Whatever Happened To Menudo?

I spent some time the other week with my young teenage nieces and got a full-on education about the newest boy band, One Direction. (As did my five and eight year old. I could have done without that.)

To really show my age, my first boy bands were The Monkees (Peter was my favorite. The bff's was Mike. Whenever she'd watch the show, she'd do so with a knit winter hat on her head. Which explains a bit why she's the bff.), Menudo and a little later New Edition.

Don't remember Menudo? I don't know how you could ever forget them. (I suggest you not watch the entire clip. They have the same effect as polka, and I'd hate to have to stage another intervention.)

Note Ricky Martin in the pretty turquoise outfit on the end.

So who were your favorite boy bands? Or the ones you most enjoyed making fun of.

Giving The Devil His Due

Things have been extra busy around Chez Quinn with a big honking side of crazy. Back to school and the oldest urchin's birthday are foremost in the importance column over here. The youngest urchin is starting kindergarten, and much nervousness is abounding. I'm not sure if more is coming from me or the kiddo.

On a completely different topic, I'm a new fan of the show Reaper. (Gotta love Netflix.) And obviously the best character on that program is the Devil.

picture from film.com

He is so slick and slimy that I couldn't do anything but adore him.

Any new characters that you love (or love to hate)? How about back to school adventures? Lay them on me!

Feel The Roller Derby Love

Have I mentioned that my new love is the roller derby? I almost went stag to the bout on Sunday. But the fabulous Misty Simon not only went with me, but spotted me ten bucks so I could purchase a new roller derby tee shirt!

I owe Misty more than $10. I owe her eternal fealty for making sure I got THIS!!!!

My new pretty.

Misty is now a hard core roller derby fan, just like myself. My plan is working. I'm adding to my roller derby fan girl crew one recruit at a time. No one knows who will be next!

The first pretty that the B.F.F. got for my birthday. It's my precioussss!!!

So I am now the proud owner of two very cool derby shirts, which just happen to match my motorcycle perfectly.

Vroom Vroom!!

Deep down, motorcycle owners know its all about the accessorising.  When I had a bright yellow, purple and black Ninja, (which I'd named the angry bumble bee) you know I had the yellow and black helmet to go with it.

And I swear, before any Harley owner is allowed to pick up their ride, they're forced to the back room to sign a contract stating that they will wear all black and never smile whenever they're riding. (I'm sure the huge guy with the name "Bubba" stitched on his leather vest who's standing back there with them had nothing to do with it.)

I'll never understand that, (the not smiling part, that is) because when I get to ride my motorcycle, this is what I look like:

from theluchboxdiaries.com

Back to the bout before I digress right off the page. I still haven't come up with my roller derby name yet, (The B.F.F. is still set on Pound Cake.) there were a lot of good ones at the bout on Sunday. (sunday. Sunday! SUNDAAAAY! We'll sell you a ticket for the whole seat, BUT YOU'LL ONLY NEED THE EDGE!!!!!) Dawn of Valhalla, Ida Hitthat, Mystery Violence Theater 3000, and Dirty Girlscout were a few. But the name that had me giggling like an adolescent middle school boy every time they announced it was Her Heiny Granger.

So what's your new love? Is anything right now making you maniacally happy? Or do you have a crazy hobby you'd like to share? Lay it on us!

Now I have to get back to my Sea Monkey wars. They're gaining territory and I don't want them to get used to it. I will soon be engaging in some major chemical warfare. Until next time, Citizens!

Sea Monkeys and Carny Food- But Not at the Same Time

I have been busier than a one-legged man in a butt kicking contest. I can't even begin to tell you all the different ways I've been pulled. The blue- hairs have one of my legs, the Urchins have the other, Ebay and Craigslist have an arm. Church and back-to-school have the other arm, and my brain is about to go super nova.

So sorry for the blog silence. I know you all wait with bated breath for me to post here.

When we last left each other, the Sea Monkeys were making their move by bending the carny goldfish to their evil will. Well, check it out. I have photo positive proof that they are in cahoots.

Check out the creepy fog. They're in there. Don't you doubt it.

The levels of aggression on the big orange one have gone through the roof. I need a counter-strike option stat.

On top of this, the carnival is in my back yard again. Once a year for four glorious days, the back yard is inhabited by the craziest carnies you've ever met. The urchins ride rides, I eat nothing but fried things on sticks, washed down with funnel cake and people-watch some of the best characters humanity has to offer. Ahhh, life is good.

I'll have all the latest carny reports for you in a few days after I claw my way out of my diabetic coma. So, for your carny fulfillment, I'll leave you with two takes on carnivals. The first is my own romantic musings after a close encounter with a carnival ride operator working in the back yard.

The second are the judges of the 'Possum Queen swimsuit competition I won last year. As they say, a picture's worth a thousand words. Unfortunately, you'll be a bit speechless after you take a gander at these.

Until next time, citizens!

A Lid For Every Pot


The 'Possum Queen Swimsuit Competition Recap

The Sea Monkeys Have Made Their Move

On the carny goldfish. The tank has developed an eerie white fog where the beast of a fish is lurking. I'm pretty sure they have turned him to the Wet Side. He now tries to take part of my finger when I drop his pellets into the water.

I will need to respond. With vigor.

Not familiar with my Sea Monkey Troubles? As The evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz would say, "BACKSTORY TIIIIIME!!!!"

The Sea Monkeys Are Organizing

Sea Monkeys Fight Dirty

Or you can check out the entire category I have devoted to them.

So suffice it to say, the war has been a long one. And right now I need to step up my game.

Remember That Pinched Nerve?

Well, I do. And now it's back. I spent the morning at the doctor's office being twisted into a pretzel from the waist down and being asked, "Does this hurt?" I swear he was a sadist in disguise. And I was secretly on some new kinky reality show. At the very least I was getting punk'd.

Then I was sent for back xrays. I'd never gotten anything xrayed before besides my teeth. That was an interesting experience. Standing for the whole thing proved slightly problematic. That's all I'll say.

I am now on steroids and some heavy duty locate-your-bed-before-you-take-these pain pills. I'm supposed to be packing for vacation right now. We're going camping. On Monday. On plywood boards that have pathetic foam coverings so they can masquerade as beds. Suffice it to say I'm not going to be a happy camper.

But I'll take one for the team and hope like hell I don't develop paralysis over the long term.

Look on the bright side. Apparently this was the universe's way of supplying me with a summer re-run.

So here it is.

All It Took Was A Pinched Nerve

Happy trails, citizens.

We'd Like You To Write A Song . . .

About Manifest Destiny. And you should use the words manifest destiny in it. And it needs to be catchy and educational. Oh, and understandable by children.

And so she did.



Thank you, Lynn Ahrens. For this and many more that you wrote and performed. You don't just rock, you School House ROCK!

Happy Independence Day!

Happy Fourth of July, citizens! I wanted to share one of my favorite Fred Astaire routines from Holiday Inn. The Fourth of July number he does with fireworks. It's ingenious. But the embedding capability was denied on every last one of them. So, Click on through and get an eyeful of creative genius.

Fred Astaire - Fireworks

And have a safe holiday chock full of awesomesauce.

I Like Every Minute of the Day

I've been coming back again and again to several songs recently. This is one of them. Blue, Red and Grey by my favorite band, The Who, is definitely out of character for most of their songs. But I'm so glad Pete Townsend wrote it.



Are there any songs you come back to over and over? Any you're really digging right now? Lay them on me!

A Now Run and A Re-Run

This weekend I got a little fill up of much needed happiness in the form of Philly food. I am a native of the Philadelphia area. And there is no food like it in the world. I got my cheese steak (Provolone, not Velveta).

And I got a Zep. A zep is happiness on a kaiser roll. You can only get a zep in Norristown or Bridgeport, PA. And I feel sorry for all of my readers who have never experienced the taste bud carnival in your mouth that is a Zep. The picture doesn't do it justice. Believe me.

I also went to a great delicatessen that had it's own . . . wait for it . . .

Doot doo dood doooooo! (fanfare)

 complimentary pickle bar. Which was a little slice of heaven on Earth.

Which brings me to the re-run.



Two years ago or so the family packed up the truckster and headed out to get some culture. We saw an exhibit of the Terracotta Warriors on tour from China. We were very classy for most of the the day. But then, we stopped at a Roy Rogers restaurant, and I explained why I would always consider it a five star establishment, regardless that it is a fast food joint. I stand by my rating.

So enjoy the walk down memory lane.

Going to D.C.

So, what little joys keep you sane?