All goood things must come to an end....

I'd like to begin this final blog posting by thanking my visitors. Although there's not many of you, the ones who do show up to view my blog are very much appreciated! This will likely be my last blog posting of 2009. I plan on doing an early blog in 2010 (look for a posting around January 10th-15th, 2010). The next blog posting will likely be music oriented. Remember When those one hit wonders were actually hits? We'll take a trip back in time, and visit bands like Eve 6, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Nirvana and many others! It's sure to be another great edition! Again, thanks to my classmates for checking out my blog! Have a safe and happy holiday!


Boston Public was a show that got retired before its time . Boston Public first aired in 2000 and ran until 2004. The year 2000 also happen to be the first year of high school for me, so this show was of great interest to me. Although my high school was a bit more peaceful (not by much), the show often had realistic plots, mostly having to do with the difficulty of running a public high school on Boston. My appreciation for teachers (and professors) went up dramatically after watching the show. It's a shame it ended only after four years. If you did not get the chance to watch this show, I'd advise trying to find it online.

Watching the opening theme song, it feels like this show just ended its run yesterday....




April 20th, 1999 will live in my memory for the rest of my life. I had just got home from school when I turned on the television to see news reports of a school shooting in Colorado. The following few hours I watched the horror unfold in front of me. I felt both sadness for the students killed and anger towards those responsible. I was just about to enter high school the following fall so my head was filled with thoughts of "this could happen anywhere". Recently, reports were released that showed the two shooters actually were not "bullied" at all. They represented the epitome of evil.

I have provided a link to 911 tapes of a teacher who was in the school library. Chilling stuff....





Billy Madison is one of my favorite education comedies! Starring Adam Sandler, Billy Madison features SEVERAL one liners that will remembered for decades to come. One of my favorite quotes is where the principal at the end of the movie remarks on Billy's (Adam Sandler's) answer to a question.

"Principal: Mr. Madison, what you have just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

Clearly this film is genius, at least in my opinion. It's also one of Adam Sandler's better films. Great film! If you have not already seen it, I suggest you check it out!

Best clips of the movie can be seen in this video provided by a YouTube user.





Family Matters is and always will be one of my favorite television comedies. I remember first watching it when I was about 10 years old. My favorite character was Carl Winslow, with Waldo Faldo being a close second. The show is a perfect mix of comedy and each episode has a moral. It is a shame this show ended, but it will surely live on through reruns!

Carl Rocks!



Thats a wrap folks, its been a nice run these past couple of months. Wrap up this blog and open it after the new year. I'll be back as the great Arnold once said...

Happy Holidays, Stay safe!

After a busy week, I've finally got the time to make a new blog posting. Today's posting will discuss and look back at several Nickelodeon television shows that aired during the late 80's and early 90's. Go grab a cup of coffee, get comfortable and enjoy a trip back in time. A time when living life was all about having fun!

Hey Dude was one of my favorite Nick shows when I was growing up. Hey Dude first aired on 1989 and focused on a group of kids on a fictional ranch. I remember watching Hey Dude while I eat dinner as it often aired around 5:00 PM. I also remember having a crush on the "blonde" girl on the show, who would later turn out to be Christine Taylor (the blonde girl from the Dodgeball movie with Ben Stiller).

Check out the old Hey Dude intro theme song below! It's been awhile since I heard this tune!





Anyone who was a child growing up in the late 80's and early 90's will remember another great Nickelodeon show, Salute Your Shots. Opening with the very catchy tune, Salute Your Shorts first aired in 1991 and focused on a group of kids at camp. I remember Salute Your Shorts airing right after Hey Dude, which made my night that much better. One of my favorite characters on the show was Donkey Lips. Unless you've seen the show, you probably have no clue who I'm referring to...

We run, we jump, we sing and play....





Next up is one of the scariest shows I remember watching as a kid. Are You Afraid of the Dark is a Nickelodeon show that aired from 1991 to 1996. The show focused around a group of kids would we gather by a fire and tell creepy, ghostly stories. I remember Are You Afraid of the Dark airing during the 9:30 PM slot of Nick at Night which aired on Saturday nights from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Me and my brother would sit down to watch Nick at Night every Saturday night.

Even today, I still love watching this show. Here's my favorite episode, with Bozo the clown!!





When I was a kid, I used to love animated shows as well. One of my favorite animated shows was Doug. Like Doug, I used to have a crush on a girl at school. I often would watch Doug for tips on how to impress the girl I liked. On the television show, Doug had a crush on a girl Patty. Doug was a great show until it got moved to the Disney network. Sadly it was not the same at the Nickelodeon Doug and I ceased watching it. But before Disney ruined Doug, Doug was a great show!

I'll probably remember this song until the day I die...





Rocko's Modern Life! A show made for adults but aired to kids. Rocko's Modern Life was very entertaining when I was younger, but watching it today it is even more entertaining. As a kid, I was not aware of the hidden sexual innuendos that were on the show. I'll leave it at that, check them out for yourself...

What do you think, are these intentional innuendos or just coincidence?

Tis the Season

Welcome to the special Christmas edition blog! Today, I'm going to blog about my favorite Christmas movies. One of the very first Christmas films I remember watching was Home Alone. Home Alone is at the top of my all time favorite Christmas movies. The original Home Alone film was released in 1990, making me six years old at the time of its theatrical release. I also loved the second Home Alone film since the original cast all returned.

While searching YouTube for a video to post on here, I came across a re cut Home Alone trailer that someone had made. The creator had re cut the trailer to make the film appear as a horror movie. Personally, I thought the re cut was very well done and had I not seen the original funny/family version, I might have believed it to actually be a real film. Below you will find two home alone goodies. The first video is the John Williams theme song to the movie (John Williams is awesome!) and the second video is the re cut horror version I just discussed. Please feel free to leave a comment to let me know what you think!







The Santa Clause starring Home Improvement's Tim Allen was released in 1994 is another film that has high rankings on my list of favorite Christmas films. When the film was released, I was still unsure whether Santa really existed. The film helped ease my concern as it focused on a young boy who stopped believing in Santa.
I make sure I watch this film every Christmas season.

Below you will find my favorite scene of the whole movie. I really wanted to be an ELF after watching it!





What do you get when you mix a young Drew Barrymore, Keanu Reeves and several talking stuffed animals? Babes in Toyland! No its not the name to a cheap porno film but to a 1986 film about a young girl (Drew Barrymore) who visits a fantasy world after getting into an accident. I will admit that I still love this film even today. Even though the film is geared towards a younger audience, I still am a fan! I remember getting this film thanks to McDonald's. They were running a holiday special one time several years ago where they gave away VHS Christmas films as a gift. I happen to get the Babes in Toyland VHS. It's a good thing I did or else I probably would have never come across this secret gem!

Here is the trailer to Babes in Toyland! Enjoy! Look how young those two future Hollywood stars look..





Every Black Friday I go out to the local Walmart/Lowes and pick up boxes of fresh, new Christmas lights. After spending 10+ hours outside in the freezing cold, I bring out the family for the traditional lighting of the Christmas lights on our house. I plug in the light and....NOTHING! It's a scene that happens to not only me, but Clark Griswold. The National Lampoons Christmas Vacation is a very funny Christmas film that is also a must watch every holiday season.

Here is the Christmas lighting scene I was talking about. Oh Clark, I know how you feel!!!





Finish the sentence: Be sure to drink you're _______________. Or how about You'll shoot your _____________. I triple dare you to fill in the blanks! Every Christmas Eve, I set aside 2 hours to watch A Christmas Story. The television channel TBS runs a 24 hour marathon every Christmas Eve! Christmas just does not feel the same unless I watch this film!

My favorite scene! The LEG LAMP!!!





Bad Santa is now a must watch every Christmas for me and my best friend. This film is offensive but hilarious. Billy Bob Thorton plays a Santa who's not nice but naughty. The first time I saw this, was during the 2005 Christmas season. I was sick with a cold so I was home with nothing to do. I saw it was playing on HBO so I decided to watch it. I ended up watching it at least twenty times during a 2 week period. I couldn't get enough of it! It's dark comedy at its finest!!

One of my favorite scenes! LOL!!!!

Into the Great Wide Open!

Terminator 2 Judgement Day is my favorite film of the Terminator franchise. Terminator 2 debuted in theaters in July, 1991 and stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton and Edward Furlong. My favorite scene in this movie is when John Connor (Edward Furlong) is being chased by the Terminator driving a truck. The ending to the truck chase scene ranks up in the top of my all time favorite action scenes. I first saw T2 when I was around 10 years old, so it had been out for a few years before I actually was able to watch it. To this day, I still have T2 on tape...

What is your favorite Terminator film? Check out the car chase scene below!

(Please click on link)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htpL9i5WSp4

The kid in the picture above looks like a sweet, charming, young man. There's only one problem. Junior is a Problem Child! Problem Child 2 debuted in July of 1991 and quickly became a must watch film for me growing up. I personally liked the first one better, but the second film is just as good. I remember having both the first and second film on VHS. That tape still exists, in some dark, lonely box in my attic. Big Ben (Junior's Grandpop) is my favorite character!

Got a Problem with Problem Child 2? Yes? No? What did you think of the film?

The very first album I ever owned, R.E.M's "Out of Time" debuted in 1991. R.E.M. was the first band I actually liked. "Radio Song", was my favorite song off the album. Today, I may not be as big of a fan as I was when I was younger, but R.E.M. still has a special place in my heart.





Tom Petty rocks! And so does his "Into the Great Wide Open" album that debuted in 1991. My favorite song off the album is of course "Into the Great Wide Open!". Great song! Did I mention Tom Petty rocks?

Due to copyright issues, please click on the link below to hear the song! It'll remind you how much Tom Petty rocks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivXDLaGZNlc

Check back soon! The next three blog postings will be special editions. One will focus on Nickolodean television shows I grew up with, the second will feature Kidsongs and the third and final posting will be the long awaited Christmas edition! Thanks for visitng, if you don't feel like leaving a comment at the very least please check back! More Nostalgic goodness to come!

I love the 90's!

If you don't know who's picture that is above, then you probably have been living under a rock and more importantly, missing out on one of the funniest television shows you will probably ever see. Mr Bean, a british comedy show about a man who really acts like a child, first debuted in 1990. The first time I saw Mr. Bean was after my friends suggested that I watch it. They lent me a tape of his first season and I was instantly hooked. For the next several years, I watched each season on television and bought the VHS tapes. Mr. Bean the television show ran from 1990-1995, plus two full feature movies. His latest movie was Mr. Bean's Holiday, which (to me at least), was just as funny as his television show. For the rest of my life, there will always be fond memories of watching Mr. Bean for the first time.

Below you will find a clip to two of my favorite scenes. Please, check them out!

Its not a tumor! Stop it! Who is your daddy and what does he do? Sound familar? It should. You may have heart these phrases from various Arnold soundboards that have been created, or you more likely have heard it from the 1990 hit movie Kindergarten Cop starring the one and only Arnold Swarteneggar. Kindergarten Cop was another movie I watched several times when I was younger. What probably drew me into this movie was the fact that the storyline involved a younger kid (around the same age as me when I first saw the film). This helped me relate to the movie and thus it became a must watch movie for me.

Who is your daddy and what does he do?





Girls love him! Guys wish they could be him! His name is Edward Sissorhands, opps I mean Johnny Depp! Released in 1990, the first time I saw Edward Sissorhands I was freaked out! When Edward Sissorhands first came out, I was a bit young to understand the dark humor of Tim Burton's classic movie. To me, the vision of a guy with sissors as hands just freaked me out! The film (even today) has its creepy, dark moments but I no longer get freaked out watching it! I will say this, I LOVE the movies setting, the dark mood fits the movie perfectly!

Are you a fan?

Bye Bye 80's!

What do infants think about? Well, breasts for sure! All kidding aside, "Look Who's Talking" is a film based the perspective of life from a very young child. From the moment of conception, throughout the babies first several years, Look Who's Talking takes the viewer on a wild ride of an infants life. When I first saw this film, I was about ten years old. I often remember watching it because I found the movie to be quite funny. My favorite of the Look Who's Talking films was the second film, titled Look Who's Talking Now. I preferred the second film because the ages of the children were closer to my age. The film stars a young John Travolta and also stars Kirstie Alley.

Just think, this was all of us at one time....





Honey...I Shrunk the Kids!! Five words a mother NEVER wants to hear. As if the 1980's didn't have enough cool films, Honey I Shrunk the Kids was released on June 23rd, 1989 and starred Rick Moranis (the dorky guy in the Ghostbuster films). For those who have not seen the film, the title basically describes the plot in full. An inventor, invents a machine that is able to shrink objects. Unfortunately, one day his kids and their neighbors are playing baseball and a home run ball is hit into the machine, triggering it to activate. The film mostly centers on the chaotic adventures of attempting to get big again, and trying not to get stepped on by their own parents. Personally, I loved this film. Despite the cheesy humor, this film was actually interesting because we the audience get to experience life as an insect. I always wondered what life would be like living in the grass in my backyard. Honey I Shrunk the Kids gives the viewer a glimpse into the world we'll never see.




In my first blog, I talked about one of my favorite childhood films, Ghostbusters. Five years later, Ghostbusters two hit the theaters. Ghostbusters two, like the first film, focuses on the Ghostbusters keeping evil spirits from taking over the world. In the second film, ghosts have threatened the big apple. One of my favorite scenes from this film was the ending scene with the Statue of Liberty walking down the streets of NYC. Although I did not see this film until a few years after its release in theaters, it still remains at the top of my list of favorite films. Critics may not have loved it but I sure did!

From beginning to end, this film is pure greatness! Did you like the second Ghostbuster film? Yes? No? Tell me why!





These days, horror movies are more like comedies than horror films. Saw is mostly about gore and grossing people out and other films mainly focus on slasher type theme's. Before Paranormal Activity came out this past fall, there had not been a film that scared me as much as Pet Sematary. Released in 1989, Pet Semetary centers around a family who moves into a rural house out on a farm. Life is seems good, expect for the fact that there is a road in front of the house which is used by speeding truckers. One day, the family's cat gets hit. A neighbor suggests that the father bury the cat at an old Indian burial ground. He complies and all hell breaks loose. If you have not seen the film, I suggest you check it out! To this day, Pet Semetary still creeps me out and probably will the rest of my life!

Have you seen this film? What did you think? Please drop a quick comment to let me know! Thanks!





Where did my love of trains begin? Probably when I first rode Strausburg Railroad in the mid 1980's. Since then, several shows have been released the focus on railroading. One of my favorite train shows growing up was Shining Time Station aka the Thomas the Tank Engine show. Airing on PBS, the show focused around the life of Thomas the Tank Engine. I remember watching the show just for the scenes with Thomas. I really had no interest in the other scenes of the show. I also was a big fan of Mr. Conductor aka George Carlin.

Watching Shining Time Station was only the beginning of what would turn into a very productive hobby. Over the last several years, the Internet has opened up the doors to a participatory cultural where people like myself (amateurs) can produce what at one time was only done by professionals. Today, I can take my High Definition camcorder and film trains. But what's the difference between today and twenty years ago? Sharing. Not only can I take video of trains, but I can also take video of trains AND SHARE them with others. What was once only reserved for train magazines and production companies can now be done by anyone with a camera and an Internet connection. YouTube has allowed me to share my videos with the world. Something that at the time of Shining Time's Station's release, would have been impossible!



On that note, that's a wrap to this blog and the 1980's. I'll touch on a few more things 80's in my next few blogs, but look for an increase in 90's material. Also keep checking back as there will be a special Christmas blog in early December, focusing on Christmas films, songs and television shows. Have a good one everyone, don't forget to leave a quick comment!

Those Wonder Years....

Whatever you do, do not say his name three times! Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice! Then he shall appear to cause comedic havoc wherever he goes. And no, I am not talking about the sidekick featured on the Howard Stern Show. The year 1988 saw the release of the very funny (and creepy) film BeetleJuice, directed by Tim Burton starring a young Michael Keaton. When this film first came out, I was a bit too young to have been watching it (I was 5 in 1988). A few years later however, I saw the film for the first time. My first reaction was "oh there's the mom from Home Alone!" I was reffering to Catherine O'Hara who starred in the original Home Alone film. As much as I hate to admit it, this film creeped me out when I was a kid. The creepiest part of the film was when Beetlejuice turned into a snake. Nasty! Anyways, if you have not seen the film I suggest renting it. You may like it, you may hate it, but you've got to experience Beetlejuice at least once...

Best part of the movie!!






I have to admit, the idea behind the next film I'm going to talk about is genius. Now here is a film that scared me as a young kid. His name is Chucky, and he is a good guy doll. The only problem is, he wants to kill me and YOU! In 1988, the world was introduced to the bloody wrath of Chucky, a killer doll who is possessed by the spirit of a madman. Yes, this film scared me as a kid. Although I did not have any dolls, I knew other kids who did. One of them even had the actual "good guy" doll. Every time my friend would pull out the doll, I would tell him it was going to get us! Of course, my parents tried to keep me from watching the film, but I had friend who had the movie and we often watched it only to be scared out of our minds. Looking back at the film today, its fun to watch but nothing more.

Have you seen Child's Play? Yes? No? Feel free to drop a comment on what you think of the film, and if your my age (24), drop a comment on how this film effected you growing up. Look its the mom from 7th heaven!





Critics hated it! I loved it! Does Mac and Me sound familiar? Probably not, but if you've seen it, your probably a fan just like me! When I was about 7 or 8 years old, my parents rented a film for me called Mac and Me. I remember not knowing what to expect as my mom told me I was going to "enjoy" the film she rented. Mac and Me is a feel good film about an alien and a young boy. Yes I know, ET was the same thing but Mac and Me had its own unique qualities. I have not seen this film in years, so I hope NetFilx has this movie in their stock. For now though, I'll have to settle for watching the trailer to this film. Check out the trailer and I take no responsibility for the sudden urge to eat McDonald's....

Have YOU seen Mac and Me? What did you think? Drop a comment to let me know!





I'm sure everyone reading this blog (and even those not reading this blog) have seen this television show at least once. It's safe to say that "The Wonder Years" was probably one of my favorite none-Nickelodeon television shows growing up. For those who have not seen The Wonder Years, the show centers on the life of a young boy named Kevin who experiences life growing up during the late 1960's and early 1970's. The show is awesome and I love watching it even today! I remember wanting to be like Kevin, I even wanted my own "Winnie" too.. I got my own "Winnie" today, only she's a blond...LOL

What did you think of The Wonder Years? Love it? Hate it? Leave a comment to let me know what you think!