It seems like I can never find a flashlight when I need one. It’s frustrating because I know I have a flashlight, somewhere. In fact, I’m pretty sure I have at least a dozen flashlights scattered around the house, but I can’t seem to keep track of them. I think the problem here is that there’s nothing that exciting about a flashlight, no real bells and whistles to stop me from leaving it under the couch or in the recessed ceiling. Both of those things actually happened, by the way.
How do you amp up a flashlight’s appeal? Easy, just make it interactive! With the Harry Potter Voice-Activated Wand Flashlight (ThinkGeek, $15.99), you can choose from an exact replica of either Harry or Hermione’s magic wand. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to defeat He Who Must Not Be Named with it, but you can cast a spell or two! Using your own personally recorded voice commands, you can make this wand flashlight turn on and off. You can stick with the formal “Lumos” and “Nox” commands or you can pick any command of your choosing. Now, that’s a flashlight I won’t want to let out of my sight!
You can choose the wand, or you can let the wand choose you.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 11″ long
-Record your own voice command
-Turns on or off when proper spell is spoken
-Match spoken commands to recorded commands
-”Lumos” to activate; “Nox” to deactivate
-Pick sound commands of your own choosing
-Available in Harry or Hermione styles
-Uses 3 AAA batteries (not included)
As summertime draws to a close, I’m reminded of all the fun times I’ve had these past few months. Naturally, none of these memories involve spending time outdoors because I hate going outside. I mean, if I don’t get out of this house soon, people might start thinking I’m agoraphobic. Seriously though, while enjoying everything nature has to offer isn’t really my thing, I like to think I have a good time just the same. Not spending a zillion hours outdoors really frees up my time to work on my various creative projects (also no sunburn, so that’s a plus). You’re gonna think I’m pretty lame (even more so than you already do), but I like to put together puzzles. That’s right, puzzles.
The problem with puzzles today is that even if the puzzle itself is challenging, the pictures are so lame. I mean, how many times can I put together a picture of snow covered trees or a cat hanging on a branch? Zip Code Puzzles (Firebox, $34.95) are a completely different story. Instead of regurgitating the same old photo options, these puzzles are made to order according to your personal choice of geographic location. Using an extract from the U.S. Geological Survey, a 400 piece puzzle is produced according to the zip code you provide. In the center of the puzzle is a house-shaped piece that represents the address location and the puzzle itself spans six miles east/west and four miles north/south of the center point. The map displays buildings, main roads, water features, and even some local establishments so that each puzzle is unique.
I don’t know who wouldn’t want to put together this puzzle. I would totally commit to putting every last piece of this puzzle together, glue it in place, and then frame it for display. That’s not weird, right?
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 12.25″ x 18.5″ (assembled)
-400 piece jigsaw puzzle
-Features an extract from the U.S. Geological Survey
-Map covers 6 miles East/West and 4 miles North/South
-Center piece is shaped like a house
-Puzzle box includes personal message area
-Each puzzle made to order
-Non returnable except due to faulty manufacturing
Attention all lazy people out there! Would you like be somewhat active, yet still continue to exhibit sloth-like behavior? I can tell by your lack of response that you would. Sure, laying around and letting your muscle tone deteriorate can sound like boatloads of fun, but maybe you should get up every now and then. I’m not suggesting you go out and run a marathon or anything (terrible!), but a little movement here and there couldn’t hurt. Tell you what, how about we start with something simple? I’ll even try to make it a little fun for you.
The Magic Wand Remote Control (Firebox, $69.95) will give you just a dash of physical movement while still allowing you to retain your lazy roots. And it’s freaking awesome! Sorry, but it had to be said. I mean, it’s a remote control shaped like a magic wand – how cool is that?! And not only is it shaped like a magic wand, but you actually have to perform spell-like movements in order for the remote control to work. This is where your heart-pumping exercise comes into play. With 13 predefined gestures, this wand can learn up to 13 infrared codes from your existing remote. All you have to do is match the gesture to the desired command. So say you want to turn the volume down, you might roll the wand between your thumb and forefinger in a counterclockwise direction. You can control basically any infrared device, like your TV or stereo, just by letting the wand learn the commands. Pretty simple, right?
Now, I don’t want you overdoing it. Take your time learning those commands and if you feel yourself getting weak, let someone else change the channel for awhile.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 35.5cm x 2cm
-Remote control shaped wand
-Able to control television, stereo, or any other infrared device
-3 modes: practice, sleep, and learning
-13 predefined gestures
-Can learn up to 13 infrared codes from an existing remote
-Requires 2 AA batteries (included)
-Packaged in presentation box
-Instruction manual available for download
Winter is really a drag, isn’t it? I mean, not only does it seemingly last forever, but it tricks you. Winter starts putting on its coat during February, pretending like it’s getting ready to go, and then all of a sudden just decides to stay for another month or so. It’s pretty shameless, if you think about it. The thing that really sucks about winter isn’t just the cold or the snow (although, those are fairly legitimate reasons to hate a season), but it’s the dryness. Half the time I feel like a snake that’s getting ready to shed its skin, and there’s no amount of body lotion that’s going to remedy that.
Reinforcements have arrived! The R2-D2 USB Humidifier (ThinkGeek, $19.99) is a tiny life-saving device! Alright, so maybe “life-saving” is a little dramatic, but you know what I mean. This little guy plugs right into my computer’s USB port and instantly goes to work to create a moister atmosphere. I’m not saying that it’s going to make the whole room feel less like the Sahara, but it will help your skin feel less scaly. Also, dry air is a common culprit for aggravating cold and sinus issues, so it may alleviate some of those nasty health problems as well. And don’t think I forgot the most important thing – it’s shaped like R2-D2! I mean, hello! Is there really anything else you need to know?
Just picture it: you’re sitting at your desk at work with your miniature R2-D2 humidifying away, happy as a clam. And then there’s everyone else, with their alligator skin and severe congestion, trying in vain to make it through the day. Who would you rather be?
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Just add water to top and plug in
-USB powered
-Piezoelectric technology
-Fully licensed Lucasfilm Collectible
-Imported from Japan
The end of January is almost here, and you know what that means: Valentine’s Day. I’m pretty sure everywhere you look you’re already being bombarded by sickening messages of love, giant displays of heart-shaped candy boxes, and basically anything of the red and pink variety. A lot of people out there, myself included, tend to overlook the possible merits of Valentine’s Day (the heartwarming sentiments) and prefer to focus on reality (a holiday created by card companies to sell more useless products). I mean, why is February 14th so special? Why is that the day where we’re supposed to shower our loved ones with gifts and affection (but most importantly, gifts)? Shouldn’t we be treating our significant others like they matter every day instead of one random day in February? And what about those poor unfortunate souls who are miserable and alone? It’s not like they need another reminder that no one’s interested in them and they’re not getting any younger.
One of the Valentine’s Day staples is the candy heart. Certainly not the most flavorful or exciting of the bunch, the candy heart has become a mainstay because it’s quirky. It’s the little sayings on each heart that make candy hearts special; you never know what you’re gonna get. The Bittersweets (ThinkGeek, $5.99) by Despair, Inc. take that idea and run with it – kicking and screaming in the opposite direction. Instead of spouting sickeningly sweet sentiments, these candy hearts tell it like it is and speak to the singleton in all of us. You can choose from dejected, dysfunctional, or dumped and each set comes packaged in a collectible tin. There are up to 37 unique sayings inside each collection that cater to the “D” you select.
Single people should get their own holiday. I mean, there are so many holidays that are built around togetherness and everlasting love – what about the rest of us?! I mean, I guess you could technically annex St. Patrick’s Day as a singleton holiday, but I’m talking about a true Singles Day. Write in and tell me your suggestions!
5 out of 5 miserable stars.
Specs:
-3 different collections to choose from: Dejected, Dysfunctional, or Dumped
-Each collection features up to 37 unique sayings
-Packaged in a collectible tin
