Gromit

As of the last two or so weeks, I have gone on a mini Ebay-a-thon. Now, I *am* broke, and so this really was mini, consisting of only two items: 1) a pair of wine-colored boots which have not yet arrived and 2) an amazing, fantastic, interactive-ish Gromit mug. Gromit is my favorite cartoon dog of all time. New York Times film reviewer A.O. Scott explains Gromit's excellence eloquently: "Gromit has no mouth, and yet his face is one of the most expressive ever committed to the screen. In particular, his brow - a protuberance overhanging his spherical, googly eyes - is an almost unmatched register of emotion. Resignation, worry, tenderness and disgust all come alive in that plasticine nub." And true it is. In no instance has Gromit ever been known to utter even the smallest of sounds, and yet, somehow, he manages to convey emotions more human than even some humans can manage themselves.

And my new mug adds an extra expressive element on top of all of that. In addition to its cute little shape, with one ear forming the handle, Gromit's usually brown nose turns red when tea is poured into it! Indeed, it represents science at its very best.