Mackinnon & Saunders

Ah, yes, Mackinnon & Saunders. The best puppet-making company there is to mankind. They've made puppets for all the shows I used to watch in childhood - well, almost all. Some shows were traditionally animated, but it seems CGi is dominating children's TV these days, so...Rubbadubbers, Noddy, Brambly Hedge, Bob The Builder and more. To get a job at Mackinnon & Saunders is like getting your hands all red and raw during a job at Burger King - spending hours moulding and sculpting puppets for films and TV series, then putting a star on their door. Boy, would you be so excited to get a job at this place. Oh hey, they created puppets for Scream Street. Still doesn't sound satisfying to you? They made puppets for the film I'm watching now - Fantastic Mr Fox. Mum thinks the puppets are creepy, not me, I never get nightmares from watching this film, and neither will I from watching Frankenweenie too. Only fewer shows are made in stop motion, and we dread watching ANYTHING that is in CG, especially CG giant Paw Patrol. It would be much better if it were made in the same stop motion style as Bob The Builder, but sadly, you have to accept life as it is.

Every puppet they create is a marvel to see, from Bob's black bead eyes to....hey, who created Luke, Resus and Cleo? Mackinnon & Saunders or Factory Create? Nobody knows what animation studio gave birth to my favourite trio, but if you write to either, they'll tell you. But the downside is they create scary stuff. Once on their website I saw a hideous brown creature with punky black hair and scary eyes, and another time I saw a realistic angel with feathery wings. I would call it a subverted kids' show studio due to the fact they also produce scary stuff, but we feel proud of what they achieved through the years, from a waddling penguin that impersonates Shaun The Sheep to a racing car filled with slapstick humor. Yep, there's loads of it. Deal with it.

A Rolodex

My rolodex just came yesterday, and boy was I having a fun time with it. At first, I thought it would be used for just contacts, but it's more than that. You see, I first found out about Rolodexes by watching the 2011 Muppet movie, when Kermit used his Rolodex to contact the celebrities who would star in the Muppet Telethon. Now I never go anywhere without my rolodex. For you see, it holds more than just contacts. It can hold ideas for stories, movies, television series - ANYTHING you can dream up. And when you feel the urge, you just pick one at random and let the dreaming begin. And if you work for somewhere like Mackinnon & Saunders or Factory, there's no need to panic, because you've got everyone in your contacts - Coolabi, CBBC, Keith Chapman...anyone, really. Because when you want to take up a job in the animation industry, you've got all these people in your contacts, and boy, you don't realise what you're willing to talk to, whether it's an author or a celebrity.

I wish they did Rolodexes for famous characters. My Little Pony, Care Bears, He Man, Transformers, Scream Street, The Lion King, Bluey, etc.. Think of anything, you've got it right there. Be thankful for all the people you call in your life using this useful little gadget, because you never know, he or she might present you with an award of certificate, or maybe even a job application. You will get a full time job working as an animator or a baker or a famous Youtuber, then you'll be presented with live show appearances (as long as the audience keeps quiet just this once), merchandise, food products, fashion, gold and silver play buttons...the list is endless, really. But now, these things are in the future. Use your rolodex wisely, because it may lead you to fame and fortune. Endless rings of fame and fortune. The most important thing to remember right now, according to My Little Pony creator Lauren Faust, is to not do it because it might get on TV, in the movies or its own merchandise, but because you love it and it makes you happy. Take life easily while you can, and sit there like I'm doing right now, writing my mindfulness blog and watching Disney+'s new film Flamin' Hot. When do we get to the part where he invents Flamin' Hot Doritos? SKIP TO THE PART ALREADY!

Sorry to raise my voice...

Furaha & Orko Raised By Apes

I had a dream last night. Parts of it were mostly random cartoons - Care Bears, 101 Dalmatians, Star Wars - but one thing that stood out from the dream were 2002 He Man's sweetheart of a wizard Orko and lots of jungle scenery. It gave me the idea to create an alternative universe for Me, You, And...where Furaha and Orko were raised by apes in the jungle. Unlike Tarzan, the leader of the apes never bullies them for being different and is very kind to them, like most family men are. They comfortably sleep among the leaves, they are free to explore the jungle, their ape mother allows them to get dirty in pools of mud and sometimes they like to play in the water with the other apes, because these apes for some reason have the capability to swim. Sometimes Orko and Furaha play with animals, sometimes they play by themselves. I had similar fantasies comparing The Lion King II with Tarzan, because in my mind Kiara feels like she doesn't fit in with her pride, Timon and Pumbaa are too similar to Terk and Tantor in this film and Simba is secretly being hurtful for allowing her to be born into the pride. When we are raised by an ape family this large, we are thankful that this is one of our many jungle fantasies, when we can go way back to when we were apes learning to walk upright. Because in these fantasies, you guys had better watch out, because there might be a leopard coming to stalk you!

Not for Furaha and Orko though. They love it in their jungle home, and there isn't a single predator to worry them. You should set up a relaxing jungle atmosphere near where you live - use a hammock as a giant leaf to sleep in, set up the paddling pool so it can be a lake you can splash in and lie in bed surrounded by the gorgeous comfort of your duvet, pretending you're cradling Furaha and Orko to sleep. That's pure jungle harmony. And if you have kids, I might not be embarrassed to say this, but you can throw off their clothes and make them wear leopard skin for the rest of the day. It is two days until the weekend after all!

Welcome To Creative Mindfulness

Welcome to my Creative Mindfulness blog! Every day I'll post something new that we are all grateful for....and some thing we wish we are grateful for. Enjoy your visit!💆