Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Nostalgia

What is it about childhood and the things of the past that bear so much meaning?  There is no other portion of my life that I think back so fondly on as my childhood.  And there are things, which mostly are symbols, that carry so much weight even though the things themselves are meaningless.  And, due to the copious amounts of "good old days" merchandise sold in Cracker Barrel, I doubt I'm alone in my feelings.  There is some kind of happiness, connection with others, fondness for what was that these things ignite in us.

Glo Worm

Look at all that joy found in his friendly little face! The Glo Worm was a favorite of mine.  Who even knows why, really? There isn't much to him.  He looks like a head stacked on peas, and he lights up.  But the Glo Worm is fun, and he is classic! I miss my Glo Worm.

Cricket
Cricket is the best! And I don't care how many of you had a Teddy Ruxpin; I wouldn't trade my cricket doll for that bear.  She was like a childhood friend.  Because, at the age of 5, she was about half my size, her eyes moved, her mouth moved, and she taught me timeless lessons.  If it weren't for Cricket, I wouldn't know how to say 1,2,3 in Chinese, Spanish, AND French! And I wouldn't know what to pack in my suitcase on a vacation because she told me that you have to have your sneakers and your socks.  Where would I be without Cricket? Lost, I tell you, lost.
And there is no technology today that can beat Cricket's super advanced cassette tape player located in her back.  Plus, you can accessorize with cricket as she has various outfits and hair ribbons to go with each adventure she comes with.

Skip It and Pogo Ball


I loved these two toys quite a bit.  The skip it was fun for me because it counted my skips and I'd get excited to see how many I could do.  The pogo ball was great for bouncing.  However, the pogo ball disappointed me slightly when I found out I couldn't jump into the sky with it like the kids on the commercial did.  It was still fun, though, and I thoroughly enjoyed bouncing for as long as I could.

Care Bears and Nosy Bears

Everyone knows care bears, and I'm sure their main selling point for me was the fun logo embroidered on their bellies.  However, the nosy bears were fun because you would press their bellies and something fun would happen in the nose.  One bear had a nose that swirled, another blew up a balloon, another popped popcorn, and their noses would go on and on.  I had 5 or 6 of them, and I do not know why they had to go away.  I had my one Wish Bear care bear that i would take everywhere with me.
I even brought him on the swings.  Because, what fun is a swing without a care bear to accompany you? ;) I do wish these things were still popular.  It is too bad that technology runs so much of the toy market.

Yes, I understand Leap Frog and those toys are good for education.  But I had plenty of fun with my simple toys that did almost nothing more than sit there.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Savoring the Morning



The best part of waking up is coffee in my cup.  It doesn't have to be Folgers to please me.  This morning, I'm having a pumpkin spice blend from the Fresh Market.  It is delightful!


As a young girl, I used to beg my parents for a few extra minutes in the bath when it was over.  I wanted to lay back, close my eyes, and say "Ahhh Aveeno" due to a popular commercial at the time.  I liked the idea of having the time to sit back and savor peace and relaxation.

Regardless of what I actually have to do in order to get ready for a day,  I always try to give myself extra time in the morning.  In fact, I rarely ever give myself any less than an hour from the time I get up until the time I need to be on my way to where I'm going.  
When living with my parents, I had a green lazy boy chair that I would go to every morning.  With my cup of coffee and perhaps some other breakfast item, I would sit there savoring the morning happily in my chair.  Due to this habit, my parents graciously allowed me to take the chair with me.
I now sit in my seat on a sofa in the morning.  But the idea is the same.  I like to simply sit and enjoy the morning.  Why have a day that is rushed from the start? I showered last night.  My outfit for the day is picked out.  The dogs have been fed and gone over to lay in their respective beds.  I had my savory cup of pumpkin spice coffee plus an english muffin.  And here I am simply loving the fact that there are still at least 20 glorious minutes left before I need to leave.  
Granted, I get this extra time here because I only live 5 minutes from where I work, and I do not need to be there until around 8 am.  So, it isn't too bad at all.  However, no matter what type of commute I have, I still make time for my ahhh Aveeno morning.