Showing posts with label Japanese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Japanese. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Slushy - The Story That Refuses To Be Told

   Sometimes you think you have a great idea (or at least a not-too-terrible idea) for a story; you get to work on it and the characters just laugh in your face.  Such is the case with the following story.

Slushy the Frosty/White Witch Love Child
by Headley Hauser
Slushy waved his magic carrot. Ice appeared on Mister and Missus Badger’s muzzles. Magically, Slushy was a one trick pony – he had no encore.
“I wish you wouldn’t do that, Slushy,” said Missus Badger after melting the icicles with a sip of hot chocolate.
“I wish I could do more,” said Slushy.
“Do you mean like creating delightful treats for all the little children?”
“No, like making it always winter, but never Christmas.”
“Slushy!” said Missus Badger. Mister Badger was still struggling with his icicles. He had more whiskers and hot chocolate was not an option due to his lactose intolerance.
“What?” asked Slushy with an exaggerated shrug. “My mom was one of the greatest mages in history. Is it so wrong for me to want to be more like her?”
“Both of your parents were magical,” said Mister Badger, now free of most of his icicles except a few that threatened to poke Slushy in the eye. Mister Badger was not a great respecter of persona space.
“Sure,” said Slushy, “Dad was magical, as long as he stole property for magicians, but what could he do? He could dance, sing, play, and apparently impregnate an occasional sorceress. Mom was the bad ass in the family. I’d rather be like her. For one thing, she was never out of a job. Ever since Frozen came out, Hollywood’s been up to its arm pits in dancing snow guys.”
“But Frosty’s magic was just as powerful in its own way,” insisted Missus Badger. “He brought out the joy of Christmas for children everywhere.”
“So,” said Slushy, “you think I should use him as a wonderful role model?”
“Yes!” said Mister Badger aggressively, and so close to Slushy’s face that it was obvious he’d been into the holiday brandy.
“Let’s think about this role model,” said Slushy. “He was a chain-smoking pipe enthusiast who clearly had some snow tackle, cause he used it to knock up Mom, but he danced around with a bunch of small children in nothing but a top hat, a pair of boots, and a scarf. Maybe Mom was bit on the evil side, but she wasn’t a deviant.”
“Your mother denied Christmas to a whole generation of talking animals,” sputtered Mister Badger, inadvertently flinging the last ice sickle into Missus Badger’s cocoa. “I didn’t have Christmas until after Missus Badger and I had our first litter, and her father and that lion fellow forced me to marry her.”
“Mister Badger!” said Missus Badger, visibly blushing beneath her fur.
“Say,” said Slushy, “I just thought of something. How did they meet?”
“What?” snorted Mister Badger. “Missus Badger’s father was always trailing along after that lion fellow.”
“No,” said Slushy, “how did my parents meet?”
“You don’t know, Dear?” said Missus Badger.
“No.”
“Well,” said Mister Badger, “I’d think it was obvious. Frosty and the White Witch both like the cold. If you’re really curious, we’ll just ask Frosty when he appears next Christmas.”
“That’s my point,” said Slushy. “Dad only appears at Christmas. Mom’s spell made it always winter, but never Christmas.”


 “Oh my!” exclaimed Missus Badger.


So... What now?  Any ideas?


All Disney movies should be in Japanese!

Monday, March 9, 2015

Signs Get Me All Turned Around

Sometimes I wonder if we have too many signs.  They can be confusing or unnecessary.  Did I really need an inanimate object to tell me what animate objects have been happy to inform me all my life?  For instance...
Yeah - probably
Okay, I didn't know that one - but is it a bad thing?
Well, maybe signs can be helpful.  After all, where would American business be without signs?
Not that that's always a good thing.  I can think of a number of reasons to put them out of business.
Makes you wonder what they were saying before.
Might have been something like this
Or this.  Not the best English, but who am I to talk?  Asian languages translated to English make for some interesting signs.
Sometimes it's sweet and poetic.
Sometimes confusing.
Alright - frequently confusing.
Maybe it's a cultural thing.
Yeah - cultural thing.
I guess...  No, no guesses.
I'm pretty sure this is not a cultural thing.
Yeah - whatever.
Just go with it.  Makes me wonder what our translations into Asian languages look like to them.  Not that we always need the translation process to get confusing signage.
Wait! did Mittens just lift my wallet?
I'm almost certain this is a goof - but I'm using the restroom anyway.
I could have lived without that one.
Slipping is unpleasant - Up With People is torture.
Maybe the pound could adapt this as an advert.
I see this sign at all the high class establishments.
I'm all turned around - but I think this is where I started.



Whenever I get confused - I turn to Weird Al to straighten it all out.