"In fact, romanticism and science are good for each other."

"The scientist keeps the romantic honest and the romantic keeps the scientist human."
- "Another Roadside Attraction" by Tom Robbins, pg. 150

I love this quote. It illustrates the idea that opposites attract. But is this true? One could argue with the equally common phrase "like attracts like." I personally believe more in the latter.

For the creative execution of one of my recent projects we compiled interesting love stories. I find listening to these stories very optimistic. In an America that is increasingly lonelier I can only hope that my optimism isn't blind naivety. My favorite is still my friend Amy's.

Amy, an American student was hiking alone in Chile when she came across a winery and decided to take a tour. Amy was the only guest on the tour but just before she and the guide began a young French man, who was also hiking Chile solo, arrived. Amy and her new companion, Jean, conversed in their second language, Spanish, as Amy spoke no French and Jean no English. After the tour the two became traveling companions for a few weeks. Upon returning to South Carolina, Amy began taking French lessons and Jean began learning English. Less than a year later, Amy graduated from college and moved to New Zealand with Jean to become organic farmers. As it was the rain season, the two were stuck in doors. Amy later told me that if their relationship was able to survive those months farming in the rain and being stuck in the same small space, it could survive anything. She was right. The two got married about a year later. Amy and Jean now live in France.

these tricks ain't for kids

When trying to explain Kid Robot to friends, they cannot understand why I am so enthralled by a toy store with smoking rabbits (I am very anti-smoking, however smoking bunnies for some reason I can condone). So, for those who find my fascination bizarre, here are the three main reasons why I love Kid Robot:

1. The store is like a museum - The “look, don’t touch” atmosphere created by the glass barrier between yourself and the cleverly designed plastic creatures worsens your natural desire to feel the smoothly textured toys. The museum feel is what elevates these creators off the toy shelf and into the category of ‘designer.’ Each piece in its case appearing more like a work of sculpture that tourists and other unworthy admirers can stare and drool at.

2. The power is in the hands of the card holder - Kid Robot is toys for adults and who ever really grows out of toys? Now that we are adults shopping for toys we are finally have the power to buy the toys we desire. No whining or begging, just card swiping!

3. Premium pricing! Truly the best strategy in play here. Putting the brand just out of reach for the common man, it creates the “Christmas-Effect.” Just as you held out all year for that one special gift (that you bought, wrapped and put under the tree for yourself) you appreciate it soo much more. Kid Robot, being as expensive as it is, makes buying one of the items a special event. Were their Dunnies or Star Wars styled creatures $20, they would get thrown aside a month after purchase. But no, if you shell out $200 for a Luke Skywalker Dunny, you will create your own museum-like atmosphere on the shelves in your office where only true fans and lovers will be privileged enough to touch the toy.

Congrats Kid Robot, you have managed to elevate your brand above any Toys R’ Us shelf. Go forth toy fans and spend $600 on a plastic toy that looks like something you’d see on a bad acid trip, after all we were all deprived of enough toys as kids.

get in line

The insanity that is the line in front of the Apple store continues. I passed there twice about two hours apart and a few people I noticed had only moved about 15 feet. That line has to be four hours long easily and this is SIX DAYS after the magical iPhone 3G came out. So my dear friend Alex (aka Frenchie) and I have decided to bet on when the line would finally subside.
Alex says July 28th and I say July 23rd. As long as I'm not standing in that line though...I hope we are both wrong and that the fan-dom continues well into September. Hey, at least Apple is handing out umbrellas for people who don't want to get sunburnt.