2008 Year in Review: Crock-Town's "Most Awesomest" List

Most awesomest people toys:

1. This RULES. If you know me, you know I tend to have quite an obsessive personality. This serves me very well while I am obsessed with a client's success. However, it can be a liability if I am obsessing over clearing Tony Hawk Pro Skater.
   
   So this is the great thing: with these electronic RC helicopters, you only get about 10 minutes of batter life per charge... it's self limiting. The first time I circled the Christmast tree and landed, I felt like I "cleared a level" or "beat the boss" on a video game. Same as when I first lifted off downstairs and set her down upstairs.
   
   Twin Engine, 3 Channels Chinook Helicopter
   
   Images:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Temperature-Sensitive Color Changing Faucet LightAND Shower Light!!!



Why?

Why not?

Practically speaking, this works great as a nighlight when you don't want to blind a sleeping co-inhabitant.

Most awesomest dog toys:

In the past, I've been disappointed in dog toys, because the dog gets to have all the fun. This year, however, having moved into a town with abundant off-leash dog parks and open spaces, that has all changed. I'm not sure whether it is I or B-Rock who has the most fun when we play dog games.

1. Franklin Soft-strike Teeball & Mini-Wooden Bat:
   
   
   
   
   I was a little disappointed. For some reason I can only find the mini-wooden bat with two multi-color balls at Longs Drugs out here in California. The multi-color action adds to the fun. Here is a customer image of one of the blue balls:
   
   
   
   
   
   They also come in red and silver... TONS MORE FUN.
   
   I don't know what's up, but I can't find a link to the mini-wooden bats online. It's like they go from foam directly to full-size wooden or aluminum.
   
   Soft T-Ball + Mini Bat= GREAT FUN, because I can strike myself out very easily. But the memories of nailing the "sweet spot" on the bat and slamming a line drive past the 2nd base man bring me back to the greatest joys of my childhood. I find myself tossing the ball up (pitch to me), and saying, "B, do you like your sugar with coffee.... or CREAM!!!!!!" as I slam a homer!
   
   
2. Hyper Dog Sling Shot: 2 Ball Version:
   
   
   
   
   
   Hyper Dog Sling Shot:4 Ball Version:
   
   
   
   
   - Warning, this can be a lethal weapon. Note the fold out, assault-style wrist support.
   
   Dog must always be out of the line of fire.
   
   But the great thing about this is I get to play target practice. It's a lot like archery: calculating the ratio of drop to distance. So I setup a chair in my backyard (a taught, bouncy chair), and practice hitting it. The object fired from the sling shot, when it hits the chair just right, bounces directly back towards me at a 45 degree angle, letting B turn on a dime and chase the other way. Good times are had by all.
   
   Perhaps the greatest thing about the HyperDog Sling Shot is that for each time it is broken, it only becomes more powerful (for I clip the torn rubber tubing even shorter).
   
   Again, this packs some serious punch. Use with extreme caution- like old-school lawn darts.
   

The combination of these two toys makes me feel like a total mercenary bad-ass warrior when I arrive at the off-leash dog beach. Donning my camel-back hydrating backback, with bat in sheath behind my back, and high power sling shot locked and loaded in hand, I turn many heads. At first I was worried people would think I was going dog hunting or seal clubbing, but now I'm a regular and it's all good.

Happy new year everyone!

-Crockett