When we wrote about Star Wars nursery themed items, the response was awesome – and though we here at Geek Gems are collection of (presently?) childless gamers n’ nerds, we still have a soft spot for gems that appeal especially to the youngins and their awesomely geek-savvy parents. That’s why there was some seriously “d’awww” action going down when I spied these Super Mario quilts for kids:
The one-of-a-kind, handmade baby quilts by GeekUnique are something any parent with a soft spot for classic gaming would be proud to tuck around their toddler. While I especially love the nod to Super Mario Brothers with the Mario and Princess Peach quilts, other gaming favorites are also given their kid quilt dues, including Donkey Kong, Frogger and Legend of Zelda. The crib-sized quilts are sized at 36×36″, and while you could certainly mount them on the wall as geeky nursery accessories, these keepsakes are clearly meant to be cuddled. Game on!
There’s a certain beauty to some of these crafty gems that I can certainly appreciate: the near-certainty that some will devise uses for some things nobody ever necessarily intended. Sure, it’s a candle cutter. And indeed, it does that: it carves cut-outs for candles. Hold this stainless steel kitchen doodad’s T-shaped top; place the other end over a pear, apple, small pumpkin, squash or pear; press down to hollow what needs hollowing out and abraca-freaking-dabra! You’ve concocted something cute, decorative and useful – not to mention a handy snack when its usefulness is served.
Just like the name implies, the tea light candle cutter makes a fine fruity candelabra. But hey, you’re Martha-Meets-MacGuyver, so why stop there? Pour in a little potpourri. Serve up some delicious fondue, then divvy up the chocolate-covered leftover insides of your improvised service later. Set out some nuts or trail mix inside an apple or pear to give your party’s noshables a true nature’s-bounty sensibility.
There’s a line, though. Geek Gems shall not be held in any way responsible should you decide to plant a backyard apple tree and open your neighborhood’s first Build-A-Bong workshop. ;)
Something about the Donkey Kong legacy has always rubbed me just a little bit the wrong way. Remember, Mario started out a do-gooder playing defense, making a beeline to Princess Pauline and avoiding Kong’s barrels but never so much spoiling for a fight. Then came Donkey Kong Jr. That chunky plumber went on the offensive and kidnapped the Simian Superman, leaving a young ape all alone facing the world. Come on, that’s making things personal. That’s involving family. Don’t be that guy, fat man. Don’t be that guy.
That’s why I’m not really sure I could abide by the unique, alternative rules of Jenga: Donkey Kong Edition.
It’s a pretty standard Jenga game overall that most people have played at least once. Pull the blocks, replace the blocks, don’t send the tower tumbling. Ah, but scope out the original Donkey Kong tower of girders along the one side in glorious 8-painted-bit glory! The ball’s now in your court: play by Jenga’s traditional rules, or spin the spinner and advance the “Mario” piece up the tower and once more into a smack-down with a certain tradesman who just never knew when to back off.
At the very least, Donkey Kong Jenga is a nice little collectible showpiece. But I just can’t help but wish someone had fashioned some alternate rules wherein one player keeps advancing Mario upward, and another player is tasked with removing strategic pieces one by one, until imaginary ton after ton of rubble and girders hurdle downward onto the douche’s melon. Maybe it’s just me. ;)
Once in a while, I come across a web application that’s so genius in its usefulness and simplicity, I have to take a momentary time out, facepalm myself, and say “why didn’t I think of that?” Such was the case when I found ICantFindMyPhone.com, which takes the stress right out of finding a lost phone.
Just plug in your digits, and this stylishly simple lost phone locator will ring you within seconds – a perfect solution for helping you locate a phone that’s momentary gone missing. And it even has a blacklist option, so you can prevent your devious friends (or jealous ex-lovers) from bugging you by means of the app’s software. Ingenuity!
Now there are a few caveats; personally, I have my phone set to ring silently when it receives an incoming call from an unknown number. I blame this necessity on a snafu with my credit card companies – clearly not my fault, since I was dead at the time (not true) – but generally it serves me well. Not so if I were on the lookout for a missing mobile; you can get around this by adding 208-953-1569 (the service’s ringback number) to your phone book.
Another thing to keep in mind is that tracking a lost cell phone with this method will only really work if you have a general idea of where the bugger might be hiding. At your home, workplace, or a friend’s abode? Aces! But if your phone wandered off randomly – perhaps on a bus, or in some kind of public place – this app won’t help much, as its only function is to call your phone, not to provide the person who answers a way to return it to you. (In a situation like that, utilizing your service provider’s GPS locator would be your best bet – provided that it’s part of your phone plan.)
And yes, some may say that if you have nearby internet access, you could always contact a friend and ask them to ring your phone. (Or use a landline, but those are for old people and Luddites!) So what if it’s 3am, you’re itching to make a booty call, but all your friends and their pansy early-bird asses are asleep? How are you going to find your phone then? … I mean, that scenario could present itself sometime, right? Not that I would know. 
A while back, one of my Twitter friends posted a photo of a funny trend going around Phoenix, wherein people put up flyers in coffee shops and cafés featuring Lionel Richie’s somber, yearning face and the text: “Hello … is it me you’re looking for?” Now perhaps you need to be somewhat of an 80′s music connoisseur to appreciate this, as the song “Hello” had its heyday back in 1984. But as one who grew up listening to Lionel Richie on vinyl, rocking my little tush out to “Dancing on the Ceiling” and “All Night Long”, I have a soft spot for his music – and as one of his most romantic/haunting ballads, it tickled me to think that “Hello” was turning into some kind of meme. Imagine my surprise when I found it on a t-shirt as well!
Maybe it’s my goofy sense of humor, but I think it would be kind of epic to wear this shirt on a first date. If she’s got a good sense of humor (and even better, an appreciation for 80′s music) you are so golden!
Lil’ Geek Quilts ($69.99 and up)
