Subscription Box: Loot Crate - April 2013

We received this month's Loot Crate subscription box in the mail yesterday. My daughter always gets so excited when these show up on our doorstep. They come in a fairly plain black box with LOOT CRATE on the top in big, bold letters.

April's theme is DRAGONS. This is the cover of the booklet that comes in every box. The booklet gives a little bit of information about the month's theme and it tells you about the products you received. There is also a small button that features the month's theme in every box but it is difficult to get a good picture of it.

We like opening the figure boxes first. This month's box came with two figures. The first we opened was from Dragon Age Elder Scrolls and the figure we received was The Nord. While I am not familiar with the game, my husband has played it so he was happy we received that one out of the lot. Both the sword and the helmet are removable, though the guy looks a little weird without his helmet.

The second figure we opened was from Game of Thrones. We received Jon Snow's dire wolf, Ghost. I think he is super cute.

Next up were two 20-sided dice. The smaller one is a real die that you could use to play games while the larger one is actually a stress ball. I spent way too much time squeezing the thing. It's fun!

Then there is a Dragon Slayer dog tag necklace. I'm not sure if I'd ever wear it but it is kinda cute.

Finally, there is a bag of dragon jerky. This was made specially for Loot Crate. Now, I am a pretty big fan of jerky. However, I'm not sure if I would eat this. It is actually greenish-colored. While that is kitchy, I'm not sure I want to eat green meat. Maybe I'll make my husband try it :D

I really love Loot Crate. The monthly themes are always something we debate about in my household. As soon as they announce the month's theme, we start discussing what we think will be in the box. We usually get the main pieces (you can't have a dragon theme without Game of Thrones) but there are always surprises that keep us on our toes. We have loved all of the themes so far and we have received some awesome products from them. I can't wait to see what they have coming in the future.

JDorama review: Densha Otoko (movie)

Title: Densha Otoko Translation: Train Man Release date: 6/4/05 Genre: Romantic drama Cast: Yamada Takayuki, Nakatani Mika Plot: A relationship between a pretty woman and an anime otaku blossoms after he saves her from a drunk man on a train. What is good: It really is a sweet story. What is bad: The television drama was better. Letter rating: C Overall: I think I might have liked this better if I hadn't watched the TV drama version of the story first. In the film, Yamada pulls off the geeky anime otaku better. However, I think that Ito Misaki was better as Hermes, the pretty woman on the train. This version of the story was very awkward. The main characters were understandably uncomfortable with each other but where the movie really failed was in the secondary 2chan characters. For example, there was a trio that kept comparing Densha's attempts at love with a war. It could have been a really great metaphor for the battle of the sexes. Yet it came off weird and unnecessary. While this wasn't awful, I'd rather watch the television drama any day.

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching. I bet some of you guys out there need some ideas on what to get your loved ones, right? Well, here are some ideas for you: Silver Jewelry Club offers free silver jewelry. All you have to pay is a $6 shipping and handling fee. I have purchased a few items from the site and loved it so much that I recommended it to my friends. Now they are addicted to it as well!

Build-a-Bear Workshop. Yes, these stores are mostly geared towards children but grown-ups can use it too. If your significant other likes teddy bears and stuffed animals, it's a better idea to give her one that you made yourself instead of something pre-made that hundreds, if not thousands, of other women have.

Another present you can make with your own hands are origami flowers. Granted, these are usually gifts you give with a box of candy or something small to make it a very personal gift. Just remember - a handmade gift can be much better than a store bought one if you make the right thing.

Ah, the chocolate. Gotta put chocolate on the list, right? While it tends to be on the expensive side, Godiva is usually a good way to go. You can even win a chocolate fantasy weekend in New York City with an entire room made out of chocolate.

Got a geeky girl? Think Geek has an entire line of geeky girl t-shirts. Or there is always the Genki Gang anime and video game hats. Rock out with your geekiness!

These are some pretty good starting points. I know that Valentine's Day is always a difficult holiday. Single people feel left out while couples scramble to find the "right" way to celebrate together. Instead, just chill out an enjoy the company of your friends and loved ones. You don't have to be romantically linked to anyone to have a good Valentine's Day with some close friends or family.