Original Star Trek TV Guide Listing

Back on September 8, 1966 the Original Star Trek TV series premiered in the 8:30 to 9:30pm time slot. I was 11 years old and if I’m remembering correctly I convinced my mom to let me stay up and watch it, even though it was a school night (remember, no VHS tape recorders or DVR’s back in the Stone Age). I was a huge fan of science fiction, being a child of the times, and tried to watch every “space” show that came on TV or appeared in books and magazines.

Here’s a shot of what TV Guide (my mom bought it every week at the grocery store on Friday night when she went shopping) showed for the listing of that premier episode. “Spaceman” Spock, jeez! They couldn’t even correctly identify him as a Vulcan. All I knew was I liked this “space” show much more than “Lost in Space” or some of the other kind of goofy science fiction shows and movies of the time. I’ve been a fan ever since.

Original Star Trek TV Guide Listing

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Reading Old Comic Books – Famous Artists School

I mentioned a few days ago that I was reading some old comic books that I enjoyed as a kid. I also mentioned in that same post;

Many thanks to my mom and dad who, even though we were a middle class income family, always found a way to buy me things like books, comic books, science kits, art courses and model kits…really anything they thought would contribute to my knowledge, entertainment and acquisition of different skills that I might use in later life.

The “art courses” phrase in there was in reference to the ad below for the Famous Artists School, which appeared in so many comic books and magazines such as the TV Guide.

Famous Artists School ad with Norman Rockwell

Later the ads would be much shorter and simpler, with “Draw Winky” line art, but this early one with Norman Rockwell got my attention and sparked my interest. I took the test and passed (who didn’t?, lol!) and a salesman came by and sold my parents and I on enrollment in the Famous Artists School. It wasn’t cheap and they signed up to make monthly payments so I could enroll. Course assignments were completed at home and then mailed off for critiquing and instruction. I wish I still had those course materials, I’m not sure what happened to them. But seeing this ad brought back those memories.

My dream, as a boy of 8 to 16, was to draw for those very same superhero comic books I was reading. My talent was moderate and increased with practice and instruction, but I never really had the skill to excel at storytelling (framing and placement of characters and action), which was a major part of superhero comic book art. My life went in a different direction and other than some doodling and a short term attempt to return to drawing in the intervening years, I’ve never visited that area of my past again.

Maybe someday…

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Sea World Santa

Last Friday Cindy, Amber and Abby visited Sea World Orlando. Abby had the opportunity to see Santa Claus AND wanted to give him a kiss before she left. Santa seems unsure of exactly how he should handle this turn of events, lol.

Abby trying to kiss Santa Claus at Sea World Orlando

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Sea World Snow Globe

Last Friday Cindy, Amber and Abby visited Sea World Orlando and somehow found themselves trapped in a giant snow globe.

Cindy, Amber and Abby caught in a giant snow globe at Sea World Orlando

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My Favorite Version Of “(I’m Dreaming Of A) White Christmas”

Out of all the dozens, if not hundreds, of artists and versions of “White Christmas” I’ve heard over the years, this is my favorite version.

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Throwback Thursday – Jefferson City, MO 2008

This week back in 2008 I was working in cold, snowy Jefferson City, Missouri. The downtown area has an annual holiday tradition called “Live Windows” in which the downtown store windows are transformed into living holiday displays. This one, of little girls dressed as angels and singing carols, was one of my favorite shots from that night.

Little girls dressed as angels

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Great Woodland Adventure

I’m finally catching up on photos I took when Amber and Abby visited us in June of this year.

After we hiked back from Hickory Nut Falls, I walked down to get our car from the parking lot and drove up to pick up Cindy, Amber and Abby, then we drove back toward the entrance for our last stop at Chimney Rock that was especially for Abby; The Great Woodland Adventure attraction.

The Great Woodland Adventure was mostly an educational hike through the woods that was geared toward preschool and elementary school age children. Abby had a good time, learned some things and even the adults enjoyed the walk through the woods.

Great Woodland Adventure at Chimney Rock

 

 

Great Woodland Adventure at Chimney Rock

Abby gets to see what the fur of different woodland animals feels like.

Great Woodland Adventure at Chimney Rock

A little out of focus, Abby sits atop a giant frog.

Great Woodland Adventure at Chimney Rock

Amber and Abby get to see what it feels like to be a tree…with a face…made out of resin…that other people have slobbered all over. But it was fun 🙂

Great Woodland Adventure at Chimney Rock

Part of Abby’s “assignment” on the trail was to observe attributes of plants and animals and answer questions that were posed on signs nearby. She was quite the little biologist.

Great Woodland Adventure at Chimney Rock

Abby is dwarfed by a huge boulder in the woods.

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Hickory Nut Falls

I’m finally catching up on photos I took when Amber and Abby visited us in June of this year.

After we finished hiking to the top of Chimney Rock and I finished climbing even higher  to Devil’s Head and Exclamation Point, we took the elevator down to the bottom of Chimney Rock and then hiked down toward Hickory Nut Falls to have a little picnic lunch and get up close and personal with the 404 foot waterfall.

 

We stopped along the side of the trail to enjoy a picnic lunch that Cindy had prepared. The ants and spiders were happy to join us.

We stopped along the side of the trail to enjoy a picnic lunch that Cindy had prepared. The ants and spiders were happy to join us.

Not a great shot, but it helps give you a sense of how highHickory Nut Falls is on the mountain.

Not a great shot, but it helps give you a sense of how highHickory Nut Falls is on the mountain.

Sign at Hickory Nut Falls on Chimney Rock

Hickory Nut Falls at Chimney Rock

Another shot of Hickory Nut Falls from a distance

Hickory Nut Falls at Chimney Rock

My Ansel Adams version of the previous shot.

Hickory Nut Falls at Chimney Rock

Hickory Nut Falls at Chimney Rock

Here’s a shot of Cindy, Amber and Abby hiking up the trail to the base of Hickory Nut Falls.

Hickory Nut Falls at Chimney Rock

Hickory Nut Falls at Chimney Rock

Hickory Nut Falls at Chimney Rock

Hickory Nut Falls at Chimney Rock

From left to right; Amber, Abby and Cindy with Hickory Nut Falls in the background.

Hickory Nut Falls at Chimney Rock

And finally, a photo Amber took of me at Hickory Nut Falls.

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Why Cats Drink During The Holidays

Cats drinking in bar cartoon

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Top Ten Favorite Holiday Songs

The holiday spirit is in the air…or at least the holiday songs are on the air. If you listen to the radio, watch TV, or walk through a store or mall, you’ve most likely heard some holiday songs. Over on radio station Magic 107.7 they’ve continued their tradition of programming nothing but holiday music from Thanksgiving Day until Christmas Day, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I think it’s safe to say that if you were to listen to their broadcast continuously during that time period, you would hear every version of every holiday song ever performed.

I mean, I’m sure there are some exceptions. I’ve yet to hear “I Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus”, “Frosty The Hitman”, “I’ll Be Homeless For Christmas” or “Santa Claus Is Gunning You Down”, but most every other song is on their rotation.

That got me to thinking about my Top Ten Favorite Holiday Songs and what they might be. My tastes are pretty eclectic because I enjoy holiday songs by some of the older artists and some newer ones, some older versions of songs and some contemporary ones. I love listening to Mannheim Steamroller perform seasonal songs, and some old traditional ones like Bing Crosby singing “White Christmas”, but I also like Rock n’ Roll holiday songs and the satirical or humorous songs like, “The 12 Pains of Christmas”. So, I decided to list my Top Ten Favorite Holiday Songs under 3 different categories: Top Ten Favorite Traditional Holiday Songs, Top Ten Favorite Rock n Roll Holiday Songs and Top Ten Favorite Humorous Holiday Songs. Some will be just the song itself, but some will include a specific artist if that artist’s version is my favorite. Here we go:

Top Ten Favorite Traditional Holiday Songs

  1. “Sleigh Ride”
  2. “Jingle Bells”
  3. “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas”
  4. “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”
  5. “A Holly Jolly Christmas” by Burl Ives
  6. “White Christmas”
  7. “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”
  8. “Winter Wonderland”
  9. “The Christmas Song” (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)

And my Number One Favorite Traditional Holiday Song:

  1. “Merry Christmas, Darling” by Karen Carpenter

merry_christmas_darling_carpenters650px

 

Top Ten Favorite Rock n’ Roll Holiday Songs

  1. “I Wish Every Day Could Be Like Christmas” by Bon Jovi
  2. “Jingle Bell Rock”
  3. “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”
  4. “Little Saint Nick” by The Beach Boys
  5. “Wonderful Christmastime” by Paul McCartney
  6. “Santa Baby” by Madonna
  7. “Do They Know It’s Christmas Time” – Band Aid
  8. “Snoopy’s Christmas” (Snoopy vs. The Red Baron) by The Royal Guardsmen
  9. “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town” by Bruce Springsteen

And my Number One Favorite Rock n’ Roll Holiday Song:

  1. “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey

mariah_all_I_want_for_xmas650px

Top Ten Favorite Humorous Holiday Songs

  1. “Dominick the Christmas Donkey”
  2. “(I’m Gettin’) Nuttin’ for Christmas”
  3. “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas”
  4. “You’re a Mean One Mr Grinch”
  5. “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”
  6. “The Chipmunk Song” (Christmas Don’t be Late) by Alvin & The Chipmunks
  7. “The Chanukah Song” by Adam Sandler
  8. “The Twelve Gifts Of Christmas” by Bob And Doug McKenzie
  9. “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer”

And my Number One Favorite Humorous Holiday Song:

  1. “The 12 Pains of Christmas”

So, there are my lists. I’m curious to know what your favorites are. Do you share any of mine? Do you have some I didn’t list?

 

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