09/10/03’s illustrious band:

Kim Possible

Brought to you by the Disney Channel.

A coworker stopped by my desk this morning to give me a plastic action figure she’d gotten with a Happy Meal: a ponytailed girl on inline skates. Her name? Kim Possible.

Of course I had to know more. A quick online search later, I learned that Kim Possible is an animated series that airs Saturdays on ABC and weekday afternoons on the Disney Channel. My animated alter ego is “your basic average high school girl here to save the world. Tokyo on a school night? No big! Super villains beware . . . Kim Possible can do anything!” She has flowing red hair, an ever changing, ever hip, ever hip-hugging wardrobe and plenty of moxie. Just like me!

If I’m reading the KP web site right, Kim Possible is a kinder, gentler, more grade school-friendly version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She’s a normal gorgeous, popular, wisecracking girl, except for the after-school job fighting crime. She has super-smart, supportive parents and an assortment of oddball friends. She’s a poster child for Girl Power.

That’s right, Kims can do anything. Why, just last night I changed a car headlight all by myself. Additional accomplishments include changing tires, editing a damn fine T’ai Chi book, surviving speed dating, keeping houseplants alive, nicknaming XY Genetics Inc. the Sperm Firm, setting a shot put record, and playing the oboe. While I don’t have my own action figure yet, I’m sure it’s only a matter of time.

According to the McDonald’s Happy Meal page, there are 8 KP toys to be had between September 5 and October 2. There are a couple different Kim figures (Skater Kim and Action Kim with a jet pack), her friend Ron Stoppable and his pet naked mole rat Rufus, some villains, and Kim’s Kimmunicator device, a magnetic tablet upon which you can write super-genius spy notes.

What’s for dinner? You guessed it!

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