Hipsters, Hippos, Hip Hip Hooray

Anyone remember the game Hungry, Hungry Hippos?    I know the game, although I never played it as a child – it was released in 1978, which was the year I graduated university the first time.

The object of the game is to cause your hippo to “consume” as many of the twenty white plastic marbles on the playing field as possible.    You have to press a lever on the back of your hippo which causes its mouth to open, extend towards the center of the board, close and retract, hopefully grabbing as many marbles as possible (which are then saved in a little depression so they don’t roll back into play).

There’s no strategy involved, since the board shakes like crazy and everyone is banging at their hippos as fast as they can and the marbles jump every which way.  So the only thing you can do is whale the hell out of your hippo faster than everyone else and count on luck.  Great way to release aggression.  And great marketing strategy, since the levers break or wear out quickly and you have to buy a new game.

Here’s one of the game’s early commercials:

Did you know that the four hippos actually have names?  Lizzie Hippo (purple), Henry Hippo (orange), Homer Hippo (green), and Harry Hippo (yellow).   In some versions of Hungry Hungry Hippos, Henry is replaced by a blue hippo of the same name.   A later edition of the game replaces the purple hippo, Lizzie, with a pink one named Happy.  (Replacing purple with pink?!?!  Booooo!!!  Hiss!!)

So.  What does this have to do with anything?  My Smart Ass Knitters World Domination Club package, of course, that’s what!   (Stay with me here, it will make sense…)

The Indigodragonfly yarn:    Yak!  Bam!   A yak/bamboo blend  (75%/25%) – yes, I said yak -    in the colourway  Hungry, Hungry Hipsters!   And yes, there are four different colours, named for the four hippos/hipsters.   Each club package has two of the four.  I got Lizzie (plum) and Homer (teal).  So shiny!!  And very soft.  (Are you curious about the other two Hipsters?  OK,  Henry is rust and Harry is brown.  And while I like all four colours, I’m glad I got the two I did.  For now.  So far.)

The pattern:  Ironic Hipster is Ironic, a gorgeous slouchy hat designed by Amy Duncan.  Which will be another project for the Summer KAL of Doom in the Club Blitz category.

The swag:  A wonderful felted bowl made by Sandy Luck, from her Funky Felts Xcessories.  Useful for so many things!!

As always, a wonderful package.  And worth waiting for through the mail strike.

 

And now,

this blogoversary business coming up in two weeks.  And a contest.  This year it will be two years since I began these ramblings, so two winners will be drawn, and there will be two prizes.

One prize:  a copy of Knitting Rules!: The Yarn Harlot’s Bag of Knitting Tricks by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

and the second, a copy of It Itches: A Stash of Knitting Cartoons by Franklin Habit

Both books guaranteed to cause any knitter – and anyone who spends any time with a knitter – to laugh out loud.  More than once.  And laughter is good.

How to enter?  Different opportunities mean more chances to win!

1. Follow this blog, and leave a comment telling me you do.
2. Share this post about the contest (twitter, facebook, etc), and leave a separate comment that you did so.
3. Blog about the contest, and leave a separate comment with a link.
4. Finally, leave a comment telling me what was your favourite blog post over the past two years, with a sentence why.    I’d love to hear!!!

On Friday, July 22nd, I’ll use a random generator to choose two winners from the list.

Let the fun begin!!!

Tags: blogoversary, contest, indigodragonfly, knitting, prizes