Saving the World – One Roll at a Time
“His name is MacGyver. He can fix anything. He could fix a computer with a hairpin and a piece of duct tape.”
Dimples and Cap’n Firepants have been bonding lately over MacGyver. I tried to watch it with them, but ended up laughing so hard at the critical moments that they kicked me out.
It could be that the background music is ridiculously corny. Or, it could be that I can’t get Saturday Night Live’s MacGyver spoofs (MacGruber) out of my head. Or, it could be that I just don’t like to take things very seriously.
I’ve been trying to figure out why Dimples has a sudden affinity for this television show from the 80’s – other than the fact that her dad likes it, too. (Notice that I don’t question why her dad finds the show so fascinating; he’s a bit of a MacGyver, himself.)
When I looked up quotes from the show, I found a possible connection. Pretty much one out of three quotes from the guy is about duct tape.
“If I had some duct tape, I could fix that.”
Dimples loves duct tape. In case you haven’t had a chance to peruse the duct tape aisle of your local Target store lately, it has changed dramatically since the days of the silver colored hardware accessory. It comes in a multitude of colors, including pink with white polka dots, blue plaid, leopard print, and neon colored peace signs. Duct tape has branched out.
Why, you may ask yourself, would anyone want duct tape with neon colored peace signs?
Apparently, like MacGyver, the world has realized that duct tape has many uses. And one of them is for crafts.
Oh yes, you would be amazed at the gifts one can make from duct tape, including: bags, pens, bows, flowers, and wallets. Google it and you will find people who have made prom dresses and wedding dresses out of the stuff.
Dimples, our little 8-year old entrepeneur, has made a tiny side business out of making duct tape bags, such as this Halloween Trick or Treat bag:
MacGyver Might Appreciate the Skull Duct Tape - If It Wasn't Neon
We have a huge bin of duct tape in various patterns to fit any occasion. Except fixing things. I don’t think Cap’n Firepants really wants to use Hello Kitty duct tape to fix his lawn mower or the vacuum cleaner hose.
So, now I’m picturing MacGyver in another one of his hairy situations, saying, “If only I had a roll of duct tape.” His current babe of the moment whips a roll of zebra striped tape out of her bra, and hands it to him. He gratefully accepts it, turns away from the camera, and, in a matter of seconds, turns back around with this:
MacGyver's New Tool Bag
“For the past seven years I have done nothing but travel around the world getting shot up, locked up, blown up… and all I have to show for it are a couple of empty rolls of duct tape.”
That’s what I want on my tombstone.
Posted on November 19, 2011, in Cap'n Firepants, Dimples, Family, Humor, Parenting, Relationships and tagged crafts, duct tape, Halloween, Hello Kitty, humor, MacGruber, MacGyver, Saturday Night Live, Target. Bookmark the permalink. 27 Comments.
That will make for one popular tombstone!
I tried watching MacGyver a few months ago and had forgotten just how painfully corny it was….. ahh…..those were the days of classic bad Television…… MacGyver and Dukes of Hazzard….. 
God help me if they start watching the Dukes!
I need to watch this show. And get some leopard print duct tape.
I think everyone should have a roll of leopard print duct tape. Don’t say I didn’t warn you about the show, though.
My sister gave me some flamingo colored duct tape for a gift last Christmas. I can’t seem to find it anywhere. I think my son may have done some flamingo repairs.
It seems to me flamingo repairs would be in great demand, seeing as how they keep putting all that weight on those stick legs. The tape would certainly give them more support.
I also find the evolution of duct tape pretty fascinating. Now I evaluate plumbers solely on the duct tape they use.
There’s an interesting evaluation tool!
Great Bags! Can you make rainboots to match?
Hmm. Don’t see why not. Great idea!
Love your style and (secretly) I used to love MacGyver!!!
Thanks! I have to admit that I do admire his creative problem solving skills!
I had no idea that duct tape came in so many colours and patterns! I may just have to integrate this into an art project for my kids at school sometime soon.
Dimple’s crafts are awesome, not to mention durable and water resistant. Cool!
They are more water resistant than you know! The zebra one is a bag she made for one of her swimming friends. The interior is cloth covered by a clear shower curtain so it is water resistant. Then you can throw wet bathing suits and towels in there.
That’s brilliant! This girl needs at Etsy account so she can start building up her college fund!
Now this is going to sound really dumb..but what is duct tape? Is it the same as sellotape?
Please do not think too badly of me ..I am not usually that stupid but I am this time !!!!
I love Dimple’s bag! That really is a WOW!
Not dumb. Especially because I don’t know what sellotape is. Duct tape is curiously strong tape you can use to plug up holes or hold things together. You can find it at http://duckbrand.com/
A friend of mine had hip surgery recently and used leopard print duct tape to decorate her walker!
Multi functional!
That’s creative! I wonder if anyone has ever decorated a cast with it. Not sure what doctors would think about that, though…
We have one of Dimple’s creations!! And people are always saying, “such a cute little Hello Kitty purse”, and then shocked when we point out that it is duct tape. Some people are still in the dark about the whole duct tape revolution.
Dimples and I shall make it our mission to educate people about the endless potential of duct tape!
Cool bags! I especially like the tool bag. I think that would sell like hot cakes in the tool persons market here in Tbilisi
We could always make a more manly one. There is camo duct tape, too.
Hooray for duct tape and Dimples’ craftiness! My son decorated his bike with leopard and zebra print duct tape.
That’s awesome! I’ve been thinking of doing that with my car
I love the bags. Did you know there is a scholarship contest by Duck Tape brand duct tape? Make a prom dress out of duct tape, wear it to prom, send them a picture and get money if you win. I am now where skilled enough to do this but Dimples has a lot of time to practice!
my school’s GSA uses the peace sign duct tape for the day of silence. They put it over their mouths the whole day.
I try not to think about Dimples being old enough to go to a prom. But I suppose if she could get a scholarship out of it…