It worked, indeed.

Magnet #716a & b - Magnerine Polar Bears

Though I've had CBS on all day for pre-game coverage, I've had it on mute, while I just finished catching up on the LOST premiere.

What can I say about it that everyone hasn't talked about already?

Other than seriously, the only thing missing from the first two episodes beside my kitchen sink were the damn polar bears.

Honestly, could this show mess with my mind any more?

The magnet menagerie

Magnet #570 - Carousel Horse Magnerine

I've mentioned before, that in addition to being a romance editor, I did a supershort stint as an editor for a newsletter for the National Carnival Association - a 32-page monthly, called Carousel. It's now called Carnival, and apparently still around! *waves to Mr. Dabbs*

So, it should be no surprise to know that there was a time when I would have been able to rattle off a history of the carousel horse, major manufacturers, and what shows and parks had the coolest carousels. Hey! That's some interesting stuff!

And, I know you're totally not surprised that this was the first thing I picked up from the Met this weekend, in their Clearance store. (Yes. Clearance store. Get thee there. Now.)

But you probably would be surprised that I somehow managed to not walk out with every. single. Magnerine. on sale. Otherwise, I would have added a good half dozen more to my ever-growing menagerie. Ok, ok. I'll admit to having had that good half dozen in my hands before I started walking around the small little store and putting them back. All told, I did buy something like 10 magnets this weekend. Thank goodness for sets, I suppose.

What? It's been a crazy year full of ups and downs (see what I did there?), and so I figured I deserved a little Magnerine to make me feel better, thanks very much!

If there be dragons...

Magnet #513a & 513b - Dragon Magnerine

Yep, another magnerine, this one from the Met. My reason for this one today is kinda two-fold. (Ha. See what I did there?)

I have this little guy sitting in my cube, the companion to the other dragon sitting in the opposite side of my cube. That's the one who, with the little pearl in his claw, is my feng shui symbol, my little protector, and bringer of wealth, power and abundance of opportunities. Of course, I've been waiting for him to do his job, but he works here and there, I suppose. I mean, I haven't fallen out the window or anything, so far.

But, this magnet in my Photobucket was a gentle reminder that Merlin's coming on tonight on NBC. Yes, yes, of course, I'm still watching. I mean, really, are you surprised?

It's not the best show ever, but it's passable as summer entertainment goes.

I just can't figure out why NBC bought this BBC show, when it should have totally been BBC-A, as a companion piece to Robin Hood, or Doctor Who, or at the very least, they should have shared the rights with Siffy, because hello, of all the supernaturalness of it all. Heck, it even fits better on The CW with the youngness of their cast.

As far as Camelot and King Arthur retellings go, it's actually not bad. I do enjoy seeing Arthur as basically an egotistic frat guy (hopefully with a redeeming heart of gold in the end), and pre-evil Morgana being friends with the rather timid but brave Guenevere. But, I really love seeing Merlin as the unassuming, kind-hearted geek, getting tromped on by Arthur, sometimes his friend, sometimes his servant, but always both.

No, my problem is really the fact that nothing of import actually happens on the show - the story lines are fairly the same: King Uther Pendragon (love seeing Tony Head on my tv again every week) desperately fighting against the Magic of the Week in his kingdom every week - even though he's banned magix of every kind, somehow, a new one pops up every week. And while Arthur tries to save them all, it's Merlin and his mentor Gaius secretly using magic to get the job done.

Still, I love seeing the cute boys (hello, young Lancelot!), and their period dress, and hearing the anachronisms of their speech, and making fun of all the hoyay between the boys, the girls, and basically everyone walking on two legs.

My favorite, though, is this guy:

The captive magic dragon, the last of his kind, the one that everyone goes to visit in the depths of the castle.

He's a see-all, be-all, know-all giant, flying dragon, whom you know could escape at any time (what with him being a giant, flying dragon and all), but for some reason, he doesn't.

Rather, he hangs out in his little caverns, flying here and about, doling out his rather slashy Arthur/Merlin intertwined fates advice, week after week.

Eh, like I said, it's summer, it's somewhat entertaining, so of course, I'm watching.

"The nerve of her...

Magnets #475a & 475b - Zuni Owl Magnerine

...coming here with your face!"

- Susan's snotty roommate, Parent Trap

I promise. This is the last Hayley Mills movie in the marathon.

C'mon. How could I not use this magnet for Parent Trap? Plus, honestly, how can you talk about Hayley's Disney movies without talking about Parent Trap?

I used to wish for a twin. A twin who had my face that I'd find when I finally got sent off to that camp halfway across the country. A twin who had my face that I'd find when I finally got sent off to that camp halfway across the country, who had been living with my other set of parents this whole time, and OMG, you look like me, I look like you, and oh, how happy now we could be, Together!

Ummm, yeah, that never happened for me.

Still. I freakin' adored this movie.

And the sequel with Susan and Sharon as adults, with Tom Skerritt as the leading man.

And the next sequel with the Creel triplets (whatever happened to them?) and the I'm Always Chasing Rainbows song, with Barry Bostwick.

And the sequel to that sequel, where they do the requisite honeymoon. In Hawaii.

And darn it, I'm not ashamed, I loved the remake with (once upon a time) sweet little Lindsay Lohan, too. (An aside, I didn't love it more than Hayley's version, obvi, but Omigod, Cuppy!??? LOVE. Plus, she was adorable playing twins Hallie and Annie. I'd be torn between dads Brian Keith and Dennis Quaid, though.)

Anyway, I don't know a living soul who hasn't seen the original Parent Trap, so I've said my piece. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll laugh again. You might even get goosebumps!

And thus endeth the Hayley Mills marathon...

In case you're wondering, this little guy is a Zuni Owl effigy vessel, pottery from the Zuni Indian tribe of New Mexico. The real one's sitting at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, even though I bought this at the Met, and therefore haven't seen him in real life.

He's supercute, a Magnerine, just one of my growing collection that's amassed since the last time I blogged about these supercool magnets.

I must confess...the reason why I picked this owl for today, is because this little guy:


totally reminded me of Hayley - particularly in this (wrong movie, but right pose) LIFE cover.

Elephant walk

Magnets #128a & 128b - Elephant Magnerine

How cool are these guys.

Last year, some friends and I visited the American Museum of Natural History here in town, and I saw these in the little shop. (There I go again, with the little shop.)

And, of course, the second I saw these, I fell promptly in love. It's like twice the magnetic goodness! It's two magnets, that become one 3-D figurine that stands all on its own.

It's called a Magnerine, which is just the most clever name to ever clever. Seriously, I raved about them for days and days after I saw them. In the interest of full disclosure, I've actually been in touch with these folks, hoping to work with them on a project for work. But I was thrilled to see all the different types of magnets they've produced - including, one I've already blogged about - the Monet tube of paint!

As it turns out, apparently, there's several of these Magnerines - just in the AMNH shop alone was a gorilla, a polar bear, and even the giant blue whale (a la the newly refurbished blue whale room at the museum). And, the Met has them as well, for their Egyptian collection and their Met store bags, which are also supercute as well.

But I have to say, I think this little guy's my absolute favorite. I mean, look how cute is he!!!