a fad for every generation

fads...ahh, gotta love 'em...well, at least marketing geniuses do. So when my 7 year old niece showed off her "sleeve" of rubberband bracelets that were in shapes from everything to the alphabet to trains to dollar signs two thoughts popped in my head:

1. my love for color & accessories must be rubbing off

2. beanie babies

Yup...beanie babies. Just like these crazy bracelets that are overpriced & overvalued at the moment, with suburban mall moms rushing from kiosk to kiosk looking for "the one" bag of themed bracelets their kids don't have, a generation before this parents were looking for tiny stuffed animals, & willing to spend $$ at any cost. Who knows why some fads start & end in 1 day, & others highlight parts of human nature i like to pretend don't exist...i couldn't give you the answer to that one; but if I ever did have the answer & started a fad of my own, i'd use the bags of beanie babies in my closet for investment $$...they've gotta be worth, what...$15, $20?

Here's a couple more that shouldn't go unnoticed:

the pet rock

Created by one man, Gary Dahl, who grew tired of hearing friends complain about the nuisance of their pets. I gotta give Dahl props for the marketing scheme behind this one though...anyone that becomes a millionaire off of a cardboard box & a rock gets no hate from me.

tickle me elmo

He's red...furry...& caused parents to practically duel to the death in order to get their kids this toy in the winter of 1996. When parents shelled out $1500 for a toy retailed at under $30,I can't help but wonder if this "lovable" toy is laughing with us....or at us. hmmm.....

always,

nic.