The Purity of Poker

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Spring-loaded Serenade: Exploring Nerf

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Forget-Me-Nots: My Lone Ranger Action Figure

There he is. He could kick all of the butts. We’ve hit our Friday of the week, and at the moment, Kyle and I are rather busy with some big things (we’re recording a separate, legit podcast with a very special guest). That means I’m going to keep today light and nostalgic, which lends itself to a Forget-Me-Nots, the segment Kyle came up with but we haven’t been doing enough with. For today then, join me as I remember one of my favorite toys... 

Mr. Potato Head: Under the Tater Skin

What're you lookin' at ya hockey puck? He’s a staple of many childhoods. He’s a supporting character in a successful blockbuster series. He’s a family man. And he’s a snappy dresser, too. Mr. Potato Head has had a long history, and is one of the most famous and instantly recognizable toys in the world. How did this mustachioed vegetable rise to super stardom? Well, let’s take a look…under the tater skin.  Read More →

Drench With Power: A Super Soaker Retrospective

You can't get much more classic than this. Kyle and I touched on the Super Soaker during Episode 5 of the Too Much Awesome podcast, as well as during Kyle’s list of his Unattainable Toys from youth, but it’s summer now and along with that has unfortunately come heat. Fortunately for us kids and adults pretending to be kids, the Super Soaker still hasn’t gone out of style. So prepare for war because Super Soakers are getting their just desserts... 

Throw Your Hands Up and Your Heads Back: A PEZ Retrospective

Everyone has owned a PEZ dispenser at some time in their life. Kids love candy and kids love toys. What better product to hit that core demographic than a candy dispenser that looks like a toy? Enter PEZ. Or rather, enter PEZ decades ago. After a bit of research, I have determined that PEZ is, and always was, awesome. What better place to talk about the toy candy dispenser than here at Toy-TMA? Grab your preferred PEZ flavor housed in your favorite... 

Beware the Grand Puzzle Master: My Life With Puzzles

Making puzzles is so cash, yo. You may not know this by looking at me but I love me some puzzles. I’m talking literal puzzles here by the way, not like word puzzles or mind puzzles or something. Physical “connect one piece to another” puzzles usually sprawled over a foldout card table for a month or more. Why do I love puzzles? Because they’re so simple, yet they’ve done a lot over the years to throw some curve balls my way. Want to hear... 

My Little Pony: A Retrospective

What little girl doesn't enjoy a colorful pony all her own? When I was a little girl in the 90’s, I was surprisingly disinterested in Barbie. Sure, I had a few and I would take them along when I went to sleepovers, but they just didn’t kindle my imagination. No, I didn’t care much for toys in the likeness of people, but give me a My Little Pony or two and I was set for hours. Like many of my friends, I had a fascination with horses, but... 

Guys and Dolls: A Male’s Retrospective on Barbie

She's still going strong, but what do I care? I'm a dude. If you haven’t been paying attention, I’m a boy. Shocking, yes? I was born a boy, grew up a boy, and am currently still a boy. This is relevant because today I’m going to talk about Barbies. What could a boy possibly say about Barbies? Plenty, because while I grew up as a boy, all my friends were girls. Plus, Barbie is still incredibly popular these days, so it’s time for a... 

Backyard Shenanigans: Simple Backyard Toys for Spring

Is this exciting? As a picture, no, but as an activity, slightly more. Not long ago I found myself at my Norwegian professor’s house for a barbeque with other Norwegian students (ja, jeg kan snakke norsk, er det bra?), and during said barbeque the weather was just nice enough to make full use of his backyard for some bocce ball. I had never played, but apparently I was very good. Afterward it got me thinking about some other backyard games I’d... 

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