» vermont plates

Feel Good Song To Drive To:
Drive by Incubus

Ok, you know what's really entertaining? Funny license plates. Think about it. You're driving down a long stretch of highway, all the cars are becoming a blur, then you see it... a license plate that you can actually READ! Someone took the time to actually PAY for a word, phrase, or slogan to be put on their vehicle's tag. It might not be spelled correctly, or even be a real word at all, but it was something that entertained you for 2.5 seconds of your long drive.

It's like a free puzzle!

During long road trips with friends, I enjoy playing car games like the license plate game (finding one from every state) or I Spy or ABCs ... but you need others for these games. You can't play I Spy by yourself, you'd always win! Finding a car with a funny license plate is like having your very own FREE car puzzle game!

I find clever ones to be absolutely hysterical. For instance, I was on my way up to VT this weekend and saw a New York plate that read 3MUGGLES .. obviously a Harry Potter reference, but it made me so happy to read that! Like, why did they choose it? Is it just a family of three who all love HP? As you can tell, it really entertained me and gave me a laugh during the drive.

C'mon, you seriously can't tell me that whenever you see a plate that you can pronounce or decipher part of a word that you don't get excited and tell the rest of your car mates.

The reason for my post is because I've been running into a LOT of funny license plates lately -- almost eerily in abundance. I wanted to have a post dedicated to just funny plates in general as I captured them, but 1.) I didn't want to wait to collect that many photos and 2.) I found enough in Vermont this past weekend to do me a good entry. So here they are .. Who would have thought Vermont is so witty?

The car just makes this plate THAT much better.

I do love Dane.

Cat lover? Me too.

If it were plural I'd say, "Yeah, who doesn't?" But it's not. TTFN = TaTaForNow?

Go figure. But, definitely have some bragging rights here.

On The Bright Side: Ten bucks says funny license plates will be ALL you see the next time you drive. :) But don't forget where the thoughts of your happiness originated. Here, duh!

» snow globes

Rock Out Song: Vitamin R (Leading Us Along) by Chevelle

Snow globes.
Who doesn't love snow globes?
I don't think I've ever heard someone say,

"Hey, you know those glass balls filled with water? They're usually decorated and themed to a particular place or interest and when you shake 'em, glitter swirls all over?"
"You mean snow globes..?"
"Yea! Those! Well I hate those!!!"
"Even the ones that play music??"
"ESPECIALLY the ones that play music!"
Is that conversation even possible?
No, I didn't think so.

Which leads me into this next happy topic of snow globes. Love em or don't care about em, they don't make anyone angry. In fact, I like them so much that I collect them. (Fun fact you probably didn't know about me.) I have over 30 snow globes and I've been collecting since my San Francisco marching band trip (yes, yes, one more fun dorky fact about me..). That was 2003 (see photo right) .. I have snow globes from other years prior, but San Fran 2003 was when I actually said to myself "Hrm, I think I'm gonna start a collection of these."

It's a bulky collection to say the least.

So, how did I get on this topic of snow globes? Well, my parents just got back from a cruise and got me one as a souvenir (see Flamingos left). I mean, they're fun to look at and shake. I have a few that play music and when I feel like being nostalgic, I'll wind them up on occasion. The snow globes I own aren't limited to just trips and vacations, I also have a few from holidays like Christmas and Halloween. I think all of my Christmas snow globes have a penguin on them somehow (either carolling or ice skating haha) and my Halloween (see Pumpkin right) plays a tune that I can't even think of the title but I can definitely hum it haha. I wish I knew what the song was called, if I find a recording, I'll post it here (but if I found a recording then I would of found of what the name of the song was.. catch 22 with a pinch of fail..)

Anyway! Snow globes make people happy. They especially make me happy because I collect them and think they're fun to look at. They're interesting and a conversation piece. Like, "Hey, where'd you get that snow globe?" "Oh, from my trip to Disney World." "Oh really? When'd you go to Disney World?" "On Senior Trip --" CONVERSATION PIECE DONE. Awkward conversations? NOT HAPPENING!

They all have a story or memory behind them -- even my Halloween one, which my mom surprised me with this past October because I was going through a really rough time. Obviously the Boston, Maryland, San Fran, New York, Mickey Mouse, Six Flags, Busch Gardens, Panama City Beach and Las Vegas ones all have a vacation story (whether my vacation or a friend or family member's) -- but it's always from a happy memory. You don't buy a snow globe when you're angry or hate the trip. Souvenirs are supposed to be fun and interesting.

So the next time you're on vacation and see a snow globe, pick it up, shake it and just look into the water. Watch the glitter swirl around. Wind it up if it plays music. You don't have to buy it like I would, but just think about how something so small and artistically detailed could represent so many memories. Yeah, there are pictures and t-shirts, but it's a little glass and ceramic representation of a location visited. Maybe I'm just weird (you don't need to remind me), but I like them and think they're fun and interesting because (usually) every single one is different.

Looking on the Bright Side: Snow globes are little 3D representations of your vacation memories. Whether you buy them or not, they're an interesting part of a trip (they're always in gift shops) so just take some time to pick one up and take a look next time you see one.

» keyboards

You know what else puts me in a good mood?
When I'm typing on a
good keyboard.
Seriously though,
the keyboard matters.

I'd like to personally thank Ms. Levin, Mr. Scheeper and Mavis Beacon for setting me on the right path to proper keyboarding techniques. If it wasn't for you three, I would not have the 90 gwam that I do now. (Gwam = Goal Words A Minute = was the speed default on the program we used in high school, don't hate.)

You're at your computer right now. Place your fingers on the Home Keys .. that's A S D F for the left hand and J K L ; for the right -- Ahhh so noowww you get why there are little bumps on the F and J ;) .. how does your keyboard feel? Is it comfortable?

I really like my dad's new keyboard (photo above), so I'm quite jel.

On the Brightside: I appreciate the fact that unlike many others, I've learned to type and type very well. I never thought it was going to help me - in personal, self-improvement and career - as much as it has.

» olfaction

Feel Good Song: Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana

Olfaction.
AKA your sense of smell. Obviously very important to taste, but also important to nostalgia and strong memories. It's amazing what the plasticity scent of Play-Doh can do to someone, reminding us of childhood and those hours spent building spaghetti monsters. Or the smell of a cologne or perfume that reminds us of someone we care about. Or chocolate chip cookies baking during Christmas time. Whatever the scent and wherever the scent, it has a strong relationship to our memories.

Now I, on the other hand, have a terrible sense of smell. Like, I seriously wonder if I have a problem.

Last fall, when I was student teaching, my co-op said one day, "Ew do you smell that?!" -- No, she wasn't referring to me, but something was rancid near the sink on the other side of the room. We walked over to figure out what it was and there was mold growing in the floor drain. (OK, I know, NOT healthy for schools, but it was taken care of immediately!) I didn't smell anything until I was right on top of it, and even then it was only a whiff. In cases like this, I am very fortunate to have a terrible olfactory system.

Sometimes I do get to smell here and there, for instance, I have a vanilla reed diffuser in my room that I catch a hint of every so often. It only happens once, and then it goes away. I blame this either on my nose or that it's off brand and cheap, either way, the quick scent of vanilla is enjoyable.

The perfume I use is Angel- it comes in a little blue crystal star, very appealing packaging I dare say. I only got into wearing this (and I don't wear it often because I forget to) because my dad's nose is the COMPLETE opposite of mine, he's able to smell everything! So, in my house, we're not allowed to use candles or wear cheap perfume because it'll bother his allergies. It's definitely understandable but I do wish my mom and I could light a candle or two just for aroma and ambiance.

So, smells. What made me talk about this? Well, I decided to curl my hair for work today and my account manager told me I "smelled fuity today."

Fruity?

Really?

So I told him, "Hey what if I told you YOU smelled fruity?!"

It would be taken a totally different direction. But I just explained that it was my hairspray (Aussie & Herbal Essence..) -- both very good scents but after they're in my hair, I can't smell them! I'm putting my hair up to my nose right now and hardly anything! But as long as someone else can enjoy the scents around, I can at least appreciate that.

The good thing about smells are- whether a good odor or a bad odor-- they cause you to think of something. You relate the scent to what it actually is or what memory you have of it. Smells allow us to remember, reminisce, retain and recall information.

Looking on the Brightside: Although I sometimes wish I had a better sense of smell, I'm pretty fortunate when it comes to foul instances :)

» all that

Feel Good Song: Hip Hop Hooray by Naughty by Nature

My childhood show.
My FAVORITE childhood show.
Do you remember it playing on SNICK?! Remember the Big Orange Couch? The Big Ear of Corn? (Kel Mitchell had an unhealthy love for it!)
All That was the pre-teen's version of SNL, with a full cast of aspiring comedians.It geared jokes toward its target audience, yet I -- being, well, 7 at the time -- had no clue how adult the content was or how many movie/TV/or character references they actually made. "Detective Dan" was clearly a play on Sherlock Holmes or any other goofy detective. Maybe I knew that, maybe I didn't, but I'm sure there were jokes and references that went right over my head.

This goes on to my explanation as to why All That is today's blog entry. Besides it being an enjoyable nostalgic memory from childhood, I was actually reminded of it from my local radio station, Wired 96.5, when they announced they were hosting an event called "Naughty Night Out" with Naughty by Nature!

Now, I didn't instantly recognized the 90's hip hop trio from their popular hits like "O.P.P." or "Hip Hop Hooray." No, instead, I recognized them from their several musical appearances on All That. I distinctly remember the episode they were on, it was the library sketch and Lori Beth Denberg played the crazy loud librarian, equipped with a fog horn and always screaming "THIS IS A LIBRARY!" And she'd ask "Who are you!?" and the trio replied, "We're Naughty by Nature." (insert crowd applause) and Lori Beth said "I KNOW you are *air quotes* naughty and it is your *air quotes* nature to do so!" And thus ushered them out and to get on stage and perform.

Do you remember? Am I the only one!?

It just put me in a good mood to hear about that band and then I associated it with a great TV show we all know and love. If you can remember and enjoy this nostalgia, take some time and reflect on the 90s old school Nickelodeon. What episode do you remember? Which sketch was your favorite?

Ross Perot - Cooking with Randy and Mandy - 5 minutes! 5 minutes! - French with Pierre Escargot - Ask Ashley - Detective Dan - SuperDude - Coach Kreeton - Good Burger - Vital Information - Miss Piddlin

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_All_That_sketches

Check 'em out. Enjoy. Reminisce. Smile :o)