Memory Lane - puffy photo album covers

Back in the 1980s, when bad fads were abundant, I started one of my many entrepreneurial ventures.

Besides mowing lawns, paper routes and lots of babysitting, I also created chocolate suckers (chocolates from cool molds) and made a few crafts.

Shocking, I know. I do not make crafts at this point in my life. Only take pictures, re-type journals and make cool MyPublisher books.

But, I digress.

Though many people were creating photo album covers and photo frames with calico type fabric and cheesy patterns, I refused to do so. I would only buy silk or fake substitutes.

Here is one that I made for my grandmother. She gave it back to me a couple of years ago and as I de-junk around the house, the realization that this must be captured in pictures and then given away to Goodwill is upon me.

I can't believe I was a glue gun expert and liked making these things, but it does look classy in a 1980s kind of way.

Wish I had a picture of the lacy little jewelry basket top that I made. These are all during the time of the "Victorian" craze that some of my sisters went through while I desperately tried to be interested, but was not.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, off to Goodwill I go....

Secret Happiness - Biking - the wind, the road, the freedom

I have a secret happiness today. Spring fever set in after having one nice day this week. Since the last couple of weeks have been filled with the "Portland Mist" and cool weather, it is a relief to finally see the sunshine and feel it's warmth.

I've had the urge to ride a bike lately and so I drove home and changed into appropriate attire to test out a good bike. My entire life I've ridden bikes. I rode them on my paper routes, sometimes to school, at college, my first year or two in the DC area and as my nightly transportation in grad school. I vowed I wouldn't buy a car until I turned 30 years old, but that goal lasted until I was 28. Even then, the car sat in the parking lot most the time. When I moved to my condo, I stopped riding my bike and finally donated it to Goodwill or gave it away. That's been 3-4 years ago. Not good.

Anyway, I got to the shop and the store manager (Buck) helped me pick out a couple of bikes that could suit my fancy. He let me out the back door and I got to take some test drives around the back of Walmart, Michaels and Target. The minute I got on the last bike I felt at home. I didn't realized how much I missed that feeling of riding high up off the ground with the wind blowing against me. There is such a sense of freedom that can't be felt in a car.

I took it on one test drive this evening, but realized that the first day on a bike after a few years means sore body the next day.

Oh, and I also bought a back pack. Maybe this is a mid-life crisis? I'm reverting to how I dressed when I was 20. Hmmm.

Ok, I'm up late and Jay Leno just asked a guy why he rides motorcycles and he said "the wind, the road, the freedom."

Picture: Campground near Toronto, Canada where we rented some funky bikes way back in the 80s.

Weird: Right after I wrote this and AFTER I posted the picture, the guy told Jay Leno that he was raised in Toronto. Also, my little "Ode to Chris" entry ends up being old because my brother just barely posted in his blog for the first time in over a year. Meaningless coincidences, but nevertheless interesting.

Ode to the Duck Dishes

Ok, so "ode" is probably not the correct word, but I did want to make an entry specifically devoted to my duck dishes.

I received these dishes from my parents in the Christmas of 1989. I was home for college (yes, I started college in the 80s) for Christmas and my gifts overwhelmed the lower layer of the Christmas tree. It turns out that most of my gifts were plates, cups, glasses, and bowls that formed a complete set. I think there was a set of silverware provided at the same time. I still have those too. Anyway, these are those dishes that you could earn by purchasing a lot of groceries over a few months or so. You would collect coupon points or something and get a discount. I think all "the girls" ended up getting a different set. Mine were the duck dishes. They aren't really my style (country). However, if one has to have a set of country dishes, this would be the best kind to have.

Anyway, my parents assumed I would get married in my early 2os and got these for me. I never used them through college, but I started to use them when I was in graduate school a few years ago and continued to do so when both my brothers (and sister-in-law) and roommates lived with me.

It is now time to move on and sell them on craigslist or donate to Goodwill, but they do deserve a place in my little online notes.

I guess this was an "ode."

iTunes and 80s music

So, I received a very nice iPod as a Christmas gift and have very slowly been adding music to it over the past few weeks. After throwing away several audio tapes from the 80s recently, I decided to buy a few of the greatest hits on iTunes. Luckily, I found an electronic album that claimed to have 80 of the best hits from the 80s. Very cool! I bought it.

Now, I did scroll the list before purchasing and thought I was getting some great hits. However, I neglected to ensure the artists were legit. Let's just say that most of the songs were not sung by 80s stars I had grown up with in the actual 1980s. Imagine the shock of listening to "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" and finding out Jessica Simpson was the singer! What on earth? As it turns out, Jessica, and most of the other singers, get a big "no value added" by creating the re-makes.

After an internal debate, I've decided to keep the music as a temporary solution until I can research each song individually and purchase the correct version. After all, how else will I be able to remember, and re-create in my mind, all the memories of dances, useless crushes, road trips, and sad moments?

Hmmm, maybe some of those originals shouldn't be found. It may be time to move on...