Whatever happened to...

I'm sitting in the office of a public building. Downstairs, where I am, is an art gallery. Upstairs is a performing room where ballet and ballroom dancing classes, poetry recitals, yoga and many other classes are held. Right now, though, there is a hand drum class. And it echoes. I don't even have to go up there to tell you that there is one talented person and another who is not so talented. I'm glad I'm not hungover. That would be the pits.

Since I have been here three hours already and have another hour to look forward to, I did the only respectable thing I could think of. I started at the sand colored door and daydreamed. I thought, pensive as I am, about things and fads of times past, and what happened to them. It was kind of like the VH1 cult classic "I Love the 90s," or "Where Are They Now?" but with things I actually care about.* But here are a few of the culprits:

Micro Machines.
Remember those zany commercials with the fast-talking John Moschitta? Sure you do. As soon as they let him go from the commercials it seems like there was nothing left the the Micro Machine legacy. My brief internet powerhouse search, which utilized only Google and Wikipedia, provided me that Moschitta is one of the fastest talking persons in history (try that for a pick-up line) and that he still occassionally appears on TV shows. Which is good, mostly because I thougt he was dead.

The Original Trapper Keepr.
Remember these bad boys? There used to be all types of sweet designs. The first week of school we used to compare them. "Oh, man. You have a jet!" "No way, ROBOTS!!!" Trapper Keepers were to 6th graders what the adult bookstore is to 17-year-olds...really freaking exciting. Then Mead sold out, like so many good companies do, and started with the Mead 5 Star series. Which, I admit, is handy for a professional adult. But here's my thought: You line up a Trapper Keeper against and 5 Star series organizer and I'll take the former. Hands down. It's like the tin cartoon lunchboxes that have made a cult comeback, it's time for the Trapper Keeper revolution.

Lastly, before my aimless train of thought was disrupted by a poser art-enthusiast, I thought about Marc Summers. He was the icon, the face of Nickelodeon through its glory years. I mean, Double Dare, What Would You Do? and Wild and Crazy Kids. For the record, I found a Wikipedia entry on Mr. Summers and learned a few things you may find interesting. For example, this video of Summers' appearance on the Tonght Show with Jay Leno when he and Burt Reynolds got into it. Summers is also a rehearsed stage magician and now hosts Unwrapped on Food Network.

* Let it be known I love those shows. But what kind of fashionable, respectable person of society would openly admit to such insolence? Honestly.**

** The Josh or his blog, Spoonful of Shut Up, in no way discriminate against nor stand party for the cultural decentralization these shows promote. They are mentioned in strictly humorous, referential terms to an era of radical clothing, whacky hairstyles, unprotected sex and a lot of cocaine.