Flashback Friday: Capsela

I’m sure you can tell that things are a bit crazy at the moment for the White Wolf. It’s astounding. Time is fleeting. Madness takes its toll.

But listen closely…because it’s Flashback Friday time!

(What? Did you really think I was about to Time Warp for you? Loba don’t dance…I don’t rock and roll either.)

So you know that whole “nature versus nurture” argument about…well, about everything pertaining to what makes us who we are? Well, in regard to geekery, I think it’s a fair argument to say that my dad played a very nurturing role in turning me into the geek who blogs before you today. Among his many nerderific influences was this delightful…well, I’m not really sure what to call it. It wasn’t a game. I don’t even think it’s fair to call it a toy. I suppose it was an educational toy.

It was Capsela. Like Lego on steroids.

The kit came with these strange spherical pieces that were designed to interconnect. Some were hollow, some contained gears, some contained little motors that you could power through battery packs. You also had wheels, belts, propellers, flotation balls, even a little light. I spent hours piecing together all the various components, creating fantastical ships, vehicles that spun in never-ending circles, lighthouses, or even a fan for my desk in the hot summer months.

Capsela gave me an enhanced level of confidence when it came to understanding the mechanics of things…a confidence that I still rely on whenever I’m faced with trying to figure out how to fix something. I think it’s a shame that they no longer make Capsela, because I think that having a stronger mechanical aptitude is important for anyone, but especially for girls. It’s bogus that this commercial that I found on YouTube is so blatantly geared toward boys.

Of course, if they had decided to market Capsela for girls, it would have come in hot pink plastic and had instructions for how to build a makeup case for Barbie. Maybe it’s better that they stuck with the boys in the marketing campaign. Nothing is more indecent than hot pink anything…

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXfla5LU8gc&w=640&h=480]