Driving through Michigan

I know, there was no blog this past Friday. This was due to the fact that my wife and I spent the day driving to Northern Michigan for a wedding. Two of our college friends got married (to each other!) at a ski lodge. It was a wonderful wedding. I got to see a few old friends and make some new ones. And I got to dance. Well, at least I call it dancing. My theory is that I'm always the first one out on the dance floor at a wedding reception, because no one else will do it. Then, by default, I'm the best dancer in the room.

Anyway, driving through Michigan, we got to see a few fun road signs. Including the one on the two lane mountain road which said, "Do not pass when traffic is oncoming." No kidding... Also, "Dead Man's Hill Scenic Overlook." I think that one explains itself. There was also a billboard for the Alba Public School. Not schools, mind you, but school.


This week's theme:
1990

Because I can, I'm beginning a new series of "this week's theme" celebrating the 1990s. Each week will be a year. This does two things: Provides a recap of a very fun decade (for me, anyway) and gets me out of coming up with a new theme until at least mid-March.

So, a few things from the year that was 1990:

I Love 1990 (Part I)
(You know you watched it... and you want to watch all ten parts again...)

And while we're at it, here's Part II

A few big events from 1990
(How many of them do you remember?)


On to the news:

Thief steals... urinal?
(Apparently, the kitchen sink was next...)

Menace of Hundred Acre Wood on the loose
(Apparently, the joke about Crouching Tigger, Hidden Dragon came true)

Wanna buy a country?
(Proof that you can buy anything on the internet...)

The annual Wacky Warning Label Awards are out
(Bad idea: Washing your kids in the washing machine. Here's their website, by the way)


Bright, shiny objects:

It's time for our Monday check of Engrish.com
(Tasty!)

Goats... in trees...
(I don't make these things up... I just report them.)


Today's random "next blog":

Another in the ever-popular "baby blog" genre
(Check out the entry on the haircut)


The Monday playlist feature:

Well, of course, if it's going to be a 1990 theme, here's the top five songs from this week in 1990s.

5) NKOTB -- This One's For the Children

4) Taylor Dayne -- With Every Beat of My Heart

3) Technotronic -- Pump Up The Jam

2) Phil Collins -- Another Day in Paradise

1) Janet Jackson -- Rhythm Nation

Let's see, NKOTB was another episode of American history that should have been left back in the 1980s... Taylor Dayne is doing the casino circuit now... If anyone has any info on Technotronic, please call the FBI... Phil Collins. Wow... And then there was Janet Jackson before her clothes malfunctioned.


Today's strange anniversary:

January 8, 1798 -- The Eleventh Amendment is ratified. To this day, no one can yet determine what the hell it means.


Fun fact of the day:

Since 1896, the beginning of the modern Olympics, only Greece and Australia have participated in every Games.


And finally:

Tonight, The Ohio State University takes on Florida in the BCS National Championship Game. This despite the fact that really what they should do is have a BCS Second Place Game, seeing as there wasn't anyone on par with OSU during the regular season (Michigan vs. Florida?). Growing up in Cleveland, it's odd. OSU is more of a Columbus thing, but since there's no really big college sports franchise in Cleveland (what's the biggest Oxymoron in Cleveland? Cleveland State Sports! Or Academics, for that matter), OSU is the default college team. Since I don't really care much about football, and haven't been much of an OSU fan, I feel divided. It's not over for whom to root, but more about how much should I care? Should I watch the game and hang on every play? Should I check the score at the end of the night? Should I flip between the game and Law and Order?