tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23453834310770613842024-03-18T07:03:49.553-05:00Children of the 90sA blog dedicated to the examination and demi-worship of the unmistakable hallmarks of a 1990s childhoodChildren of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.comBlogger420125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-58954559258530531332012-10-05T09:24:00.003-05:002012-10-05T09:24:30.482-05:00Classic Children of the 90s Repost: Popular Young Children's Books of the 80s and 90sChildren's authors set the groundwork for a new generation to develop a deep love of reading, so it's critical that their output is engaging and amusing enough to hold our limited attention. Plus, our parents often bore the burden of reading these books to us again and again until they could have recited them from memory, so it helped if authors could throw in some humor that satiated the appetites of both adults and children.<br />
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These books satisfied both criteria in balance and firmly established a place in our collective nostalgic heart for their silliness, fun, and wit. Let's take a stroll through the magical world of 80s and 90s young children's books. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll develop a catchy rhyming scheme. Don't blame me if you start talking Seusically, though. It should wear off in 10-12 hours.<br />
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<strong>If You Give A Mouse a Cookie</strong><br />
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We all know what happens when you start giving mice cookies. They're insatiable little rodents, really. At least that's the central message of Laura Numeroff's <i>If You Give a Mouse a Cookie</i>. He'll just keep bleeding you dry with favors until he finally just wants a cookie again. There's just no winning. Maybe if you try giving a Moose a Muffin or a Pig a Pancake things might turn out differently. Maybe.<br />
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<strong>Love You Forever</strong><br />
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If you're a leaky-faucet type crier easily set off by emotional material, be warned that you'll release the floodgates by the last cycle of "I love you forever, I love you for always, as long as you're living, my baby you'll be." The book details the relationship of a mother and her young son as she recites the same refrain to him at various stages of his life. Near the end of the story, the adult child recites it back to his dying elderly mother and finally to his own infant daughter. The book resonates well with adults and children alike; it seems the older you get, the more likely you'll want to keep a full box of tissues nearby when you pick this one up.<br />
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<strong>The Eleventh Hour and Animalia</strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjviSvoG2PWKs0_l7R_yN_8wQZHYq9NDrNzubEctponrSUX8vEHyx4-aB-9YILGmw7H0O9nB-rd-j0rrbvb-B0OnezMa5O8PXy44pZvmwxHtblpGDoIJa8ItgIU_oPRO4hrJIqslAkfBVw/s400/animalia-f.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjviSvoG2PWKs0_l7R_yN_8wQZHYq9NDrNzubEctponrSUX8vEHyx4-aB-9YILGmw7H0O9nB-rd-j0rrbvb-B0OnezMa5O8PXy44pZvmwxHtblpGDoIJa8ItgIU_oPRO4hrJIqslAkfBVw/s400/animalia-f.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 302px;" /></a><br />
I spent somewhere in the neighborhood of three years trying to trace these gorgeous illustrations in hopes of miraculously transferring Graeme Base's incredible art talent onto my own hopelessly skill-free hands. Base's books may be visually enchanting, but in the case of <i>The Eleventh Hour</i> they're also incredibly tricky. I still haven't managed to solve all of the many riddles embedded in the story. I almost caved and broke into the solution in the back, but I'm still holding out hope that the answer will just come to me.<br />
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<strong>The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Fairy Tales</strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRc6u_lyCFv_gGUJrl8fM5tqtm3C3fynfUHG4NcMN5jAW3xh3URaKoIpFd5SUTZhUFwKObEJWUKU5QOf7GE0Mg7N0a0HzIBxos6ZSQVfLRgOpH-yq3g6LAbSwT2ntnliuaM0PINtWMgWA/s320/Stinky+Cheese+Man.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRc6u_lyCFv_gGUJrl8fM5tqtm3C3fynfUHG4NcMN5jAW3xh3URaKoIpFd5SUTZhUFwKObEJWUKU5QOf7GE0Mg7N0a0HzIBxos6ZSQVfLRgOpH-yq3g6LAbSwT2ntnliuaM0PINtWMgWA/s320/Stinky+Cheese+Man.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 252px;" /></a><br />
Revisionist fairy tales can be a lot of fun, and this Wolf-narrated version of the classic Three Little Pigs story is no exception. Our allegedly mistakenly accused suspect, Alexander T. Wolf, describes his troubles in borrowing sugar to bake a cake for his Granny's birthday. Is it his fault he has a terrible cold and that pigs build inferior non-sneeze-resistant houses? How could you let a delicious ham dinner like that go to waste, after all?<br />
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Along the same lines and written by the same witty author (Jon Scieszka), <i>The Stinky Cheese Man</i> gives us an irreverent look at some of our favorite classic fairy tales. The Gingerbread Man is the Stinky Cheese Man, The Really Ugly Duckling just grows into a Really Ugly Duck, and Little Red Riding Shorts manages to outrun the wolf on the way to Grandma's. The book is a bit chaotic, but it's legitimately clever and witty, too.<br />
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<strong>Arthur Books</strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvsyhoBvr6oA7skSR-9APyhf8p6pZ8HZJ7NRCDlvKJSkkjRXfBNIu9FRHcWvc9LY_TACbTooDZFAXEs0ewv0T1gluiNwqVx_UbWXvsyJWZq_Hiwox-39c0R4PJpNTzjyNA66D3bci4p0J/s400/0316111937.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvsyhoBvr6oA7skSR-9APyhf8p6pZ8HZJ7NRCDlvKJSkkjRXfBNIu9FRHcWvc9LY_TACbTooDZFAXEs0ewv0T1gluiNwqVx_UbWXvsyJWZq_Hiwox-39c0R4PJpNTzjyNA66D3bci4p0J/s400/0316111937.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 280px;" /></a><br />
Marc Brown was clearly onto something when he created this lovable anthropomorphic eight-year old aardvark named Arthur. Populating Arthur's hometown of Elwood City are a host of other cuddly animal characters with varying socioeconomic backgrounds, leading me to find that yes, you can indeed be jealous of a fictional monkey. Darn you, Muffy, and your enviable rich-monkey lifestyle.<br />
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<strong>The Jolly Postman</strong><br />
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Kids have pretty short attention spans, so an interactive book is always a major draw: it's like a combination book/game rolled into a neat little package. To be delivered by a postman. A jolly postman.<br />
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In <i>The Jolly Postman</i>, our hero postman maneuvers from one fairy tale house to another, delivering correspondences (an apology note from Golidlocks and the 3 bears), junk mail (an advertisement for "Hobgoblin Supplies, ltd."), and even threats of legal action (the case of the Wolf v. Miss Riding Hood.) The jolly postman stops for tea at each home, delivering letters that we as readers could physically open and read.<br />
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<strong>Chicka Chicka Boom Boom</strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEAvmOSnBMbEwhd8wXdtdhWBqhJvjFI8MHi7Lk83VODtfx6vkCb39Wsd00MvmPKFfQUSqQPTD7tQiprpiJJ5QDkRALkDwO_EI9SwkP5FiOWx8QlGzcFAtsFSLfICJeCYyyB174Yn6j8Ha/s1600/chicka-chicka-boom-boom.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEAvmOSnBMbEwhd8wXdtdhWBqhJvjFI8MHi7Lk83VODtfx6vkCb39Wsd00MvmPKFfQUSqQPTD7tQiprpiJJ5QDkRALkDwO_EI9SwkP5FiOWx8QlGzcFAtsFSLfICJeCYyyB174Yn6j8Ha/s1600/chicka-chicka-boom-boom.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 299px;" /></a><br />
Learning the alphabet can be pretty boring, so imagine how relieved we were to find a book that turns dry and humorless letters into cute anthropomorphic characters. Our fearless letters climb the tree in orderly A-B-C succession, only to fall back down and sustain alphabetized injuries. Ouch.<br />
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<strong>Where the Wild Things Are</strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0SXO9NaIZEtShGfpj9jUd5St8ZEUlIX-AKUKklR6zCrHD4ycMdR524qWdaAsPGCkmr6h3mLyvohLiO8ASfpeDWlDFQoOtwL2fGHdjx3TF1sfLIuFmztaPTeGRuEc51iNj60Ps6DT85lPO/s400/where-the-wild-things-are-posters.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0SXO9NaIZEtShGfpj9jUd5St8ZEUlIX-AKUKklR6zCrHD4ycMdR524qWdaAsPGCkmr6h3mLyvohLiO8ASfpeDWlDFQoOtwL2fGHdjx3TF1sfLIuFmztaPTeGRuEc51iNj60Ps6DT85lPO/s400/where-the-wild-things-are-posters.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 298px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
Monsters might seem like a scary, lurking under the bed prospect until we learn that in our imaginations we can just dance with them in a wild rumpus instead. Sounds like a decent solution to me. The back-story is possibly as entertaining as the tale itself: author Maurice Sendak had initially planned for the book to feature wild horses, but his publisher shunned Sendak's sub-par horse drawings. Sendak replaced the horses with caricatures of his Polish Jewish aunts and uncles: Aaron, Bernard, Emile, Moishe, and Tzippy. I imagine they were thrilled to find their likenesses titled "things."<br />
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<strong>Berenstain Bears</strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VA_Uy7Hx_4VB0CbRIFeu8Op3yL-4Iq_cD3-_E82HXTrKzmEbFClN9waD99nPZmiwYslMZ5Uvbo_a4zWuBaN1Hb9adII5bGA3IoJ35oxT2VRRbzvKTAd6Qc27zg36P6z4xnvdejg2Y2k/s320/Berenstain+Beras+and+Too+Much+Junk+Food.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VA_Uy7Hx_4VB0CbRIFeu8Op3yL-4Iq_cD3-_E82HXTrKzmEbFClN9waD99nPZmiwYslMZ5Uvbo_a4zWuBaN1Hb9adII5bGA3IoJ35oxT2VRRbzvKTAd6Qc27zg36P6z4xnvdejg2Y2k/s320/Berenstain+Beras+and+Too+Much+Junk+Food.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 318px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
This friendly bear family has been teaching kids valuable life lessons for generations. I believe I read the <i>Visit to the Dentist</i> book at my own dentist's office at least twenty times, which helped assuage my fear of the infamous yankers while simultaneously teaching me about the untapped goldmine of cash at stake for my expendable baby teeth. Win-win.<br />
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<strong>Amelia Bedelia</strong><br />
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What do you get when you combine a charming rhyming named housekeeper and a penchant for extreme literal interpretation of simple instructions? Pure children's book gold. Amelia Bedelia draws the drapes by trying her hand at sketching the curtains and prunes the hedges by sticking prunes in them. We learned the value of simple vocabulary and double meanings, plus I got some great ideas for how to make a mockery of my household chores,<br />
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<strong>Oh, The Places You'll Go!</strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNZswuoMhwJN8FMbI1GttVgibImUENUgLBMxqIVZRlMuoOXbL__x5zXcG-0k_TG4g7Lz5LG5Ieji-77qivpJQD1due0z8WkKE4hC4ZAiaSNqUaUXAT1RUZkofpNFeUQeE_HTs7SAhQEU/s400/Dr.+Seuss+oh+the+places+you+will+go" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNZswuoMhwJN8FMbI1GttVgibImUENUgLBMxqIVZRlMuoOXbL__x5zXcG-0k_TG4g7Lz5LG5Ieji-77qivpJQD1due0z8WkKE4hC4ZAiaSNqUaUXAT1RUZkofpNFeUQeE_HTs7SAhQEU/s400/Dr.+Seuss+oh+the+places+you+will+go" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 303px;" /></a><br />
Though it may have become a cliche gift for recent graduates, Dr. Seuss's final book is ultimately inspirational and sweet. The book details our protagonist's travel through uncharted territory, complete with setbacks and triumphs. So go ahead, give it to your graduating cousin or neighbor. He'll probably be able to start a collection with all of the copies he receives, but he may just learn a valuable lesson about endless possibilities.<br />
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<strong>The Rainbow Fish</strong><br />
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This book seems pretty innocent with its message of sharing, so imagine my surprise in discovering it's taken some flack from critics for allegedly promoting a socialist agenda. It's a pretty preposterous accusation; it's enough to make you wish yourself back to a simpler time when you didn't know what things like "socialist agenda" even meant.<br />
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<strong>Stellaluna</strong><br />
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Fruit bats are adorable and owls are evil? What kind of crazy mixed-up pre-Harry Potter owl love affair world is this? Stellaluna is separated from her mother and is raised with a nest full of baby birds, the mother of whom admonishes her for hanging upside down like, well, a bat. In case you were worried, she does eventually reunite with her mother, but the book has a bit of a melancholy feel through the whole "be true to yourself" message.Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com310tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-17638008704549151132012-05-24T08:31:00.000-05:002012-05-24T08:31:00.247-05:00Guest Post: Celebrating 20 Years of "Must See TV"<b id="internal-source-marker_0.2220395915210247"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Greetings, Children of the ’90s! My name is</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Frank Anthony Polito</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and I’m the author of the recently-released novel<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_864980315"> </a></span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lost-90s-Frank-Anthony-Polito/dp/0615594786/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1" target="_blank">Lost in the ’90s</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lost-90s-Frank-Anthony-Polito/dp/0615594786/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwsP2tJ2hG_NjZSRMILu37hZS0vF13fJmns87MoD5-GaC6doI4EoMw3HxbrtoThAidUmtHjuodOmQpCGFA7DTf6eez_nG0YUKRPCXz0f_veCcRZsqcLVnEUAa3GVSe5vz9oYfBA7hBFAI/s200/Lost+in+the+90s+--+Frank+Anthony+Polito+--+96dpi.jpg" width="129" /></a></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.2220395915210247"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As you might imagine, I’ve been thinking a lot about the ’90s lately. It’s hard to believe the decade that gave us Blossom, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beavis and Butt-head</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and Blink-182 began over 20 years ago!</span></b> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg207kx-oc48uh5ERfk20PYje_hXbTSGWNS0JXSRku2L0V4iy0AL3PfrlOoyThKPRH-pBcv4bC1RrVFyDqkjjf0CtzvRijAp1hD-3khrQqhvLhd310q3Ac3Fxdnb9mAe280vOYm5qu6iSG5/s1600/Jamie_Walters_08876.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg207kx-oc48uh5ERfk20PYje_hXbTSGWNS0JXSRku2L0V4iy0AL3PfrlOoyThKPRH-pBcv4bC1RrVFyDqkjjf0CtzvRijAp1hD-3khrQqhvLhd310q3Ac3Fxdnb9mAe280vOYm5qu6iSG5/s200/Jamie_Walters_08876.jpg" width="147" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqM9QHCKSrQOjlrAxOQkyDVU-o6reRJ8ch1PXvc8YlvCpRbOLQdtyXz0CsQ0IBgH82Vsbcjd7NVy96kq6nzSqFMcg4LVoUdie_dX1Zv3JHD6WZslyuHj_3ycrUBkKd0W46si-BfW6pimI/s1600/Charlotte+Ross+--+Eve+Donovan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqM9QHCKSrQOjlrAxOQkyDVU-o6reRJ8ch1PXvc8YlvCpRbOLQdtyXz0CsQ0IBgH82Vsbcjd7NVy96kq6nzSqFMcg4LVoUdie_dX1Zv3JHD6WZslyuHj_3ycrUBkKd0W46si-BfW6pimI/s200/Charlotte+Ross+--+Eve+Donovan.jpg" width="200" /></a><b id="internal-source-marker_0.2220395915210247"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of my favorite (and long forgotten) TV shows will actually turn 20 this coming August. How many of you Children of the ’90s remember the FOX drama </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Heights</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> featuring teen heart throb and singing sensation </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jamie Walters </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">--</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">who later appeared on </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beverly Hills, 902010 </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">as Ray Pruit?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Heights </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">focused on a fictional band called (what else?) “The Heights” and starred Walters as lead singer Alex O’Brien. The show </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">also featured </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Charlotte Ross</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, then known for her Emmy nominated role as troubled teen </span></b></b><b><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eve Donovan on </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Days of our Lives. </span></b></b><b id="internal-source-marker_0.2220395915210247"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Take a look at a scene from </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Heights’ </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">first episode:</span></b><br />
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.2220395915210247"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While we’re on the topic of 20-year anniversaries... Here are a few other TV classics that also debuted in 1992. How many of these shows do you Children of the ’90s remember watching when you were growing up?</span></b> </div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.2220395915210247"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barney & Friends </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First airing on April 6, 1992, and featuring everybody’s favorite singing purple T-Rex. This show served as the babysitter to many a Child of the ’90s!</span></b><br />
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.2220395915210247"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goof Troop </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Single father, Goofy, moves back to his hometown of Spoonerville with 11-year-old son, Max. The show premiered on April 20, 1992 on The Disney Channel and was adapted into a feature film </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Goofy Movie </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in 1995.</span></b> </div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.2220395915210247"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Melrose Place </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- This steamy primetime soap centered around a group of 20-somethings living in the same West Hollywood apartment complex, and was recently revived (and soon-after canceled) by The CW. Episodes began airing on July 8, 1992. </span></b> </div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.2220395915210247"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">California Dreams </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- another show about a band, this multi-ethnic teen-oriented sitcom aired on Saturday mornings on NBC beginning on September 12, 1992. Check out the pilot episode below:</span></b> </div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.2220395915210247"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hard to believe it’s been 20 years! Where has the time gone?</span></b> </div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.2220395915210247"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">FRANK ANTHONY POLITO </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is an award-winning author and playwright. He received his BFA in Theatre from Wayne State University and his MFA in Dramatic Writing from Carnegie Mellon. </span></b><b id="internal-source-marker_0.2220395915210247"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He grew up in the Detroit suburb of Hazel Park and currently resides in Sunnyside, Queens, NY.</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LOST IN THE ’90s</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tells the story of a teenage boy from 2012 who travels back in time to April 1994, on the eve of Kurt Cobain’s suicide. There, he meets his teenage parents and helps them fall in love so that he can born. (Think of it as a ’90s </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Back to the Future </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">without Doc Brown or the DeLorean.) The book is chock-full of ’90s pop culture and musical references, including the #1 hit tune from November 1992, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“How Do You Talk to an Angel”</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> which plays an integral role in the plot. </span></div>
</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com105tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-27022479070791806022012-03-16T08:07:00.009-05:002012-04-04T14:00:34.816-05:00Guest Post: Typical 90s Saturdays<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;">Happy Friday, 90s fans! I must apologize for the lack of recent posts--as usual, I have a slew of readily available but totally honest excuses: we moved to a new city, I started a new job, I had a lot of wedding thank you notes to finish. You've probably heard them all before...</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;">Anywho, have no fear--new posts should be on the way. Speaking of which, we are taking submissions for guest entries! With the demands of a new job, my recent writing availability has been few and far between. Here's where you come in: if you have an idea for a Children of the 90s post, feel free to pitch it. Not in the typical baseball sense, of course--that might smash my laptop screen. I'm thinking more of a dynamic e-mail conversation that characterizes what we consider an exciting interaction here in the 21st century.<br /><br />Who knows--your post might just end up on our front page. We welcome submissions and pitches at childrenofthe90s(at)gmail(dot)com. Bring 'em on!</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;">And now, without further ado: in honor of the impending weekend, the following post from guest writer Natalie celebrates a typical Saturday in the life of a 90s child:</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><br style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold" face="verdana"></span></span><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; background-font-weight: boldfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000000;" id="internal-source-marker_0.6890931332963909" ><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">The 90s: The Typical Child's Saturday</span></span><br class="kix-line-break"></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-font-weight: normalfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000000;" >Think back to the day you turned 12 years old. What did you see around you? The television is on and undoubtedly turned to The Fresh Prince of Bel Air or maybe Rocko's Modern Life on Nickelodeon. Daniel Tosh wasn't even on the air yet, instead we had good old America's Funniest Home Videos to watch for hours on end.<br class="kix-line-break"><br class="kix-line-break"></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/QLC1AFszk3Xn4sO-5zQdx_KzJp-YUq2apnVS1N2p1s7wwOoN8lf6EfhnxDr4WmOX0hpSukNZrTPvNFW2zWz66NVTfh6J86SojwL5iH6ybEQ1YHYNsPc" width="333" height="250" /><br /></span><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-font-weight: normalfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000000;" ><br class="kix-line-break">It didn't just end with TV back in the 90s. Everything was different, everything was awesome. You could wake up to find great cartoons on first thing on a Saturday morning, have your favorite bowl of Fruity Pebbles and hop on your Super Nintendo or Sega for a morning of fun.<br /><br />Maybe afterward you would gather your Beanie Babies (which at the time we all thought would one day be worth millions, but still aren't worth a thing) together with your price book and dream with the neighbor kid how rich you would be when you turned 16 and these things paid out.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-font-weight: normalfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000000;" >After business was conducted for the day, it was time for lunch. Back then, we got our favorite toys at McDonalds. Guys got the action figures and girls go the dolls. Most importantly, they all had small and dangerous parts. We all survived one way or another. If we were lucky, Good Burger was on just as we returned from lunch. Could it get any better?<br class="kix-line-break"><br class="kix-line-break"></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/TxcF9GcKSJa3mrlMLPlIGB762JdK-DfduhU0LBPQf26UuwLITU1TyKxm1trx_31eddCDFV5bGmnnz2JbN2csqEzB2tzG3TXzxjU5UWvMs0FH6f9Jk8g" width="316" height="282" /><br /></span><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-font-weight: normalfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000000;" ><br class="kix-line-break"></span><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-font-weight: boldfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000000;" >Afternoon<br class="kix-line-break"></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-font-weight: normalfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000000;" >As the day started to roll away, it was time for a snack. Whether it was a Fruit by the Foot, a Fruit Roll-Up, or Gushers, every kid always had a favorite fruit snack. Everybody also knew that one kid at school whose family wouldn't buy the "cool" snacks, so we were always happy to throw him a couple Gushers or split off a piece of the Fruit Roll-Up. Once in a while, somebody would show up with a fancy GoGurt at school. But, hey- let's not get school involved on our ultimate Saturday afternoon.<br class="kix-line-break"><br class="kix-line-break"></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/GKhpzNjphvEcf785p45sL3syM4eU9KE_nhMRpUIDOM5KR6_SsT_wmfWMgnE7yHA5znGgm_WtKKkjBQVkcDRfEj9gSMgFL3RVfmp8a8x0eC9VkUi7bbA" width="349" height="262" /><br /></span><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-font-weight: normalfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000000;" ><br />One thing that no 90s kid will ever forget about Saturday's is Pokémon. Whether trading the cards and pretending to actually know how to play the game, watching it on TV or firing up the good old black and white Game Boy,Pokémon was a part of our everyday lives. The cards could almost be used as a currency, traded away for whatever you may want to make your afternoon perfect.<br class="kix-line-break"></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-font-weight: boldfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000000;" >Evening<br class="kix-line-break"></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-font-weight: normalfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000000;" >If you were lucky growing up, you almost always you had a friend sleep over or you were staying</span><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-font-weight: normalfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000000;" > somewhere else other than your house on a Saturday night. With shows like Ahh! Real</span><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-font-weight: normalfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000000;" > Monsters, The Wild Thornberry's, Hey! Arnold and Doug on SNICK, how could you possibly go wrong?<br /><br />Not to mention all thetalking babies (think Rugrats) and animals we all had a thing for. If you were lucky, it was already nine o'clock and your young self was getting tired. Your friends would turn the TV volume all the way down and it was on. Whether Jet Force Gemini, Donkey Kong64 or any other game, it didn't matter. After an hour or so of intense gaming you'd find yourself drifting off... Then only to awake, 15 years later and to realize it was all a dream.<br class="kix-line-break"></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-font-weight: normalfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000000;" >Don't you wish you could go back?<br class="kix-line-break"></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-font-weight: normalfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000000;" >-----<br class="kix-line-break"></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: italic; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-font-weight: normalfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000000;" >Natalie Wilkins has been a professional writer and researcher for the last five years. Throughout this</span><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: italic; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-font-weight: normalfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000000;" > time she has worked for many weird and wonderful companies including an </span><a href="http://www.myessentia.com/"><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: italic; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; background-font-weight: normalfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#1155cc;" >organic Tempurpedic</span><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: italic; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; background-font-weight: normalfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#1155cc;" > mattress</span></a><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: italic; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-font-weight: normalfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000000;" > retailer and an elephant orphanage. The wide range of opportunities available is exactly why</span><span style="FONT-VARIANT: normal; FONT-STYLE: italic; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; background-font-weight: normalfont-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000000;" > she loves her job.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br style="FONT-FAMILY: verdana"></span></div>Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com136tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-91017325509604501942012-01-17T08:07:00.000-06:002012-01-17T08:07:00.431-06:00An Ode to Technology: Then and Now<span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7513369654915514">A note to readers: Yes, it’s me, your as of late not-so-faithful Children of the 90s blogger. That is to say, the original eleven herbs and spices blogger, not one in many of the parade of worthy guest bloggers I’ve brought to you over the last few months. Now that I’m married and back from my honeymoon, my litany of excuses to put off blogging are dwindling quickly, especially with the long list of blog ideas I’ve yet to tackle. Don’t call it a comeback, of course, but hey: it’s an effort.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ME5i9Fk7D1L0M6TKbw0swfEZ3VHQlkTaJiW0hZLpvjw_Nen3h0fsoM2hzMIMHtfLp0ZK8w4dd240Faxfel7VulJBMGNE6ebIJkGaeXLVEgeAWSKqiC4" width="438px;" height="261px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It can be hard to pretend you're still young and hip when so many of your technology reminiscences to anyone more than five years younger than you begin with a crotchety " When I was your age, we didn't have this newfangled (insert new and overly complicated mode of communication here.)" Who would have guessed that within a span of ten or fifteen years, the face of technology and human interaction could be rendered nearly unrecognizable from the simple telephone and instant messenger relations of our youth?</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I freely admit I have found myself in multiple scenarios during which interacting with a friend in person has quickly devolved into showing off our respective front facing cell phone cameras to engage in simulated FaceTime. Never mind the fact that we are physically face to face in the same room. Because look how cool it is when we can video chat in tandem after only thirteen minutes and four failed network connection attempts! Now isn't that more interesting than plain old lower case face time?</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While we're doling out the elderly style complaints (someone be a dear and bring me an afghan, wont you?) don't even get me started on hashtags. Why exactly does putting what I still think of as the number sign (or alternatively, the most boring button on my phone) in front of awholebunchofwordswithoutspaceslikethis suddenly constitute an astute sampling of social commentary? #imgettingtoooldforthiscrap</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Call me a hypocrite for writing this on the Internet (and you probably should, especially since I'm typing it using my brand-spanking new Kindle Fire, albeit with lots of touchscreen misfire typos) but I just can't get behind changing my entire concept of communication and entertainment every time a new piece of technology is released. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Back in our day (and you legally need to be at least 22 to use that phrase, for future complaining reference) most technology existed to serve a single purpose. Even when I was in high school, it was largely unfathomable that someday you might be able to carry around some futuristic hybrid of your phone/camera/computer/calendar/book collecition/music player in your pocket. Barring, of course, the chance that you possessed a great deal of duct tape and/or some very large pockets.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Though there exist endless examples of fast-paced technological change from our simple 90s childhoods to the present day bonanza of ever-changing available devices, here are a few of my favorites that keep me feeling good and old at the ripe old age of 26.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cell Phones: Then and Now</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then:</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ohmOddpkdGgSjhJmra4BWwJef_VhCKM5FPC61wfdQagL5C2y5QNeHf2SvTump8BSup6K_tsVj8KBE4HtIWGkwi6l94WyM_hatltlVoWbN7yj5SOHZIE" width="300px;" height="191px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">:</span><img style="width: 295px; height: 214px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/ZoxuHD6ZfMndyGq-k9uS1HNsDikQPaYY55avNfHd0_Cf9w-KXZdS-GmGySUXPoK4nVIf5B8QNQKqMkgCAi6eGYjHDjLN_rx6zjcdi1v83vV5GEg15qg" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As any dutiful Saved by the Bell fan will attest, the quintessential “first realization of the existence of cell phones” moment came while ogling Zack Morris as he chatted on what looked like the indestructible little black box from an airplane crash scene. It was essentially a large plastic brick with a keypad and a huge antenna that veered dangerously into rabbit-ear territory and we all coveted it shamelessly.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Enter today, when our cell phones are about one-tenth the size with a thousand times the capability. Most of us have been out to dinner with friends or at some other in-person social gathering when you realize that every single person has whipped out their smartphone, creating a unique situation of socializing by proximity while simultaneously isolating ourselves into the self-created vortex of personal technology. Now that’s what I call a party!</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Computers: Then and Now</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then:<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/tjcbKziJ_JNCnvKwhqNSEppcvU8u1nVRboi5WknQXYI-Kjl1KlXFEWPwT-04vfUwvhE9sTXMiso8nRJH9epltWNcrEwVIbCpwypySrjHDTz8oBtrXKw" width="272px;" height="181px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now:<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Te1jpG3bzKzRWT2gAXuyUNNzO0R8pCR_6q871lTqKRe21ZzGjnmGCs3KIgURbaVwUPdjYHCK89QJCcF2Qh-_uo-mWijoxtuDviLDZruYyttYdSCaj6A" width="269px;" height="202px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It’s hard for me even to admit this sometimes for fear of sounding astoundingly middle-aged, but the first computer my family owned actually had a black-and-green-only screen. That’s right, pixelated screen colors hadn’t even broken onto the computer technology scene when I was playing Space Invaders on my Apple II. That’s how primitive our technology was. Scary, I know.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When laptops first debuted, it was hard to imagine computers could get any smaller. “But it can fit on my </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">lap!</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Surely you can’t shrink it smaller than standard lap-size, adjusted for level of obesity!” But oh, they can. This mysterious “they” has morphed the oversized desktop into a cutely portable iPad or other knock-off tablet. Mark my words, someday we’ll be computing on pieces of looseleaf paper. That’s how thin these things are going to get (end prophecy transmission).</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Data Storage: Then and Now</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then:<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/7clURiZbTivo7k0PqWWrlrgEjHC_yP-u5RI8WeRRSXENN9_mn3nELzTBVekmtUkvEoQN9KevetjdPTkx1JhPtjNeHrIEMVMPcnH_itwKtmFJ-VsNvto" width="236px;" height="236px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now:</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/7t3oDptetyh_Jx3GmOb8vAiWl2NtImrMjmoTCUTIanRfJ7aSlHxdo1mDiP5iY1xSi3eWA4mJCg3OFsv_KNhfobpm7hNtV6u7P0XulGStYzrErgfs6xU" width="251px;" height="251px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I remember looking at an oversized floppy disk and thinking, “but how did my ClarisWorks file </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">get</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> on you?” My understanding of data storage hasn’t increased, but my fascination with how small or even non-physical we can make it certainly has. Now we’ve got the ominously named “Cloud”, which conveniently stores all of my files in some remote online lair. It’s not perfect, of course. Any disruption of wireless internet means all of my files are dead to me until it’s restored. Damn you, Cloud, and your connectivity loopholes for holding my treasured Pinterest repins temporarily hostage! </span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cameras: Then and Now</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then:</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/lStDGL9zMwd7epEJ-jG4IXukIF_sja9mCNTG6qmpF8TG0yfc3ubMAzEFTIrqsWQ82e3rs2i7KbLJsXfF17STI0oQJg-IW-XdeFhbJZZoXEUVh4OA7g8" width="285px;" height="173px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now:<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/mn0sposK_5tiBbTQiU-5nR5giu3vCuqgh82BOk9x6Kd5ZI4k_NdozKEo6oVtsoiefeobXYhDQmJituw5FRoG_mVZlGnn2ely4LYEjiXKRnbC6mSONAY" width="293px;" height="170px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Remember film? If not, you should probably be reading some younger, cooler blog. Go ahead, I’ll give you some time to find something more hipsterish. Try looking for something wearing ironic black frames pseudo-intellectual glasses with clear lenses. That should be your first tip-off.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Are they all gone? Okay, good, now we can get down to business and recollect some things those kids have probably never even heard of. Seriously, some of them have never even seen a roll of film. They don’t even get what the film pictogram means on the sign that indicates what items should not go through the x-ray scanner at airport security. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Perhaps you remember when it was fascinating to think a photo lab had the capability to process your negatives into full-blown prints in just </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">one hour</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. It seemed like such a breakthrough. If you can try to remember far enough back to the first time you saw a digital camera, perhaps you can recall just how amazed you were that the picture you just took </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">was already visible on a tiny low-res screen.</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> That was some crazy stuff. These days, we can take pictures with just about anything with an on-off switch, but back in the day, we used to actually wait for pictures to be developed to discover if they were flattering. Perish the thought. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Music Players: Then and Now</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then:<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/CyUx_siaLSYMzd_MnI0V8_spVvWXrSu7yISbgynLU-SkHCThGKlBA5CIHBhcm3OfCMbQgx-kaBZqCyZzqNc8QQKHKtkgz6Ir4jwHRUHuv6wYfXH-rBE" width="244px;" height="235px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now:<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 234px; height: 248px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Yb-92uk7ziiSnJnk_s0TCe0v16MBSLoF-Ja2iLMOSetjwfWJWXrrpfdjuOyRsuHW0aRnOP_yf7qcxvSS6sPjPUg6MfJqe9fDCGtuOBliKC3kVFej2dk" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Boomboxes and Walkmans. Those words probably sound like no more than nonsensical gibberish to today’s children, whose music players are roughly the size of my pinky toe. I still remember upgrading from a cassette playing Walkman to a CD-playing Discman. At the time, I was almost certain that no, it just could not get any cooler than this.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Even in college, I still had a cassette tape adapter for my car that physically plugged into my external Discman to play burned mix CDs. It all seems so primitive now, considering every song I own is now available at the touch of a button on my phone. How are kids these days supposed to understand the significance of the gift of a good, heartfelt mix tape or CD? How, I ask you?</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Books: Then and Now</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then:</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/iPpMphr9YNBY6IJ_R5Wb8-quDcDY6__oUQ7NKOB63UD3hnMLEXNn8u7Zz2khQGXh0k5p80c8Lnby6C9a-9mX5PohDRV5wsL2ZIpAEsmjwdpy0e-9g4Y" width="264px;" height="268px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now:</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/kuKLAQj-T5Z2KqhB5-GFLyflbg1krF2gUCubtxvBzD1jeWJTigei9Q-WPLwXVl9EGD5GQk3879t-JHpPQO4DyWeXu1WV8YKky2d4A41q4_goqqh5gRU" width="363px;" height="184px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Okay, I’ll just come out and say it. I’ve switched over to the dark side. I swore that books and I would never end our torrid ongoing love affair, but then my husband bought me a Kindle and I felt like a such a guilty two-timer. I tried to keep seeing books on the side, but they just didn’t have the same spark. Literally. They have no battery component. Bummer. I’m sorry, I promise I feel repentant. It’s just that now when I move to a new house, my book collection weighs one pound instead of 350 divided into 42 boxes. No offense, books, but that sounds like kind of a better deal, at least back-pain wise. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">During what I assume was our respective period of childhood (since you’ve self-identified as a child of the 90s by virtue of arriving at this blog), a book was a tangible object and could be acquired at a bookstore or public library. Or a private library, I suppose, but I guess I never got invited to any of those. Of course, I don’t know two many eight-year olds with their own e-readers, so I suppose the Goosebumps franchise may still live to see another gory day. </span>Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com206tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-76678069824904773952012-01-13T09:01:00.000-06:002012-01-13T09:01:00.165-06:00Ten Facts You May Not Know About The Baby-Sitters Club!<span style="font-size: 19px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.8764177215800238"></span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">By Maribeth Curley of HalloweenCostumes.com, where you can find great</span><a href="http://www.halloweencostumes.com/kids-costumes.html"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">kids costumes</span></a><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6ZKxaUryzI5qnchbLf2HqpLvIS51XzdWCh_mO-J8px3tzkhBmGICKU_V7hpSMTu8hm5TowMlfVjhhLuSw2vqhgf2LO2saITh-OQ5st97GwhHfRQspyE" width="242px;" height="349px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If you were a young girl during the 80s or 90s, you most likely read </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Baby-Sitters Club</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. (I know I did.) You had a favorite sitter, a favorite client, and you probably even had a favorite Super Special. This book series was a big part of many little girls’ literary lives, so let’s take a look at some things you may </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">not</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> know about the BSC.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The popular series was created to capitalize on the popularity of another book about babysitting.</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The book was </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ginny’s Babysitting Job,</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> which was published in the early 80s. An editor at Scholastic saw the success of another novel about the hobby and decided that the publishing company needed their own version.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2. </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Author Ann M. Martin was originally a freelance author when she was hired to write a book about baby-sitting. </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Martin was responsible for creating the plot-lines, details, and characters of </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Baby-Sitters Club, </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">as well as writing the first books. The series was about a club, rather than a single baby-sitter, to help promote team work and unity among young girls.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/YHOQUXN1SOMKfdR1SYrUFp5wp1uGedQ1W2I1wvpzEOyv5kbfImo2TeFdup-oiHb22tcTIpUnxsGSdIAb9iV0RA-g9snrvFVmo-N5rJ4nFTaibeVy14c" width="438px;" height="263px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3. </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The series was originally slated for just four novels.</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> However, thanks to the success of those four, Scholastic ordered two more, and after that, another twelve.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4. </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Author Ann M. Martin only wrote about 60 out of 213 total Baby-Sitters Club books</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Most of the novels were ghostwritten by other authors, including 43 by Peter Lerangis, who also wrote for a spin-off of another popular teen series of the 80s, </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sweet Valley Twins</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5. During the 14-year run of the series, </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">there were 176 million copies of The Baby-Sitters Club books printed.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6. While there were popular spin-off's of the series (</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Baby-Sitters Little Sister</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> namely), </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">there were also less popular spin-offs</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The California Diaries</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> was a series of books based on Dawn Schafer's return to California in her teenage years. It took a slightly darker tone in its writing and touched on subjects such as anorexia, sexual identity, and racism. However, only 15 novels were published before the series’ end.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/NZxcuqbYDDFlMWbkKE1W3Hgqup7SyF5p1q3gVXlUoWb8U7d9kPMRdTxerWtNwzhXXb8HHNEbAOttqi1fYpqsyGbBuwDfGgDxFR4U0nsLqOGdgvrLhR4" width="231px;" height="344px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">7. </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In 2006, a division of Scholastic named Graphix published a graphic novelization of the first Baby-Sitters Club novel</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. The animated versions were updated adaptations of four of the early BSC books: </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kristy’s Great Idea</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Truth About Stacey</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Mary Anne Saves the Day</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, and </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Claudia and Mean Janine</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">8. In 2009, the</span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/31/books/31babysitters.html?pagewanted=all"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">New York Times</span></a><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> wrote an article about the upcoming re-release of the first two novels of the series. </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Scholastic hoped to spark a comeback of the books with the current generation of readers</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Also, that same year, Ann M. Martin wrote a prequel to the series called </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Summer Before</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9. Throughout the run of the series</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, there were five types of novels in addition to the core series of novels</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: Super Specials, which were longer stories and were narrated by a different girl each chapter; Readers Request, books that focused on non-main members of the BSC; Mysteries and Super Mysteries; Portrait collections, novels that were biographies of the girls’ pasts; and Baby-Sitters Club: Friends Forever, a 13-book mini-series, which ended with the girl’s graduation from middle school.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/buRV9J4gX9RWBXLk89rDJbJ-OFv7mPRXYjndw88qVWnlolTaJzF7IoCaQf1HD2BACq756yceR1cy1otfJIP0-rynMpWWp24nBfrPCLpYISV89Ku67_w" width="300px;" height="300px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">10. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There was an (amazing) 13-episode long TV series named The Baby-Sitters Club</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, which aired in 1990. The shows were broadcast on The Disney Channel, as well as HBO and Nickelodeon. The other live-action version of the BSC was the feature film, released in 1995. The role of Mary Anne was actress Rachael Leigh Cook’s movie debut, and the film also starred Larisa Oleynik (</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Secret World of Alex Mack, 10 Things I Hate About You</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) as Dawn.</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/rZPVkFi9U55q-qMHm6YqbSCWxVOS_wNkKiwOe5PZieV8lGQU2embptC1HLli8xhLvXs4pIQWpTQLtd7AZO-dMx6ifZCE3jJmYFMTeXR1JBt0DdP8GoI" width="400px;" height="300px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Image sources: </span><a href="http://hotteahotbooks.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/babysitters-club.jpeg"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Kristy’s Great Idea</span></a><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><a href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2009/12/31/arts/31babysitters_CA0/articleLarge.jpg"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Ann M. Martin</span></a><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQBDGnCda9SFr3lhKar7So_iC5z6-pLfC7QCwrfrC2xNP7_xzf1gtIyfe6VAonY0hNTviOAJR6wBvFxjc_WIA21HjMXLMHrAuXhyvWP0e6kwG8HqD9KBfQapLW1qa33dDFEqXY98Ct6uxx/s1600/sleepover.jpg"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Little Sister #9</span></a><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51THJHB7SYL._SL500_AA300_.jpg"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Super Special #1</span></a><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><a href="http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/Movie-Stills-the-babysitters-club-267617_400_300.jpg"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Baby-Sitters Club Movie</span></a><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-18555591798507438922011-12-21T08:12:00.000-06:002011-12-21T08:13:50.829-06:00Where Are They Now? Home Improvement, Saved by the Bell, & Fresh Prince of Bel-Air<span style="font-size: 21px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.02324806434552218"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 21px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Times New Roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">By Allison Heard for</span><a href="http://www.t-shirts.com/"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Times New Roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Times New Roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">T-Shirts.com</span></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.t-shirts.com/"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Times New Roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></a><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ysssd7oEbujXKLbvXwUCPBNy7vUPfj456brkqCd1n11-ALuLl3s72zxT-2C8W4t_1M9zngwS4qLpDbD1l59afB-rYLNVt368rDNbgn7yQuBlnZt2Gzw" width="450px;" height="455px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><a href="http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/i/2011/09/08/Home-Improvement-reunion_510.jpg"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Source</span></a><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Home Improvement</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Home Improvement</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> was a sitcom staple of 90s television, airing from 1991-1999, that skyrocketed Tim Allen’s career out of relative obscurity. Tim, who played handyman dad Tim Taylor went on to be a common name in the industry playing Buzz Lightyear in the </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Toy Story </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">movies</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Santa Claus in </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Santa Clause</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, and most recently, starred alongside John Travolta in </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Wild Hogs.</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> If you feel like you need a Tim Allen fix, he is currently playing Mike Baxter on </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Last Man Standing</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and has a comedy, </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Geezers!,</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> slated for release in 2012.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Compared to Allen’s post-sitcom success, the kids of </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Home Improvement</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> have a much smaller rap sheet. Hunky middle brother Randy Taylor, played by Jonathan Taylor Thomas, is most noted for his role as Simba in 1994’s </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lion King</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, but after </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Home Improvement </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">wrapped, he could only be seen in small roles. He voiced character Tyler Tucker in </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Wild Thornberrys</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and had a three-show arch in </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">8 Simple Rules</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. He recently did an interview and photo shoot for Entertainment Weekly and said he is currently traveling and going to school. It seems like his days of gracing the cover of Teen Bop week after week are over for JTT, for now at least.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Zachery Ty Bryan, older brother to Randy with the laidback attitude and killer blonde mullet, has produced little since the show. His most noted roles were as Brian Nolan in </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Code Breakers</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, a made for TV movie, and as Clay in </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Zachery got married in 2007, and since then has only made a splash in 2008 when he was tased by hotel security after trying to reenter his hotel room in San Diego. Apparently, hotel security thought he was a vagrant trying to enter one of their hotel rooms.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The youngest brother and resident show weirdo was played by Taran Noah Smith, and honestly, not much has changed since. His work in the film industry has been limited, but he did get married to a much older woman, sued his parents for $1.5 million dollars, and got a divorce. His million dollar mansion is now in foreclosure and judging from the amount of internet commentary about how weird Taran has turned out, it looks like he has no hope of returning to Hollywood.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> If </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Home Improvement</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> makes you miss your childhood or gives you feelings of sweet nostalgia, check out their recent reunion photo from Entertainment Weekly. (Sadly, beloved neighbor and fountain of wisdom Wilson passed away in 2003 and is not in the reunion photo.)</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Home Improvement Highlight Reel:</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Taran’s weird and broke, Zachery has a wife and looks like a bum (without a mullet at least), JTT is still hunky, and Tim is Buzz Lightyear, Santa Clause, and still relatively awesome (on an older man scale of awesomeness). Oh, and Al (Richard Karn) hosted </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Family Feud </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and Jill (Patricia Richardson) guest starred on </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The West Wing</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> for two seasons.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Saved by the Bell</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> While </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Saved by the Bell</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> originally aired in August 1989, the bulk of the shows ran in the early 90s and it became a starting block for more modern sitcoms revolved around teen drama. Surprisingly, many of the stars of this show have gone on to make a name for themselves, even if it is not always a good one (and you know I’m talking about Screech a.k.a. Dustin Diamond).</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Zack Morris, played by Mark-Paul Gosselaar, the shows heartthrob-worthy blonde, moved on from </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Saved by the Bell</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in 2001 when he played Detective John Clark in </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">NYPD Blue</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. His days as a cop came to an end in 2005, but he continued to act in shows like </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Commander in Chief, Raising the Bar</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, and </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Franklin & Bash</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, a TNT drama where Mark-Paul currently stars as an unconventional lawyer in a sea of straight laced attorneys. Mark-Paul has two children, Michael and Ava, and is engaged to advertising executive Catriona McGinn after his 2010 divorce.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Mario Lopez, who played jock A.C. Slater, flew under the radar after </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SBTB</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> until his breakout role as Dr. Mike Hamoui in the FX drama </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Nip/Tuck</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Since then he has maintained a constant presence in the entertainment industry. He danced on the third season of </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dancing With The Stars</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, hosted MTV’s </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">America’s Best Dance Crew</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, and is a current correspondent for </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Extra!</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. His bangin’</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4MuIve_1fnvvJ5Dlu77CcPH_XbYWh779ImpXyPtxm9I4imPVm8ENpq7CVxD65Zeri4H4RffhhRAkqObzPZ-h4655aZGYw5kMz5PWEPTuZIqyNJOF0NzBgE0Q15SRr63MNyfejgj05BzTW/s1600/celebrity-six-packs-photos-03202009-28.jpg"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">6 pack</span></a><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> probably doesn’t hurt his star appeal either.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Kelly, Jessie, and Lisa, the trio of girls from </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Saved by the Bell,</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> have all continued to be a part of the Hollywood industry alongside their male counterparts. Jessie, played by Elizabeth Berkley, shed her girl-next-door image with </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Showgirls</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in 1995, which, of course, was met with bad reviews and controversy. Her career took a hit after the film’s release and she began to take smaller roles. Now, she is developing a series with MTV that is based off her website “Ask Elizabeth,” a self-help program for teenage girls.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Tiffani Thiessen, who played head cheerleader Kelly, has been in multiple shows, such as </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">90210,</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> since her younger days and is currently playing a wedding planner in </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">White Collar</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. In 2010, she traded her pompoms for a burp rag when daughter Harper was born.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Lark Voorhies, (Lisa), has continued her acting career while also stepping into the music scene. She has released a few singles and starred in music videos for artists like Boyz II Men and Kenny Lattimore. She has now been forever memorialized in Asher Roth’s 2009 single “Lark on My Go-Kart”.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Saved By The Bell Highlight Reel: </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Mark-Paul and Mario still have their heartthrob good looks, Elizabeth is helping out teen girls with the help of MTV, Tiffani and Lark are both mothers, and if you want more information about Screech’s life after </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Saved By The Bell</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> check out this</span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dustin_Diamond"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">link</span></a><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/XvFYbjrf-CbB0DdhGsi5BnS-paBa-QIniMzipKjXiIww69WYuWyGyXvYLyApaChVbgCLoQ6g-BgcJNSHsr0j_CHSpTBJFxJ03LtBT05sgJIUsYxPt-g" width="518px;" height="388px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><a href="http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2009/galleries/savedbythebell/group_01.jpg"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Source</span></a><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Now this is the story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down, and I’d like to take a minute, just sit right there, I’ll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel-Air.”</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Those opening lines of</span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmX65YTwA1Q&feature=related"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air</span></a><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> opened the world, or at least the American viewing audience, to the Banks, a ritzy family who gets an interesting new member when nephew and cousin William Smith (played by Will Smith) moves in. Since his time as the fresh prince, Will Smith has undeniably moved on to bigger things. His music career has prospered, with his chart-toppers like “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” and “Switch,” and his films like </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bad Boys, I Am Legend, </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Men in Black</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, have cemented Smith’s reputation as a Hollywood All-Star. Will’s wife Jada Pinkett, son Jaden, and daughter Willow have also created names for themselves alongside his sometimes overshadowing Hollywood persona. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Men in Black III</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> is set to release in 2012.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Alfonso Ribeiro played Will’s cooky cousin Carlton, most remembered by his wonderful</span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKlxjbhB9HE"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">dance moves</span></a><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Alfonso has done little since the show wrapped in 1996, but landed the position of host on GSN’s </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Catch 21. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Even with his lack of a proper Hollywood resume, Alfonso’s dance skills will always be legendary.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Prissy older cousin Hilary called her acting career quits after her 6-year run on </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Karyn Parsons did attend film school in New York, but while there she met her future husband. They had two children together and are still living in New York.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The youngest member of the Banks clan grew up in front of the shows audience and Tatyana Ali acted her way through Ashley’s most awkward years. Tatyana graduated from Harvard in 2002 with a degree in Afro-American History and Government. While going to school she had roles in multiple movies and TV shows. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">National Lampoon Presents Dorm Daze </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Nora’s Hair Salon </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">are among her most recognizable roles. She also played Roxanne in </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Young and the Restless</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> from the 2007-2011. Ali ventured in to music as well, but it seems that Willow Smith (Will Smith’s pre-teen daughter) has made a bigger splash in the music industry just by whipping her hair back and forth. Either way, Tatyana seems to have done well for herself and has come a long way since her pre-pubescent days on </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Fresh Prince</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Sadly, there has yet to be a</span><a href="http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2011/06/fresh-prince-of-bel-air-reunion.html"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">reunion</span></a><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> for this show, but it has been rumored to be in the works.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Highlight Reel: </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Will Smith is Will Smith and needs no explanation, Karyn is a New York mom and wife, Alfonso is a game show host but will never be forgotten for his amazing dance skills, and Tatyana is still starring in movies and TV shows after graduation from Harvard.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/dQ3_WDIIZqg0agqLSlkbJsswuLOcOpGE8Ro9xJl38kLslHLlVJ6ztc8YXJdjwwBKXK4ecs6qJfXAfwA737dSp0jJWg1UXaiPwIuNAeNE2bnGFsCfZsI" width="470px;" height="449px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.mediamodemusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Fresh-Prince-Bel-Air-w06.jpg"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Source</span></a><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><a href="http://www.mediamodemusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Fresh-Prince-Bel-Air-w06.jpg"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></a><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span>Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com70tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-56758823328010745992011-11-09T08:30:00.000-06:002011-11-09T08:33:43.126-06:00Where Are They Now? Clarissa Explains it All, All That, & Boy Meets World<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.9771217690529994"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">by Kenny Pickett for </span><a href="http://tv.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">TV.com</span></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/ziLta8JBEmMIF5NCMe3L02v3hwxPMko9Fp7u-uJkI6m6tN2z5270wqRdhqbOViJDyvASnmTw42di7zf8Bl6lafFPTfYqEQ1KNPWHM57TXZeG831Oc8Y" height="272px;" width="370px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />Clarissa Explains It All</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We all know the star of </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Clarissa Explains It All</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Melissa Joan Hart, is currently starring in her hit sitcom </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Melissa & Joey</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> alongside fellow 90s television star Joey Lawrence, but what has become of the rest of the Darling family? </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jason Zimbler played Clarissa’s annoying little brother Ferguson Darling. After Clarissa ended, Jason turned to live theater and eventually co-founded The Re-Theatre Instrument, a theatre company that re-imagines classic plays. Zimbler also appeared in the music video </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IerHOrDQKW0"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 255); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">“All My Friends” by the XYZ Affair</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> which features quite a few former Nickelodeon stars. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sean O’Neal was Clarissa’s ladder wielding (just) friend, Sam. Since Clarissa O’Neal has been seen in the buddy cop film </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cop and a Half</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Most of his acting recently has been in the musical theatre world, however. O’Neal has also been pursuing a music career as seen on his </span><a href="http://seanoneal.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 255); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">strange website</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Elizabeth Hess played Clarissa’s mother, Janet. Hess seems to be the most prolific actor to graduate from </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Clarissa</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. She has done a lot of theatre from regional productions to Broadway. She has also been teaching acting in a lot of different places. Judging from the pictures of her on the internet, she is really happy. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Joe O’Connor played Clarissa’s dad, Marshall. Joe has really stuck to television acting having appeared on </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Boston Public</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Charmed</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reno 911!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Weeds</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, and </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Castle</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Most notably, however, O’Connor has a recurring role on </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Mad Men </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">as Pete Campbell’s father-in-law.<br /><br /><br /> </span><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0T8p5IzxB5-cBMKSWTgvsARR7G1UN7MFUs8A7tR7ZNMz3Tt7PSwvpopZ2Vj2OQU-uX6rhplj0wLZyXtRPfOvQaUqKsZjpMIBpuIAOkks3IHgMIzYprQ" height="339px;" width="392px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />All That</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All That </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">was Nickelodeon’s sketch show that was for kids, by kids. The show has produced stars like Kenan Thompson, Amanda Bynes, and Nick Cannon. Not every cast member has a spot on </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Saturday Night Live </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">or a wife named Mariah Carey, though. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kel Mitchell was Kenan Thompson’s partner in crime. After </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All That</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, the two starred on their own Nickelodeon show </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kenan & Kel</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Kel then landed a role in the now cult favorite</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Mystery Men</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, went on to host the dance show </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dance 360,</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> perform regularly on G4’s </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Attack of the Show</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, and provides voices for various children’s programming. Kel’s main project is a movie called </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Chicago Pulaski Jones</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, a dance-comedy-action film with Cedric the Entertainer and Tommy Davidson.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lori Beth Denberg provided vital information for your everyday life on </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All That</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. She even got the chance to continue her Nickelodeon fame on the panel show </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Figure It Out.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> She quickly graduated from Nick to the WB and landed a recurring role on </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Steve Harvey Show.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Then… not much. The last thing she did was crush Justin Long as the fat cheerleader in </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dodgeball</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, which came out in 2004. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Josh Server was on </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All That </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">from 1994-2000. That’s a pretty long time. After his stint on all that he was in a few more Nickelodeon projects like </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Amanda Show</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, and </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Drake & Josh</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. According to his </span><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/joshserver/status/103954858901643264"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Josh is currently working in real estate and spending a lot of time on OKCupid. </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-EXf73J6GmBnHIoG-DuRc8ft8BGYjzT8f5CmAVE7GLIuv1lQ1i9mYBV3pgCw3mDYPmI5qoH_WZGD8Rc5DlSSpu2XHjtYO6n068JhNVFhXSc9cWfx9VU" height="371px;" width="447px;" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Boy Meets World</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The “boy” of </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Boy Meets World</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Ben Savage had some big shoes to fill after his brother Fred stole America’s hearts in </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Wonder Years</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. After 7 years of playing Cory Matthews on </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Boy Meets World</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Savage went on to not really do much at all. He was in a few made-for-tv movies and most recently appeared on </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Chuck</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Without a Trace</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Savage also starred in a short called </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Closing Time</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> which screened at the HollyShorts Film Festival. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Will Friedle played Cory’s dimwitted older brother Eric on the show. Friedle has kept pretty busy in the last 11 years that </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Boy Meets World</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> has been off the air, lending his voice to popular cartoons like </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Batman Beyond</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">,</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Teen Titans</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Static Shock</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, and the newly rebooted </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thundercats</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> cartoon. Of course, I’ll always remember him for his role opposite Jennifer Love Hewitt in the 1997</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Trojan War</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, a movie in which he goes on an adventure to try and buy condoms. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rider Strong played Cory’s best friend from the wrong side of the tracks, Shawn. After </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Boy Meets World</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Strong starred in the cult horror/comedy</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Cabin Fever </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">directed by Eli Roth. Strong has also lent his voice to several of the same super hero shows as his old pal Will Friedle. He has also made television appearances on </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Castle</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bones</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Danielle Fishel played Topanga Lawrence, the love of Cory’s life. After </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Boy Meets World</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, she was mainly known for being the spokesperson for the NutriSystem diet. That is until she gained all of her weight back that she lost through the program. After that, Fishel hosted </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Dish</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> on the Style Network, which was a lot like </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Soup </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">except even less people watched it. Here’s something I just found out while researching his that doesn’t really apply to the topic, but should be noted: Danielle Fishel went to her high school prom with Lance Bass who came out in 2006. </span>Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-91881417590252562222011-10-31T08:30:00.001-05:002011-10-31T18:48:14.096-05:00Guest Post: The X-Files<span style="font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.5307900959362434" >In honor of Halloween, I present to you a post about something that scared me endlessly in my youth. The show scared me so much, in fact, that I could never bring myself to watch about it and hence could never do it justice writing about it. Luckily fellow blogger and X Files fan Kelly stepped up to the plate to bring you this comprehensive post complete with fun facts and trivia.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">About guest blogger Kelly, in her own words:</span> Being born in ‘83, I’m on the older end of the 90’s kid spectrum, but that just means I remember it better! I spent my high school years completely obsessed with Mulder and Scully and, as the proud owner of three separate X Files related tattoos, I still am. I keep a blog of my various misadventures </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:100%;" ><a href="http://tmooreinyourlife.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;" >here</span></a></span><span style="font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >, and you can find a crappie website I made in college<span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"> </span></span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);font-size:100%;" ><a href="http://www.angelfire.com/fm/ripratboy/crappie.html"><span style="font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;" >here</span></a></span><span style="font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;color:black;" >The X Files</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/hyMyWc-RyhWnE_V3CiaCnKmFxAecLioVxOcECMyu91Gj7Q21B_ZQq3BVdqQe8d894ruNvpj9r4D_I5OXYzahPsynwAnluyTGxPoqiK7HL7KKpveQwBU" width="505px;" height="382px;" /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Who of us raised in the 90’s can recall a prime time drama scarier or grosser than The X Files? In a pre-CSI landscape, it was surely in a class of its own. The story of two FBI agents, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, working the strange cases relegated to the basement and known as “X Files,” each for their own reasons and struggling against their own demons. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Without the dark example of The X Files, we may never have been able to witness such wonderful shows as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Reaper, Bones, or even the stomach turning sequences of CSI, on network TV. Plus, nothing else in pop culture has ever done so much for the word “debunk.”</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >As the defining aspect of my high school experience, I could write pages upon pages dedicated to the mythology and motifs of The X Files; where they came from, what they meant for society, and what they meant to me personally. (And trust me, I have!) However, for today’s purposes, I’ll break down a small sampling of elements and themes that exemplify the huge appeal of the show and the special brand of nostalgia Children of the 90’s is known for. Here we go!</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Paranoia, Conspiracies, and all things “Out There”</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" ><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mlZIVpVNgpI" allowfullscreen="" width="420" frameborder="0" height="315"></iframe></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >The 90’s were a prime time for pondering the story behind the story. In a decade that featured Oliver Stone’s conspiracy flick “JFK,” the birth of VH1’s “Behind the Music,”and numerous political scandals, the public was constantly looking for ways to find out what we weren’t being told.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >The X Files epitomized this. Mulder’s obsession with the fate of his sister, missing since she was 8 and he was 12, her abduction recalled only through spotty memories recovered under hypnosis, fueled his passion to solve each case that came to him. Young Agent Scully was assigned to accompany him, with direct orders to disprove and debunk his findings. Together, they introduced us to theories about far reaching government conspiracies, investigated urban legends, human monsters, and UFO sightings, and taught us that the skin tone of a Reticulan is actually grey, not green. You could not mention anything vaguely spooky or creepy in the 90’s without someone chiming in with the familiar first notes of The X Files opening theme.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Fabulous, Cutting-Edge Technology of the 90’s</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/wYr8EWVY9haf0x32rcDkhr7o7mfka-6w7ky_bfV4Bb6uoFiWWCTOH37GTHWovKA1eh5V2i31psiDObsWMVPosx8wx-znfsc818D3cr5jKUnboU6GHE8" width="524px;" height="397px;" /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >A hallmark of the series were the two agent’s ever present cell phones. A wonderful tool to keep the agents connected while in separate places, the models featured in early episodes are now comically enormous. Note the antenna on Scully’s cell piece above. Also, there’s no touch screen when she turns that bad boy over!</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Another technological phenomenon central to The X Files was the internet. Not only did the plot lines of several episodes feature the internet, computers, or video games, fans of The X Files are widely recognized as some of the first to embrace the medium as an outlet for fandom. “X Philes,” as they dubbed themselves, took to chat rooms and online forums in record breaking numbers to discuss their favorite show and post original pieces of fanfic.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Additionally, The X Files was featured in a first person, CD-ROM game for MAC and PC. In the game, you were a new agent saddled not only with the task of finding the missing Mulder and Scully, but changing the CD as you progressed.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Catch Phrases </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >What would a 90’s show be without ubiquitous catch-phrases? The X Files certainly had it’s share of mostly serious expressions. I defy you to hear any of the below without immediately hearing the theme music!</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >I Want to Believe</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >The Truth is Out There</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Trust No One</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Deny Everything</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Of course, the most fun catch-phrases are the unintentional. I present to you “Mulder, it’s me.”</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" ><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vXWcWhfEmqI" allowfullscreen="" width="420" frameborder="0" height="315"></iframe></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Guest Stars and Crossovers</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Casting nine seasons worth of an hour long drama with relatively few recurring characters is sure to result in quite a roster. The X Files definitely had it’s share of recognizable guest stars, (Ed Asner, Lily Tomlin, Tony Shaloub, Peter Boyle, Luke Wilson, Bryan Cranston, and even Tom Selleck, to name a few) but was probably more notable for the bit parts played by relatively unknown actors. It’s a list that could go on for pages, but here are few of the highlights. Look up their episodes to catch a glimpse of these famous faces early in their careers!<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/HLdEhlnxWzIlv0KVu6fRng76cUahzFTvwa8ongStZ8BLURRNFIllvO5HbXR1Y4giuZDxNhFODz99F9JAOpQPl3h-hxXSZ7dT0nuCWw3KowQ7kwCmKqc" width="600px;" height="480px;" /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Seth Green - As a stoner with a scooter in the second episode of the series. And, no, I don’t know why Mulder is standing like that.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Ryan Reynolds - As a high school hunk murdered by a pair of girls with telekinetic powers in the episode “Syzygy”</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Michael Buble - Yes, Michael Buble. As a submarine sailor with no speaking lines in “Apocrypha” and “Piper Maru.”</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Lucy Liu - As the daughter of a Chinese immigrant caught in a black market lottery for human organs in “Hell Money.”</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Jack Black and Giovanni Ribisi - As a teen with the ability to control electricity (Ribisi) and his friend (Black) who mysteriously winds up electrocuted in “D.P.O.”</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Willie Garson - The erstwhile Stanford Blatch was actually in two episodes of The X Files as two different characters, first in season 3’s “The Walk” and then in season 7’s “The Goldberg Variation.” </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Shia LaBeouf - Along with Willie Garson in “The Goldberg Variation.”</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >The X Files also participated in the grand TV tradition of crossover appearances. Detective Munch from Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order:SVU stopped by to arrest Mulder and his pals, the Lone Gunmen, in a flashback episode. Frank Black of Millennium came over to assist Mulder and Scully with a time sensitive New Year’s Eve case. And Mulder and Scully even made a detour through Springfield to help solve the mystery of an “alien” appearing in the woods on the edge of town. (Spoiler, it was Mr. Burns suffering the side effects of a radical anti-aging treatment performed by Dr. Nick!)</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/gsA2gNJUjoFglY88qHTiX3wohrjw6PgNfCywkpjk3UPtoNJTIPKyY_fwd9seuiPUuIl9STehlyPz2lgAHZn3Mn3uHWBbZ4_qR6oMEhy6zOO-PC6nSug" width="437px;" height="340px;" /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Like I said, these are just a few of the things that made The X Files memorable and totally 90’s. Until next time, remember, the truth is out there!</span>Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-25418405887380246172011-10-24T08:05:00.000-05:002011-10-24T08:05:00.765-05:00Guest Post: Adolescent Ingenues of the 90s<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7591059854275771"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">About guest poster Kari, in her own words: I’m a 90s kid hailing from the suburban South and living in New York City. I frequently prefer kid’s movies, often watch Saturday morning cartoons, always enjoy nostalgia, and determinedly refuse to grow up for good. You can visit me on </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://karijetaime.tumblr.com/"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Tumblr</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, and I also write a </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.fiveboroughbooks.com/"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">book blog</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There was just something about certain actresses of 90s movies; they seemed to pop up in </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">everything</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (kinda like the klepto kid from </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Can’t Hardly Wait</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, who was also the pube pizza kid from </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">She’s All That</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, and also in </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">American Pie</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). These ladies were the ones I wanted to be—maybe because they rocked awesome kicks, hats, and had great hair, but most likely because they were individuals. They were a little bit quirky but entirely confident with themselves. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You’ll be pleased to know that most of our adolescent ingenues are still in the acting world, though most of them have gone more of the indie flick route (just further evidence that these 90s ingenues were destined for great things beyond the dreaded child actor stigma). Your individualism has paid off—you’re no longer just “former child stars”!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/uzV6H803pOVrqaNTcqcwucsB9o6H3C5YP5V_h7d0PqATHydDXmdLjNQJ-_36PHmYETscdaEooWZbkjRf2aa_CB_Z5iR6tdYDcXvlyOjLw4iziDURb70" width="500px;" height="300px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Anna Chlumsky</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Oh my god, what I would’ve done to be Vada Sultenfuss in </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My Girl 2</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. (For some reason, always liked that one better than the first. Inexplicable.) I can’t even count how many cheap mood rings I bought after those two movies and how much of an internal struggle I had about flowery 1970s hats (I was a huge tomboy, yet she just looked so damn cool...). Beyond the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My Girl</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> flicks, Anna also starred in </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Trading Mom</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> with fellow ingenue Christina Ricci (two movies my mom rented for me on sick days). Anna took almost a decade off from acting after 1998 to attend college (International Studies), get married, and apparently be a woman of all trades (food critic, restaurant guide, editorial assistant). She’s back to acting, though, with several recent indie movies and lots of TV roles.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/q7_T8MtouOZSajHmhg3H7qj2Mnwx-5oOUxGYI-dlO_AFZlVgVsbkdd5hhULnWGN4cvPjWI_Vn1UymCKg1qTtqIl_A6ike6B7TebF2PhNKmJ-PftHHig" width="500px;" height="300px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thora Birch</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Never have I wanted anything as badly as I wanted a pet monkey, thanks to the movie </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Monkey Trouble</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. (I also desperately wanted a copy of that movie, and pre-Amazon.com, it was incredibly hard to find. I never got it.) And lest we forget Thora’s best and most memorable role as Dani in </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hocus Pocus</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. (This assertion is not up for debate.) Thora’s early acting also included </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now & Then</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Alaska</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. In 1999, she made a swift move to adult roles with </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">American Beauty</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, and she’s steadily done indie flicks since (most notably </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ghost World</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/YERWJbqyWXVgihH3qjeVWgGvZglx_nqDB01w8QTg7DgDhnBPUCYNESnGFr1wfms-uF9mRSVY_fz8Mor31Ox7RqjNCoa_CiY7mwZkuLLHEeeSFtcx9WI" width="500px;" height="300px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gaby Hoffmann</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I never really knew Gaby Hoffmann until </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now & Then</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (where she and Demi Moore were most perfectly cast), but since then, I’ve seen her pop up in a ton of stuff made prior. Who knew that wasn’t her break-out role? (Me.) She started her career with </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Field of Dreams</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uncle Buck</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, and </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sleepless in Seattle</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, and starred in </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All I Wanna Do</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (total underrated late 90s teen flick starring lots of the up-and-coming famous females of the late 90s/early 00s—Kristen Dunst, Rachel Leigh Cook, Monica Keena, Heather Matarazzo...) before joining fellow ingenue Christina Ricci in 1999’s </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">200 Cigarettes</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (again, end of child roles). Lately, she’s done some guest-starring TV roles and has several new indie movies under her belt.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7cxSznM6Afe7hTkGD1iyjffo0vd6i8F7uvAtXxiDD0RrYaOBuLdgSYK4Iv97CKVd-ItaMVC2DAN1POl1GS0KeZ4dmYxi42vP7RAIr7BcCnqv91GZ4RM" width="500px;" height="300px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Christina Ricci</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Christina was the “It girl” of the early to mid-90s, with a breakout role in </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Mermaids</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> to her pre-teen roles in flicks like </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Addams Family</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and its sequel, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Casper</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now & Then</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, and the 1997 version of </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That Darn Cat</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Just one year later, in 1998, Christina officially ended her career as “child actor” with </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Opposite of Sex</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">—a poignant moment I remember in the video store when I saw her sporting blonde hair and cleavage, and thinking, “That’s it—my childhood is dead.” Christina’s had arguably the most well-known career of our ingenues throughout the past twenty years, leading most recently to ABC’s new series </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pan Am</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**HONORABLE MENTIONS**</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/AfeAoCm0C6buA4PK-a5coAN_W9FFaWOnKV2xECvEc_BwBgAL7AHiMnttAKho3rKtiAIqp9-5GwvQj_no0RetJvI34e5WRsKNI0AFFh0Yh3nA0d-urAo" width="500px;" height="300px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tina Majorino</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Who could forget the adorable girl from </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Andre</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Corrina, Corrina</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (which were released, in my mind, at exactly the same time)? Tina’s childhood career wasn’t quite as notorious as the previous four ladies, but she was a familiar face. You probably remember her now from </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Napoleon Dynamite</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">; I bet every 90s kid’s reaction to that movie was: “She looks familiar...” Tina has done lots of TV acting since </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Napoleon</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, most famously on </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Veronica Mars</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Big Love</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/yDCBMn8cH_QdGRe2V1cLi_TsESTrAQwuHV8SGA2Dlk0i32teC982QtqFLn7WqYgAfVzCxQ16iLMC2TOMt_JK3z2bnioERWIzyqHttlDOROvGNyhkGJ4" width="500px;" height="300px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Anna Paquin</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I give Anna Paquin an honorable mention for this reason: I always thought she was one of these ingenues that appeared in everything mid-90s, but when I recently checked her creds, I realized...wow, she wasn’t in as much as I thought. Yet, I DO remember her and associate her with these 90s childhood flicks, so that must mean something. While her official breakout role was in 1993’s </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Piano</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, her breakout role to OUR generation was in 1996’s </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Fly Away Home</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. The next really memorable role of hers was as Freddie Prinze Jr’s goth-chic sister in </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">She’s All That</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, which led her to more teen/adult roles in </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Almost Famous</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">X-Men</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> flicks, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Squid and the Whale</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, and...her current claim to fame...HBO’s </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">True Blood</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As you can see, no troubled former childhood stars from this group of girls. Further evidence that 90s kids are the best kids.</span>Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-41813173294082314612011-10-10T07:15:00.000-05:002011-10-10T07:16:54.638-05:00Guest Post: TOP FIVE: PRE-TEEN GIRL SERIES FROM THE 90s<p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" id="internal-source-marker_0.6443037679591286"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">About guest poster Megan: </span>I'm a bookworm, aspiring author, daydreamer and music lover from Adelaide, Australia. <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I blog about my obsession for books at Storybook Love Affair (link to </span><a href="http://storybookloveaffair.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://storybookloveaffair.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) where I share reviews, reading and writing events, author interviews and bookish products. </span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Blog link - </span><a href="http://storybookloveaffair.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://storybookloveaffair.blogspot.com/</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Facebook link - </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Storybook-Love-Affair/148548541901670"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.facebook.com/pages/Storybook-Love-Affair/148548541901670</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Twitter link - </span><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/search/storyloveaffair"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://twitter.com/#!/search/storyloveaffair</span></a></p><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/search/storyloveaffair"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></a><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">From a very young age I have always loved to read. Remembering back to my youth, many of the books I devoured were part of a series. I did read the occasional stand-alone novel as well but it’s always the series books that hold the fondest memories for me and transport me back to a period I would love to revisit. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Luckily for me, I get to journey back to those years with this very fun guest post! </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here are the top five series that occupied much of my reading time while growing up in the 90s:</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. Sweet Valley High</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Love them or loathe them, sixteen year old twin sisters Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield were a huge part of my life growing up. Unless you had also read the series, it probably wouldn’t hold any appeal to you, but for me the series has an intense nostalgic appeal. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The twins live in a town called Sweet Valley and are described as picture-perfect in every way, from their blonde hair, blue eyes, size six figures and All-American good looks. They are the popular students at Sweet Valley High where Elizabeth is the serious twin who writes for the school newspaper, and Jessica is the fun-loving cheerleader who flirts with boys and loves to party. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Life in Sweet Valley isn’t always idyllic though and between them the twins have been kidnapped, stalked, held hostage and attacked multiple times. Amazingly, through all this emotional drama they were never affected by anything and always managed to bounce right back into life with enthusiastic zest. As you do...</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The books have been criticised for their unrealistic portrayal of teenage life and also for the lack of cultural diversity within the stories. Most characters come from privileged white backgrounds, have no zits or other typical teenage body issues, manage to have loads of cash without part-time jobs and drive cars that not even forty-something professional men could afford. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Although containing many inconsistencies (how can the same girls be 16 years old for 15 odd years??), the storylines in the early parts of the series were a whole lot of fun. They featured around the twins and their friends and often held a moral significance behind the story such as drug use and drink driving. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Later on in the series though the storylines became extremely ridiculous (I remember one in particular where somebody became so obsessed with the twins’ mother Alice that they tried to steal her face through a transplant?!). </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The early books were definitely worth reading - it was fun to escape into the world of Sweet Valley and immerse myself in the quintessential American high school life. But the later books deserve a miss - unlike the vampire craze currently sweeping the world, these stories were boringly unrealistic. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Pg2HErBRYD0hHXvmVCkIaSQ3os_hmvyypxrUVm6zkCi1nKQB8C60_gdG-7IBV-v2mGu7PmJIsh4aLluXDUDUDrP3ojaDdAD1cKPmvJdnpWGTNNSqKas" width="300px;" height="500px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2. Girl Talk</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This was a series for teenage girls telling the school adventures of four American teenagers (Sabrina, Katie, Randy and Alison) in junior high school. The series produced a range of spin-off products including a board game and special edition books. I had the board game and absolutely loved it! </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The books were known for one chapter being devoted to phone call conversations between the girls as well as offering descriptions of the hilarious 90s fashion they wore at the time (remember happy pants anyone?). </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The books were written in the first person narrative with each character taking turns. Many of the books focused on the rivalry between the girls and another group of girls - Stacy the Great (the Principal’s daughter), Eva, B.Z and Laurel. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I loved reading </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Girl Talk</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> simply because of the focus on friendship it had. The girls were such good friends and retrospectively thinking they were probably A LOT more mature than the average 13 year old in real life, but despite this they represented positive role models to all girls, particularly in terms of their relationships with their friends. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/oaixxdcfOVgBtDde4NTiTEdR3JSnv2vmDsTsT-G1DcpoLd5SMWBg-h1C_b0MJU8tfp9jKAziTRWYR5Pv0uu86RRFvg9q69vnTzWBfFIMwNBwM6IfKUQ" width="278px;" height="400px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3. Nancy Drew</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I started to read </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Nancy Drew</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> books after another old mystery series I liked called </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meg </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">had ended (after only the sixth book!). </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Nancy Drew is a young amateur detective who loves nothing more than to solve a mystery. There’s over 100 books in the complete series, and although I didn’t finish every one of them, someday I hope that I can! </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The books first appeared in 1930 and the character has evolved over the years to suit America’s changing cultural tastes. But despite numerous changes, she’s always been depicted as wealthy, attractive and amazingly talented. Apparently this is the norm for preteen characterisation. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I guess the aspect that made Nancy so likable to girls was her ability to have traditionally feminine attributes such as good looks and a variety of clothes while at the same time encompassing traditionally male traits such as having the freedom and money to do as she pleases and living to solve mysteries rather than participating in family life. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In essence she was a contradiction, which made her all the more intriguing and ironically a bit of a mystery herself. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/5HxL3mR0bmNsRjJXLAHd-EBm32xjMEkjEWQ8xmGiaY55_1tSq7f6QFdKLoeY8k2kldxiHeB9vy68-q3jDVPBP1unGFKPnK68uwfMNtpBvvtT1RhsbDY" width="275px;" height="397px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4. The Baby-Sitters Club</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I wasn’t as into </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Baby-Sitters Club </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">as I was the other three series mentioned above. However, I did spend a lot of time reading the books and I think I came pretty close to completing the whole set. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The series is about a group of middle school students who run their own baby-sitting club. The members of the club are all best friends, however they go through numerous conflicts throughout the stories. The books came in many different versions including super specials and mysteries. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I remember swapping the books with other kids in my neighbourhood when I was young and we even tried to set up our own baby-sitters club at one point. Not surprisingly, our own club didn’t work out quite as well as the club in the books. Turns out parents were appalled at the idea of us (just babies ourselves) trying to take care of their kids! Oh the nerve...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/LsOeVb5AWPYtiWrxD_igXPYemriBfD7cj91ZKHH4R9PmxaOZK4UTFa2v65lbk78auoFI5aoS1LoksDfGknkXR9lBnRzMx2BClWUCE523XsCf6_BXGIs" width="347px;" height="500px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5. V.C Andews - The Dollanganger Series</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Flowers in the Attic</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> was one of my absolute favourite books growing up. The five books in the series focus on the Dollanganger children who are imprisoned in an attic by their mother and monstrous grandmother. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The first book </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Flowers in the Attic</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> tells of their incarceration and subsequent escape while the rest of the novels pick up the story after their escape. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The V.C Andrews Series books have copped a lot of flack over the years for being trashy. I certainly wouldn’t describe them in this category though. To me they are a combination of a brilliant gothic horror and family saga genre. The novels are famous for their family secrets and forbidden love (frequently involving scenes of consensual incest between a brother and a sister). It still amazes me today that these books are actually aimed at a younger audience. The themes are so remotely adult and have even been quite controversial over the years leading to the book </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Flowers in the Attic</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> actually getting banned at one point from schools. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The storyline presents a shocking portrayal of child abuse and is at times very dark and extremely sad. The series truly is a gripping read though and offers an extreme example of the influence of money and how the pursuit of it inevitably always ends in nasty greed. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/K_oAsuBalk9zUgLegyXFWRRFIJkzflFKpUw7YiKOUBeYE8M1_m9YFbUECIo9iAUSRwSbyijSGi7F_vWaLtygJsjL3_fT5z79ZTrsYQJCLh1f0aad89o" width="325px;" height="560px;" />Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-70096459236561153392011-10-03T08:02:00.002-05:002011-10-03T08:02:00.322-05:00Guest Blog: 90s Cartoon Network Classics<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/ieMJYJTzcRmpADuDuJUL3DOe1vnyoo4NJSwvc_Mr2oXmISqAuUFWfSXCXkqY0m2LG0hG52ezlJktwHiOQdCnseRnWIdXVMbs_itzmoKKAOKbA_pD80g" id="internal-source-marker_0.26704904976021215" width="607px;" height="178px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Standing in for your regular blogger, I am Nick, otherwise known as Blogging Nickster. You can catch my blog, </span><a href="http://unofficialcedarpointblog.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">The Unofficial Cedar Point Blog</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, which is a blog all about the world-class amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio! You can also follow me on </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/NicksterBlogs"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and like </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Unofficial-Cedar-Point-Blog/193089300711278"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">my blog’s Facebook page</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">! </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As a kid in the latter half of the 1990’s, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon ruled my weeknights. Johnny Bravo, the Angry Beavers, Rugrats, and Dexter’s Laboratory ruled the land of cartoons, before the world of Spongebob-reruns and cheap knock-offs of the classics. Although both networks were amazing at the time, Children of the 90’s has sort of neglected Cartoon Network shows. To solve this, as a guest blogger, I will be peering into the fascinating cartoons that used to roam Cartoon Network in the mid-to late 1990’s. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dexter’s Laboratory</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Ms5UBsCudNuwbUFwWMK-ULHTzOsKDiby9vypjUBfbVxqbbw4VhKrZZb1pR6s3C_mMFHwV2NAPwna1zPbmNSt4xtNJ_4C-W-10LFwYJKtP9eojzrLebI" width="320px;" height="240px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The theme song was scary; the main character was a tiny carrot-top; and the protagonist was </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">extremely</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> annoying. What other cartoon could that be besides Dexter’s Laboratory? In a nutshell, the show was about an extremely short kid with a giant laboratory somehow shoved into his family’s standard two-story house.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Dexter’s parents were so stereotypical that it almost made me sick: a businessman dad and a stay at home mom, complete with an everyday outfit of an apron and yellow rubber gloves. However, Dexter’s sister, Dee Dee, was quite… um… different. Dee Dee had really long legs, with these giant combat boot-like feet that would make a funny </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">stomp</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> noise as she stumbled about. To this day, I still don’t know how that girl could even pick her feet up!</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Og3K6160RUYBgJl0ezuotivxGVdhSQG6NU3EQGfHAmLZfKCs6ejb8zfoiraG1gDCaNp3lUX3Yh2owezN8pvPoAcw2Fuj_iaFQ3Bpmob-ctTBis-MkJw" width="153px;" height="191px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Mandark was this annoying enemy of Dexter that also created his own secret laboratory, too. (I’m sorry, but there really only needs to be one mad scientist per town…) But anyway, Mandark inherited the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">worst</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> laugh in history. It was this high-pitched, pinched “Mwuhahaha, mwuhahaha, mwuhahaha, mwuahahaha!” (See video below to remember the annoyance!)</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7bjqbaybF3A" allowfullscreen="" width="600" frameborder="0" height="437"></iframe></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In between each episode, these little segments would pop up called “Justice League” and “Dial M for Monkey.” Both of the segments annoyed me. I didn’t really care about this stupid monkey that had superpowers; I thought it was a dumb idea. The Justice League bit was just as bad. I just wanted to get back to watching Dexter!</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cow and Chicken<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pG-wOSlbs9yHuzDn6rmMKYnRKEtk2lTf7c95Ui6Nu7oYO9JjDmbcu4zag_lZ1fWclkK9upFXduodirgZSi1AP8W6Cdn0mokt7CQ_fqYpXKB02UWp90M" width="171px;" height="194px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">By far, the most bizarre (Hey, that rhymed!) cartoon on the network was Cow and Chicken. Amazingly, two humans managed to produce a cow and chicken as children, creatively named Cow and Chicken.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We never really got to see the upper halves of Cow and Chicken’s parents, but there was obviously something genetically wrong with one of them. They both must have some recessive traits that were lining up somewhere, or their upper halves were </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">extremely </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">screwed up...</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Powerpuff Girls</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/xakAPPlb1Zu_COXi6_6MrW5PkhWpGfaOZszhJjArqsnMqf4LrCa2c1HUXXPFY4cXGUNaLC9WbcSlexMrqwoYn_i0_4iAs22VbjbhIy1D1pH-XFxSxtA" width="283px;" height="233px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Growing up, my older cousin’s favorite show was The Powerpuff Girls, and I never wanted to watch it because the show was centered on three </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">girls. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And, as we all know, girls have the dreaded </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">cooties, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and these three girls were especially toxic because they were created with “sugar and spice and everything nice.”</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But, once the cooties phase ended, I caught an episode or two of the Powerpuff Girls, and was automatically scared of Mojo Jojo. He just… looked so… evil! I had a nightmare after I watched my first episode of the Powerpuff Girls involving Mojo Jojo pushing me into this mysterious fire-filled pit. I hated tly monkey-looking thing. And I never understood that hat/helmet thing he wore. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Just now, during a little research, I found out that Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup were kindergartens! They could really kick butt for kindergarteners, now that I think about it!</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Courage the Cowardly Dog<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/NYGuC5joHoGksM8_l8CrIWVnDl_gwzdO6iB9gy7kcxYYoeZHABt0uTto7yQCa_3E-GTI7LPelMmV0n3tHkjHcJLXPClz958_vt3M3ZbgrXACPUmEMuw" width="425px;" height="326px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ah, the pink little puppy: one of my favorite Cartoon Network shows. Sure, it could really scare me out of my mind sometimes, but nowhere near Mojo Jojo, somehow. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So pretty much, in every episode, some sort of weird monster or creature attacked Courage and his elderly owners, Eustace and Muriel. My personal favorite of the creepers that showed up was Katz the Cat, a homicidal red cat that cooked up several schemes to kill or manipulate Muriel and Eustace, such as a spa that turned Muriel into a washing machine and Eustace into a wrecking ball. Freaky Fred, Muriel’s nephew with an obsession with shaving heads, was another notable and scary villain. Let’s just he was very “</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">naaaaaaaawtieee</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">,” as he would say.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Johnny Bravo<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Y42RImCqvEI787iElp40DrYYCc5naGbtfyEm8Ty_GYrhLfM-_LUa-Wib2VLFybrS3nH8vAYSCFfHzxhxwpdtYmABZCcSWUJ4nXtp371aQPu-RuGLM6k" width="148px;" height="170px;" /><br /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Johnny Bravo… I’m not even sure how to describe this cartoon. There was a big blonde guy that really wasn’t all that bright, and he still lived with his “</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Mommmaaaah</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">,” as he said in an Elvis Presley-like tone. That’s about all you need to know. It was a primarily simple idea...</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2 Stupid Dogs</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/eCp-Duiu6EU" allowfullscreen="" width="600" frameborder="0" height="437"></iframe></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Believe it or not, the theme song was probably the most complex part of the show...</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The short-lived 2 Stupid Dogs was amazing show about… two stupid dogs. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t the most creative name. Although we never knew their names, the dogs were a dachshund and a type of shepherd dog. The bigger shepherd dog had a low-pitched, unenergetic voice (which was actually Brad Garrett voicing him!) that was the complete opposite of his dachshund counterpart.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">About the only episode I remember watching was when the dogs had to swim across this ridiculously large ocean, and somehow ended up at the San Andres fault line. I’m not really sure what happened after they reached the fault line, because my dad took the remote! (Didn’t you hate when your parents did that!?)</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Technically, the show is a way toned-down version of fellow 1990’s cartoon “The Ren and Stimpy Show.”</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Mike, Lu, and Og<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/2PbItA0Vt95f0zEu9VhvAnQdu4QG6TJNM3kXpyJb9S5uesEXM6CTtmhCBeatG8WTxfegWrnmqPMh2GbgLHCWyWeAtIxqZR2rflHDZo2QL4XIkv5yCRk" width="198px;" height="201px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The adventures of Mike, Lu, and Og always confused me. How did they get on that cool island? Why is only Mike wearing “normal” cl</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">othes? Why was Lu such a brat? And what is a wombat?</span><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Well, I found out that Lu and Og were cousins, and inhabitants on the island, but Mike landed on the island after being asked to be an exchange student. In the issue with Lu’s problem with being a brat, she’s the governor of the island’s daughter, so </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">naturally </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">she believes that she is the princess of the island. She even had a turtle named Lancelot, and she tortured that poor thing. And according to Wikipedia, Lancelot is actually a girl! </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Whoa!</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Finally, a wombat is some sort of weird squirrel-looking animal. There’s everything you need to know about Mike, Lu, and Og!</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Overall, Cartoon Network was great back in the day. But nowadays, they hardly even show cartoons anymore! I mean, with a name like CARTOON Network, you’d think that they’d show CARTOONS! But, just like Nickelodeon, it will go down in the books as a “</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">used-to-be</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> cool and original” television network.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I miss the 90’s. (insert sad face here)</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span>Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-84936177811901379352011-09-21T07:18:00.002-05:002011-09-21T07:20:41.611-05:00Please Excuse this Interruption from Your Regularly Scheduled 90sYou may have noticed I've been a little MIA lately. I appreciate all the guest bloggers pitching in to help (If you're interested in writing a guest blog, please email me at childrenofthe90s@gmail.com!)<br /><br />Right now I'm knee-deep in wedding planning and haven't had much time to tend to the world of nostalgia. I'm taking more applications for guest bloggers for now! I promise I will be back once things settle down a bit. Thanks for understanding, 90s fans.Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-76722472007071182632011-09-12T08:01:00.000-05:002011-09-12T08:01:00.064-05:00Guest Post: 90s Hearthrobs<span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.3543744296850212">When Ginger of </span><a href="http://www.tasteofgingerblog.com/"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Taste of Ginger</span></a><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">came to me with this idea for a blog, I jumped at opportunity. Why? Because I’m pretty sure every one of these BOP magazine spreads graced my walls at some point during my preteen years. The memories...Oh, the memories!</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Be sure to check out Ginger’s blog and follow her there as well for more great posts.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">About </span><a href="http://www.ginger-pennington.com/"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Ginger Pennington</span></a><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: I’m a broke-ass dilettante artist living in L.A. I </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2740967/"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">act</span></a><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, I write at least something every day, I sing, play instruments, and paint. Sometimes some of that is good. If any of this interests you, check out my blog, </span><a href="http://www.tasteofgingerblog.com/"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Taste of Ginger</span></a><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Heartthrobs of the 90s: Who's Still Pin-up Worthy?</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If you were a straight, white, American teen or preteen gal (the word "tween" didn't exist) in the 90s, your bedroom walls were likely covered with a pin-up selection from </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bop</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">BB</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (formerly known as </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Big Bopper</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">), </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tiger</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Beat</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">J14</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, or some equally trashy rag that pedaled one commodity only: teenage white boy actors with thick hair dangling in their squinty eyes.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/N-YqVWZikfV5ezTEVWHhWs5W07yu9zXu7qj-z4_YeM8vbrZyZAkxixxZyyFNOykiZLWTsITBjJxAdfBJD-lCV1hAc0FqKljJPDSp-Y79C3QOkE0eU7E" width="242px;" height="338px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the mid-nineties, the shaggy hair was the only prerequisite for my own easily-won lust, but as I got older and grew a brain, my requirements got more rigid for male objects of desire. However, as you shall see, the life trajectories of these teen heartthrobs have taken many turns on their way to manhood. Here is my top ten list of middle school crushes, now re-ordered based on how crush-worthy they are as of 2011, according to</span><a href="http://www.ginger-pennington.com/"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(33, 54, 87); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">my</span></a><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> adult opinion. (I wish I could have compiled an even more comprehensive list of my nineties crushes, but that would take months! You may be wondering why certain gentlemen are notably absent from this list --Mark-Paul Gossaler, Ethan Embrey, Jared Leto-- and that's because they're still on your radar. I hope to bring back some less obvious old memories. Enjoy!) </span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. Jonathan Taylor Thomas</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/agumZmvrkckYORxRiLSbIMYFnwQaoyia4o6F7uWUHD2pHsx1MUzWtYRZ5oC5pSKmao1LhGKIMFmjyrpgQKiUezEJD5YqCyPSbE4NAK_ijG6wd7hMHNU" width="264px;" height="375px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Though he loathed the nickname, he was known as J.T.T. back in the day when he showed up on </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Home Improvement</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> for mere minutes per episode as Randy Taylor, the middle son. He also appeared, to my delight, in movies such as </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tom and Huck</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Man of the House</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, and his blue eyes and raspy voice (the voice of Simba from </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Lion King</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, even!) made him the number one object of my affection. He is still number one today, mainly because he is the one guy on the list who has checked out of Hollywood in favor of being happy and enjoying life in (rumor has it) Vancouver, Canada. Aside from an interview with </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Advocate</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in 2000 deflecting some gay rumors and a short film in 2005, he has been M.I.A. He reportedly attended Columbia University and now goes by his birth name, Jonathan Taylor Weiss. Sounds like success to me.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2. Joey Lawrence</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I had this exact photo, from his cassette tape, taped to the head of my bed in fifth grade. Of course you all remember him from </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Blossom</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> ("Whoa!"), but if you weren't lucky enough to be a fan of his short-lived music career, you were missing out. Please fill yourself in by watching</span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7FtI3cmZ38"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(33, 54, 87); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">this video</span></a><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> of "Nothin' My Love Can't Fix" -- and stick around for the rap at the end; you'll be glad you did.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/ubYTL6O7wj--NcvB6WzOOGzhU4d8TOse3SRkqZeIdKDp1iAmtNL-TFQouS5selDi1GM2cDkncxZj_VIjElI1rAHBM3y8XkBcuysBg8SG-We6RywJwmk" width="500px;" height="500px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As you may have noticed, he is no longer big on the music scene. But as acting goes, Mr. Lawrence can't complain these days: he is rockin' the bald-by-choice look (how I miss that hair!) and starring on a sit-com, </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Melissa & Joey</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, which will return in 2012. He's also filming some movies as we speak. Not bad, Joseph. (Oh yeah, he now goes by Joseph.)</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3. Rider Strong</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Corey's hot friend Shawn from </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Boy Meets World</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> was such a cliche crush for the girls who watched the TGIF lineup on ABC Friday nights. He was sensitive, yet from the wrong side of the tracks, and if there's one thing that 90s girls liked more than hair in the eyes, it was a tortured soul.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/E-N57yS_FNO7FYtVE1J7n1Vfi2Ij22Fk263af-bxknJBGv_w_qIL1hd1juDH4LCfkbvuvVRvI118AIzThJWX7_g5SO4j5EUnqcPOnOnJBUoEtJCep1I" width="222px;" height="227px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rider, like Shawn, is a poet (apparently published, too), and these days, he's still acting and even directing a new short film about Dungeons and Dragons. He was recently interviewed by Vanity Fair for their "</span><a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars/2011/05/25-questions-for-boy-meets-worlds-rider-strong"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(33, 54, 87); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">25 Questions</span></a><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">" section, and not only does he seem like a normal, talented guy, he's also still quite fine.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4. Will Friedle</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He couldn't have been more adorable as the dopey Eric Matthews in </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Boy Meets World</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/RHYIamX_C14rVvA8tQBnP9gtyXRZ5LspoqVSubeHXxI-2UNY67coYcjId2diiBKa__9-9m594CbyQiRjG5slniychrBy__83AWPjNVc22BuDpilMeqw" width="226px;" height="270px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">These days, his looks may have waned a little, but he is likely rollin' in the dough and probably the personality, too. He is a successful voiceover artist for many cartoons, as you can see on</span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0295115/"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(33, 54, 87); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">his IMDB</span></a><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> page. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5. Andrew Keegan</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He was never quite my type when he appeared in the teeny-bopper magazines and popped up on TV shows and </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ten Things I Hate About You</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, but, wow, look at him now!</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/IDLq4ykZjBZ62coIQK62683yVp1Dcl-KYYNhEiWeJgMhJrhk2c0zyE4qZfYl1HsA-Ilu167kwCzSzvA1N4MXNjEVxiVQ2vxV090Dnr_9gQAQLUef1Oc" width="214px;" height="314px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Though he apparently had a recent run-in with the cops over a very loud party, he is still working here and there in acting, and I can tell you firsthand that he is keeping in shape: I've seen him with my own two eyes, jogging on the bike path in Marina del Rey. Yum.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6. Devon Sawa</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There was a period of time where every other sentence in my diary sung the praises of this snaggletoothed stud. The last ten minutes of </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Casper</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, when the ghost becomes a real boy, were worth the wait for me. I would listen to the song "Remember Me This Way" by Jordan Hill (how do I still remember the name of that?) and fantasize about Devon dancing with </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">me</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in an old haunted house. </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Little Giants</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> was obviously a treat, but the best clip to my perverted young mind was in </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now and Then</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, when the Wormer brothers are skinny-dipping in the lake and the girls steal their clothes. I wore out the rewind button on that one.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/LU0FGw6YoL1ZPp0so8dHhaZ0tzYlNwQHNNu-96YeasItqiIEm2nnlLWbVQWsgDF9PzsCcT3j9NVpEwUEG2MsYODxu3BkjZVKTr_S0GhvMjxIF1lyrCI" width="423px;" height="478px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I'm sad not to be able to put Devon more toward the top of the list. I've actually run into him at least three times in Santa Monica -- we're neighbors! -- and he is</span><a href="http://perezhilton.com/2011-08-11-devon-sawa-final-destination-five-red-carpet"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(33, 54, 87); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">still fly</span></a><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and still working on movies and TV, but after hearing about his</span><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20070203172216/http://www.justicemag.com/daily/item/1796.html"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(33, 54, 87); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">criminal record</span></a><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, I couldn't rightly call him a catch anymore.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">7. Jonathan Jackson</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I loved that movie </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Camp Nowhere</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. This kid was a cool little renegade. And he grew up to be one of the best-looking dudes out of the bunch.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/bLrMBWLB8tnqwcg3u7_enIQZT6PLy90ENo1A4jKIHZYoca9z3TCULHQ5E7qlCRCWswsnJFI00vpiSEpP0ZbM4q6oiHp30aiEfHlWsCMCb0_QtsphS7A" width="214px;" height="314px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I never watched </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">General Hospital</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, but apparently he is still playing the role of Lucky after all these years. He's hot and doing well! Too bad he's a republican. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">8. Brad Renfro</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Not only was he sexy, he was infinitely cool. I remember him from </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Cure</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tom and Huck</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, but he had many more high-profile roles over the years. </span><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/tMgQsgef1Zt1yc-_OjceBCKeQ2b__Y2HYvLz5aNLXToRQFy55hERzokqkhiJqGGbGvtBXiYR5uf_2tNzxXYTFFc0BFPVp0FLNJGe58JT3n1xmiHJLbU" width="240px;" height="357px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He died of a heroin overdose at 25, but recently, his name has been resurrected by James Franco, who costarred with him in Deuces Wild. As an art piece, Franco installed a</span><a href="http://justjared.buzznet.com/2011/06/10/james-franco-brad-renfro-billboard-tribute/"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(33, 54, 87); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">billboard</span></a><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> on Sunset Boulevard that says "Brad Renfro Forever." I guess I'll have to transfer my affections to James Franco; they do kind of look alike.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9. Eddie Furlong</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This kid had the best rock-n-roll hair ever in </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Terminator 2</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and has done quite a bit of impressive acting work. The reason he's at the end of the list now is this:</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/RAcOn88pNILFVHaRL9u3ALmxJNYSyC8BGI9qIR5vSAwahDtoxdckpFYjho1UCnmle7EZtVJgD2hyHWulDze47D4PveSxthqvoFkqisSHDYbuzUb2CeE" width="240px;" height="320px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Although he recently had a role in </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Green Hornet</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, he also recently has been all sorts of</span><a href="http://www.tmz.com/2009/10/27/edward-furlong-terminator-911-call/#.TmKiUevrrt4"><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(33, 54, 87); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">falling apart</span></a><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">10. Jonathan Brandis</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If you haven't seen </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sidekicks</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> with J.B. and Chuck Norris, my friend, you are leading an empty life. </span><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/PpA-oFSimVrzqxrpbGbU-Szr4rexi0oQm63yB6p3noDcQZNlo1wYbjtORzLseQ2I-JZxWHL4GzP51AQYbvQjq3o_-Qdgfs49BrVWHMWA7OPxpq4cGZU" width="211px;" height="317px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I absolutely loved Jonathan Brandis -- I even plodded through </span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SeaQuest DSV</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in the nineties, just to see him in his wetsuit -- and was shocked to hear he hanged himself in 2003. Not so pin-up worthy these days, I guess.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span>Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-81985076166972919092011-09-06T08:02:00.003-05:002011-09-06T08:02:00.187-05:00Guest Post: Secrets to Successful Living from Forrest Gump<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.1140050606149452" >This latest guest post is by fellow nostalgia enthsuiast miratemplen of </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://growingupgenx.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;" >growingupgenx.blogspot.com</span></a></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">! </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Be sure to check out and follow Mira's blog for even more 90s! Take it away, Miratemplen:</span>
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:12pt;color:black;" >It gave me a jolt when someone pointed out to me that it has been 20 years since 1990. (</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:12pt;color:black;" >Has it</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:12pt;color:black;" > </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:12pt;color:black;" >seriously been that long? </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:12pt;color:black;" > Twenty years is a young adult’s whole lifetime!)
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<br />… So I’ve lived through a few decades now. As I go into another one, I think about how much things have changed in the past several years. There are some things that I miss … and quite a lot that I don’t miss at all. You can read about my musings and reminiscing in </span><a href="http://growingupgenx.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:12pt;color:black;" >growingupgenx.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:12pt;color:black;" ></span>
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:12pt;color:black;" >That business of going in and out of different decades reminds me of this person we all met back in 1994. While history changed around him, he also changed history - that’s pretty cool, even if he </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:12pt;color:black;" >is </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:12pt;color:black;" >just a fictional character. There’s quite a lot of inspiration we could pick up from that guy. I mean of course the smartest dumb person the world has ever seen, from the most quotable 90s movie, </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:12pt;color:black;" >Forrest Gump</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:12pt;color:black;" >.</span>
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:20pt;color:black;" >Secrets to Successful Living </span>
<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:20pt;color:black;" >as Learned from Forrest Gump
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:9pt;color:black;" >(Images and quotes property of Paramount Pictures)</span><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/3uD5k_vyV9YtpK81o2JT2nzCWYXqQhnrY3tI4lpp5SbhRXsXmVTcu4IfIAyD5_PxtA3Ss7aHkpK3MlKWUPicEshDeZQ0SL0MS242sj8cwDPVO5rvnV4" width="600px;" height="480px;" />
<br /><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:14pt;color:black;" >My name's Forrest Gump. People call me Forrest Gump.</span></p><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:14pt;color:black;" ></span>
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:16pt;color:black;" >1. Remember that smarts don't secure success
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<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Stupid is as stupid does.
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<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >You have to do the best with what God gave you.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
<br />- Mrs. Gump
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<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" ></span><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/rJ-gtoUTTTS6RDi_BKk4raXt09IEZAxD1tVF5rgpQ0UMbt3G_1k693vMe1BlW9HjEkIQshFd_5kbQsuFh9yV4VH7wCBzPHlXP-RRr_1ORZRiaEWurpc" width="600px;" height="305px;" />
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<br />I’m not a smart man… but I know what love is.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
<br />- Forrest
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:16pt;color:black;" >2. Have a good mentor
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<br /></span><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/ZwF98gk86wSBuntCNdcmXPigjZE7E_SVPYxavDHg8xWmd1nLaZnuqwaQaIg3LRf89ltH3HKPYvpYq7Yr3dSMwS8yCu4A9VHU4nlAJY9PTx0Oa7dob7A" width="600px;" height="312px;" />
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<br />Mama always had a way of explaining things so I could understand them.
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:16pt;color:black;" >3. Have people in your life who will enrich, challenge, and look out for you </span>
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<br />Me and Jenny goes together like peas and carrots.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" ></span><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/y2iz8-5Fr0dcdrOg_FvFlx5Ea8jSSafRCdaQuXw2jsen-0jP_w8mrleDInZxHXFJ8R9AX5lP8uPmZOL1vQdd_Vffs2LMM7X8DD7DgI12c3X31CITaZ0" width="600px;" height="251px;" />
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<br />Jenny taught me how to climb. And I taught her how to dangle.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
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<br /></span><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/bgbmIiU_wqIuVtbTOXCdNZ_i0A0cpVTCM0FTlsj9z82vq996SfSYPjs4_x3_owyBnRm4IVEw0_iNa5n8sYL2zcsgWE4B19rgqRDyZ3SOv4RT4jUIOuw" width="600px;" height="297px;" />
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<br />Bubba: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >I'm gonna lean up against you, you just lean right back against me. This way, we don't have to sleep with our heads in the mud. You know why we a good partnership, Forrest? 'Cause we be watchin' out for one another. Like brothers and stuff. Hey, Forrest, there's somethin' I've been thinkin' about. I got a very important question to ask you. How would you like to go into the shrimpin' business with me? </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Forrest: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Okay</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >.</span>
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:16pt;color:black;" >4. Seek a sense of identity and purpose
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<br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Jenny: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Do you ever dream, Forrest, about who you're gonna be?</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
<br />Forrest: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Who I'm gonna be?</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
<br />Jenny: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Yeah</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >.
<br />Forrest: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Aren't I going to be me?</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Forrest: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >What's my destiny, Mama?
<br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Mrs. Gump: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >You're gonna have to figure that out for yourself.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" > </span>
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:16pt;color:black;" >5. Know how to take instructions </span>
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Drill Sergeant: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Gump! What's your sole purpose in this army?</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
<br />Forrest: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >To do whatever you tell me, drill sergeant!
<br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Drill Sergeant: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >God damn it, Gump! You're a god damn genius! This is the most outstanding answer I have ever heard.</span>
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<br /></span><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6ldTI-0e4NYjnXz36G-HWibAC9h6XqT9SpkGmajbMjTEyd3EFGpBx8intoJ_vufwopO_MKd2vTk1gWES4KdAURpWxeCDYt-oDUZa9cvVxZeMui3eNA8" width="600px;" height="291px;" />
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<br />Forrest: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Lieutenant Dan was always getting these funny feelings about a rock or a trail or the road, so he'd tell us to get down, shut up.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
<br />Lieutenant Dan: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Get down! Shut up!</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
<br />Forrest Gump: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >So we did.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" > </span>
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:16pt;color:black;" >6. Have a good pair of shoes</span>
<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:16pt;color:black;" ></span><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Ny3RWGQjWRHuQZIgm-O5Zr3DyI9QoRAH9TJO_0dtFeCHJ1oRLEGjCjvHKSS-5pGVgpIJz_2mZJpr7dbHL6KYOejnOUVLjzW2p_rcD7DODc_e-7BDeOc" width="600px;" height="288px;" />
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<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Mama says they was magic shoes. They could take me anywhere.
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<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >My momma always said you can tell a lot about a person by their shoes, where the go, where they've been.</span>
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:14pt;color:black;" >7. Maximize your assets</span><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/3mx8qlrUwARznML1vZU8JrXdtjYhDC2XQAES5i3tmXh7UY__CPNeA7yEi7dHtEG84NDZ2ScpEEc_7IkQOdRJaTOp7EVNAZhFinVjXWVB3UNl1yPzIZ4" width="280px;" height="270px;" />
<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Bubba: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Anyway, like I was sayin', shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey's uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That- that's about it. </span>
<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" ></span><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/EHreXDXwcCwKegI7HOJ3vtEwzu8eJIL8wtaBvALxQ2eY_TpMXa5msR7SZDxUb7xQtkeKadfK87qT7SQ5nEQxsOqyFAb6Gy36AB3AQI0dNjOMyNQOlKk" width="600px;" height="285px;" />
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<br />Lieutenant Dan got me invested in some kind of fruit company. So then I got a call from him, saying we don't have to worry about money no more. </span>
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:16pt;color:black;" >8. Invest in something that will outlive you
<br /></span><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/MnKZrF_-qEP0Hjyw89Bf25ngqnu5ndKsE120LDKT70mgyX1aOKOc-_FWq62T_QZ1Kh8U2X16VKn3azyyW8V98ajidhgd_rojie_AiJUpzWbjuxo1U3k" width="600px;" height="285px;" />
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<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Death is just a part of life. It's something we're all destined to do.
<br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >- Mrs. Gump</span>
<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" ></span><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/WlsBZCquQHQMVrjS9M94SZFNUtgYZWSDvKKC0GKN9HFYLhAWe2K8JzYKXnvzifvJ5jLlg0WhBevZi6nyFGCKIvJDOpwi3XU0D_c6v8VlJtrScJr6uXY" width="600px;" height="276px;" />
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<br />Jenny: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >His name's Forrest.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
<br />Forrest: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Like me.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
<br />Jenny: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >I named him after his daddy.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
<br />Forrest: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >He got a daddy named Forrest, too?</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
<br />Jenny: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >You're his daddy, Forrest.
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:16pt;color:black;" >9. Be resilient</span>
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<br />Shit happens.
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<br />My Momma always said you’ve got to put the past behind you before you can move on.
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<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" ></span><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/W1IXLw36F8D3GGxfQFahbOk5r8AutS6BvoJeg41TSjRFC3j7xyUQOJ3hQP34FizBJ9Y9l0iaWtXQdUJ7OSoof_O0HJY0Otn30RoOe5NEpI_lW4DETNY" width="600px;" height="309px;" />
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<br />Sometimes, I guess there just aren't enough rocks.
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:16pt;color:black;" >10. Put your faith in perspective
<br /></span><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/hhNPwHoZ4evXiHUaJXJ8TRBNCEcFmUAMyDI1RKs_IlJYGJUdmJ9-W9LlrDU_20g2VNnI-n01xbc63lJCjhLbh9hyfVk20fuzjfYWvHVgnclOrwhsFVM" width="600px;" height="247px;" />
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<br />Lieutenant Dan: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Where the Hell is this God of yours?
<br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Forrest: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >It's funny Lieutenant Dan said that, 'cause right then, God showed up.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" > </span>
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:16pt;color:black;" >11. Keep things simple</span>
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<br />Momma said there's only so much fortune a man really needs and the rest is just for showing off.
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<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >When I got tired, I slept. When I got hungry, I ate. When I had to go… you know… I went.
<br /></span><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/iuLENlJEhHjRejxWtqvTNluzEXR0M2KqQaMaWqW48QYnSyev2wY-Axd7wRFnEGKH91uUZ2cH_5kAm5aN44cRP56i7ZuG18B0-Bk1NN3uUh7aHurcc6w" width="588px;" height="239px;" />
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<br />Forrest: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >I had run for 3 years, 2 months, 14 days, and 16 hours.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
<br />Man: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Quiet, quiet! He's gonna say something!</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
<br />Forrest: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >I'm pretty tired... I think I'll go home now.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" > </span>
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:16pt;color:black;" >13. Adopt a good attitude</span>
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Jenny: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Were you scared in Vietnam?</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
<br />Forrest: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Yes. Well, I don't know. Sometimes it would stop raining long enough for the stars to come out... and then it was nice. It was like just before the sun goes to bed down on the bayou. There was always a million sparkles on the water... like that mountain lake. It was so clear, Jenny, it looked like there were two skies one on top of the other. And then in the desert, when the sun comes up, I couldn't tell where heaven stopped and the earth began. It's so beautiful.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" > </span>
<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" ></span><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/SCNa6RDSRyZX8czAU-yqdObsHGcRyD4kOP8r5e4hOkd5xh6p31WOY7qAsDXFktgYRx7wTTrOgizMbSyHTo-OcgAEeWz30d3SqhF2CenHYkY-E_oktRo" width="600px;" height="408px;" />
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<br /><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:14pt;color:black;" >My Momma always said, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”</span></p><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:16pt;color:black;" >14. Share and inspire</span>
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<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Momma said there's only so much fortune a man really needs and the rest is just for showing off. So, I gave a whole bunch of it to the Foursquare Gospel Church and I gave a whole bunch to the Bayou La Batre Fishing Hospital. And even though Bubba was dead, and Lieutenant Dan said I was nuts, I gave Bubba's momma Bubba's share. And you know what? She didn't have to work in nobody's kitchen no more. </span>
<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" ></span><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5mSyVv79jRAZXFo6z1xYujEGYNXLBYVfe6ucFx06j2ebXLeKQXfoEIzkrLIEGyVpynGkrSONIiaByaUUKluOzEWozV0Y-hOL-pC9mJXOxQlLh_Pvr8" width="600px;" height="273px;" /><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/mbRPpEbxxQi-rFWRJDnD1m_qfm8CpnxBKyu2QBzRaMxgxdg9MSLeQpRoRwnIh71rTA5-9lS6SxyWBEHKgYHwOeaTP_SA1LsiFA_bIgrUdCWlZqKboog" width="600px;" height="280px;" />
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<br />Forrest: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >In the land of China, people hardly got nothing at all.
<br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >John Lennon: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >No possessions?</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
<br />Forrest: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >And in China they never go to church.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
<br />John Lennon: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >No religion too?</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
<br />Dick Cavett: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Ah. Hard to imagine.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >
<br />John Lennon: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Well it's easy if you try, Dick.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" > </span>
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<br /><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:16pt;color:black;" >That’s all I have to say about that.</span></p><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:16pt;color:black;" ></span>
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >I hope you enjoyed revisiting some old friends from the 1990s! If you did, there are more of them (plus some stuff from the ‘80s) at </span><a href="http://growingupgenx.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >growingupgenx.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >, Like, for example, </span><a href="http://growingupgenx.blogspot.com/2011/08/back-when-everything-we-needed-to-know.html"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Back When Everything We Needed To Know About Life We Learned In "Clueless"</span></a><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >. </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Have an awesome life!</span>
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<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Mar</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" ></span>
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<br /><hr /><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:16pt;color:black;" ></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" >Box of chocolates photo nicked from:: http://johnmuehling.wordpress.com</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:12pt;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.8891844105112656" ></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:12pt;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.8891844105112656" ></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:11pt;color:black;" ></span>
<br />Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-38450375347051951632011-08-24T08:02:00.002-05:002011-08-24T08:02:00.056-05:00Guest Post: Marc McGwire/Sammy Sosa Home Run Race<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" >Welcome to a new installment of Children of the 90s gu</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" >est blogs! We have several pieces in the works and we are still reviewing applications, so if you are interested in contributing to Children of the 90s, shoot us an email at childrenofthe90s@gma</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;font-size:85%;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" >il.com! </span>
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<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >...And we're back with another spectacular guest post drawn from our fabulous pool of blogger applicants. I've gotten so many emails and comments about how the blog tends to be one-sided--that is, female sided. Thankfully, we've got guest blogger Russ to infuse some much-needed testosterone into your weekly dose of 90s. So, thanks, Russ. I have no aptitude for 90s sports trivia, so I completely appreciate your knowledge and expertise on an area that so eludes me.
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<br />You can find Russ in his regular blogging gig reviewing the goodies at Trader Joe's as a contributor to the </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.whatsgoodattraderjoes.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">What's Good at Trader Joe's?</span></a></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>blog</span><span style="font-size:100%;">. </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >It's also worth mentioning that today is his birthday, so leave him the requisite good wishes in the comments section. A little about Russ, from the birthday boy himself:
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<br /></span>It's tough to not like most Trader Joe's chow. It's almost as tough to not poke some light fun at my lovely wife, Sandy. So the blog I co-author, <a href="http://www.whatsgoodattraderjoes.com/" target="_blank">What's Good at Trader Joe's?</a>, gives an honest review of TJ fare while I make fun of her and occasionally get myself in trouble while detailing little bits of our life in Pittsburgh. The other guy who writes reviews, Nathan, is pretty entertaining, too. You can like us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Whats-Good-at-Trader-Joes/176989568999337" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/WhatsgoodatTJs" target="_blank">Twitter</a> if you like that kinda stuff.
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<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Go check out Russ's blog for more tasty Trader Joe tidbits, and of course, enjoy his distinctly male musings on late 90s home run madness below:</span>
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<br /></span><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;color:black;" >1998 Marc McGwire/Sammy Sosa Home Run Race</span>
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<br />The summer of 1998 was simply a magical time to be not only a baseball fan, but any kid who ever dreamed of making the big leagues. With Little League and the time-honored tradition of hot dogs, popcorn, and soda while attending a major or minor league game, baseball has long been a sport that’s held an undeniable special place in the hearts of our youth. And there’s few more things about baseball that capture more imagination and dreams than the home run, the long ball, the deep fly, the dinger. The homer. Practically no one has grown up without dreaming of swatting one. That spectacle of power and precision is undeniably entrenched in our American psyche, especially as kids, and it’s tough to not admire any athlete who can swat one so routinely and seemingly effortlessly.</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ikQCiSWX_VWwVJRwfUJnMncCYQjUIHeqa2tWHu2ekyTR5Ww9aIPE6xIE6UvE0sqEY0MvolS_K5i_b8pTgJrb7kBFT3_fhB0WfqiGU_n_4-PuImCavW8" width="300px;" height="171px;" />
<br /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >No, the homer. Not The Homer. </span></p><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >1998 gave us not one but two men, of different colors, backgrounds and teams, on a collision course of history, destiny, and our imagination. Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs spent all summer slugging ball after ball over the walls and notching their names in the history books. By August, despite the constant glare of media attention, it became apparent that it wasn’t a question any longer that the single season record of 61 home runs, set by New York Yankee Roger Maris in 1961, would be shattered. It simply it was a question of by whom, and when.</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >It was that question that enraptured baseballs fans the nation over all summer. I remember so clearly, actually. All the SportsCenter highlights, the magazine articles, the excitement of whenever one of those teams was coming to town (back then, most Phillies games weren’t worth watching without someone or something exciting coming to town). I remember having a TV in my room (a luxury for my 15-16 year old self) and waking up early every morning to catch highlights from the night before to just see if either managed to smack one out of the yard the night before. </span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KqSmuY69lmCk9QtmRMUuo3s09JeOQ1KKGzMvOlpwU5s8ZE6iqFET7ayKfE6nC-2nYaT7uzkmwkrZVdsm2BXU8k9kfPC9G7NlFhW_5yEjkDXtGqqjNQ" width="253px;" height="211px;" />
<br /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >You know, back when ESPN was watchable...wtf is that on your lip, Olbermann?</span></p><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >September, the home stretch of the season, finally came. Both McGwire and Sosa were close to the record, and as fate and broadcasters would have it, Sosa’s Cubs came to Busch Stadium for a three game set starting September 6 against McGwire’s Cardinals. Entering that series, McGwire had 60 and Sosa had 58. All summer, with homer after homer being hit by both, nothing seemed impossible. McGwre and Sosa seemed to swap hot homer streaks all summer so there there was the legitimate question lingering of which one would hit the magical No. 62 first despite McGwire’s lead. Fans either identified with McGwire’s raging biceps, his fair complexion and red hair, and his businessman-like handling of himself, or Sosa’s Dominican upbringing, goofy smile, and way he charged into the field every inning. Both guys were easy to cheer for, easy to love, easy to root for. It wasn’t a question if you liked them, it was a question of who you liked more. </span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img style="width: 288px; height: 247px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/l78tho8tkQcd6_QaTECqcdg-GtsSDCF-KtvdKdhPNkvTmahgyUHkScidv4zf12OMCoWlrzJW3EJqYviSpUyY9cvLExKb1dEML_lpKpnVdeAzegp1Q0Y" /><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/xe-EJmPVpxt4pgi99cAkQaYXkI7gE4dgtSfsP_8DDv_X4UcHOsVcQGjLYs0vofQyAiTTeT72WHM2UEj4Ti4BAfwvRiOu_00Y9JsZGMIfFEEC0ukjMRI" width="250px;" height="250px;" />
<br /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Steroids? What steroids? You mean Flintstone vitamins, right, Sammy?</span></p><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Ultimately, only one of them could be the first to 62. On September 8, 1998, with two outs and no one on in the bottom in the fourth inning, in the very first pitch off the at-bat against the immortal Steve Trachsel at 8:18 CDT, the time came with a long swoop of McGwire’s bat. Ironically, at 314 feet and just barely over the left field wall, it was easily McGwire’s shortest home run of the season, but by far it was the one that resonated most deeply and struck a chord most soundly and changed the record books most irrevocably. It didn’t need to be one of McGwire usual tape measure jobs to fill us with awe and wonder. It was No. 62, and that was enough.</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >I</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Gp8LWXvnaJDFlyWYtjmHaKtCfiGP_AzdXUrU_0OI2TS4hEAtLTJLIIk8N9uabugqohzlJOzJr3_zOQzNWcVK50hwN6n45wBLHFL7e0HBbospcSjng3Q" width="439px;" height="281px;" /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >It also filled me with thankfulness that I don’t have epilepsy.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >
<br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" > </span></p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >What transpired next was one of the most awkward, impromptu celebrations in sports history. First, McGwire nearly forgot to step on first base (which would have negated his home run) and had to be pointed back by the first base coach. Then, all sorts of shoulder slaps and high fives from Cubs players as McGwire rounded the bases (usually a rather large baseball taboo) before, as he stepped on home plate, McGwire lifted his chubby young son high in the air to celebrate. Sosa, in right field, and bested, ran in to offer his congrats and atta-boys before McGwire took a microphone to address the crowd. In all, a night unlike any other in baseball history, and it certainly made my vocab homework seem pretty anti-climatic.</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/IOttzCQL3lVBg_NfeJMOA4ux060Xi5JAxOBgNZuvbdTh71hYmBjZgPJSUkfNyrnrG8Jz1jUH1pYyOJuZq_tqLfJFrw2QFIqbcwcKX2MzxChdH6jPZBA" width="195px;" height="262px;" />
<br /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Mark and Sammy’s man hug was both singular and uncouth. </span></p><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >It’s tough to ultimately place this in the proper historical context. McGwire ended the year with 70 homers, Sosa with 66. Some credit the home run derby between the two between helping “save” baseball after the 1994 strike that wiped out the World Series for the only time in its history; others don’t. The Cardinals didn’t even make the playoffs, while the Cubs did, only to be swept out in the first round by the Atlanta Braves. Three short years later, Barry Bonds of the San Fransisco Giants smacked 73 homers to place his name on top the single season list. And in the years after that, there have been whispers of steroid use by McGwire, Sosa and Bonds that only McGwire has copped to. For some, that cheapens the memories of the summer of ‘98 and the back-and forth struggle of these two men against each other and against history. However 1998 is ultimately remembered, there’s no denying the magnetic appeal, the magical whispers, the epic long flies, and the shattering of baseball history that transpired.</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/HNHT9FWRoVKCT2ssaTiR9wKpEM7m98rT0gNTrl-eSnRAmF5I5VpuFgxp6ejhEeSblowuXd8sANVEhOOJBRea45FKtoq1Pv7001T9TZLW_titErwCn28" width="237px;" height="230px;" />
<br /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >And the biceps. Lots and lots of biceps. </span></p>
<br />Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com59tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-59088692284983273442011-08-18T08:05:00.007-05:002011-08-18T08:17:10.402-05:00Guest blog: Umbro Shorts<span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" >Welcome back to our exciting series of Children of the 90s gu</span></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" >est blogs! We have several pieces in the works and we are still reviewing applications, so if you are interested in contributing to Children of the 90s, shoot us an email to childrenofthe90s@gma</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-size:78%;">il.com!</span>
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<br />I was so excited when one of my very favorite bloggers contacted me wanting to write a guest post for Children of the 90s. For those of you who don't know Sha</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" >nnon, she is an extremely dedicated fellow 90s enthusiast whose primary focus is a laserlike focus on the Sweet Valley series in her <a href="http://shannonsweetvalley.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sweet Valley High blog</span></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">.
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<br /></span>Long-time readers may also recognize Shannon from her contr</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" >ibution to last year's <a href="http://childrenofthenineties.blogspot.com/2009/11/let-glamour-shots-challenge-begin.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Glamour Shot Challenge</span></a>. In case you missed it, here's one of her awesome airbrushed photos from her mall session circa mid-90s:
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<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGNyfOvyyJTOHc9YzaeGiUoBeBWcbnHa_7Dj7strlMHmG7GK7UGN_jEd3GTvXuvCEZ_YYIxHXLyLpD_tuEeqOiJKgob4N8nP-NoBhitr7hZ0vsZGXzkWLxSkYWglm1oUYZ8EZMcJ_yfJBT/s320/1994-0000GlamourShots3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGNyfOvyyJTOHc9YzaeGiUoBeBWcbnHa_7Dj7strlMHmG7GK7UGN_jEd3GTvXuvCEZ_YYIxHXLyLpD_tuEeqOiJKgob4N8nP-NoBhitr7hZ0vsZGXzkWLxSkYWglm1oUYZ8EZMcJ_yfJBT/s320/1994-0000GlamourShots3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></span></span></span>A little about Shannon, from the SVH guru herself:
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<br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" >When I’m not sittin</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" >g around feeling regretful about my childhood fashion choices and my forays into Glamour Shots modeling, I spend</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" > entirely too much of my fr</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" >ee time reading and</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" > blogging about Sweet Valley books. You can foll</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" >ow me on <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/ShannonSVH" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shannons-Sweet-Valley-High-Page/127577970604674" target="_blank">Facebook</a> a</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" >nd <a href="http://thursdays.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Tumblr</a>.</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >Be sure to check out Shannon's blog and to follow her for tons of 90s good</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >ness. Shannon chose to wrote about a subject near and dear to many of our nostalgic hearts: Umbro shorts. Oh, the shininess.
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<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Umbros</span></span></div><!--[if !mso]> <style> v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> 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mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style=";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3_3QlvP81jrMDDuRbkAUIyjuVdnvg83EnfGD03F4_V92rdQ-Mm9bzdvM0-dSPSaVviqeGITP_PyGkUzIaod0NUH1X5A50TfROkOLM0o31FApQgFq-lUcpWstGT2PfK74_UF5C5fHCP0h/s1600/image011.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 302px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3_3QlvP81jrMDDuRbkAUIyjuVdnvg83EnfGD03F4_V92rdQ-Mm9bzdvM0-dSPSaVviqeGITP_PyGkUzIaod0NUH1X5A50TfROkOLM0o31FApQgFq-lUcpWstGT2PfK74_UF5C5fHCP0h/s320/image011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642182200656175538" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Long ago and far away (the 1920s in England), Harold and Wallace Humphreys decided they were sick and tired of their football (and by that I mean soccer) teams looking so shabby on the field. They wanted to dress the sporting world in shiny nylon, so they started Humphreys Brothers Clothing, a name that later got shortened to Umbro. Many years passed during which Umbro outfitted England’s soccer teams, but the rest of the worl</span><span style="font-size:100%;">d</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> didn’t care much about it. Then Americans started to play soccer, and we were delighted to lea</span><span style="font-size:100%;">rn there was already a clothing line dedicated to our favorite new pastime. In 1992, Umbro was acquired by a South Carolina company called Stone Manufacturing, and we quickly Americanized everything about it.</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Umbros were super boring when we got hold of them, but we had a fierce </span><span style="font-size:100%;">love of neon back in the 90s – probably the last death throes of the 80s getting out of our system. So it was no surprise that those unassuming soccer shorts were soon being produced in all manner of fantastic colors. Even the logo got a splashy new look. Suddenly, Umbros were the Next Big Thing and every school age kid had to have a pair. Finally, I had something to wear with my oversized neon t-shirts!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCk4kkdKPG2n0cAD51l5hxSV9-0E8TRtxhwGC6g3C1MXu_CoGYE83ezmELboA71bcy4mRZWZvhY-PentyPvfU1W-V5ms7ua23Gh37rxKHPGB1AWQtySto7kzKzon0Tgh-gctTmjOe1KPY_/s1600/image012.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 265px; height: 376px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCk4kkdKPG2n0cAD51l5hxSV9-0E8TRtxhwGC6g3C1MXu_CoGYE83ezmELboA71bcy4mRZWZvhY-PentyPvfU1W-V5ms7ua23Gh37rxKHPGB1AWQtySto7kzKzon0Tgh-gctTmjOe1KPY_/s320/image012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642182653408610194" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i style=""><span style="line-height: 115%;">I don’t know why my friend is holding me like a baby, but che</span></i></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><i style=""><span style="line-height: 115%;">ck out our Umbros!</span></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Over the next few years, one couldn’t swing a dead cat in a school hallway without hitting at least five kids wearing Umbros. The more athletic kids – the ones wh</span><span style="font-size:100%;">o actually played soccer and had probably been wearing Umbro-like shorts for years – generally stuck to the checkerboard/solid color style. The rest of us felt no such compunction and we wore all the new and exciting designs available to us. As long as our shorts had that double diamond logo on them somewhere, we could be confident in our coolness. As has been pointed out before on this blog, there has never been a more brand-name conscio</span><span style="font-size:100%;">us decade than the 90s. Of course, as wit</span><span style="font-size:100%;">h any other fashion trend, there were generic knockoffs to be had. These impostor Umbros were easier on our parents’ wallets, but we were pretty sure nobody would like us if w</span><span style="font-size:100%;">e wore them.
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTR3HpSQk87hugPM2TcIviIWwsEb-FVnMyXC1L8BZDsBw1mZ9wQlvnfB4Vpm8BC8-TMVWRpq3l3zrMMpnpiIwEwEZMcpH5O5oH90VV5IYQX72rccobFL2eeKthSiMHvKfI13Yd7WMh29dI/s1600/image013.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTR3HpSQk87hugPM2TcIviIWwsEb-FVnMyXC1L8BZDsBw1mZ9wQlvnfB4Vpm8BC8-TMVWRpq3l3zrMMpnpiIwEwEZMcpH5O5oH90VV5IYQX72rccobFL2eeKthSiMHvKfI13Yd7WMh29dI/s320/image013.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642182978039899810" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i style=""><span style="line-height: 115%;">A popular design for the serious athlete.</span></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">There were a couple of problems Umbro-wearers faced. One was that if</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> it rained, your super awesome hot pink Umbros had a tendency to become transparent and give everyone a good look at your Power Rangers underwear. A bigger problem was that if you did anything athletic, or even if you sat down wrong, you ran the risk of showing off your undi</span><span style="font-size:100%;">es in a more direct way. Umbros, being rather loose and made of a lightweight material, tended to ride up and give the world a pretty good view of things best left unseen. It was for this reason that some of us, myself included, took to wearing biker shorts under our Umbros.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><i style=""><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdi2b37U4dYi-8meGPS_jYfGaG25n8S-YLWHXUzDt9_gmE0oEFmf_QTzzrACGEqpuydDbl3Tl_Qe03BdSdecQglNLQOw300gFN5yJ74UjxeeO90m2rM8c-_h7r4aP0uXVFTf6RhQEX2L8d/s1600/image014.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdi2b37U4dYi-8meGPS_jYfGaG25n8S-YLWHXUzDt9_gmE0oEFmf_QTzzrACGEqpuydDbl3Tl_Qe03BdSdecQglNLQOw300gFN5yJ74UjxeeO90m2rM8c-_h7r4aP0uXVFTf6RhQEX2L8d/s320/image014.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642183344727399554" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i style=""><span style="line-height: 115%;">This fellow could use some biker shorts.</span></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">These problems aside, the Umbro brand enjoyed a good few years of popularity here in the States. However, we have awfully short attention spans, and Umbro shorts soon gave way to No Fear and flannel shirts. Umbro didn’t care, though. They jus</span><span style="font-size:100%;">t went back to doing what they’d always done: creating sportswear for soccer teams. Umbro became part of the Nike family in 2008, and they’re more financially stable than ever. You can still find 90s style Umbros if you’re feeling nostalgic, and you might even be able to make some money if you happen to have any still taking up space in your closet. For instance, the gentleman below sold his pair on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/49936501/umbro-shorts">Etsy</a> last June.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Npslq9W_eT7fFByJSwMzrOLWFXxNeAO3sCXaptNi0CJ1NcfJlwQOd1XK-BslWZNyhdEJ_nX-ERrBdw1p3CKGyqM82ZgmSalammdXeQvEIYuIxUphV8btt6FI6fkWaWc_Q43xMnlFzUSh/s1600/image015.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 278px; height: 520px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Npslq9W_eT7fFByJSwMzrOLWFXxNeAO3sCXaptNi0CJ1NcfJlwQOd1XK-BslWZNyhdEJ_nX-ERrBdw1p3CKGyqM82ZgmSalammdXeQvEIYuIxUphV8btt6FI6fkWaWc_Q43xMnlFzUSh/s320/image015.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642183897640319074" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Don’t you want to be that cool again?</span></p> <span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span>Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-89307333521004201172011-08-16T08:01:00.002-05:002011-08-16T08:01:01.767-05:00Guest Post: 90s TV BFFs<span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;font-size:100%;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7686839331330044" >Welcome to yet another installment in this series of Children of the 90s guest blogs! We have several pieces in the works and we are still reviewing applications, so if you are interested in contributing to Children of the 90s, shoot us an email to childrenofthe90s@gmail.com! </span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Georgia;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Guest blogger Lauren of The Unprofessional Critic has put together a great list of 90s TV BFFs for your reading enjoyment. You can check out her blog at </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://unprofessionalcritic.blogspot.com"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;" >http://unprofessionalcritic.blogspot.com</span></span></a><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >, on Facebook at </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:100%;" ><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Unprofessional-Critic/145758956607"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;" >The Unprofessional Critic</span></a></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >, and on Twitter at </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/unprocritic"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;color:black;" >@<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">unprocritic</span></span></a></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >.</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >90s TV BFFs</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >
<br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/L51YKvgrUMPq7iuqrcutTGAowPr6fF1WRDa68HruqWUQsxlERZbEXtrtd9zXUDTF98I8sI_9c98J7gLTTjafJ21As_ba2t2JwOFrgkSc7VTpPjAZgiM" width="300px;" height="278px;" />
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<br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Ah, BFF's. They may not get along 100% of the time, but they're bonded for life (or at least until cancellation). And in the 1990's, best friends were dominating the airwaves. Behold, five of my favorite dynamic duos:</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >1. Wayne and Garth ("Wayne's World," </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Saturday Night Live</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >
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<br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >As a kid I totally wanted Wayne and Garth's lifestyle: how cool would it be to co-host a TV show with your best friend? Needless to say, I didn't understand until much later that they lived in a suburb. With their parents. Still, whether they were shouting out their theme song, freaking out over Aerosmith, or spouting impromptu haikus, these two always had fun together. Excellent!</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" > </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >2. Felicity and Sally (</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Felicity</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >
<br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/lbhbALhguUDtXAxer-OtQPqNmeh4PowzUtA2m17IhM9qnh0KykhhQGGqKYpfFz-v0gfitbCJ1XQKNgRluxIGrAiyIU3InI7nRpYSZ8dljGqT3Ep91PI" width="250px;" height="333px;" />
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<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Felicity </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >premiered my freshman year of college and my roommates and I were obsessed. We were also college freshmen in a big city! And we also wore dorky sweaters! True, Felicity and her chief confidante Sally weren't traditional BFF's - their audio letters to each other meant Sally (voiced by 90's icon Janeane Garofolo) was only heard, never seen. Plus, as Felicity's former French tutor, Sally was considerably older. But Felicity was guarded that first year of university, just coming into her own and learning to trust classmates and friends in a completely new environment. It was Sally who heard her innermost thoughts, her struggles with relationships, classes and career paths. And once in a while, Sally would offer some sage advice that brought tears to my naive 18-year-old eyes (shut up).</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >3. DJ and Kimmy (</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Full House</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >
<br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/vGH51KVSGvyerdiatSGHbnQs1dUExym8DYYcmz6Ja-AqvmsHYSlvOY1l3QDKxTcq1wRjeoG3yjlR9l951q443viqF9XUCQrG3AWmeFzeVWik7S8M9hI" width="436px;" height="319px;" />
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<br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >My sister and I, die-hard </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Full House</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" > fans even when it descended into the madness of poop jokes and way too many twins, each had our own Tanner family counterpart. As the "neglected middle child" (her words), she identified with Stephanie. As the bossy (also her words) eldest of three, I was Team DJ all the way. And wherever Deej was, her buddy/neighbor Kimmy Gibbler was never far behind. Kimmy started out as a normal (if slightly annoying) little girl and ended the series as a brightly-clothed borderline superfreak with a boyfriend who could only say one word. (My sister claims my high school boyfriend looked exactly like Dwayne. </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Whatever.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >) But how can you not love a best friend who buys you a rad lavender sequined baseball cap? If I were Kimmy, however, I would have been </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >thrilled </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >with that impromptu hash-brown birthday cake. Pass the ketchup!</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" > </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >4. Beavis and Butt-head (</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Beavis and Butt-head</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >
<br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/8XofrnI6oMmTXGv7gSFw1usUSEkxMks7h0_AazLC1RzYPRLMTXebWNMWEcd5Egzm0mNIGgvg2YW59wftKNINTeI8QibCw81dd9iN9eY749tv5LkwSl0" width="450px;" height="331px;" />
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<br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >As a 14-year-old misanthrope without a driver's license, in a decade where ironic snark was the name of the game, my late nights were spent in front of our ancient basement TV, hand poised over the Off button in case my mom caught me watching my two favorite shows: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >The State</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" > and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Beavis and Butt-head</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >. (Will Smith said it best: parents just don't understand.) The latter spent </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >their </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >evenings in front of a TV, making fun of stupid music videos. Sure, they smacked each other around and claimed the Beatles ruined music, but I understood them. We were in the same awkward, bored boat. (And because Mike Judge is awesome, these guys are about to get a revival. Long live the 90's!)</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" > </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >5. Clarissa and Sam (</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Clarissa Explains It All</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >
<br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/M2eV_P3xDkSxI4U9m-vgEjiLGcjkMqDrB7MCZB96uzPGgmomQnDzDAsyIdvoDqO3f-TP_o6EJYhKW4-ZnVO8A1gDwD-INTDED11LDt3IptNyowdN4cU" width="450px;" height="311px;" />
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<br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Come on: who DIDN'T want a Sam? Unlike the mouth-breathing philistines who populated my sixth-grade classroom, Sam was one righteous dude. He wore baggy clothes. He gamely went along with whatever offbeat scheme or fantasy Clarissa was digging into that week. For God's sake, he had a ladder and his very own guitar twang! Plus, he and Clarissa survived one very awkward date and snapped right back into the best friendship that was their destiny. I fully blame Sam for my string of cool guy pals with single-syllable names and awesome T-shirts, which began when I was twelve and continues to this day. (When are you gonna climb into my second-story apartment window, ROB?)</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Like what you read? Check out Lauren on</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" ><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Unprofessional-Critic/145758956607?ref=ts"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;" > </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;" >Facebook</span></a></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" > and</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" ><a href="http://twitter.com/unprocritic"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;" > </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;" >Twitter</span></a></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >!</span>
<br /></div>Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-89787153788796192892011-08-12T08:27:00.003-05:002011-08-12T08:44:46.134-05:00Guest Post: Tear-Away Pants<span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Welcom</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >e to another installment</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > in this series of Children of th</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >e 90s guest blogs! We have several pieces in the works and we are still reviewing applications, so if you are interested in contributing to Children of the 90s, shoot us an email to childrenofthe90s@gmail.com!
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<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Let's all welcome guest blogger Laura of <a href="http://arual-butterflycollector.blogspot.com/">The Butterfly Collector</a> blog</span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >. </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >A little about Laura, in her own words:</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: georgia;" href="https://twimg0-a.akamaihd.net/profile_images/1337173039/1960s_night__reasonably_small.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 128px; height: 128px;" src="https://twimg0-a.akamaihd.net/profile_images/1337173039/1960s_night__reasonably_small.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >I’m Laura and I like the smell of bread. Due to possibl</span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >e over-exposure to all things pop-culture throughout my years, I tend to have a dry sense of humour that has the synapses of my mind tying various thoughts together in strange ways. I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and love my city. My <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://arual-butterflycollector.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blog</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>is mostly about my adventures in life as I try to experience as much as I can. I am addicted to twitter (<a style="font-weight: bold;" href="https://twitter.com/#%21/lowqis" target="_blank">@lowqis</a>) so if you want to see what I am up to, catch me there! </span> <span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.5812394909276675" >
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<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >Be sure to check out Laura's blog and follow her on twitter to see more of her amusing musings! Here, she writes about some of the least functional but most poplar athletic wear trends of the 90s: tear-away pants. Take it away, Laura:</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tear-Away Pants</span></span>
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<br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;color:black;" id="internal-source-marker_0.5812394909276675" >This weekend I ran the Ronald McDonald House “Rock the House Run.” My first 5k since the 90s (when I joined the high school running team to meet a boy I had an unrequited crush on). But that’s not what this post is about. This post is about Ronald McDonald wearing some wicked “tear-aways” in his traditional colours.</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/BgIAVVDEgNyCwma56u9lxhuWqCwKehQ06iZXAhR-MSrAw6GC6zFnGzeh07RGx3ac_4haEV1_-5QqdxiSZB2bIr6ltHlhgFMxFkSOpGJhXRlxDdYLKy0" width="6px;" height="3px;" /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/FTAm6wfbYY3ZRLCnfn2juN-VbVYWel59JE4u6phiNFphGcP6XUjMvdCbKG6BXo_hwj57Fj__Mo1vZqtOcMGGQ1Fm63wutmseMQp-Fn9JSvg2bmsjAzA" width="265px;" height="315px;" /></span>
<br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;color:transparent;" > Ronald McDonald and me after the 5k</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/BgIAVVDEgNyCwma56u9lxhuWqCwKehQ06iZXAhR-MSrAw6GC6zFnGzeh07RGx3ac_4haEV1_-5QqdxiSZB2bIr6ltHlhgFMxFkSOpGJhXRlxDdYLKy0" width="6px;" height="3px;" /></span>
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<br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Remember these awesome pants?
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<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6_T3i_H2htzhFU7_MtAQpD7181_EKaeuDmyewB8P5naSM-LB8XCL3HiFiLDFuy_nCb__W5swo-QhhA-Mh11dtPd387kdk1qYLOGx3bhCcEkszqdl_Zk" width="351px;" height="351px;" /></span>
<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:georgia;color:black;" >Image from realcavsfans.com</span></span>
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<br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Not only could you rock the Adidas trend, but also do it in such a way that at any moment a wardrobe malfunction could happen that as a teenager could lead to years of lying on a couch, dealing with the esteem issues that such embarrassment might have caused. OR, it could prepare our young selves for the biggest fitness craze to hit the new millennium – strippercize!</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;color:black;" >When I saw Ronald rocking his sweet tear-aways, I was brought back to my youth --when all I wanted was to own anything Adidas, the ultimate way to be one with my peers. Tear-aways were pretty high on my wish list. I liked the idea of only tearing them away up to my knee (or a little bit higher depending on how scandalous I felt – anything to garner the attention of my crush of the week!). I liked the idea that if it were to get too hot, I could rip them off and continue about my business. I also liked the idea (even if its not really factual) of fashion meeting function.</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Brand names were not a huge priority in my house and shopping at Zellers (think Target or Wal-Mart) for knock-offs to suffice my need for the latest trends took place a lot (hey! Don’t judge. I was making $5 an hour on a good day babysitting). So off I went to find an appropriate pair of these fabulous pants. Somehow, knock-off designers missed the memo about the ability for these pants to fully be removed by tearing them away (hence the ever clever name of “tear-aways”). On the knock-offs, the entire side seams of the track pants would be snap buttons but the waist would still be intact, leaving only the fabric from the legs to flutter in the wind. This was perfect for the scandalous fashionista in me, but not-so-perfect for the functional part of this design.</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-size:100%;color:black;" >How I evolved with this trend through out the 90s and beyond</span></p><ul style="font-family:georgia;"><li style="list-style-type: disc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-size:10pt;color:black;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-size:100%;color:black;" >When I was 13, I had a pair of knock-off tear-aways. I was just your regular Sporty Spice in the making.</span></li><li style="list-style-type: disc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-size:10pt;color:black;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-size:100%;color:black;" >When I was 15, I owned jeans that were slit up to the knee, exposing my “flirtatious” calves. </span></li><li style="list-style-type: disc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-size:10pt;color:black;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-size:100%;color:black;" >When I was 18, I owned pants that laced up the outside seams from my hips to my thighs (think Christina Aguilera in the “Come on Over” music video) that I loved to wear to the night clubs. Scandalous!</span></li></ul><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;color:black;" >And like Christina, I would up the sex appeal of this leg-baring trend with the ubiquitous belly-baring tops that fashion dictated we wear in the 90s. </span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Thank you Adidas, I salute you for creating a pant that formed my fashion sense during my impressionable years.</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span> Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-63068081224598310472011-08-08T08:38:00.000-05:002011-08-08T08:39:12.516-05:00Guest Blog: Top 5 sports films of the ‘90s; or, Those who can’t do, watch movies<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.jaymckinnon.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/mighty_ducks_the_1992.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 440px; height: 247px;" src="http://www.jaymckinnon.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/mighty_ducks_the_1992.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Welcom</span><span style="font-style: italic;">e to this first exciting ro</span><span style="font-style: italic;">und of Children of th</span><span style="font-style: italic;">e 90s guest blogs! We are still reviewing applications, so if you are interested in contributing to Children of the 90s, shoot us an email to childrenofthe90s@gmail.com!
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<br />Now, please welcome our first guest blogger, Belle of Belle's Bookshelf! A little about Belle, in her own words:
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrmLCAXWDLvz-RXYpWeGSroYVIb_rauEqr-Vdt6xC-ZQnYF6RRNPNxBtkwp4fx348tIvtLjKRJHOjuaZLJrAYjsLLni5i7QmU0BkkLcgOxk-i4_X0LUqk6oLUVT3vBRzNFAFfTpoOf1w/s220/head.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrmLCAXWDLvz-RXYpWeGSroYVIb_rauEqr-Vdt6xC-ZQnYF6RRNPNxBtkwp4fx348tIvtLjKRJHOjuaZLJrAYjsLLni5i7QmU0BkkLcgOxk-i4_X0LUqk6oLUVT3vBRzNFAFfTpoOf1w/s220/head.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br /></span> I'm a 25-year-old writer, book addict, Disney nerd, 80s/90s aficionado and general pop culture junkie from Sydney, Australia. I blog about just one of my many obsessions (books) at <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://bellesbookshelf.blogspot.com/">Belle's Bookshelf </a>(inspired by the Disney princess, of course), where I share reviews, book-to-movie comparisons, cool buys and other bookish fun. But I'm so excited to be writing about another obsession of mine - 90s movies - here at Children of the 90s!
<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">
<br />You can find Belle at her Belle's Bookshelf blog <a href="http://bellesbookshelf.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">here</span></a>, or on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Bookish.Belle"><span style="font-weight: bold;">facebook</span></a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/Bookish_Belle"><span style="font-weight: bold;">twitter</span></a>, or <a href="http://bellesbookshelf.tumblr.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">tumblr</span></a>. Go check out her blog, stop by and say hi, and follow her on all of her so</span><span style="font-style: italic;">cial media outlets for the full Belle experience. Without further ado, here are Belle's favorite 90s sports movies:
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<br />
<br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Top 5 sports films of the ‘90s; or, Those who can’t do, watch movies</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;">
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<br /></span><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">1.<span> </span><i>The Mighty Ducks</i> (1992)</p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">
<br /><span style="font-weight: normal;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gqQI45_PWG4" allowfullscreen="" width="425" frameborder="0" height="349">&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/iframe&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p class="MsoNormal"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Emilio Estevez distances himself from his Brat Pack beginnings by playing a drunken a-hole of a lawyer who has to do community service (and confront demons from his past) by coaching a PeeWee ice hockey team that’s comprised of a ragtag bunch of kids, including the loudmouth, the overeater, the geek, the girl and the natural leader. Between this movie and the two (inferior, but still fantastic) sequels, I spent many a weekend with the Ducks growing up (and, er, maybe one or two lately).&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p class="MsoNormal"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Memorable moments: The Flying V; Charlie scoring the winning goal; Charlie introducing Joshua Jackson to the world (and my young heart); any scene with Hans.&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p class="MsoNormal"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;2&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;i&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;. The Sandlot &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/i&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;(1993)&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span style="font-weight: normal;"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ACXta-oH1lU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;</iframe></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Emilio Estevez distances himself from his Brat Pack beginnings by playing a drunken a-hole of a lawyer who has to do community service (and confront demons from his past) by coaching a PeeWee ice hockey team that’s comprised of a ragtag bunch of kids, including the loudmouth, the overeater, the geek, the girl and the natural leader. Between this movie and the two (inferior, but still fantastic) sequels, I spent many a weekend with the Ducks growing up (and, er, maybe one or two lately).</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Memorable moments: The Flying V; Charlie scoring the winning goal; Charlie introducing Joshua Jackson to the world (and my young heart); any scene with Hans.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">2<i>. The Sandlot </i>(1993)</p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ACXta-oH1lU" allowfullscreen="" width="425" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe></span>
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Set in 1962, <i>The Sandlot </i>tells the story of Smalls, the new kid in town who connects with the local (ragtag, of course) group of kids – and later, his stepfather – through baseball. Everything is going great until the group loses a ball signed by Babe Ruth in the yard of “The Beast”. The myriad madcap ways they try to get it back, and their other misadventures along the way, makes for compelling viewing, even today – yep, it’s actually stood the test of time!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Memorable moments: The rollercoaster vomit scene; the insult exchange; the pool scene; Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez (*sigh*).</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">3. <i>Little Giants</i> (1994)</p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Oo3k1wVPARc" allowfullscreen="" width="425" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe></span>
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">A, er, ragtag group of kids (I’m sensing a theme here) don’t make the local PeeWee football team so decide to form their own. Their star players are a girl named Icebox and a kid named Junior who throws toilet paper down grocery store aisles in his spare time. Sadly, this movie doesn’t fare so well on adult viewing, which makes me realise how awesome my mum’s blocking out skills are, because she never once complained during the 247 times I watched this. I’d like to say it was the cuteness of ultimate ‘90s heartthrob Devon Sawa that drew me in (and sure, he was about 65 per cent of it) but I actually thought this was hilarious.
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Memorable moments: “Intimidation”; the Annexation of Puerto Rico; the argument that you can have kids without kissing but can’t get a job; Rick Moranis and Ed O’Neill as the most unlikely brothers in movie history.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">4. <i>Angels in the Outfield</i> (1994)</p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PCXiGeM9Lqw" allowfullscreen="" width="425" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe></span>
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">In possibly the cheesiest sports movie of the ‘90s (and that’s saying something), baby Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a foster kid whose dad promises him they’ll be a family again when the California Angels baseball team wins. So he prays to God for the team to win, and, naturally, his prayers are answered and a flock of angels led by <s>Doc</s> Al (Christopher Lloyd) descend upon the field to help pro players Matthew McConaughey, Tony Danza and Adrien Brody. I have to admit I haven’t revisited this as an adult; I’m kinda scared all the angelicness will make me vom just a little bit. But hey, it was great at the time.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Memorable moments: The team manager, played by Danny Glover, throwing the locker room tantrum to end all locker room tantrums; Al manifesting from a cup of Coke; the whole crowd flapping their arms like seagulls, I mean angels; did I mention baby Joseph Gordon-Levitt?!</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">5. <i>Space Jam</i> (1996)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xFwXDN3sI8g" allowfullscreen="" width="560" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe>
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I’ve saved the best for last. Because this one stars an actual sporting legend, which automatically makes it the greatest sports movie of all time, amirite? Yep, in a hilarious mix of reality and cartoonary, the Looney Tunes kidnap Michael Jordan so they can beat the alien Monstar team (word play FTW), who in turn want to kidnap them and force them to entertain tourists at an extraterrestrial theme park called Moron Mountain. What kid didn’t believe they could fly after this movie? I know I did. Thanks, R. Kelly.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Memorable moments: Um, the whole movie? Seriously, it’s amazeballs.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><span style="font-style: italic;">For more from Belle, don't forget to check out her regular blog, <a href="http://bellesbookshelf.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Belle's Bookshelf</span></a>! And of course, if you want to be the next guest blogger to see your stuff in print (well, online) here at Children of the 90s, apply via email at childrenofthe90s@gmail.com!</span>
<br />Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-16235047656573882172011-08-05T10:03:00.003-05:002011-08-05T10:34:07.885-05:00The 90s are All That Recap Series with Andy--Part 3<span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;color:black;" >Children of the 90s is still taking applications for potential guest bloggers and collaborators! Contact us at </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;color:black;" >childrenofthe90s@gmail.com</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:9pt;color:black;" ><span style="font-size:78%;"> to apply!</span><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVstdlkAxH9vyTTXKXDRdtEmo-kb2-3HpuhmCMoU39Rv154wo8GhBFF1PVQIFWO2Xa8mdRPN2vHesJYBUg2mP5fhkihD3FS9khgddCqOoM4KuITw_Q1a-s4CE7-t3a6yELJnC0CWngwJU5/s1600/clarissa.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVstdlkAxH9vyTTXKXDRdtEmo-kb2-3HpuhmCMoU39Rv154wo8GhBFF1PVQIFWO2Xa8mdRPN2vHesJYBUg2mP5fhkihD3FS9khgddCqOoM4KuITw_Q1a-s4CE7-t3a6yELJnC0CWngwJU5/s320/clarissa.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637388270664582994" border="0" /></a></span></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Welcome to another exciting installment of musings on 90s Nickelodeon, brought to you by me and my comedic partner in crime, <a href="http://andyshawcomedy.com/about"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Andy Shaw</span></a></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >. </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >We've had a criminally fun time putting these together and strolling down memory lane to recall just how much TV used to rot our brains as children. Hopefully you'll enjoy these memory-stirrers as much as we enjoy goofing around in the blogosphere writing these posts.<br /><br />We're doing things a little differently this time around. You can scroll down to see our conversation about Clarissa Explains it All and Double Dare, and visit <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://andyshawcomedy.com/">Andy's blog</a> to read our memories and plea to the Nickelodeon people to add Hey Dude to their rotating TeenNick 90s is All That lineup. Be sure to check out both posts and of course, let us know via email, twitter (@<a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://twitter.com/#%21/Childrenof90s">childrenof90s</a> and @<a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://twitter.com/#%21/wildarschase">wildarschase</a></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/wildarschase"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">)</span></a></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" > </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >or in the comments section what other shows you'd like to see in the series.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/wildarschase"><br /></a></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" ><br />And of course, don't forget to check out parts 1 and 2, <a href="http://childrenofthenineties.blogspot.com/2011/07/to-discuss-exciting-90s-tv-development.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">here</span></a> and <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://andyshawcomedy.com/2011/07/the-90s-are-all-that-recap-part-two.html">here</a>!<br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarissa_Explains_It_All" id="internal-source-marker_0.7716500227635971"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Clarissa Explains it All</span></a></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/m9gQD6i4htU" allowfullscreen="" width="425" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Children of the 90s: </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Never have I ever had a style and fashion icon quite like Clarissa Darling. Even watching the reruns on TeenNick, I can’t help wondering where she got her oversized Keith Haring t-shirt or checkerboard bike shorts. As a child, I used to dream of the day when my mom would let me wear a crop top, mini skirt, and pink tights like Clarissa does in the intro. Unfortunately, that day never came. Actually, I think I’m still waiting. Mom, what do you think of the crop top? Still no?</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Clarissa was just pure cool. She was quirky but likable, and her granola family, nerdy brother, and floppy-haired window-climbing neighbor made for great situation comedy. She was smart and funny and totally unique. I watch the show now and still find myself wishing I could assemble ironic and interesting decor items like Clarissa. Hubcaps? Giant Swatch watch? Russian matryoshka dolls? Check, check, and check.h</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">WildARSChase:</span> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >I wonder why she never really hooked up with Sam. He made it cool to use a ladder to get into a room.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >My favorite aspect of the show was the computer games she’d have available. Remember, this was before people really had any such thing, so every game looked amazing. Probably how people marveled at that newfangled Facebooks all the kids are doing these days.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >She also had that annoying younger brother, Ferguson, who was in love with Dan Quayle and was destined to grow up rich, connected and divorced by 42.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Fun fact: James Van Der Beek was a guest star.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Children of the 90s</span>:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" > Oh, I was a big Sam fan. He had that great 90s hair, where they shaved it underneath and let it go floppy on top. Swoon. I did like her sometimes-boyfriend, Clifford Spleenhurfer. He was a bully, but also a softie and totally whipped for Clarissa by the end of their relationship.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Ferguson loved Dan Quayle? I don’t remember that specifically, but it seems to fit right in with his general ambitious nerdiness. I stumbled upon a picture of </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.google.com/imgres?q=ferguson+darling&um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1440&bih=652&tbm=isch&tbnid=RxhsU1EUVu4tsM:&imgrefurl=http://clarissavengeance.buzznet.com/user/journal/11149161/stars-clarissa-explains-all-now/&docid=vk-Pl7dscI33OM&w=419&h=631&ei=IAQ7ToLlPI3egQe1oM3OBg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=227&page=1&tbnh=145&tbnw=107&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:0&tx=50&ty=52"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">what Ferguson looks like today </span></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and I couldn’t believe it. I just always think of him as the nerdy kid brother, and </span></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >that picture is definitely a bona fide grown up (read:bald). Other fun fact: he’s now a theater director in Portland. </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">WildARSChase:</span> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >And he also testified to Congress about the benefits of passing out free condoms. Neither here nor there. I’d just like to say that the world would all be better if everyone would break the fourth wall.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Dare_%281986_game_show%29"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Double Dare</span></a></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zohSKbAK4ak" allowfullscreen="" width="425" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Children of the 90s:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" > How awesome would it be if we could opt to defer difficult situations in our real lives by selecting a physical challenge? Just picture it: you’re at big meeting at work, all eyes in the boardroom on you, the boss puts you on the spot to defend your numbers, and you...</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >choose instead to catapult a pie into your coworker’s pants.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" > It just seems like a generally awesome alternative to dealing with the pressure of not knowing the correct answer.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >You can’t talk about Double Dare without bringing up the ultimate irony of the show: host Marc Summers suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Now, I’m no psychology expert, but I imagine most treatments of the disorder--even the most head-on, encounter-therapy style ones--do not recommend auditioning to be the host of a show with the words “Super Sloppy” in the title. It just seems like common sense</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >WildARSChase:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" > I misread your last sentence as “Sloppy Seconds,” and thought, “That’s not good for anyone, let alone someone with OCD.”</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Double Dare taught us all that when in doubt, you can get anywhere in life by accepting a challenge and filling a glass of milk glued to a helmet. To this day, when I hear, “On your mark, get set, GO” I start ferociously eating pies.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >I always wondered if the dads on the show would get mad at their freeloading kids forcing them to go for the challenge rather than the better bet of answering a question and winning money to pay for the godforsaken trip to Orlando when all he wants to do is play some golf and drink some beer but no of course not he had to go on a game show and make a fool of himself in front of everyone and now he’s losing money to some bratty kids and ...</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Children of the 90s:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" > I hope that someday when I have a family of my own, we too can resolve problems by filling glasses of milk and mounting them on helmets. Heck, I don’t even care if we have a problem or not. I’m just going to make those helmets. They just seem like an awesome accessory to have on hand, assuming you like to drink over a tarp.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >I too was pretty impressed by the parents on this show, they really gave it their all. I’m not sure I can imagine my family getting quite so behind a mission that involves sliding headfirst into the Gak geiser. On the plus side, though, I’m sure it made for some pretty awesome souvenir videos to drag out during a lull in the next family reunion: “Oh, and here’s where mom dove into the mashed potato vat to get the last orange flag! Rewind that so we can watch it in slow-mo, will you, Johnny?”</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >WildARSChase</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >: I wish they would’ve shown some really dysfunctional families (more reality TV style) who would berate each other and screw each other over. That would’ve added a whole new dimension.<br /><br />That's all we've got for you today, folks! Don't forget to stop by <a href="http://andyshawcomedy.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Andy's blog</span></a> to see our Hey Dude post, too!<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span>Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-19040492593388713642011-08-02T08:11:00.001-05:002011-08-02T08:11:00.347-05:00Selection of 80s and 90s Newberry Award Winning Books Part 1<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.7838351521561682"></span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Children of the 90s is looking for guest bloggers and collaborators! Have a burning desire to write about nostalgia? Have you seen a doctor to make sure it won’t just clear up on its own? Then you might be interested in writing for Children of the 90s! Contact us at </span><a href="mailto:childrenofthe90s@gmail.com"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">childrenofthe90s@gmail.com</span></a><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> to apply!</span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In so many areas in our lives, we look to the experts to tell us what is worth our attention and appreciation. The Oscars tell us which movies to see, the Emmys tell us which TV shows to watch, and the New York Times Bestseller List tells us which books to page through. Though far less prestigious, children’s and young adult books have their very own award system that shaped many of our young adult library experiences: the Newberry Medal.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Our school librarian always read to us from Newberry Award-winning children’s books, and with good reason. The Newberry Medal is awarded for excellence in children’s literature, showcasing the best young adult fiction of the year. After reviewing the list, I could remember almost all of the winners in fairly accurate detail. Even less voracious readers devoured these books with gusto, relishing the distinctly pre-teen themes and relatable writing. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Don’t blame me if this list makes you want to visit the young adult section at your local library--I’m heavily considering checking out </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jacob Have I Loved </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Number the Stars</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Because most children of the 90s came of age over a span of a decade or so, I had to split this post into 80s and early 90s selections, with mid-90s selections sequestered to a second post. Now that we have all of the logistical details hammered out, let’s get down to brass tacks (don’t you think that sentence had a lot of hardware references for a post about books? Just saying.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1981 Medal Winner:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jacob Have I Loved</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">by Katherine Paterson</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/BdZXsoS5yQA6xCVvtBYe8-ylLgM9c44b5Gi1TrJMMDVG3C_Dr6IKW-_neWg9MZr6aogF3sRZX1KpgyKMBWfM5ui4EzsPUwVtGSNICCBt-rHlvP580w" width="150px;" height="225px;" /><br /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If nothing else, this book made me wish my family worked in the crabbing and fishing business like main character Wheeze’s father Truitt. I imagine the romanticized version of crabbing as a livelihood I gleaned from reading </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jacob Have I Loved</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> as a child is far from the reality of the back-breaking and dangerous job (Deadliest Catch, anyone?) but I still always thought it sounded like fun. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The book’s title references the biblical sibling rivalry of Jacob and Esau, echoed by the book’s own familial tension between main character Sarah Louise (Wheeze) and her golden child sister, Caroline. Caroline marries Wheeze’s closest friend and mysterious fisherman Call. Before you get to wondering what exactly a mysterious male fisherman is doing befriending young girls on an isolated island, just agree to accept that historical young adult fiction is allowed to take license with pretty much anything in the name of being moderately educational.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1983 Medal Winner:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dicey's Song</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">by Cynthia Voigt<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/lkRXCRvTK43or0cPEQuqTrdj_wi2ZLB5YxW2KfstBgI2fn3XbFkSXHvZtuXEjxURuS-UiVRN5p7pAk-TCLO2gQrTUrFIGmNARu8c1-Rg5IqHSDG7cA" width="156px;" height="262px;" /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The sequel to Voigt’s 1981 young adult novel </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Homecoming</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Dicey’s song follows Dicey Tillerman and her siblings as they begin a new life with their Gram on her farm in rural Maryland. Their mother, now in a psychiatric hospital,abandoned her children by leaving them in a parking lot. Gram is a very closed and private person, and Dicey and her siblings have trouble adjusting to their new life. Spoiler alert: their mom dies. Sorry if I ruined the ending, but if you haven’t read this by now, your window of opportunity to do so has probably closed. If not, hey, you probably would have seen it coming anyway. These young adult fiction books aren’t known for their subtlety.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1984 Medal Winner:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dear Mr. Henshaw</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">by Beverly Cleary<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/IJC340OmIFyN00eQFnd4jV54s91r-oO1i-MUePX-Vens0QddWEHB4U5_yzvIf8EqX6HdK_95mV3rZFgE-TGdFXGVt7EZqJS5BtxCpoGSVh-HUysN1A" width="189px;" height="284px;" /><br /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ah, Beverly Cleary. You always knew how to charm your child readers with your realistic young characters. In </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dear Mr. Henshaw,</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> we meet Leigh Botts, a second grader who writes to author Mr. Henshaw as a part of a class assignment. Aside from not knowing that “Leigh” is actually a girl’s name, our main character also deals with life issues like his parents’ divorce and moving to a new town. The book satisfied our natural curiosity (read: nosiness) by allowing us a peek at someone else’s private letters and diary entries, while covertly teaching us valuable life lessons about accepting things for what they are.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1986 Medal Winner:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sarah, Plain and Tall</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">by Patricia MacLachlan<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/SzE-J2AnT4PMWbbiAz944zMEyE6abMAF9LKRxHa6lB8HExxUVT6z0AU33_fBKNL_7RbV4f-6bfgc9TBgBU_W1diHmXFveieSuagZKDHgqEeqlDTEGg" width="154px;" height="225px;" /><br /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We were all crazy for historical fiction in the 80s and 90s, wishing for nothing more than a book to transport us to a different time and place. In the case of </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sarah, Plain and Tall</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, we ventured to the old West to follow the daily lives of the Witting family. Like any good children’s book, the story centers on the wholesome and moral world of--you guessed it--mail-order brides. Yes, that’s right, the ol’ hopeless romantic Jacob Witting writes away for a new wife based on an ad in the back of the paper. Somehow MacLachlan manages to weave it all into a heartwarming tale, which is nothing short of a testament to her quiet and simple storytelling style. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1987 Medal Winner:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Whipping Boy</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">by Sid Fleischman<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/yaXuFu0e10SJ306pPEX7OTImLO_pUakMxW7HeICae3z_yWrF-QZ0q4fV2uSXc1kaQI4rB60s0gvQSPUeHUExAyoUk8HWi4MPmZ_5LaWhelYt0ydEvQ" width="159px;" height="225px;" /><br /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Fleischman’s title character is Jemmy, the young boy forced to bear the brutal whipping consequences for a royal heir’s unprincely actions. Every time the prince acts up, Jemmy must endure the brunt of the punishing whippings. Pretty awesome job, right? Luckily </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Whipping Boy</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> keeps it fun and madcap, sending Jemmy and Prince Brat (as he’s called in private) on a whirlwind adventure escape filled with colorful characters like Cutwater and Hold-Your-Nose Billy. For a somewhat dark premise, the book’s tone is light, tying it all together neatly with a solid moral message about treating people with equal respect.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1990 Medal Winner:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Number the Stars</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">by Lois Lowry<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/2qjtTJVokNrUsOMwZKyG2QOO8vTjFuwZwns5pWj5GunkgmPkB63hEHmYPlPIaLymfFzQhpiNsOj-4ZmxBctlqu7j9WzHTrAR7p9Ne9y2v9NtcNH3aA" width="146px;" height="240px;" /><br /><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lois Lowry knows how to weave a compelling story, creating believable young characters child readers can relate to. In </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Number the Stars</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Lowry explores the story of friends Annemarie and Ellen growing up in Denmark during World War II. As the Nazi presence becomes a part of daily life in Denmark, Annemarie is worried about what will happen to her Jewish friend, Ellen. While the theme is certainly heavy for a children’s book, Lowry artfully shows how the Nazi occupation affected young people while depicting the good-heartedness of families who chose to help their neighbors. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span>Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-54199904082250791492011-08-01T08:07:00.004-05:002011-08-01T08:07:00.718-05:00Want to Write for Children of the 90s?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blogs.ebrandz.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/blog1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 347px; height: 346px;" src="http://blogs.ebrandz.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/blog1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Do you have something hilarious and nostalgic to share with the world? Have an aching desire to reminisce about your childhood in a public forum for all the world to see? Feel like you just can't keep your all-consuming love of the 90s inside anymore? Well, you're in luck, because the Children of the 90s blog is seeking collaborators and guest bloggers! I know, I know, it's pretty exciting stuff. I'll pause for the inevitable celebratory fireworks displays and ticker tape parades.<br /><br />When I started this blog, I had an endless cache of free time. Perhaps it would have been better if I'd been a member of Generation X--at least then maybe I'd have had the shame and humility to feel I can't do something so big on my own. As a child of the 90s, though, my self esteem has been so forcefully inflated by grown-ups telling me how wonderful every thing I did was as a child, it's significantly more difficult for me to ask for help.<br /><br />With a busy work year and the prospect of crunch-time wedding planning looming large, I'd like to find some additional writers and collaborators help carry the blog and continue to open fresh ideas to new audiences. A select overachieving few of you have already contacted me through Twitter and Facebook, but I'm ready to open up the request to the full blog audience.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Think you may be interested? Here are the guidelines for applying:</span><br /><ol><li>Writers should preferably have a well-established blog with their own base of readers and a working knowledge of blogging. Well-established is a pretty wavy concept, of course, so if your blog is read by more people than yourself, I'll happily take a look at it. The idea is that you are both familiar with blogging and our blogs could mutually benefit from exposure to new readers and Twitter/Facebook users, so it's sort of a win-win(-win?) situation.<br /></li><li>Briefly review Children of the 90s for topics that have been covered and pitch a few post ideas of your own.</li><li>Be able and willing to write 500-1000 word posts filled with pictures, videos, and other means of holding the fickle attention of blog readers (if you've read this far without a photo or video distraction and are still paying attention, congratulations. You may be ready to write for Children of the 90s!</li></ol><span style="font-size:78%;">Subject to approval and all that other fine print they say so quickly at the end of radio ads that so you can barely understand it before just you call and sign up for something without a working knowledge of the restrictions. Requesting a guest blogger position or pitching a topic does not guarantee a position, but if you're awesome, you have a pretty good chance. Also, this is obviously an unpaid position...it probably doesn't need to be said, but if you're expecting a cut of the few cents I make daily from my sidebar ads, you're probably out of luck.<br /><br /></span>I'm very excited about adding some new writers to the team, so I'm looking forward to hearing from you! Leave a comment with means of contacting you or contact me directly at childrenofthe90s@gmail.com.Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-24430065871655326162011-07-29T08:18:00.004-05:002011-07-29T08:35:32.025-05:00The 90s Are All That Celebratory Recaps Continue--Please Welcome Part 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://andyshawcomedy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/saluteyourshorts.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 305px;" src="http://andyshawcomedy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/saluteyourshorts.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Based on all the buzz on Facebook, Twitter, and in the news, TeenNick's new <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/19/arts/television/teennicks-90s-nostalgia-fest.html?_r=1"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The 90s are All That</span></a> is a major hit. We children of the 90s have braved the wee hours of the night (or, more likely, braved the complicated recording-settings on our DVR) in record ratings numbers to land these 15-year old shows in the top ten for their late-night timeslots. The block has started with Kenan and Kel, Clarissa Explains it All, All That, and Doug, but Nickelodeon has been heavily hinting that viewer response could add many more shows to the mix.<br /><br />The hilarious Andy Shaw (@<strong><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/wildarschase">wildarschase</a><span style="font-weight: normal;">) and I teamed up earlier this week to reminisce about some of our favorites <a href="http://childrenofthenineties.blogspot.com/2011/07/to-discuss-exciting-90s-tv-development.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">here</span></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">. </span>We're back today to discuss three new shows. You can catch the full content on Andy's blog at <a href="http://andyshawcomedy.com/2011/07/the-90s-are-all-that-recap-part-two.html">http://andyshawcomedy.com</a> but just in case you're so eager you can't wait the time it takes a new page to load, here's a little preview of what you can find there:<br /><br /></span></strong><strong style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_You_Afraid_of_the_Dark%253F">Are You Afraid of the Dark?</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jitg-3xbmKU" allowfullscreen="" width="425" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe></span><br /></strong> <p style="font-style: italic;"><strong>WildARSChase</strong>: The answer is yes, because of this show. Good God, was it creepy. There was always that magic shop they went to with the guy who I later thought was Hagrid from “Harry Potter”. It was genius of Nickelodeon to make a scary show for kids. There was nothing else like it on TV.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;">They had that whole “Midnight Society” thing going on, too. Very cult-ish. I always wondered what the hazing ritual was to get into that group. Did you have to wear the red bucket on your head? Did you have to tell a ghost story in Spanish? Was there an orgy (Wait, that’s the plot of “Vanilla Sky”)? I think more kids should get together in the woods and tell ghost stories. Of course, saying, “I think more kids should get together in the woods” doesn’t sound good these days.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;">Fun fact: One of the Midnight Society members grew up to be the very attractive and very charming Joanna Garcia.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;"><strong>Children of the 90s:</strong> I will be the first to admit I was absolutely terrified of “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” I do, however, like a show so conversational that its very title is an opening to learn more about you and your most intimate fears and phobias. In my case, the answer to “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” was “Yes, absolutely. But especially that thing that was in the pool. That was pretty gross, and I’m probably only going to be able to sleep with a nightlight on until I’m about 22.*”</p> <p style="font-style: italic;">(*Age exaggerated for comedic effect. I’d say it actually was closer to 21.)</p><p style="font-style: italic;"><br /></p><p>Hop on over and visit the post on <a href="http://andyshawcomedy.com/2011/07/the-90s-are-all-that-recap-part-two.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Andy's blog</span></a> for more 90s Nickelodeon goodness about Doug, Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Salute Your Shorts! We've had a lot of fun with this series and we'd love to put out a few more installments, but we need some reader input to help us decide what should come next. Check out the blog, send some comment love our way, or tweet us at @<strong><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/wildarschase">wildarschase</a> </strong>and <strong>@<a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/Childrenof90s">childrenof90s</a></strong> to find out what we’re up to next.</p>Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-72248398852231050262011-07-25T08:02:00.002-05:002011-07-25T08:02:00.092-05:00To discuss an exciting 90s TV development with a very funny guest blogger<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.6413614739079172">In honor of tonight’s very exciting TeenNick premiere of “The 90s Are All That” programming block, a fellow blogger and I thought it would be fun to combine forces to reminisce about some of the shows that will be rebroadcast after years in the Nickelodeon vault. For those of you who are unaware of the impending television greatness in our midst, behold, the glory of The 90s Are All that promo:</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fVKgu_NyoYQ" allowfullscreen="" width="425" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You should probably set your Tivo or DVR immediately so you can enjoy this amazing 90s Nick lineup at your leisure. Go ahead, we’ll wait. Done? Okay, great. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For readers who have not yet met the hilarious Andy, here’s your formal introduction:</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Andy Shaw, known on Twitter as @WildARSChase, now runs</span><a href="http://andyshawcomedy.com/"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">andyshawcomedy.com</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, where he's combined forces Captain Planet-style to show his improv and stand up performances as well as his WildARSChase blog. He also wonders why Tori was ever on Saved By the Bell.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now that we all know each other, I think we’re ready to begin. We could go on and on about our memories and the collective greatness of these shows, so we just picked a few of our favorites to start with. Be sure to stop back by Andy’s blog later this week for the next installment!</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legends_of_the_Hidden_Temple"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Legends of the Hidden Temple</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">:</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DQBxHdsE434" allowfullscreen="" width="425" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Children of the 90s take: </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Looking back, Legends of the Hidden Temple is a gold mine of highly transferable life lessons. For one, always wear a helmet and a mouthguard for all activities. I don’t care if you’re walking your dog or baking up a hearty batch of oatmeal cookies: you never know what kind of dangerous obstacles you could encounter that could potential damage your cranium or cause you to unsuspectingly swallow a molar. That’s just basic safety.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I also learned never to count my pendants before I’ve exited the temple gates. In life, it seems just when you think you’re about to run out of the temple scott free with the Walking Stick of Harriet Tubman, a terrifying and vaguely Mayan temple guard pops up and you’re back at square one. A figurative temple guard, of course. I think I’ve let this life lesson metaphor get away from me, but hopefully you’re still along for the ride. Bonus points if you’re wearing your helmet and mouthguard.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Legends of the Hidden Temple is also a classic example of how loosely we defined shows as “educational” in the 90s. By defining the stories as “legends,” the level of research integrity required by LotHT producers dropped significantly. I’m also a tad suspicious that Olmec was just a primer to prep us for subsequent years of gleaning our news from talking heads on TV. To be fair, though, many of those cable news pundits come off more stone-faced than Olmec.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">WildARSChase take: </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Children, it all comes down to which team were you rooting for? A Silver Snake? A Blue Barracuda? Or were you cheering for a super slutty Red Jaguar?*</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">* Based on vague memories. Not scientific.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And might I add, Olmec was a douche. He was completely full of himself and very judgmental. I am quite sure host Kirk Fogg wanted to punch Olmec in his fat face.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Let me get to my biggest gripe, though: Why couldn’t those stupid kids assemble the Shrine of the Silver Monkey faster? My God, it was three pieces! And then they would waste so much time giving the temple guards the pendants. Drove me crazy. Kirk Fogg would scream at them. I’d scream at them. It was rough.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Children of the 90s:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> I was a Blue Barracuda girl all the way. I never quite understood how they came up with the color/creature combos for team names. Orange Iguanas? Red Jaguars? It just doesn’t add up.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I’m with you about Olmec. Can you imagine Kirk and Olmec’s off-screen relationship? I feel like there was some serious tension there when the cameras were off.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Speaking of the temple guards, it kind of makes me wonder who exactly was showing up for work everyday to dress up in the full Mayan garb. Were these guys Nickelodeon interns? Or real actors? I’m trying to picture some poor aspiring actor padding out his resume with “Temple Guard #3,” or if he was feeling especially creative, maybe he even gave it an authentic Mayan name like “Ixchel.”</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">WildARSChase</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: My guess is Olmec used to date Kirk’s girlfriend and was still calling her because he felt lonely stuck on the side of a temple. And Kirk couldn’t handle it and would sometimes rub it in Olmec’s face how hot his girlfriend is. I imagine the girl was Lori Loughlin from “Full House.”</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Mayan thing cracks me up because I’m sure it was so completely historically inaccurate (as you astutely point out, it was “legends.”) I am sure there’s an IMDB page out there with Temple Guard #3 out there. And I’m also quite sure Keanu Reeves would be the one to do it.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Children of the 90s: </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So I actually went to look that up on IMDB, to no avail. Too bad. I did find out the host Kirk Fogg had a bit part as a district attorney in the Veronica Mars pilot, though. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_That"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">All That:</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/omq-Qb_zmqc" allowfullscreen="" width="425" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Children of the 90s take: </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All That understood the difference between adult comedy and children’s comedy. How do I know? Because at the time, I thought each sketch was more brilliant than the last, but as an adult I question my very sanity for laughing out loud at some of this stuff. “He’s Earboy! Earboy! His Ears are really big!” Really? That’s your tagline? At least no one could argue it would go over kids’ heads.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I was also a big fan of the Goodburger fast food sketches, foreign exchange student Ishboo, crazy write-in advice dispenser Dear Ashley, and of course Vital Information for your Everyday Life. I credit Vital Information with teaching me the value of non-sequitor humor and building me a strong base of sarcasm. I never could nail a deadpan delivery quite like Lori Beth Denberg, though. Not every line was a winner, but the concept was pretty clever for a kid’s show.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Best of all, If I didn’t think something was funny, it was also incredibly brief-there was usually a ten minute wait at most to enjoy Coolio or Boyz II Men or whichever other top-billed musical artist the show managed to pull for a performance.</span><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_That"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></a><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">WildARSChase take:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> I can still remember that theme song. Did you know TLC performed it? RIP, Lisa Left Eye Lopez.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That show created a ton of spinoffs: Kenan & Kel (everytime I see SNL and see Kenan Thompson, I think of the “Goodburger” movie), The Amanda Show and more. Amanda Bynes was clearly gunning to be the star of All That. I never liked her as much.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I also forgot that Nick Cannon was on that show, preparing for a life ahead with Mariah Carey.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The best thing about All That may</span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_All_That_musical_guests"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">have been the music guests</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. I loved how culturally diverse it was - I am sure it is one reason I’m into R&B and hip hop today. Aaliyah, Erykah Badu, Da Brat, Busta Rhymes … and they weren’t singing kid-friendly songs, either. Actually, I can’t believe half of them were on a kids’ show.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Children of the 90s: </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ARS, you’re bringing back way too many memories here, I’d completely forgotten about Nick Cannon being on All That. Remember the spinoff Nick Cannon show? Now I just think of him as the well-dressed hipster host of America’s Got Talent who’s whipped enough by Mariah Carey to allow his children to have names like Moroccan and Monroe.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Looking at that list of musical guests, it’s definitely a far cry from the Disney-ified music in kids’ entertainment today. I actually went to see Busta Rhymes a few weeks ago and I can vouch that it is definitely not kid-friendly. Maybe the show’s content advisers just assumed he rapped so fast parents wouldn’t catch all the drug references.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And of course, I loved the TLC theme song. CrazySexyCool was one of the first CDs I owned. I’m pretty sure I spent a whole year deeming things I liked not just as cool, but as crazysexycool.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">WildARSChase</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: You went to see Busta Rhymes? You just got bonus points in my book. That’s gangsta. Aaliyah sang “One In a Million” on All That, a song clearly about sex. By the way, how come I keep referring to dead 90s singers?</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I had CrazySexyCool on cassette. I remember listening to “Red Light Special” and knowing it was dirty but not quite sure why.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I wonder if a show like “All That” would make it today. Since I’m not a kid anymore, I’m not sure what all is out there, but I’d be worried that someone like Miley Cyrus would be on a new “All That.” And that would be a tragedy.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Children of the 90s: </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You just reminded me I should go listen to Red Light Special so I can figure out what the heck I was misunderstanding as a child. Be back soon.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickelodeon_GUTS"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">GUTS</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">:</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nW10XR0C62Y" allowfullscreen="" width="425" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Children of the 90s take: </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As a child, I was certain the the culmination of life success was determined by one’s ability to navigate the treacherous terrain of a color-coded craggy mountain plagued by frequent glitter storms. For many years, my life’s major ambition was to someday own a piece of the famed aggro-crag. I certainly wasn’t athletic enough to ever make it as a contestant in the Extreme Arena, but that hasn’t stopped me from searching periodically for souvenir aggro crag trophies on eBay.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One of the best parts of the show was the little “Spill Your Guts” human interest segment. I spent hours brainstorming what my GUTS nickname might be. Did I exhibit the shiftiness and stealth of “The Jackal” or did I boast more of the grace and quick-footedness of “The Jaguar”? Plus, these kids knew how to celebrate their athletic achievements: I still think the best way to celebrate a milestone is to drape yourself proudly in your country’s flag and take a victory lap.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">WildARSChase take:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Mike O’Malley was introduced to me through GUTS, a show so awesome it demands a caps lock. DEMANDS IT. Who’s Mike O’Malley, you say? I’m guessing you don’t know him through his seminal work on “Yes, Dear,” which lives on in TBS infamy. I bet you know him as Kurt’s dad on “Glee.” Yep, that guy.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He was the host, always pushing kids to the limit and keeping sexual tension with Mo Quirk, the (female) referee. Mo</span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1190771/"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">went on to do great things</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, such as “My Life As a Teenage Robot” and an “additional voice” credit on Microsoft Flight Simulator X.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">GUTS was all about the Agrocrag, wasn’t it? The Agrocrag makes Mount Doom in “Lord of the Rings” look like a sandcastle. It separated the men from the boys, the women from the girls and the destined to be a pro athlete from the destined to be an accountant.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Looking back, that show was great because it promoted physical activity and being adventurous. It’s the exact opposite of another old Nick show that evidently won’t be re-broadcast, Nick Arcade … clearly, that show doesn’t stand the test of time because the graphics would look horrendous.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Children of the 90s: </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I’ll admit I actually had a huge crush on Mike O’Malley in his GUTS days. What can I say, I like a guy in a hockey jersey. I was definitely not a Yes, Dear fan, but I do like him on Glee when I remember to watch it. I suppose if he has to be getting old and bald, at least he can be accepting of his gay son.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That kind of makes me sad about Mo, because I always admired her intensity and how serious she took this announcer gig that must have been, at best, her third choice show biz job. My fiance and I actually went one year for Halloween as Mo and a Guts Contestant...I’d highly recommend it if you’re ever in a market for a 90s costume idea.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I’m also all for the physical activity aspect, but I actually loved Nick Arcade. Didn’t you think it seemed cool at the time? Obviously the technology seems pretty crappy now, but back then I was amazed those kids were </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">in</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> the video games. All hail bluescreen technology. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">WildARSChase</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: Mo and a GUTS contestant? You’re racking up bonus points left and right. I think you also were Mike O’Malley’s only groupie, so that’s minus points.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">GUTS really did have an international flair. I almost had forgotten how they flew the country flag. Of course, then you also found yourself rooting for America, which seems a bit xenophobic in hindsight. Screw you, other countries! This here is America, and our kids are the best!</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Nick Arcade did seem awesome at the time. I couldn’t believe how it was done. Actually, if they did a new version of that it would be amazing, wouldn’t it?</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Children of the 90s: </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I’m not ashamed, I was totally a Mike O’Malley groupie. Try watching the video above and telling me he didn’t used to be pretty good-looking in his relative youth.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I would totally go for a new Nick Arcade. Are you out there, Nickelodeon executives? I’d watch that. Whip that up, please, with some new technology. And maybe they can make into Global Nick Arcade, just so I can continue to feel good about rooting for my American compatriots. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">WildARSChase</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: Come over to</span><a href="http://andyshawcomedy.com/"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">AndyShawComedy.com</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> on Friday for the next installment of our recap of Nickelodeon shows of yesteryear. What shows will we do next? You'll have to visit to find out! Follow us on Twitter to find out when our series is updated! @</span><a href="http://twitter.com/wildarschase"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">wildarschase</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and @</span><a href="http://twitter.com/childrenof90s"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">childrenof90s</span></a><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Children of the 90s:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (Insert additional self-promotion links here)</span>Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2345383431077061384.post-30299054252383945182011-07-21T07:58:00.002-05:002011-07-21T08:03:56.842-05:00Classic Children of the 90s Post: Lunchables<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Your faithful Children of the 90s blogger is still on vacation...but in the meantime please enjoy this classic post about Lunchables:</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://mycrunchylife.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/lunchables2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="http://mycrunchylife.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/lunchables2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />In the late 80s and early 90s, the Oscar Mayer company was out to prove that they were more than just a catchy jingle and a Weinermobile. At this point, we were all fairly aware of Oscar Mayer's way with B-O-L-O-G-N-A. We were relatively proficient in identifying our bologna by both its first and second names. We even had general affection for ingesting the aforementioned mysterious lunch meat daily. What more could they want from us?<br /><br />Perhaps they were upset were were packing non-Oscar Mayer brand products in our school lunches. Maybe it was that sometimes we favored Jennie-O Turkey Breast over our old mystery meat pal bologna. Or possibly they were just concerned we weren't meeting our daily sodium level potential. Whatever the instigator may have been, the quest to streamline the lunch-packing process had begun.<br /><br />When it came to the 1990s elementary school cafeteria, brown bags and insulated coolers were out and prepackaged boxed lunches were in. Suddenly the height of cafeteria coolness revolved around snack-like, nutritionally devoid, candy toting yellow boxes. To pull out one of those signature Lunchables boxes at lunch time was to declare yourself party to the latest in food trends and blatantly flaunt your parents' reputable recalcitrance for wholesome nourishment. Those of us whose parents insisted on packing us a food pyramid-inspired balanced meal were forced to hang our heads in shame at our lack of preboxed lunchtime delights.<br /><br />The Lunchables roster certainly expanded over the years, but it began with a simple savory formula: crackers, adorably miniature slices of lunchmeat, and overprocessed and suspiciously orange cheese slices. Later models included such awe-inspiringly nutrition-void amenities as Capri Sun drink pouches and a fun size portion of candy. Some of us, though I won't say who, learned the don't-put-metal-in-the-microwave lesson the hard way via the addition of the metallic Capri Sun pouches. Her parents may or may not have frozen Lunchables for posterity and future lunchability, and she was not quite patient enough to let it thaw. Again, I'm not naming names, but she may or may not have broken her family's brand new microwave through this ill-fated Lunchable venture*.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/hpQ-sPQFt4N6r0JdmzoMYQ/l"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 362px; height: 245px;" src="http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/hpQ-sPQFt4N6r0JdmzoMYQ/l" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Lunchable varieties became increasingly questionable with each successive incarnation. Each model stayed true to the original formula of a collection of spare lunch parts complete with assembly instructions, but Oscar Meyer certainly weren't afraid to experiment with creativity. They churned out pizzas, nachos, mysterious forms of "dunkers," tacos, and nearly any other fathomable junk food-based product. Naturally (or as the case warranted, by means of artificial flavoring) it was only a matter of time before anti-childhood obesity groups and health advocates stormed the Lunchables bastille in the name of all things overly salty.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.taquitos.net/im/sn/Lunchables-Nachos.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 200px;" src="http://www.taquitos.net/im/sn/Lunchables-Nachos.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Yes, these salt-packed snacks were tasty, but it's largely due to the fact that they were often packing a whopping three quarters of a daily recommended value of sodium for an adult. Mind you, these were mainly consumed by children, so it's fairly simple to deduce that the sodium content more than exceeded their healthy daily dosage. This preservative-rich snack boxes came under fire for their absolute defiance in the face of rising health consciousness. Essentially, researchers looked on in horror as morbidly obese children waddled to their lunch tables, inhaled a Lunchable, chased it with the fun size candy, and went into a salt coma. These were kids walking through their elementary school hallways single file not out of obedience to teachers but out of necessity to fit through the cafeteria door.<br /><br />The Oscar Meyer/Kraft people could only hold out for so long. There was really no adequate defense for the remarkably low nutrition levels of their products, other than that children adored them and their junk-foody contents. As long as there was a consumer demographic of parents still willing to poison their children with dangerous sodium levels, there was no reason for them to make any sort of adjustment. However, as the pressure from nutrition advocates mounted and led to devastatingly bad press for Oscar Meyer/Kraft, the company quickly changed their salty tune.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTTJlrWGDVgrt0A8S4CTyCKy5_5jvCo_tYYflth6hGO2X477X5dK1sYQuQRI73Xqa85x3EziXE8HQ_enDgrvA7K1bRJsGdmNd9yfv_b4TkAhfEwVZHLRE5AcShIjyMslXsNjbAVC-zo50R/s1600-h/2003-07-01-lunchables-fun-fuel.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTTJlrWGDVgrt0A8S4CTyCKy5_5jvCo_tYYflth6hGO2X477X5dK1sYQuQRI73Xqa85x3EziXE8HQ_enDgrvA7K1bRJsGdmNd9yfv_b4TkAhfEwVZHLRE5AcShIjyMslXsNjbAVC-zo50R/s200/2003-07-01-lunchables-fun-fuel.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325720555096758754" border="0" /></a><br />It may be a bit harsh to say they sold out, considering the admittedly poor levels of nutrition in the original product. However, they did oblige to their opposition and began offering options such as fruit juice and yogurt. While these new additions may have had some grounding in health food, it's pretty safe to say they didn't significantly alter the overall caloric content. Regardless, as long as the juvenile salt-related cardiac arrest subsided, they were able to quietly continue packing children chock full of delicious artificial additives.<br /><br />That said, it's important to note that some of their current releases are highly questionable. Take this disturbingly fizzy pop-rocks knockoff <a href="http://x-entertainment.com/updates/2006/08/21/august-megaparty-21-fizzing-lunchables/">meat+candy creation</a>.It just goes to show you that change does not necessarily equal progress. To its credit, however, the packaging does herald the excellence of the meal's calcium content. Calcium or not, the whole thing seems pretty suspicious. It's safe to say that while contemporary children may not enjoy the same levels of salty deliciousness, Lunchables continue to outrage parents everywhere in a distinctly kid-pleasing manner.<br /><br />And isn't that what really counts?<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.x-entertainment.com/updates/pics/am/am21/1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 427px; height: 306px;" src="http://www.x-entertainment.com/updates/pics/am/am21/1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">*In case you failed to gather from the heavy hints, this was clearly me. I never did own up to breaking the microwave.</span>Children of the 90shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10068332403419147306noreply@blogger.com18