Shawn likes Fantasmic!

This is a license plate for the GREAT Disney show Fantasmic!

I love the colors used on this plate and think the villians used here are superb. Pictured are: Ursula, Scar, Maleficent (in dragon form), Chernabog (from Fantasia), and Hades.

I first saw Fantasmic! when I went to Walt Disney World in December of 1999 and then again on my next trip in October of 2007. It was (and still remains) amazing. The effects in this production are incredible.

During Fantasmic!, enorormous "walls" of water are used as a 'movie screen' to project images from tons of Disney films. The show has two two main themes - Disney songs and Disney villians, so as you can imagine, I'm very happy whenever I get to watch it.

The first time after I saw the show, I wanted the soundtrack so much that I spent the next days of my vacation going into every gift shop to see if they had it. Luckily, someone at the World Of Disney store at Downtown Disney looked it up on their computer and found out that they still had some copies left at the Contemporary Resort, - so a quick bus trip and monorail ride later - I had the soundtrack!

Shawn likes the Batman bank

You remember Batman Cereal, right?

Batman Cereal (although I wish they would have called it 'Batman: The Cereal') came out in 1989 during the marketing onslaught that was the "first" Batman movie*.

*Many people believe that the 1989 Michael Keaton Batman movie is the first Batman movie - they are wrong - there were several serials in the 40's and even the Batman TV show from the 60's had a feature length film release.*

Batman Cereal was basically left over Cap'n Crunch cereal reformed into bat shapes. I remember eating box after box of it just to get these super-cool (errrrr, uhhhh, Bat-cool, I mean) coin banks. And boy, did I suffer to get each bank. For whatever reason, Batman Cereal REALLY used to cut up my cheeks and gums - but I was so Bat-crazy that I didn't care and now I have about 20 of these things up in my attic right now. Mission: Accomplished !!!!!

I never did send away for the soft glow night light (man, I should have - that could have been tomorrow's post!) but looking at the sticker on the back of the bank now - since there is no experation date it MUST still be valid. (... and yes - I really do think that way!)

Shawn likes Happy and Grumpy

Isn't this the cutest toy ever?

Happy and Grumpy riding on an old time-y pump car!

And .... YES, they go up and down as the wheels go 'round and 'round!

I have to say - I'm very impressed with this McDonald's Happy Meal toy. I think they both look great. Each face captures the character perfectly - and I love the 'wood carved' squirrel featured in the middle of the car, a nice detail carried over from the dwarves cottage.

Shawn likes the new Kylie Minogue album X

How do I begin to say how much I love Kylie Minogue?
Hmmm - let me think ................
Take the statement "Shawn loves Kylie" - cut and paste it 12,479,551,359 times and it would only be a fraction of the amount!
Short of family and friends, nothing has brought me as much joy in my life as the music of Kylie Minogue.

Today Kylie's new album, X, is released in America and I'm ecstatic.
X is Kylie's 10th studio album and a welcome addition to her body of work.

It's also her first album after her bout with breast cancer, and a few of the songs actually touch on her experiences while still retaining the glossy style and upbeat manner that people expect from Kylie.
The songs No More Rain, The One, and Cosmic delve into her situation, yet remain positive.

Heartbeat Rock and All I See (the first American single and a great choice for the US, I think) are stand-out tracks - but the penutimate song for me is WOW!, which after the first time I heard it, rocketed to #3 on my list of all time favorite Kylie Minogue songs - - - it's that good, great, fantastic!

Below, I've posted the first three UK singles from X, and you can also listen to samples of the album through iTunes.
I'm eager to hear what YOU guys think of the album! ;-)

Shawn likes the Kylie Minogue - Wow video

Shawn likes the Kylie Minogue - In My Arms video

Shawn likes the Kylie Minogue - 2 Hearts Video