Does anyone else remember:

"The End". I'm not sure what year it was, but I'm guessing late '70s / early 80's. I don't remember much about it, but I do remember it was pretty funny. I think I watched it at home on a Saturday afternoon. I used to love Saturday afternoon movies.

Burt Reynolds dating Dinah Shore:

I have to admit I never understood it. He was so young and handsome, and he could've had any chick he wanted. But he chose Dinah (not that she wasn't a nice person and beautiful inside. It just never made any sense...).

Blog Book

I've gone ahead and had the blog printed into a book. I haven't received it in the mail yet, it should be here in a week or so. I could only include about 3 month's worth of posts because I've got so many pics. I may be selling copies, and including more posts, depending how it turns out.

First I was afraid, I was petrified. Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side.....

... but I spent so many nights thinking how you did me wrong. I grew strong, I learned how to carry on. And so you're back from outer space, I just walked in to find you here with that sad look upon your face. I should have changed my stupid lock, I should have made you leave your key, If I had known for just one second you'd be back to bother me. Go on now go, walk out the door, just turn around now 'cause you're not welcome anymore. weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye, you think I'd crumble, you think I'd lay down and die. Oh no, not I, I will survive. as long as i know how to love I know I will stay alive. I've got all my life to live, I've got all my love to give, and I'll survive, I will survive.

The "Farrah Fawcett":

When Farrah really burst onto the scene in '76, her hairstyle swept the country like crazy. All the women were getting it, but it only last a couple of years since it was probably a ton of work, and all the chicks started opting for the "Dorothy Hammill". Even after all these years I'm still in awe of that 'do.

Happy anniversary to The Partridge Family:

The Partridge Family debuted Sept. 25, 1970. It ran for 4 years. David Cassidy is now 60 years old. I was 2 when it came out, and today I'm feeling a little past my prime....

I don't know if this is a real ad or not:

Maybe they let him take up coffee the following year. And maybe a few camels every once in awhile..

I liked "The Jeffersons" even though all the white people were dorks:

"Do a little dance, make a little love. Get down tonight"

Dynamite Magazines:

The above are a few that I've had over the years. I picked up The Bee Gees edition on ebay a few years ago, but the others I got back in the day. I picked up the Love Boat one a few years ago on ebay, but I did have that one back then. I had several others that aren't shown. Now I've just got the Bee Gees and Love Boat. I like looking at them from time to time.

Busted:

I think this was the episode about the kids always being on the phone, and Mike ends up getting a payphone installed in the house. Like who really does that.

Before Helen Mirren ...

... we had Carol Burnett. She was funny as hell.

Random:

I'm pretty sure I had a relative or two that had one of the above models. A few look familiar.

The Gruesomes:

C got me thinking about these guys. They were part of The Flintstones. I always liked monster familys (The Munsters, Addams Family, etc.). The Gruesomes were obviously based on Sonny & Cher, down to the wife's squeaky voice and large nose. For the longest time I thought they were "The Weirdly's", but it turns out Weirdly is the husband's name. I forget the other names.

Coming home from school In 1973 and 1974 ..

... the first thing I'd do is turn the television on and watch The Flintstones, Gilligan's Island, and The Brady Bunch. I never missed a day.

The Magic Mirror:

I remember how excited I'd get when she called out my name. It was like she was looking right at me through the television, talking to me. In hindsight, it all seems kind of disturbing..

St. Joseph aspirin:

Mom used to buy this back in the day. She might have bought them for the name, but I'm not sure. I do know that I hated the taste of them (they were orange flavored, but it was an extremely unnatural type of orange flavor). There's not much else to say about them, actually, other than that they sucked ....

Misc. remembrance (I was going to wait to halloween but what the hell):

My folks told me that when I was about 4, there was a kid in the neighborhood named Billy D. He used to pick on the neighborhood kids and talk back to his parents. From what my folks said, he was a bad kid. That year for Halloween his mom picked out his costume.
They dressed Billy as an angel.
Apparantly his folks didn't get the humor of it all. I hear they were kind of offended when everyone laughed.

Every time I think that I'm the only one who's lonely Someone calls on me....

... And every now and then I spend my time in rhyme and verse, And curse those faults in me. And then along comes Mary, And does she want to give me kicks, and be my steady chick, And give me pick of memories - Or maybe rather gather tales of all the fails and tribulations No one ever sees? When we met I was sure out to lunch, Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch. When vague desire is the fire in the eyes of chicks Whose sickness is the games they play. And when the masquerade is played and neighbor folks make jokes As who is most to blame today. And then along comes Mary. And does she want to set them free, and let them see reality From where she got her name? And will they struggle much when told that such a tender touch as hers Will make them not the same? When we met I was sure out to lunch, Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch. And when the morning of the warning's passed, the gassed, And flaccid kids are flung across the stars. The psychodramas and the traumas gone, The songs are left unsung and hung upon the scars. And then along comes Mary. And does she want to see the stains, the dead remains of all the pains She left the night before? Or will their waking eyes reflect the lies, and make them Realize their urgent cry for sight no more?? When we met I was sure out to lunch, Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch.

I like the book better than the movie:

http://bygosh.com/wizardofoz/ozintro.htm

Beanbag chairs:

I received one in the Christmas of '78. It was a large one, black, and it was plush, not leather (like a huge stuffed animal). I loved it, although I have to admit it was kind of uncomfortable to sit in for very long...

Schoolhouse Rock production cel:

"A man and a woman had a little baby, yes they did. They had three in the family. Three's a magic number."

This was probably my favorite SHR cartoon.

Back to school:

Tuesday the kids around here start their first day of school. I used to really hate going clothes shopping, but I loved getting school supplies (for the record, I never had a Donny Osmond or David Cassidy notebook. I swear).

This is it:

Fall (not calender fall) has finally arrived here in upstate New York. The air is cool, and most of the leaves have started changing color and are blowing off the trees already. The extended forecast calls for temps in the mid-60's (although Wednesday it may reach upper-70's), but we won't get too many more days where the temps reach that high. Summer's basically over. This is my favorite time of year, it always has been.

"My Little Town" by Simon & Garfunkel:

In my little town I grew up believing God keeps his eye on us all. And he used to lean upon me As I pledged allegiance to the wall (Lord I recall) in my little town: coming home after school - Flying my bike past the gates Of the factories. My mom doing the laundry, Hanging our shirts In the dirty breeze. And after it rains There's a rainbow, And all of the colors are black. It's not that the colors aren't there, It's just imagination they lack. Everything's the same Back in my little town.

Misc. remembrance:

It was around 1975, and I was over at a friend's house on a Saturday morning. He had a sister named Kim. We were all playing in a room, and his mom entered the room and said "Kim, I want you to hang the laundry out on the line for me". Kim starts to cry and says "But mom, it's my only day off!". And his mom said "Well I wish I had a day off!!!!". I remember looking at the mom and thinking "Man, how unreasonable..."

"I'd like a Whopper, a large onion ring, and a pack of Winstons please"...

In the early 70's, smoking was still socially acceptable, and fast food places like Burger King and McDonald's kept a stack of ashtrays (pictured above) on every table so people wouldn't flick their ashes onto the floor. Even though I really miss the decade, I have to say that some aspects of the decade I don't miss at all.

Freddie The Magic Flute...

.. was a character on the kids' show "H.R. Puff'nstuff" (I may have got the spelling wrong). I may be in the minority, but I always found Freddie to be a bit on the disturbing side. I never really liked that character. Although, come to think of it, all the characters were a bit disturbing. It was just that kind of show...

I remember an episode of Little House On The Prairie...

... when Laura Ingalls wanted to impress an older boy in her class, so she put a couple of apples under her blouse to make it look like she had boobs. She stood up from her desk and the apples fell out and she ran home crying. I laughed my ass off.