I Tried More Products From, "Gunk Getter," and Have Thoughts to Share

On November 21st, I wrote about how I bought and tried out Gunk Getter Cleaning Gel. I saw some at Walgreens and thought it looked useful. I bought a packet and found that odd slimy gel was like some kind of magic silly putty the way it collected dust, crumbs, and other bits of grime. I made sure to emphasize that I was making the post because I thought Gunk Getter was cool and nobody had paid me or asked me to make the post--but I also emphasized if the good folks at Gunk Getter wanted to give me more free stuff I'd happily try it out too. 

Not too long after my post went up the CEO commented on it to shoot over a message with my info and the company would be happy to send me some more products to sample. I got in touch and gave them my address. I was expecting to get maybe a small package with one or two other things. I got two big boxes filled with a metric ton of cool stuff! Now, I shall share my thoughts on everything I had a chance to test out because I appreciate being sent items to review and it gives me a fun post to write. In alphabetical order...

Air Freshener

I don't put air fresheners in my car much, but I wanted to smell these and see how I felt about them. There is a Hawaiian version and a New Car Scent option. Frankly, I liked them both pretty evenly. Some air fresheners can be far too strong but these have a nice mellow scent that I could see making a car a little extra pleasant to sit in.

All Purpose Cleaner/All Purpose Cleaner Travel Bottles

This was really cool. Gunk Getter sent me both the big bottles and the small ones for when you're on the go. The big bottles are great for home use and the miniature models would fit perfectly in a car. Both sizes have microfiber cloths on the bottom of the bottles in a plastic shell you can pop off and then use the cloth with. The bigger bottles have a nice sizable cloth and the miniature ones have a snazzy mini cloth. It is a really cool design feature As for the All Purpose Cleaner itself, the product worked great. I sprayed it on my stovetop and it did a spiffy job cleaning everything up. It helped wipe away some other household stains too and cleaned up some toys for the kiddos. I was quite pleased with it. If I hadn't been supplied enough to last me a long while I would happily buy more of this as it was highly effective. In regards to the scent options, there is Lavender, Lemon, Citrus, and a, "Fresh," option. I liked Citrus but find I am most fond of the simple, "Fresh," as it is crisp and clean-smelling without overpowering one's nose.

Cleaning Gel

In my initial post, I wrote in-depth about the cleaning gel so I'll spare you all the redundancy of saying the same thing again. Just know that Gunk Getter's gel is some fantastic stuff whether you buy the little packet of it or the nice miniature jar that gives you more but still is pretty small and easy to take with you on the go or such.

Wipes--All Purpose

These are nice cleaning wipes that are less harsh than a bleach one but a bit more powerful than the kind you'd use on your face or bottom (these are not meant for your skin, after all).  The Gunk Getter wipes are great at doing what the name says--wiping stuff up. These work a lot like the All Purpose Cleaner at getting grimy stuff looking better. A great product!

Overall Thoughts

I appreciate that the folks over at Gunk Getter wanted to send me a bunch of cool stuff in exchange for my thoughts (they never asked for a positive review either, saying good or bad feedback would be great)! I enjoyed sampling their various products and am pleased that everything they make is spiffy. My favorite products are probably the original gel because its so interesting texturally and the all purpose cleaner is extremely useful too. I'd recommend buying some of their products in stores or you can visit their website. I know I'm a satisfied customer!

The Last ToyMan Show of 2024 is Today--I May Need to Miss it Though!

Today is the last ToyMan show of 2024. I love ToyMan and always make sure to attend when able. That said, I have a variety of obligations today that will probably result in my needing to miss the event or get there way later in the day. That said, I would encourage anyone who can go to be sure and do so as the ToyMan show is a fantastic place to be! I always say if you couldn't find a particular item at ToyMan you probably didn't look hard enough as the convention is always jam-packed with goodies! So yes, get to the ToyMan show if you can and have a lot of fun--I hope to be at the next one in January of 2025!

Dollar Tree Has Begun Selling Debut Issues of Various DC Comics

For $1.25 and any applicable sales taxes, you can buy a DC comic at Dollar Tree (as long as your location has begun stocking them). There are 38 different first issues of assorted series and are just like the original versions but with different advertisements and copyright information indicating they are newer editions.

This is cool as I am always for attempting new methods to get folks (young and old) to try out some comic-books. I've seen the grab bags at Five Below of random comics before, but these are specifically made for Dollar Tree and are debut issues so that folks then (theoretically) might go buy the other issues or a trade paperback collecting the rest of the story. It would be cool if this works in some fashion to boost interest in good ol' comics and I wish DC and Dollar Tree success.

Film Friday: "Hot Frosty," is a Cute Flick

I wrote the other week about how Netflix has been building a subtle cinematic Universe. I mentioned the movie, "Hot Frosty," and how I intended to watch it. Well, I have and it is a really fun little flick. It is a bit like a Hallmark movie but has some extra little elements that make it a tad more snarky than those productions which (from the ones I've seen) tend to be pretty earnest. The general plot is that Kathy (Lacey Chabert) works at a diner and lost her husband to cancer an indeterminate amount of time ago. She puts a scarf on a really jacked-looking snowman and it magically comes to life and is played by a very, very fit Dustin Milligan. Katy Mixon (who I loved on "American Housewife,") is the town doctor and notes how due to some physiological quirks the claims of the man (dubbed, "Jack,") could very well be true that he somehow is a snowman brought to life. Hijinks ensue.

"Hot Frosty," is very cute and has some tropes you'd expect (everyone thinks Jack is incredibly sexy except Lacey who is too in-her-head to notice at first) and some edgier elements that help it really work. Craig Robinson plays the Sheriff named Nate and is so over-the-top at how he chews scenery that you don't even mind he's kind of the bad guy/a huge jerk for much of the flick. Chabert and Milligan have solid chemistry once she warms up to him (pun intended) and the whole production is a nice low-stakes and sweet film. The only thing that bugged me was we never find out who exactly made the snowman that Chabert accidentally brings to life with her scarf. I thought that would be some kind of fun little reveal, but nope, we are left wondering. That note aside, I had a lot of fun watching, "Hot Frosty," and would recommend you check it out should you have Netflix.

5 out of 5 Stars.

This Rotopol Calendar is Really Cool!

I am a fan of the publisher Rotopol. They put out great comics in German and English and often notify me of cool releases that I enjoy reviewing. Rotopol sent a lovely note wishing me a great holiday season and it folded out to reveal a really pretty calendar. It was cool enough I thought I ought to make a post about it. You can see it above this text. I like the sun and moon a lot. It is gorgeous and thoughtful. Thank you for the card/calendar, Rotopol!

Hot Comics Revue 20--Mark Spears is Monstrously Popular

Mark Spears has been making art for comics, cards, and the like for quite some time. He also has suddenly become immensely popular. A slow-burn overnight success, as oxymoronic as that sounds. The sudden hit he's created? "Mark Spears Monsters," which has overtaken numerous Top 10 comic lists and inspired a lot of spending for an assortment of fun main and variant covers. Mr. Spears did a Kickstarter campaign that was incredibly successful and it resulted in the publisher Keenspot picking up the series. Since then, everything has sold like hotcakes. The main covers are hot, regular covers are popular, store-exclusive variants sell out in a jiffy, and the original Kickstarter issues are insanely sought-after too. A new Kickstarter launched last Friday for a prequel series that will go to backers and then come out with Keenspot in 2025. It, obviously, has been backed heavily. Anything related to Mark Spears and his monsters is selling for a good deal above the cover price.

Why is this series so hot? Well, the artwork is good (on the covers as well as inside the comics) and people love monsters. Plus, some covers have sexy ladies or lady-monsters. There are tons of folks out there with a kink for monsters and sexy guy or gal creatures are bound to sell too. "Mark Spears Monsters," is a comic that caught lightning in a bottle and while eventually there will be too many variants or books for folks and it could burn out a bit, I'd imagine some of the initially popular issues will keep their value for some time. If you can find any copies for cheap, grab them as quickly as possible.

Television Tuesday: TLC is Going a Little TOO Hard on Those 90 Day Fiance Shows

I love trashy reality television. Some shows keep me engaged and others eventually wear out their welcome. I eagerly tuned into, "The Bachelor/Bachelorette," for a handful of years until it became overly complicated with so many shows and a tedious formula ("Golden Bachelor," reignited my interest briefly, however). On the other hand, "Big Brother," manages to keep things fresh enough that I always check a new season out because some are fantastic even if others drag. I enjoy a lot of TLC programs and one franchise that has grown, grown, and grown would be, "90 Day Fiance." The initial idea was straightforward. We followed a couple as their future spouse arrived in America and had 90 days to get married as per a K-1 Visa. Then the spin-offs started. 

Some of the mamy 90 Day shows include, "Before the 90 Days," following couples meeting in person for the first time. "The Other Day," which was about the reverse situation where an American is going to live abroad. "Happily Ever After," and its focus on couples that got married. "Single Life," with cast members who did not find love and are now looking for a partner. "Family Chantel," which focused on Chantel and her insane family. "Pillow Talk," where cast members watch, "90 Day," shows and comment on them. The list goes on and I'm going to stop because there are 18 or so of these things creating a complex continuity where people might be on one show, shift to another, then another, and before you know it we've created an unstoppable machine that gets to the point where there is a spin-off featuring the cast doing a cooking show (it happened). You now are unable to tune into TLC without there being at least one new 90 Day-related program occurring that week, possibly a handful. I've got to ask, is this too much?

A chart from Reddit attempting to figure out how to watch everything 90 Day-related.

I used to try and watch almost any, "90 Day Fiance," type show. With so many programs these days, however, the brand feels diluted. I'm not going to criticize how real or fake the shows are, this is reality television and there are always questionably planned-out elements, one theorizes. I don't care too much if I'm entertained, but am I having fun with every show or am I just trying to check them all out so I know who the Hell a couple on, "The Last Resort," is that are trying to save their relationship because they were on two other 90 Day programs already I must've missed due to the sheer deluge of content? I want to watch reality television to relax, not try to keep track of nearly 20 shows and what is going on in them. At least some shows are relatively self-contained still besides some thematic links like, "Thousand Pound Sisters," and, 'Thousand Pound Best Friends," which, yes, are real shows I watch because I already told you I enjoy junk programming. My point is that TLC needs to show a little restraint with the 90 Day brand because you can have too much of a good thing and get sick of it--even deliciously trashy international couples.

It's Not Just You, Honey Crisp Apples Have Become Increasingly Hit-or-Miss in Quality

I love apples. Our eldest child, Clarkson, is very picky about food but he'll eagerly eat apples. His little brother, Gibson, adores apples. My wife, Samii, is fond of apples as well. We have tried a variety and over time a clear favorite has emerged. We are big fans of the Honey Crisp apple. The thing is, over the years it has felt like some Honey Crisp apples just are not as good as they used to be. Is this in our head? Apparently, it is not, as a fascinating article by Genevieve Yam for Serious Eats discusses.

"How Honeycrisp Apples Went From Marvel to Mediocre," has Yam tracing the origin of the Honey Crisp apple to how attempts to greatly scale up production of the tasty fruit has at times impacted the quality. People trying to grow it in regions that aren't optimal for its biology, extensive storage times, and other factors have resulted in there being a risk that your Honey Crisp apple might not always have a delicious taste but instead be a bit weak and mealy--still better than a Red Delicious, though. I suppose in an attempt to meet the demand for the Honey Crisp apple it hurt the quality, a story that can sadly be applied to many products. It still is our household's favorite kind of apple, but I'll admit without hesitation that too many Honey Crisp apples these days for my liking are a disappointment once you chomp into them.

Joe Biden is Over It/Has Pardoned Hunter Biden

Today, Joe Biden signed a pardon for his son, Hunter Biden. A full and unconditional pardon relating to Hunter's illegal gun ownership, tax issues, all of it. Biden (the elder) released a statement saying he was doing it because he felt Hunter was treated differently by the justice system due to his relation to Joe and that was unfair. I know the real reason, however: Joe Biden is done. He's done with Republicans who fought him tooth and nail to accomplish anything good for our Nation as it clawed its way back from the COVID-19 pandemic. He's done with Democrats who forced him to not run for President and how as a result he dropped out of the race way late for Kamala Harris to take his place...and she still lost. Joe Biden is done with politics once he leaves office this January and he doesn't care what anyone thinks anymore.

Now, Trump has always done this kind of bullshit and is already making it clear he's going to appoint loyalists and relatives to positions of power the day he takes office having won the white house for a nonconsecutive second. Biden was a career politician (for better or worse) who wanted to follow the rules and do whatever helped the greater good. It got him pushed out of a reelection bid (I mean, we all were thinking he was going to lose, but now who knows considering how good it looked for Kamala and all that got us), and it didn't do any good. Republicans won the white house, Senate, and House. They pulled off a trifecta with their empty promises and hateful rhetoric that more than half the Nation lapped up, and I imagine Joe Biden saw it all and felt a mix of rage, hopelessness, and defeat. I know I still feel that way about the election, but unlike Joe Biden, I don't have the power to do anything about it. 

Biden isn't going to try to stop Trump from assuming office like some kind of January 6th redux, but he can still throw up a couple middle-fingers to everybody, and pardoning Hunter is quite a big flipping of the bird. We can talk about the political implications this could have, but what does it matter? Biden is done and the Democrats lost it all. Biden is basically just flicking a lighter while a building (our nation)  burns down around him--sure it isn't a good idea, but the house is already ablaze so what harm could a few extra sparks do anyway? Joe Biden is a lame-duck President who doesn't give a hoot anymore. He lost one son, Beau, to cancer, and he doesn't want to lose another to the criminal justice system. Therefore, he did something unquestionably in poor judgment with his power to help a family member. He did something that we would shrug at if Trump did it but which was shocking for Biden--he showed he can be selfish. Trump proves every day he is an incredibly flawed person and today Biden showed some cracks too. He doesn't care about his party anymore, they've self-inflicted enough wounds--again, they lost everything.

The one funny thing about this is there is basically nothing anyone can do about this. A pardon can't be taken back and ol' Joe can't get in trouble as this was an official act he did as President--something the Supreme Court ruled he is legally exempt from when people were trying to bring charges against Trump. A ruling that protected Trump has indirectly served as quite useful to Joe and Hunter. Talk about the Biden's finding a silver lining in a major shitstorm cloud, eh? Still, I didn't have Joe Biden basically saying, "Forgot all ya'll," on my bingo card for 2024. It's been a year.

I Enjoyed but Also Have One Quibble with, "West Coast Avengers," #1

I read the latest iteration of, "West Coast Avengers," by Gerry Duggan and Danny Kim, and quite enjoyed it! The debut issue features Tony Stark and an assortment of heroes (and reformed villains) working to help the Western end of the United States stay safe from danger. The West Coast Avengers comics have always had an interesting mish-mash of a cast from the days when it was Hawkeye's team in California, and this new series contains bigger names (Iron Man, Spider-Woman, War Machine) and random characters (Firestar, new addition Blue Bolt, a reformed Ultron). One thing slightly bugged me, however. You see, a potential villain is revealed at the issue's end, and...Ultron is up to no good.

The idea of taking a monster like Ultron and having him be a good guy now (due to events in some other mini-series) is a cool change to the usual formula, for real! The extra twist that he's still plotting destruction with, "The Gospel of Ultron," being advertised as coming in 2025 at the issue's end kind of ruins things. I mean, it is zero surprise for Ultron to be doing evil again--even if it is slightly different in the sense he seems to be fusing humans with machines (kind of like he used to be with Hank Pym) instead of outright wanting to kill all humans.

I don't mind Ultron being a baddie, but why would you solicit him as reformed and make a big deal out of it only to do an immediate rug-pull and declare, "Nope, he's going to be a problem!" It is my one quibble with the new series even if it leads to a cool story from this new, "Gospel," of that mischievous machine. It just could've been less obvious this was going to happen.