My Thoughts on Mario Kart for Nintendo Wii...

I hate Mario Kart for Nintendo Wii.








Well sure you get to grasp an actual wheel like you're really driving a car. I prefer the Super Nintendo version that us po' folks who couldn't get Sega, N64 etc. grew up with. That's right my first 'gaming system' was an old school nintendo and no, we didn't get another system after the '91-'93 Era. The best we did after that was Where in the World is Carmen San Diego on our old school desktop computer...but I digress.

Yes, there are now 12 racers vs. the previously allotted 8. And YES, I heard you, you can have your choice of almost 30 characters. You also get as your choice of car, bike, scooter, and various other off-roading vehicles.

I....don't.....care.

The reason for my hatred is two-fold.

1. Price

Super Nintendo, went on the market back in 1991 at around $200 a pop. This came with two controllers and likely one or two games that weren't worth playing. Each individual game, worth playing, was probably somewhere between $15-$30.

Nintendo Wii, costs about $250. You think that's pretty cheap, right?

Not so:

- Systems come with 1 controller
- Each additional controller - about $40
- Bundle with Mario Kart game and 2 wheels $60.
- Each additional wheel - $10-20

SO if you wanted to play Mario Kart with 4 players it would cost you (at least) $450. Plus the cost of a big screen - because if you think you can play with four players on your 26" you are sorely mistaken. Plus the cost of bud lights(or heavies) - because, let's get real, if you're playing video games at this age, you better be drinking while you're doing it.

Considering I didn't actually buy the Wii that is in my apartment, or any of the games we can move on...

2. Morals/Ethics

What does Mario Kart teach you?

Well first off, it teaches you to quit. Well, I guess the game makes you 'involuntarily' quit if you are that far behind in all of the other non-computer generated racers.

The lesson this tells kids is: If you're not going to win, it's not worth finishing the race. You should just stop and not finish your last two laps.

That would be the equivalent of telling your kid:"Hey Jimmy if you're team is losing 5-1 just sit down on the ice and don't finish the last 3 minutes off the game. And if you feel like crying, that's alright too".



Yes the characters occasionally cry (this happpens in Super Nintendo too if my memory servces me right). and I agree with you, it's Bullsh*t.





2. Not only does Mario Kart for Wii teach you to quit, it teaches you to cheat.

I guess cheating isn't the way to describe it, more like enabling.

Back in the day when I played on Super Nintendo the best you could do if you were absolutely blowing it in 8th place was "power-up" and get a star that sped you up a little bit, or a lightening bolt that shrunk your opponents for a few short seconds. No no, Nintendo for Wii takes it to a whole new level.

They've added the "Mega Mushroom" where you grow to an enormous size and flatten other racers, the "POW BLOCK" that sends a shockwave spinning opponents out of control and causes them to lose their items, and the Lightening Cloud (similar to the lightening bolt).




Do these "special powers remind you of anything??

Yea that's right, Wii is telling us we should juice.


But these small enablers pale in comparison to "Bullet Bill".

Bullet Bill is the "power-up" for the slacker. Or maybe just the person that you would classify as highly unskilled. It seems although I dominated at Super Nintendo, I'm way behind with the new techonology (a-yo). If you suck at the game, are in 12th place, and miraculously drive into a question box, 9 out of 10 times (not actual statistics) you will get said bullet.


First off, back in the days of Nintendo (that's right the original) the only bullets that were good were the red ones that mario shot off his body...the 'bullet bills' were the enemy. Secondly, this former foe is now enabling you to go from 12th to sometimes 3rd place. And lastly, it pisses me right off that cheating is condoned. Anyone who said "cheaters never prosper" sure as hell never played Nintendo Wii.




So I guess the bottom line is, as much as I tweet, blog, IM, BMM, gchat, facebook stalk, search TMZ & people, I miss the good old days. You know when and a girl and her friends were on the hunt for Carmen San Diego because she stole Plymouth Rock from Massachusetts or Dorothy's shoes from Kansas. The good guy (me) catches the bad guy (carmen & her cronies) and that's that. But I guess we can't stop these times from a changin'...

The True Origin of Say Whaaat?

Yesterday I unknowingly discovered how I subconciously named my blog. Initially, I thought I'd made a blog name to refelct my reader's reactions to my crazy and outlandish stories and commentary
fyi: this is a non-fiction blog...fo sho

I thought Say Whaaaat? Meant something like "Say it ain't so!", "Gee wiz that's crazy!" or "Aw Naw Hell Naw!" (Nappy Roots anyone?).
After a bit of research, my prefered definition (courtesy of urban dictionary) is:



A term used when a person wishes for a surprising or astonishing statement to be repeated, or simply to show their surprise at said statement. To accurately model the timbre of the phrase, omit a high pitch during the last portion of the phrase in addition to stretching the "what" as long as deemed necessary by the user: Say (In high pitch) Whaaaat?!!



However, I made an startling discovery...

I was cleaning my room (this happens once in a blue moon see: Why Am I Single?), and I picked up a pair of black leggings (reminder ladies and gents: spandex are not pants). In the back there was a small pink tag sewn in that said in funky letters:
Say What?



I thought to myself, 'huh, that's funny, that's the name of my blog'. And then I thought, 'omfg. I definitley bought these spandex before I started blogging'. Then I thought harder, about both the origin of the spandex and the origin of my blog's name.

CRAP.

Me: OH MY GOD BEEF (I yelled up the stairs to my ever so honest twin sista)

No Answer.

I continued:

My blog is named after a pair of spandex!!! FROM SEARS!

Beef: I hate you.


Me: Why?


Beef: Your life hurts me, like it just makes me hurt.


I was kind of hoping she'd shout "Say Whaaat???"down the stairs and I could come full circle as far as my blog title goes, but I guess things can't always be perfect.

But Not to worry... Say What? (the brand) was:



"created to reach a fun, flirty, young woman, looking for the most affordable trends". (aka a cheap 23 year old who sees a pair of leggings while walking through Sears to get to her car in the mall garage - and the tranny to the right).

By GOSH that's me. Obvi a fun and flirty young woman, DUH!


My life kind of makes me hurt too.

xoxo popprincess

I'm a crybaby...

If you want to cry for a full 106 minutes, you should go see My Sister's Keeper.

Not that I wanted to cry for the entire film...but since I knew how it was going to end, it was inevitable.

The thing is, I cried when Michelle got Amnesia on Full House, and when Mark Green Died on ER, when Rose said "she'd never let go", at Marley & Me, when Grace Boyle sang I Dreamed a Dream, during the MJ memorial and EVERY time I hear Christmas Shoes for the first time of the holiday season.

But I think I even cried the first time I saw this liberty mutual commercial...

People helping people, without bud lights involved, who knew it was possible?

I knew I was in for it, sitting in the movie, and during a preview of The Time Traveler's Wife, I started to tear up.

Anyhoo, I felt bad for the 3 guys in a theatre of only about 15 chicks who were sobbing uncontrollably by the end of the movie. Nonetheless, it was a good, with some songs that didn't help dry any eyes...

Songs:

That's right a Snuggie for Moms...

I discovered this many months ago and neglected to blog about it. This is the "Snuggie for Moms"...aka the Peekaru.

"The first time we wore it, 5 separate people stopped me to ask what it was and where I got it and many others smiled and made comments about how cozy it looked. It's a big hit. Thanks for making it!"- Julie, NY

First off, 5 Separate people came and talked to you because point and gawking would simply be rude.


Secondly, they obviously wanted to ask you what it was so they could tell their friends they saw a crazy lady with an alien popping out of her shirt.


This just ain't riiight.

Furthermore, this so called snuggie for mom's is $80...it doesn't actually come with a baby carrier...just "fits comfortably over them..."




God forbid these mother's actually hold her children...how lazy can ya get!

Intervention...

The Back Story

I have been taking the Mass Pike to work for the past 9.5 months. With some back road maneuvering I manage to hit only 3 tolls a day.

That's 3 tolls a day about 5 days/week =15 tolls/week (I passed 3rd grade math). But clearly, I didn't pass whatever subject is that involves reasoning e.g. saving time and money, and thinking about the general convenience of your lifestyle.

So let's break it down, that's about 60 tolls a month and roughly 550 tolls in the past 9.5 months. Often times, obviously, I was scrounging in my purse for that last lonely dollar or even a penny or 5 at the last second.




I'm sure you're thinking, "well she's an idiot, but I guess it's not that bad".

The Kicker

In December, I totaled by baby, a 1996 Toyota Corolla ( Corolla Warrior King).

No, no big car accident. I smashed into the do not enter sign while attempting to jump the curb and parrallel park one horrifying, snowy, Sunday afternoon. Once it warmed up the next day, the bumper fell right off the car...

Anyhoo...

The good old Corolla was history and soon after we found the gem that is my 2001 Chevy Cavalier. Appropriately nicknamed "Porsche-A", for her sleek look.


One large problem was the 'interior design' if you will of the Porchse-A.



Most pointedly the MANUAL windows.

Yes I let this charade go on for about 7 months. Through one of the snowiest winters and rainiest "summers".

Self Intervention I

I attempted an intervention back in April, and ordered a transponder online. Apparently it A) Never went through and B) I never followed up on it...

Self Intervention II

I don't know exactly what inspired it. I really don't know. But last Friday I stopped the madness. I drove my ass to East Boston and got myself a transponder. I will never again have to roll that window down to pay a toll. I know the toll takers will miss my cheery demeanor as I slowly roll down my window and give them I smile as I'm rocking out to Sean Kingston (or Brit, or the Jo Bros).


Tomorrow...Intervention Numero III. The oil change that was due 1,000 miles ago and the falling off muffler/broken muffler belt the man pointed out at the gas station this morning. "Come back tomororow, I fix".

FML.

Ya, I'm sunburned, what of it?

It's summertimeee...finally, well sort of...

In the summer, generally, people get tan. Back in college, I was once interviewed for the Campus Speaks section of my college newspaper. I was asked: "What is your favorite outdoor activity". I responded "Sunbathing, because everyone looks good with a tan".

A) Was that seriously my response? I guess it was back in '06

B) That is not a true statement about myself by any means

During the winter months, my skin is what I would describe as see through. I am casper. I'm white. I'm oh-so-Irish. It takes several months to get myself just the right array of freckles that slightly resemble a tan. But try as I might week in and week out, all summer long.

I know many others have the same objective. To get a sweet tan. Lucky for them, when they return fromt he beach they are perfectly sun-kissed. When they head out on the town, or come back into the office after a lovely tropical vacation they often get the following responses:

"Wow, you look great"!

"You look super tan!"

"You have such a healthy glow".

The responses I get are more along the lines of:

While at the beach: "You should probably put a t-shirt on"

and after:

"Ouch! That looks like it hurts!!"

"You should get some aloe on that!"

"You should be using a higher SPF with such fair skin!"

"I like your tan lines".

No matter how hard I try I still seem to come out of every weekend with those lovely freckles, a blistering sunburn and some killer tan lines...DBJ

People.com get it together

PICK-UP STICKS
It's game time! Lauren Conrad and pal Lauren "Lo" Bosworth get their racquets ready for a little action Tuesday during the LXMPRO Lacrosse Tour BBQ at the Sierra Mist beach house in Malibu, Calif.

This just flat out insults me.

A) Get your copywriters to check their facts. A lacrosse stick never is, was, or will be a 'raquet'.

B) 'Lesbian' Lax players are crying out nation-wide

C) The fact that I had to go to Popsugar.com for them not to call lacrosse sticks raquets is appalling.

And yes the website was correct: 'The girls tried their hands at a little lax, but it looks like they felt more comfortable posing with their sticks in their swimsuit cover-ups'