Time Capsule

- - - | written by Jason on 1/30/2013 | - - -

Why Capn’ Crunch, the Trix Rabbit and Toucan Sam All Have Adultitis

I have never once considered the sugar-laden cereals that warm my heart and gladden my belly to be laced with Adultitis. Not once. That is, until I came across a cereal that was born in 1988 called Cröonchy Stars. Although 80s were my halcyon years of cereal eating, I'd never heard of them until my friend Lisa brought them to my attention a few weeks ago. The brainchild of Jim Henson and featuring his Muppet character The Swedish Chef, Cröonchy Stars was a cinnamon toast flavored cereal packaged in a box peppered with ridiculous, and sometimes unsolvable, games and puzzles. One time it …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/10/2013 | - - -

Lincoln Log Forest

My favorite segments of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood were when he would do some kind of epic behind-the-scenes factory tour. I remember the crayon factory, the marble factory, and the interview with Lou Ferrigno, aka The Incredible Hulk. Epic, I tell you. I've always been fascinated with where things come from, and perhaps I have Mr. Rogers to thank for that. This painting depicts where Lincoln Logs come from, in case you were wondering. It's a fact, look it up. Lincoln Log Forest by Jason Kotecki …

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- - - | written by Jason on 12/3/2012 | - - -

17 Surprisingly Practical Uses for Silly Putty

There is great debate in toy history as to who really invented Silly Putty. One thing is for sure: we can thank the American rationing of rubber during Word War II for its existence. The shortage of rubber was due to the Japanese invasion of many rubber-producing countries during that time period, which led the U.S. government to fund research into synthetic rubber compounds. James Wright, the man who was awarded the patent in 1943, discovered that reacting boric acid with silicone oil would produce a gooey, bouncy material with several unique properties. Although it never became a suitable …

- - - | written by Jason on 10/19/2012 | - - -

Adultitis-Fighting…Furniture?

Look! It's a picnic table! It's a family-sized rocking chair! It's a playpen for toddlers! It's a...bar??? This multifunctional patio furniture designed by Lester Walker was featured in Popular Science back in 1970. I like the whimsy of it, but I can't get past the models. In the immortal words of Heath Ledger's Joker, "Why so serious?" I find it highly improbable that anyone could maintain such a straight face sitting in something like this. Oh well, keep on rocking...sometimes Adultitis is hard to crack. …

- - - | written by Jason on 6/8/2012 | - - -

Mister Rogers Remixed

PBS and video mash-up artist John D. Boswell, aka melodysheep, teamed up to create this awesome tribute to Mr. Rogers. Seeing the clips of Mr. Rogers' house made me remember how much I longed to play there, what with the sand table, the fish tank, and the sweet Land of Make Believe toys. Bonus points for the awesome fridge. This is a great little video. And remember, "It's good to be curious." …

- - - | written by Jason on 4/13/2012 | - - -

Live Like the Flintstones – Buy Their House!

Actually, it's Dick Clark's house. But it's real, and it's in Malibu. The single-story Flintstones inspired home has one bedroom, two bathrooms, and views of the mountains and the Pacific Ocean. And it could be yours for a paltry $3.5 million. According to this article, animal appliances are not included in the deal. But the home sits on a 22-acre property, so there should be plenty of room to build a garage for your foot-powered vehicle. Which will probably be the only cars allowed in California soon. …

- - - | written by Jason on 11/27/2011 | - - -

The Cardboard Chameleon

It's the thing that gets played with the most on Christmas morning. It's been inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. It's the blank canvas that can, with the cleverness of a child's imagination, swiftly transform from a a getaway car to a medieval castle to a time machine at a moment's notice. It is proof, as Thomas Edison proclaimed, that the greatest invention in the world is the mind of a child. [ Acrylic on watercolor paper, 10 x 14 inches. ] …

- - - | written by Jason on 12/12/2010 | - - -

Top 50 TV Show Themes of Childhood

They say smell is the sense that is most closely tied to memory, but I've got to think that the sense of hearing has to be right up there, especially when it comes in the form of themes of TV shows you used to watch as a kid. This list took a long time to put together, but it comes with a guarantee that you'll be transported back to childhood. Great pains were taken so you'd be able to listen to each theme song right here on the page, and there was much debate on where each song should be placed on the list. …

- - - | written by Jason on 8/8/2010 | - - -

The Day the Wagon Queen Family Truckster Pulled Into My Driveway

I love my job. A few years ago, Kim and I got a behind-the-scenes tour of a 27-foot-long hot dog on wheels, aka the Wienermobile. This summer, we were able to take a spin in another classic vehicle -- an exact replica of the Wagon Queen Family Truckster that Chevy Chase drove in National Lampoon's Vacation. …

- - - | written by Jason on 7/16/2009 | - - -

1980’s Flashback: 22 Movies For Family Night

Fire up the ol' time machine for a trip back to the 80's. Here are 22 classic movies from the decade that are worth revisiting for your next movie night. They're generally very family friendly, but some may contain some scary scenes or questionable language, so be sure to pre-screen them if you have little ones! E.T. (1982): A group of Earth children help a stranded alien botanist return home. The Dark Crystal (1982): On another planet in the distant past, a Gelfling embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of a magical crystal, and so restore order to his world. Gremlins (1984): …