I Have The Perfect Mascot For Gay Pride Events!

I tend to have the best ideas right as I'm falling asleep or have just woken up.  I've heard this happens to a lot of creative people whether they are artists, scientists, or somewhere in-between.  One night as I was drifting off to sleep I had a completely random thought.  My inner self/brain/whatever said, "I know the perfect mascot for all those gay pride events!"

As you know, the main symbol for gay pride has been the rainbow/pride flag.

But in my almost dreamlike state the thought occurred to me that the perfect mascot for Gay Pride events would be the Peacock Mantis Shrimp.

Now, I know a lot of you all are thinking, "Hey!  Didn't "The Oatmeal" do a comic strip about the mantis shrimp a while ago?"  Yes.  Yes they did.  So for reference, here is the link to that strip.

https://theoatmeal.com/comics/mantis_shrimp

I'll admit, I learned a great deal about the mantis shrimp from that comic.  What I found fascinating, is that, the mantis shrimp's eyes have sixteen color reception cones.  For reference, humans have three.  We know that the mantis shrimp has red, blue, and green cones, but we have no idea what the other thirteen are.

Here's something neat.  The Peacock Mantis Shrimp is able to see both far red, deep ultraviolet, and polarized light.  It may be able to see forms of light we know nothing about.

(Thank you Wikipedia.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantis_shrimp

So when it comes to seeing all colors of the rainbow, our rainbow flag is going to have to get a lot bigger to keep up with all the colors a mantis shrimp can see.

And just like the mantis shrimp's color spectrum, we have a lot of people who fall between in those in-between colors, both in skin tone and sexuality.

But there's another reason I believe the Peacock Mantis Shrimp should be the mascot of Gay Pride.  It is a formidable beast.  That's right.  A lot of people would think, "A shrimp?  Formidable?"  But yes.  It is the apex predator of the shrimp world.  You can't keep one in a fish tank.  It will kill and eat anything else in the tank.

The Peacock Mantis Shrimp is a powerful animal with an amazing tough outer shell.  Not to mention it's raptorial appendages are as powerful as a gunshot.  In fact, it strikes it's claws so fast that water boils around it.  Even if it misses its prey, the shockwave generated by it's claws can kill it.

The Peacock Mantis Shrimp is loud, proud, colorful, out there, and will not be messed with.  Could there be a more perfect mascot for Gay Pride?

There is one thing I have left out.  To be a mascot people need to be able to carry their Peacock Mantis Shrimp with them.  It's almost as if they need a... plushie.

Alright!  Now we're talking!  Thank you Adore Plush Company!!!

https://www.amazon.com/Harlequin-Peacock-Mantis-Plush-Stuffed/dp/B00VZGBWWI

I realize that my little blog may generate a few laughs.  And I'm okay with that.  I realize I may get some hate mail.  And I am okay with that too.  I just hope at the next Gay Pride Parade I may see a few Peacock Mantis Shrimp mascots and plushies.  And that, well, I'd love to see that.

Pleco Plushies

Like a lot of great thinkers, I do my best thinking in the shower.  I have no clue as to why this happens, but something about the water, soap, and being refreshed makes my brain step, "outside the box."  It was while I was on in the shower I thought of something that I thought was a swell idea.

Before I get into it though, let me start with Joe.  Joe the Pleco, also known as Joe the 6th, as he is the 6th pleco I have had in my life.  Joe is a plecostomus, also known as, "that sucker fish that eats the algae in your fishtank. 

 

So I've had Joe for about a decade or so.  He's been a good pleco.  When I worked in the pet industry, I sold a bunch of them.  However, when I showed the plecos to a woman who was new to having fish as pets, she freaked out as to how "ugly" they were.

I told her I thought they were like some breeds of dogs that were so ugly they were cute.  You know, like a bulldog with an underbite.  So ugly, but you want to talk baby talk to them all the time.

So back to the shower.  I was thinking about how they were ugly/cute, and that they would make a good plushie.  Then it occurred to me that if I'm thinking it, someone has already done it and put it on the internet.  And you know what?  Yep, it happened.

A company called Green Pleco beat me to the punch.  But I can't be mad, they have done a great job.

You know what would be great?  A pleco plushie that is around two feet long, and part pillow/part stuffed animal.  I think the kids would love it.  I have to admit that I feel better just knowing that these plushies are out there.