your running speed then. Like Majora's Mask, in the Smash Bros. games it increases the user's running speed.

Photo: Little Iz Losing First Tooth

This photo was taken by her mother on the same day she lost her first baby tooth. Many more to follow. 

Fact of the Day: Hiram Fong

Hiram Fong was the first Asian American to be a U.S. Senator, and to date the only Republican U.S. Senator from Hawaii. 

Things I Like: Luigi (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)

 Mario's overshadowed brother is still a decent warrior in the Smash Bros. series.

Photo: Bluebay Seafood Funny Faces

While we were at my mom's birthday dinner back in December, my brother took this picture of my nieces. Two different takes on the "funny face", but hard to pick a favorite here. 

Fact of the Day: Islands of Finland

While debated on what counts as an island in Finland, the official number from Finland itself is just shy of 180,000. 

Things I Like: Arthur (Merlin)

 For most of the series, Arthur is the crown-prince, but unlike most stories, Arthur starts out as a horrid prince of questionable morality. Merlin meets him and his thrown in jail for trying to slap him. But somehow ends up being his "servant" instead.

Colette (2018 Film) Review

 Colette was a movie I had no idea existed until about two weeks ago. I was looking at a list of new movies to come out on Blu-Ray and it caught my eye. That's mainly due to its star Keira Knightley, whom I've always had such high respect for even since I first noticed her back in the early 2000's. Colette is a biographical film by a "independent" movie director, which on paper reeks of what we call "Oscar bait".

Fact of the Day: Leprosy Animals

Besides humans, armadillos are the only other animals known to be able to suffer from leprosy. 

Things I Like: Dreamland Stage (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)

This stage from the N64 original game based on the Kirby series, was one of my favorites since 1999. Though it is a little simple.

Photo: Spartanburg Freedom Flag

My local library had this piece of history on display. It was made in 1865 in Spartanburg by African-American citizens grateful for the American (Union) soldiers there to keep the peace and to ensure civil rights were being enforced in the local area.

Fact of the Day: Alexander the Great Coffin

After he died, Alexander the Great's body was preserved in a coffin filled with honey. 

Things I Like: Metal Box (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)

This item from Super Mario 64, has been around in the Super Smash Bros. series for a long time, and hasn't really changed since then. While I'm not shocked it's still here, I'm thankful they have kept it in the game.

Favorite Quotes: Faux Patriotism from NFL Protest Haters

“There’s a lot of racism in this country disguised as patriotism.”

-Colin Kaepernick

At first I was rather skeptical of Colin Kaepernick's protests, but I then heard his reasoning why and that he switched from sitting down to kneeling during the national anthem due to a NFL and military veteran's suggestion. But that wasn't good enough for racist white people who somehow think kneeling for a cross should be mandatory (not many of them actually believe in religious freedom) but kneeling for an anthem is disrespectful. And somehow these protests are "Un-American" while suggesting Trump's collusion with Russia is not a reason to be impeached. It was never about the anthem.   

Fact of the Day: Largest Vocabulary

Due to the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Old French/Latin based words, English (a Germanic language) has the most words of any language. 

Things I Hate: Fox (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)

 Old Fox McCloud was one of my favorites in the original N64 game and Melee, but I think they have just nerfed him too much in Brawl. And hasn't gotten any better since then.

Photo: Daisy at the Chickfila Westgate Mall

This was taken earlier this month while we were at the mall. Daisy had her Chick Fil A and I had some Sbarro. I didn't mind this mall trip as the post-Christmas season made it almost a ghost town in there. 

Fact of the Day: No Desert Lebanon

Since it's a rather small country in land mass, Lebanon is the only country in the Middle East where there is no desert anywhere in its borders. 

Things I Like: Mordred (Merlin)

 While I was bit puzzled on him at first sight, it didn't take me long to figure out this was Mordred in the Merlin TV series. Merlin sees him first as a boy, a druid hiding from the King and his guards due to his hatred of magic.

Photos: 2019 Valentines Stuffed Animals

 Every major holiday with stuffed animals, Daisy is always ready to look and hug her favorites.

Fact of the Day: King of Hearts

In a classic deck of cards, the King of Hearts is the only king without a mustache. 

Things I Like: Super Happy Tree Stage (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)

 Super Happy Tree is a stage from the original game on N64 and I'm glad to it return here for the latest game.

Photo: Sarge the Dog

Back in August I mentioned that I saved a lost and starving puppy we found wandering in the road near my mom's house. A co-worker adopted him that night and she showed me how he was doing not long ago. He's a big boy now and very sweet. From what I hear, he stays mostly indoors, spoiled thing. 

Fact of the Day: Panama Hat

Despite the name, panama hats originated in Ecuador. 

Things I Like: Warp Star (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)

 A staple item in the series since Melee, this item from the Kirby universe is one of the most useful tools in the whole game.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (TV Series) Season 1 Review

 Netflix never fails to surprise me every now and then. While they make nearly countless "Original Series", they seemed to really want to make sure everyone knew that She-Ra and the Princesses of Power was coming. I didn't quite watch the old She-Ra from the 1980's, as it was a bit before my time. I did watch a little of He-Man, who is the twin-brother of Adora who transforms into She-Ra when she gets her magical sword. I was originally going to ignore the series, but for the bits and pieces Netflix was feeding me, I was curious about it. I also heard they add some subtle LGBT characters, which is rather "brave" for a show crafted mostly for a younger crowd.