Even Hoops and Yoyo Have Upped Their Prices. Stoopid Economies.

I arrived at work today and went about my usual “morning” business. I turned on my computer and walked away (letting it “warm up” for oh – a good 25 MINUTES) to get some Weight Control Cinnamon Oatmeal. I’ve mentioned this oatmeal before haven’t I? Have I? Anyway… it’s the greatest stuff. I bought it by accident on one Albertson’s trip – and at first didn’t like it’s rather extra sticky, extra goopy, extra "bleeeeaaahhh" texture and the way it didn’t taste quite “right.” However, after polishing off an entire box of Brown Sugar and… er (glance at box).. oh MAPLE and Brown Sugar Weight Control Oatmeal and finding that if I consume said sticky stick goo around 9:00am – I am completely full and warmly satisfied until 12:00 - I warmed up to the stuff you could say. It controlled my "candy bowl" needs - which I guess is the point. So that's good. And I’ve gotten used to the “not quite right taste” too. Thus, after a couple weeks “just pushing through” so I could buy “real” oatmeal, I found myself voluntarily finding the Weight Control stuff in MULTI-Flavors (cinnamon and banana nut now), and happily purchasing it to keep in my “food storage” drawer at work. What’s awesome – is I fill up my Styrofoam oatmeal bowel with the auto-hot faucet in the break room and the smell wafts throughout the entire office. Peggy, who sits at the front desk, told me one day that people would walk by and ask her who was making pancakes. Most of my co-workers smelt the joys of weight control oatmeal, hoping for pancakes, rushing “casually” to the break room, only to discover a great concentration of delicious breakfasty smell, but alas, no delicious breakfast. Peggy cracked the case, however, and let everyone know it was that short girl with the Styrofoam bowl who tortures everyone’s mornings with false promises. Suckers.

After filling up my stryo-bowl this morning I wandered over to my cube buddy, Michele’s, cubey. We like to have our little morning “hellos” while our computers anciently try to begin functioning for the day, and our conversation turned to something or other that made me make a “Squee, blaaah, daaaahhh” noise. No, it wasn’t a bad noise, it was an “I’m excited and sometimes act like a weird cartoon and make nondescript sounds” noise. Don’t be frightened. Well, I can see if you are a little frightened. You had to have known I was a little off by now. Anyway – I made some “la la la” excited animal noise and Michele exclaims to me, “You are just like Hoops and Yoyo!” OH! The nostalgia! Fo real. Exactly a year ago – I was hired at BYU Independent Study. One of the most memorable (and sadly short) months of my life. At BYU IS I discovered the hilarity of Hoops and Yoyo. Ya’ll know what Hoops and Yoyo is right? Don’t you? They are cartoony crazy Hallmark card characters I become borderline obsessed with and made sure that everyone at BYU IS had the opportunity to enjoy so HELP ME!!! I had somewhat forgotten about my Hoops and Yoyo joy until Michele mentioned I acted like one of them. Now, if you know me, this could probably be true. If you don’t know me, this will be a rather excellent insight into my rather, er, “animated” reactions and “noises.” Yes.
Of course, I asked Michele if she had ever experienced the Hoops and Yoyo daily office cards. I was shocked when she said she’d never heard of such classics as; Spastic Colon Sunday, Mondays, and Sarcastic Wednesday. What!??! Oh my friend you’ve never LIVED! I immediately rushed with my weight control oatmeal to my cube with the express purpose of sending her Hoops and Yoyo Office Cards Sunday-Tuesday. It had been, wow, I don’t know, 9 months or so since I’d enjoyed those classics? I forgot what joy they brought me. What lifes. What simple enjoyment. Yes. I would relive the joy on this most appropriate week: what would’ve been my one year Anniversary at BYU IS (tear… moment… okay…).

Hallmark.com. Select E-cards. Find Hoops and Yoyo. Find Hoops and Yoyo Office Fun. Find Spastic Colon Sunday (“Ohhhhhh noooooo.” Snicker).

GASP!

What?

NO!

This can’t be!!

Every Hoops and Yoyo Office Fun card, once free for all, is now priced at $.99 each. I… wha… who… why… NO! Suddenly, I watched all my “that awesome girl in Cube 6 who sends those freaking hilarious Bunny cards” dreams dwindle away. I have to PAY!!!??? NO! I’ve never had to pay. It was free joy! Free joy for all! Sigh… alas. Today was the day I truly felt the economy crisis. Shore I watch the news and see employment rates drop. Shore I’ve felt the strain on my own finances. Shore our future America is becoming more and more bleak. But Hoops and Yoyo? Really? Wow. Reality check. The economy is really hurting that bad. Bad enough that they’ve taken away the one thing I could utilize to spread joy and smiles throughout my office. You may be thinking to yourself “Well gee it’s just a dolla” Just a DOLLA? Have you NOT been watching the news? Our economy is doing pretty bad. And now we don’t even get to find some release in the ridiculous antics of the beloved Hoops and Yoyo. Sigh. Sucks.

(author's note: My internet sucks. I tried and tried to google image some Hoops and Yoyo pics for you and couldn't do it. SO! I have a link over on this side of my blog------------> Serious. They're hilarious. Check 'em out.)