Last Saturday was the annual Hamilton yard sales. Hamilton is a "suburb" of the local city in which I used to reside. I'm not quite sure if it could even be classified as a suburb, since I'm not sure of the requirements.
Anyway. I found a few things for the family and a quarter Walkman. Yes, a classic Sony Walkman. Which means I dug out my cassettes from under the bed and am now jamming to John Cougar and Debbie Gibson.
After a few years of MP3s and 2 CD players before that, I found myself back at a Walkman. I think I prefer it. Granted the MP3 player is smaller and they're still making CDs, but there's something about physically holding the Walkman, flipping tapes, replacing the fuzzy piece that keeps falling out.
I can't remember my first Walkman, it was probably handed down to me. But I can remember finding a water-proof one at a yard sale as a kid (never tried it out to see if it truly was water proof) and I can even remember the awesome one I got for Christmas around the turn of the Millennium. That thing had an awesome radio, little push buttons instead of the clunky buttons, even an LCD screen that literally told me it was playing or what station I was on. I ended up busting that Walkman like the rest I remember by falling on them while rollerblading.
So as long as there's a bin at the thrift shops full of 80s cassette tapes, I may never truly replace my Walkman.
Thanks, Sony (and to the people selling a Walkman for a quarter) for the musical device of my childhood.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Basement Digging Turned Up a Suprise
So I've been looking for a book to read since I finished Jean and Johnny earlier today. I looked around the back porch, gave up and headed down to a box I had in the basement. A box laying on the floor caught my eye and I rooted through it. Seeing older stuffed toys I had as a kid, I didn't think twice, rooted through it and about shut it. Then something caught my eye. My Puppy Surprise Mama dog. I hadn't seen her since a couple of houses ago.
The babies I knew I had placed in a bag that was in a box with other collectables (ie. my Pepsi hackisacks, old emblems from junked cars, a Lilo and Stitch toy, loose change, etc). I dug the babies out, shoved them into the pouch where they belong and the Mama dog will have a new spot near my bed for the time being.
My Puppy Surprise went to school with me and I played with my friends who brought theirs in, too. I can't say I remember anyone having more than three puppies with theirs, but I doubt I would've noticed, I loved the three puppies I got.
The babies I knew I had placed in a bag that was in a box with other collectables (ie. my Pepsi hackisacks, old emblems from junked cars, a Lilo and Stitch toy, loose change, etc). I dug the babies out, shoved them into the pouch where they belong and the Mama dog will have a new spot near my bed for the time being.
My Puppy Surprise went to school with me and I played with my friends who brought theirs in, too. I can't say I remember anyone having more than three puppies with theirs, but I doubt I would've noticed, I loved the three puppies I got.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Some shopping...
Did a little shopping today. My mom had an appointment downtown and my brother was riding along and said about me going along. Good thing I did, this tiny little city has a booming thrift store area developing. First stop at the Salvation Army yielded a few books, a cool video of NASA with Pete Conrad and Dick Gordon, and my brother found a neat looking ashtray. (Glass if you can believe it.) We hit the market house which is about empty and soon to be emptier if they go through with the liquorization of the cafe. Really, with all the bars around, they want a liquor license at the Market House. WTF? Then we hit this cute little consignment store that opened up near the Market House. It caters more to kids clothing which was decently priced, but since I have no kids, I went to check out the books. Decent selection, but a bit overpriced for books that pennied out on Amazon. Afterwards, we hit another thrift type place, more with video games, DVDs, and old school VHS. I found a copy of Space Camp for 50 cents and if it turns out to be the wrong video (the label is missing on the tape itself), I still found a tape for football season. After that Mom was done and some grocery shopping ensued. (Which means my brother handed me coupons and I run and find the stuff. Yeah I can find deals, but not with grocery stores.) All in all a great start to a day...time to start reading.
Monday, February 6, 2012
New NASA Game on Facebook
Now I enjoy my FB games for the most part. Well until they decide to be dorks and not work right. But now, in all their genius-ness, NASA has created the greatest trivia game. At least, I think so. It's called Space Race Blast Off and the point is to answer trivia questions related to NASA, science, etc. This is any space junkie's dream come true. Granted I don't know all the answers and most of the people I play with are around my lack of expertise, but it's amazing what I recall and what I've learned. Chances are, if you've only ever seen Apollo 13 and the occasional space launch/landing, this game will confuse you all to pieces. But if you've ever watched the videos on Youtube, you may surprise yourself with what you know.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Space Junk
So a few days ago, Friday I think, I caught a program on the Science Channel about probes or something to that effect. I don’t quite remember all of it. I was half awake, flipping through channels and I saw it was about space. Then they had Pete Conrad from Apollo 12 talking and I stopped flipping (hey he's cool) and watched some it. I don’t remember if it was that program or the next, but they started talking about Voyager 1 and 2 and about how they were still heading out of the solar system, having done their job over 30 years ago, taking pictures of Jupiter and Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. I think it missed Pluto, but I could be wrong. Anyway, they mentioned that they had this disc on board, what looked like a gold-plated record, and how it contained a bunch of information about humans, in the odd chance some alien would be interested in it. I mean it’s space junk floating, but hey, if something like that came towards Earth, we’d probably either check it out or blow it up, but that’s kind of beside the point.
But I’m sitting there, half awake, thinking, a record. Come on. I know it was built over 30 years ago and it’s kind of a time capsule. That in itself is cool, but it’s highly doubtful any of our future generations are ever going to see it. Besides, if the Internet has its way, in 10 generations now, Wikipedia will still be going strong and they can read how stupid we were. But I digress…
They filled a record-type thing with images, songs, whales singing (preclude to Star Trek 4), and sent it on its merry way to take some pictures of our outer planets and basically let it drift/float out of the solar system. I looked online (not on Wiki) and it’s still sending back its whereabouts to its creators. But I’m thinking to myself, who the heck would really care about what our planet was doing in the 70s. You know, the end of love and peace, the mind trippin’ drugs, but in the back of ny mind, what happens if in 50 years, some alien race finds that, and comes looking for us, thinking we’re going to be groovy and we’re not. Look at how much time has changed our lives in the last 30 years. The Internet, the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station, the Punk Scene, wireless communications, our cell phones, our home computers, even Facebook. A culture that was hell bent on being heard is broadcasting through the airwaves. (Although a bunch of us are still deaf as to what’s going on in the world, but I digressed again…)
I guess what I’m saying is that it kind of scares me in a way to know our history up to the 70s is floating around space, half haphazardly waiting for an alien species to pick it up and make a visit, if they can figure out how to use the damn record. But then, maybe that’s a blessing…
But I’m sitting there, half awake, thinking, a record. Come on. I know it was built over 30 years ago and it’s kind of a time capsule. That in itself is cool, but it’s highly doubtful any of our future generations are ever going to see it. Besides, if the Internet has its way, in 10 generations now, Wikipedia will still be going strong and they can read how stupid we were. But I digress…
They filled a record-type thing with images, songs, whales singing (preclude to Star Trek 4), and sent it on its merry way to take some pictures of our outer planets and basically let it drift/float out of the solar system. I looked online (not on Wiki) and it’s still sending back its whereabouts to its creators. But I’m thinking to myself, who the heck would really care about what our planet was doing in the 70s. You know, the end of love and peace, the mind trippin’ drugs, but in the back of ny mind, what happens if in 50 years, some alien race finds that, and comes looking for us, thinking we’re going to be groovy and we’re not. Look at how much time has changed our lives in the last 30 years. The Internet, the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station, the Punk Scene, wireless communications, our cell phones, our home computers, even Facebook. A culture that was hell bent on being heard is broadcasting through the airwaves. (Although a bunch of us are still deaf as to what’s going on in the world, but I digressed again…)
I guess what I’m saying is that it kind of scares me in a way to know our history up to the 70s is floating around space, half haphazardly waiting for an alien species to pick it up and make a visit, if they can figure out how to use the damn record. But then, maybe that’s a blessing…
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Hitting the Yard Sales
Ah, well yesterday, my bro got me up to hit some yard sales. As we usually walk, we like to leave early. The only one we did yesterday, we no sooner walked about a mile, got there, and starting looking around, when tires squealed and heard that infamous metal crashing. Yeah, a car accident. Everyone was ok, and we left about an hour later. I found a few shirts, a sweater, swim trunks for the nephews, and some shorts for Mom.
Today we hit a few more. The first one I found the coolest toys ever made...
Yes, the Fisher Price house. It came with a few people, chairs, tables, a dog. All for 3 bucks. Extremely cheap and my youngest nephew loves these toys. They're not to babyish, yet big enough for little hands.
When we got back, Mom took us to a few miles away. The first one was the typical junk. Yeah, one man's trash, is another's treasure. But, uh, not this stuff. The next one was better. We found Dad a tape he had been looking for and I found 6 Dear America books. Mmmk, bye. Reading time!
Later...
Today we hit a few more. The first one I found the coolest toys ever made...
Yes, the Fisher Price house. It came with a few people, chairs, tables, a dog. All for 3 bucks. Extremely cheap and my youngest nephew loves these toys. They're not to babyish, yet big enough for little hands.
When we got back, Mom took us to a few miles away. The first one was the typical junk. Yeah, one man's trash, is another's treasure. But, uh, not this stuff. The next one was better. We found Dad a tape he had been looking for and I found 6 Dear America books. Mmmk, bye. Reading time!
Later...
Monday, March 28, 2011
The First Blog
Ok, this is a clarification blog. I'm gonna attempt to clear up a few things before I start blogging.
1) I've only dabbled in writing before this. I've always loved writing and getting ideas out there. My qualifications begin and will probably end with the writing classes I took for two terms in high school. Oh, I learned from those. Like how to get back into school before anyone sees that Dunkin' Donuts cup of coffee and how to cheat in Trivial Pursuit (hey in all honesty, that game is designed for folks over 50, not high school seniors. Yeah and the walks around Highland Park. Haha, dead squirrel.
2) I may sound a little hick-ish. I tend to write better than I speak which is probably a good thing considering I came from an area, where there was a "general store", yeah the Point Store. The closest town, well, no comment. I moved to a bona fide city (I don't know if it's still truly a city, but it somehow gets to keep the status.) I proved that old saying, "You can take the girl outta the country, but not the country outta the girl."
3) I am not Catholic, nor have I ever been. (I did go to Sunday Mass with my sister, who was doing a college paper on religions. When she refused to let me take Communion, I grew bored.) My screen name that I have used since around 2001, is from The Big Cat, Andres Galarraga. There have been plenty of people I have looked up to since I was a lass, but he truly stood out. He's beaten cancer twice, played baseball for years, and I've really admired that he took a year off for cancer treatment and came back stronger than ever.
4) If there's any question, I'm a Braves fan. I doubt I'll write very much about 'em, unless they end up being dumb. We'll see...
5) I have no set musical limitations on what music I listen to. I jam everything from Brooks & Dunn, 3 Oh! 3, Mariah Carey, Jerry Reed, Roxette, Big & Rich. You name something, I've prolly heard it.
6) I'm an avid reader. Like music, my tastes are eccentric. Little House, biographies, Fudge books,. I loved the Forrest Gump books and if you've seen the movie (if you haven't, are you under a rock?), READ the books. They are hilarious and so well written. Well in Gump's standpoint. I learned more history in those books than in 4 years of classes.
7) Likewise with TV. There aren't many current TV shows on I watch but give me my Dukes, Roseanne, The Nanny, Star Trek (Original and Next), and Little House and I'm content. Oh, and Major Dad, I watched last winter on Hulu. I'm really getting into this season's Celebrity Apprentice.
8) Movies are basically comedies, some dramas. I'll watch others, but I like that feel good movie on at night. Romy & Michelle, Mission to Mars, the Problem Childs, the Road to movies, Fancy Pants.
9) Actors and Actresses, hmm. There's a few I'd watch them do any movie/TV. Gary Sinise, Tom Hanks, Gerald McRaney (he'll always be Major Dad to me), Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Melissa Gilbert, Anne Hathaway.
10) I'm a space freak. Hands down. I've even read transcripts from the Apollo missions. (Ever get really bored, read Apollo 12. Funny, funny stuff said. It's all online! If Apollo 13 is a drama, then Apollo 12 is a comedy.) I've read lots of books, even fudged my way through the technical wording of James Lovell's Lost Moon!
Well that it's for now. Whoever decides to read this, will at least get a good idea of who I am and where I'm coming from.
1) I've only dabbled in writing before this. I've always loved writing and getting ideas out there. My qualifications begin and will probably end with the writing classes I took for two terms in high school. Oh, I learned from those. Like how to get back into school before anyone sees that Dunkin' Donuts cup of coffee and how to cheat in Trivial Pursuit (hey in all honesty, that game is designed for folks over 50, not high school seniors. Yeah and the walks around Highland Park. Haha, dead squirrel.
2) I may sound a little hick-ish. I tend to write better than I speak which is probably a good thing considering I came from an area, where there was a "general store", yeah the Point Store. The closest town, well, no comment. I moved to a bona fide city (I don't know if it's still truly a city, but it somehow gets to keep the status.) I proved that old saying, "You can take the girl outta the country, but not the country outta the girl."
3) I am not Catholic, nor have I ever been. (I did go to Sunday Mass with my sister, who was doing a college paper on religions. When she refused to let me take Communion, I grew bored.) My screen name that I have used since around 2001, is from The Big Cat, Andres Galarraga. There have been plenty of people I have looked up to since I was a lass, but he truly stood out. He's beaten cancer twice, played baseball for years, and I've really admired that he took a year off for cancer treatment and came back stronger than ever.
4) If there's any question, I'm a Braves fan. I doubt I'll write very much about 'em, unless they end up being dumb. We'll see...
5) I have no set musical limitations on what music I listen to. I jam everything from Brooks & Dunn, 3 Oh! 3, Mariah Carey, Jerry Reed, Roxette, Big & Rich. You name something, I've prolly heard it.
6) I'm an avid reader. Like music, my tastes are eccentric. Little House, biographies, Fudge books,. I loved the Forrest Gump books and if you've seen the movie (if you haven't, are you under a rock?), READ the books. They are hilarious and so well written. Well in Gump's standpoint. I learned more history in those books than in 4 years of classes.
7) Likewise with TV. There aren't many current TV shows on I watch but give me my Dukes, Roseanne, The Nanny, Star Trek (Original and Next), and Little House and I'm content. Oh, and Major Dad, I watched last winter on Hulu. I'm really getting into this season's Celebrity Apprentice.
8) Movies are basically comedies, some dramas. I'll watch others, but I like that feel good movie on at night. Romy & Michelle, Mission to Mars, the Problem Childs, the Road to movies, Fancy Pants.
9) Actors and Actresses, hmm. There's a few I'd watch them do any movie/TV. Gary Sinise, Tom Hanks, Gerald McRaney (he'll always be Major Dad to me), Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Melissa Gilbert, Anne Hathaway.
10) I'm a space freak. Hands down. I've even read transcripts from the Apollo missions. (Ever get really bored, read Apollo 12. Funny, funny stuff said. It's all online! If Apollo 13 is a drama, then Apollo 12 is a comedy.) I've read lots of books, even fudged my way through the technical wording of James Lovell's Lost Moon!
Well that it's for now. Whoever decides to read this, will at least get a good idea of who I am and where I'm coming from.
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