iTunes Album Art Gets Nostalgic

Before iPods, there were CDs.  Before CDs, there were cassette tapes, but let’s not go there.  Before I got an iPod or iTunes, I bought CDs – lots of them.  We had a local Sam Goody’s in my town (which is now a bank) and I used to go every weekend to pick up a new album.  This warranted a semi-desirable CD collection, however there are many hidden gems in that dusty stack that I still listen to, to this day.

Now, when I started using iTunes and my iPod (old, original white thing…that still works!  Ok I’m not that vintage, I do have an iPhone…), I decided to upload many of my old CDs into iTunes, which made sense.  I didn’t want to just download new music, I wanted to listen to all my old stuff in this new, innovative way.

Everyone knows that when you download a song from iTunes, you download an associated “album art,” which is usually a picture of what the CD cover looks like.  If you upload CDs into iTunes, unfortunately you don’t upload it’s associated album art.  Instead, a placeholder image appears, which looks like this:

via: Flikr

Now, this is lovely if you like musical notes.  However, recently I began to really miss the old CD covers that I grew to love.  A friend told me he started clicking and dragging album artwork into a space at the bottom of iTunes that looks like this:

via: Pain In The Tech

This has been proving to be an extremely arduous task, however, it’s really fun looking up some of my old album covers!  For instance, I found the first three CDs I ever owned, which are (in order or appearance in my boombox):

via: Amazon.com

via: Amazon.com

via: Amazon.com

This really made me think about browsing the shelves of Sam Goody.  And my old CD collection.  Although iTunes really cuts the clutter and makes listening to music so easy, there is something about having a physical CD library on display in your home.  My CDs are still there, collecting dust along with my old Discman, but hey, at least I can “look” at them on my iPhone whenever I want!

Holiday Time In NYC

I love the holidays, especially in NYC.  It seems like the whole city is wrapped like a present (for eager tourists!).  No, seriously, the city is decked-out in beautiful lights, intricate store displays and lots of very happy people!  Despite our troubles that seem to linger in the air like rotten eggnog (and those “troubles” will remain nameless, because we’ve all heard enough!) this time of year gives us all a wonderful opportunity to remember what’s important in life.  Aside from our good friends and family – all those things that make each one of us feel special in our own way.  So, the holidays always make me feel nostalgic because I can’t help but reflect on the past year and all that has happened, both directly to me and in a larger sense throughout the world.  A lot can, and does, happen in 365 days.

One moment that is especially nostalgic for New Yorkers is the lighting of the humongo tree in Rockefeller Center.  This year marked the 76th Anniversary of the Christmas Tree, and posted below is one on-looker’s personal video of the extravaganza (not me!  I’m a New Yorker!  Do you think I’d be caught dead attending the tree-lighting in person?! )

Aside from the Rockefeller Center tree-lighting, here are some things that make me feel especially nostalgic during the holiday season (in no particular order):

Menorahs

Snow

Vacation

Hot chocolate

Pumpkin and cinnamon flavored things

Teddy bears

Ice-skating

Scarves

Bulky, turtle-neck sweaters

Soup

What makes you nostalgic during the holiday season?

WordPress On iPhone

Has anyone else downloaded this free iPhone app? I am blogging on my phone from the Long Island Rail Road as we speak! It so far seems extremely easy to use and navigate. Setting up this post was simpler than using a computer! What do you guys think?

Welcome Back…

Sorry for the massive delay in posting everyone…but now I’m back in action!  To celebrate my homecoming to Flashbacks and Memories, here’s a fun little theme song:

How can you not love Travolta as Barbarino?!?!

People Are Wearing Perfetto Pants!

There was a time in my middle school years where anyone who was anyone (especially the ladies) wore Perfett pants.  They were so comfortable – soft, cotton, loose-fitting pants with a double stripe down the ouside leg made for a stylish, yet comfy outfit.  Everyone had either black with white stripes or navy with white stripes.  I opted for the heather gray pant with black stripes.  I wish I had a picture of my personal pair to show you, but I must have given these pants away years ago.  Here’s a nice pic from their site:

However, one woman has not given her Perfetto pants away, in fact, she continues to wear them out and about the city!  As I was walking to work a few days ago, I spotted a young woman walking in her black Perfetto pants with no stripes.  For some reason, I recognized the horizontal label on the front pocket from afar and knew immediately that she was wearing Perfettos.  I really got excited!  I haven’t seen anyone wearing Perfettos recently at all, until this one woman.  Granted they didn’t have the signature double stripe down the side, still, the front pocket design and label definitely branded them as Perfettos. 

I visited their website and realized that their business is still going strong.  There were pants/tops/jackets for men and women, in all colors and styles.

Here is a link to their site

Check it out!

Star Sighting: Kirk Cameron

OK, I’ll admit it.  I wasn’t actually the one who saw America’s favorite older brother in Da Silvano in the West Village, NYC.  My friend and co-worker watched him wine, dine and look oh so fine!

I don’t have a picture from the event, but here’s a random, recent photo of Kirk Cameron:

You might remember Kirk from his days playing Mike Seaver on Growing Pains, which is one of my favorite ’80s – ’90s family sitcoms of all time!  Below is the family portrait:

I was really jealous when she said she saw Kirk at Da Silvano, especially since she told me the unfortunate information that she NEVER watched Growing Pains growing up.  Who can resist Mike’s crazy antics, Carol’s pubescent frustrations, or Maggie’s motherly advice.  There are two significant family members missing from the above portrait, so posted below is a supplemental “kids only” photo):

Chrissy and Luke (Leo!).  Aww look at all the Seavers together.  I miss this show.  I miss this genre of television.  Can we please go back to these lovely snipets of idealistic family life where everyone is perfectly witty?  When she told me she saw him, I started singing the theme song (below video is from Season 5):

Maybe I watched too much TV as a kid.  Maybe I’m a sucker for feel-good comedies.  Maybe I need a break from YouTube.  What I don’t have is the experience of seeing Mike Seaver in a restaurant in NY, which is a little disappointing.  But in all seriousness, remembering this sitcom puts a huge smile on my face, and makes me realize how much I miss these shows: Growing Pains, Full House, Step By Step, and the rest.  Of course some are broadcast in syndication now, but they are definitely not on enough to distract us all from watching A Shot At Love With Tila Tequila over and over again. 

Animaniacs Are Zaney To The Max

Who remembers these guys:

Woohooo!!!  I came across this theme song on YouTube this morning.  I used to LOVE Animaniacs!  What a great cartoon.  Constant silliness, weirdness, and just about anything you can think of under the sun that completely doesn’t make any sense.  Since I’m at work all day now, I don’t know for sure that a niche channel runs this show, but I’d be willing to find out.  I do know that seasons 1-3 are out on DVD.  There are some interesting similarities with this theme song and the Garfield theme song I wrote about earlier:

1. Both explain who the characters are in the show and what the show is about (as opposed to a generic song with visuals).

2. Both show examples of incredibly looney, absurd, borderline obnoxious situations.

3. The main characters in both shows are animals who sing the actual theme song.

4. Somehow in each show, there is always a segment with secondary characters.  Animaniacs – Pinky and the Brain.  Garfield – Orsen and Friends.  All of these characters are featured in the theme song.  

You get the idea…

So, similar shows from a similar era, that put me in a similar state of nostalgia.

Animanics also makes me think of one friend with the initials “KK” who I know really loves this show and all that it stands for.  This one’s for you!

T-Shirts Come and T-Shirts Go

Ever open your closet of one of your drawers and think “I have no clothes!!”  As soon as the weather started to warm up here in New York, I started to do a little spring cleaning of my own.  I realized that I have amassed tons and tons of t-shirts from all areas of my life.  T-shirts from high school sports teams, vacations, college events, sorority programs – even my work kickball team uniform (which I plan on wearing tonight at the second game of our season).  Some were chucked and some were donated.  The t-shirts I simply couldn’t part with were refolded and placed back in my drawers.  Those made me the most nostalgic.  Camp t-shirts from the ’90s that I will never give away because I still wear them.  I can’t help it!  Even if I never wear them, like a long sleeved t-shirt I bought at a friend’s high school “Fall Fair.”  It’s not even from my high school, but I’ll never give it away, because it makes me think of my friend. 

Cleaning out my t-shirt drawer was like watching my life flash before my eyes.  Knowing I had to give some t-shirts up was bittersweet, because while those memories are now a little more faded in my mind, I know that I’m making room for more sweet memories to come.

 

South Pacific Moves From My Grandparents’ House To Broadway

This week my grandma decided she wants to see South Pacific the musical on Broadway.  Which means that I get to go too!  Why does this make me nostalgic?  While I never saw South Pacific the original on Broadway (she has, of course), I’ve had some great experience with the story and music.

I used to eat dinner at my grandparents’ house every Friday night.  I still do occasionally, but when I was younger it was a weekly ritual.  Oftentimes after dinner, we would listen to old records on their phonograph, particularly old Broadway soundtracks.  Fiddler on the Roof, Hello, Dolly!, and South Pacific were among some of our favorites.  I would dance around her house while South Pacific songs blared from the semi-archaic record player.  She also had an old guitar of my uncle’s that I pretended to play (thankfully, I can actually play now, but I did “practice” from time to time…). 

When my grandma called me to tell me she purchased the tickets, she explained to me how nostalgic she felt about seeing the show with me and my grandpa.  She said this show would always be special for her because of the fun moments we shared bonding together and singing the songs.  Particularly “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair.”  We acted out the act of washing our hair while dancing around the den. 

I love Broadway, I love South Pacific, and I love my grandparents.  I can’t wait to see this show with them because the thought of it is making me feel as nostalgic as my grandma feels.

P.S. We are seeing this September 21st, so I’ll have to post my review

Saved By The “IM”

Awhile ago I got an amazing instant message (IM) from one of my friends at work:

FRIEND (3:19:58 PM):i saw leon karosi yesterday

Amazing!  I know who Leon Kerosi is, do you?  If you’re a Saved By The Bell fanatic like I am, then you definitely know who he is.  He’s none other than the proud owner of the Malibu Sands Beach Club.  The cast worked here during one summer (or 6 episodes).  Actually, Lisa Turtle didn’t work here, she OF COURSE was a member.  Moving right along to the flashback and memory:

The IM conversation resulted in this:

FRIEND (3:19:58 PM):i saw leon karosi yesterday
ME (3:22:52 PM): no way!
ME (3:23:08 PM):were you at the malibu sands beach club?
FRIEND (3:26:21 PM):hahaha i was
FRIEND (3:30:31 PM):i went there to have some breakfast in the dining room and then I was planning to go hit on kelly at the lifegaurd stand before gearing up for the big volleyball game. I’m really only on the team to get a work out in preparation for the big obstacle course at the end of the summer. We’re also making one giant sandcastle that you would swear requires expert engineering (or 5 high school juniors) to build. Then, that night we’re gonna have a luau on the beach. But I’m not really one for parties, so I figure I’ll take my girlfriend Staci (daughter of leon) off to go look at the stars on our last night before she heads back to the East Coast. Knowing me, I’ll probably have a touching farewell with her and then sit out on the beach all night to be met by my friends in the morning. We’ll then walk off into the sunrise and never reference any of this ever again

What an incredibly accurate, detailed recap of the Malibu Sands experience!  I literally laughed out loud when I read this on my computer at work.  In fact, I loved it so much I stuck it in my Facebook profile.  And now I’m posting it here.  Because anyone who loves Saved By The Belland the whole gang would love this convo.  It really made me nostalgic for all things SBTB, however you can still catch reruns bright and early in the morning on TV .  I think I need to buy the DVDs though.  It’s nice to know that this IM came completely sporadically, and that my friend was having some sort of personal nostalgic moment.  I’m glad he chose to share it with me.  I wonder what made him think of it?  When I asked he said he just suddenly thought about those episodes.  But there had to have been some sort of memory trigger.  This is definitely a very happy memory that reminds me of watching TV with my friends and having a humongous crush on Mark-Paul Gosselaar – who’s still hot!

I’m almost positive I’ll be writing about SBTB again in the future…