Longest Wait For Summer Ever...Thanks, Gravity Falls....

Do you guys remember me talking about the show Gravity Falls?

Last year, I decided to go as Dipper for Halloween [I wrote about it here and here]...I'm pretty sure that I haven't written anything about the show since then, but I never stopped being a huge fan.

Because it is an animated show, I know that a good bit of adults will probably write it off as yet another super childish kid's show...and it certainly doesn't help that Gravity Falls is a Disney cartoon. But, hear me out on this one...this show definitely does not deserve to be placed in the same category as Doc McStuffins or Sofia the First....or even Jake and the Neverland Pirates! [I actually like Jake a good bit /shrug]

Often times, I'll sit down to watch a new episode of Gravity Falls with the kiddo, and I'll find myself wondering if the show isn't actually too intense for him to watch! The show covers some pretty heavy topics [without looking at a list of episodes, I remember: abandonment, peer pressure, first loves, familial relationships, trust...actually, trust has been of the main components of the entire story-arc]. I think it's safe to say that it's risky to include such material in a 'kid's cartoon,' but those very risks are what sets Gravity Falls apart from any other 'kid's cartoon' that I've watched.

It was probably about the third time that I watched an episode with the kiddo that I noticed some of the things that were hidden in the show. [I'll admit that I initially thought that it would be a show like Scooby-Doo...] I noticed that the last bit of the ending credit sequences had a code underneath the picture...and then I noticed that this same sort of code was included in every episode...I paused my DVR and immediately wrote down one of the 'codes.' [I didn't expect the code to mean anything...I thought it was going to be some bonus Easter egg, like the jokes that flashed during the ending credits of Tiny Toons...if you missed those, you should check them out...some of them were rather funny!]

Check out that code! It's hilarious when it's decoded, btw...

Like the true skeptic that I am, I sat down with my notebook and started to try and crack the code...the particular one that I had written down wasn't especially difficult, I managed to figure it out in just a few minutes. It was at this point, when I realized that there were actual, decipherable codes used regularly in the show, that I was hooked. Solving that one little code heralded my joining of the Gravity Falls fandom...a fandom that I love being part of! There are so many people that scour each episode, obsessively looking for overlooked clues and hidden meanings, and I love it! [Btw, if you haven't noticed, obsessing is how I 'like' things. I either obsess over things or could care less about them...there's not really much middle ground. At all.]

Credit code...

So...why the seemingly random Gravity Falls post?

It's actually not random at all...

Earlier this week, the 'mid-season finale' episode premiered, and it was fantastic! Seriously, it was that good! [I'd rank it up there with any of the anime that I've seen...and I love me some anime!]

If you were listening really closely on Monday night, you probably heard the collective mind-blowing of the Gravity Falls fandom...the reaction to the episode was so massive that Gravity Falls shot up to the 'most trending' spot on Tumblr! [I admit that I don't really know much about Tumblr, but I feel as if this is a pretty big deal...] The episode had a reveal in it that was so huge, it left a good portion of the fandom literally stunned. Not exaggerating! Look it up on Tumblr, a girl even broke her ankle!

So many feels!

 If you haven't seen this ridiculously awesome show yet, you need to watch it. Like, now! Seriously, now!

If you already watch it, let me know so we can exchange theories and codes while we wait for the next episode!!

That's all I've got for now...trust no one....

Dipper Hat!

Dipper Hat and Marvel Live! T-Shirt. Yep!

So, this is semi-exciting...

My "Dipper" hat came in yesterday!

I've got mixed feelings about this hat...

I think it's awesome because, well, it's a hat like Dipper's! I am a bit disappointed by the quality of the hat though. I ordered this one rather than any of the others listed on Etsy because it was a 'real,' six-paneled hat as opposed to a trucker-style hat. Also, the pine tree is embroidered rather than painted.

That being said...I had relatively high expectations for the hat quality-wise...especially when it came with a $29.99 (plus shipping) price tag. [Just about double the cost of any other Dipper hat listed!]

My Dipper hat, although 'nice,' is certainly not '$30 hat' nice. It's a cheap, flimsy hat...the sort that I'd expect you could buy at a gas station or touristy gift shop. The seller wasn't lying, it isn't a mesh-backed trucker hat...but it's just barely one step above a mesh-backed trucker hat.

To further my dismay, two days after I purchased my hat, the seller dropped the price to a much more reasonable $14.99.

I'd have far less to complain about if I'd only paid $14.99 for this hat. In fact, I'd probably be thrilled!

I'm pretty sure that there are no policies on Etsy requiring a seller to refund you the difference if there's a significant drop in listing price on an item that you've recently purchased, so I'm pretty sure I'd just be wasting time to even ask the seller about it...but I'm definitely planning on at least mentioning it when I leave a review/comment for the product. [I'm not 'allowed' to do so until tomorrow...grr.]

The kiddo and I are about to head out to one of the Halloween shops to see about getting his costume. This should be fun...I'll let you guys know how it goes!

Possible Costumes

Now that it's October, I've been spending some time thinking about Halloween...

Minecraft Zombies!!

My kiddo changes his mind about his costume just about every other day...right now it's between dressing up as Venom or as a Minecraft zombie. I have no idea how the sudden interest in Minecraft zombies came to be, but I don't really mind it. 

I haven't played much Minecraft, and when I did, it was the free version for the iPhone...so, yeah. I don't quite get the Minecraft hype, but maybe I'll get around to playing it one of these days.

Rainbow Dash

Last year, I dressed up as Rainbow Dash...

it was rather cute...I found a rainbow wig and then bought the costume set from Hot Topic [it came with a set of ears, wings, and a pin-on rainbow tail...]

The picture of the girl on the right is one of the pictures that I used as a source of ideas for my own rendition of the costume...but whereas her costume is really cool [there's another picture that shows the jacket more clearly...] my costume was rather hastily put together, and not as awesome. But, my kiddo loved it and we had a good time going trick-or-treating, so I still count it as a win!

This year, I was thinking about giving another cartoon character a shot. The kiddo and I watch a lot of cartoons..a lot. [I'd like to say that I watch cartoons because of my son...but I'd be watching them even if I didn't have a child, soooooo yeah...what? I like cartoons!] 

One of the newest shows that we've started watching regularly is Disney's Gravity Falls. In my opinions, it's not always suitable for young children [it can have some pretty spooky moments], but as long as an adult is supervising, it's alright. It's kind of like Scooby-Doo but with a paranormal atmosphere. I started watching the show with my son mostly out of concern that the show was too scary for him, but then I got sucked into it, too! As new paranormal elements are introduced and expanded on, I talk to him about what's going on in the show and make sure he understands that it is, in fact, make-believe. It seems to have worked, so far...there hasn't been any waking up with bad dreams of gnome monsters or skin stealing shapeshifters...

Anyway...

Dipper Pines

I'm considering dressing up as Dipper Pines from the show. I think it'll be pretty easy to do and I've already found a few good cosplay costumes to use as a guide. [Just in case you're wondering why I'd choose to dress as Dipper and not his twin sister Mabel, the reason is two-fold. 1) I just cut my hair short, so it would be easier to be Dipper. 2) Mabel wears a lot of sweaters...I'd burn up! October still isn't really cold here in Alabama...]

I've been trying to convince my kiddo that we should go dressed as Dipper and Mabel [if this were to happen, I'd of course let him be Dipper and I'd suck it up and be Mabel] but he's not really into the idea. Oddly enough, I got the exact same deadpan reaction when I presented the idea to my sister...

I'm debating on whether it would be better to make my own hat or to buy one of the ones that I've found on Etsy...and where can I find one of those vests??

/shrug it's still a month before Halloween...I'm sure I'll be able to put it together.

What do you guys think? Does Dipper seem like a good choice?