Click here to get the recipe.

Are you an ELO fan? Come on, you can tell me.

Of course some people might take a look at the Blue Sky Jello and want to call it “Fluffy Little Clouds Jello”.

Visit http://bobross.com for Bob Ross painting supplies and information.

Follow me http://pinterest.com/suzannehih

Turns out we have something in common, we both grew up loving reruns of I Love Lucy, and we both wondered what it would be like living in the 1950’s.

Angela combined her interest in the 50’s, love for storytelling, and her great imagination to create a fun book series called the Fifties Chix.

Watch this video and find out what inspired Angela to write Fifties Chix and how she came up with some of the character names. Keep a look out for the cool retro pics.

Angela was kind enough to send me a copy of her first book in the series called “Travel to Tomorrow”. This series is most likely geared toward tween and teen aged girls, but I’m a kid at heart and thought it was a great read. First off, I love the idea of time travel and the 1950’s. You have no idea how many times I’ve watched the movie Back to the Future! Well, maybe some of you do.

The five main characters are sketched out beautifully with Angela’s words and illustrations.
Let’s meet two of the Fifties Chix characters:

Meet Judy:

Meet Beverly:

From sock hops and soda shops to 50 years later. How will the Fifties Chix get back and will they even want to?

If you have a teen or tween in your life that loves to read, point them in the direction of the Fifties Chix.

Visit author Angela Sage Larsen at http://www.angelasagelarsen.com

Stop by http://www.fiftieschix.com for all things Fifties Chix and join the Fifties Chix fan club.

Like the Official Fifties Chix page: http://www.facebook.com/FiftiesChix

After viewing the pilot, I knew I was hooked. Here I am dealing with PCS (Pop Culture Syndrome) and so are the lead characters in Pysch, Shawn Spencer and Burton Guster. “fake psychic. real detectives.”

Pop culture references abound throughout every episode usually with an emphasis on the 1980’s.

Take a look at the official Psych website, watch Psych Outs (bloopers), take some fun quizzes all about the 80’s, and watch some Season 6 episodes.

http://www.usanetwork.com/series/psych

I’m not usually into crime stories, but the comedy and great characters of Psych keeps me interested. Do you watch Psych? Are you a newbie like me, or have you been a die-hard fan from the beginning?

For the die-hard fans out there, have you seen James Roday & Maggie Lawson in this fun Kevin Pollack interview? Isn’t it cute that Roday & Lawson are a couple in “real life”?

Stay tuned to the USA Network for all new episodes of Pysch starting February 2012.

Rock stars and Johnny Depp appear ageless, so what’s in a number really?

http://www.davidbowie.com

http://www.facebook.com/davidbowie

She loves the new Transformers movies, and she also has a thing for Bumblebee style Camaro’s.

The funny thing is she’s never seen the original Transformers movie or the TV series.  Mr. HIH decided it was time for her to see where the Autobot action originated. Tonight, he’s giving her a Transformers history 101 class while they’re watching the movie.

My brother is 32 and he doesn’t like the new Transformers movies. He remains faithful to the original robots in disguise. How about you? Did you like the new Transformers movies or are you old school? Maybe both?

Check out this blast from the past, be sure to notice the awesome voice over cast:

I’ve been a Disney fan since before I can remember, that’s why watching Heather Traska’s video was so much fun.

According to Heather’s Facebook info she’s a 17 year-old singer from Wisconsin, USA.

Her YouTube channel’s About Me says: “I am Heather. I am a senior in high school. I sing, do all of the make-up, recording, and editing of/in these videos myself. Hope you like them :)”

Kids these days with their singing, make-up, recording, & editing videos! What will they come up with next?

“Like” Heather Traska’s Official Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/heathertraskafanpage

Check out more of Heather Traska’s videos via her Official YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/heathertraska

Please don’t throw tomatoes after I say this but I’m not in the Twilight zone. It’s not that I dislike The Twilight Saga but I never picked up the novels and when I did see the first movie I just wasn’t feeling it.

First off there’s something about Bella that makes me cringe. All that blubbering she does. I’m all for a good love story but her dilemma is so… well…high school.

The other problem I have with The Twilight Saga is I can’t decide on a team. I don’t find either of the love interests that appealing. I like to joke with friends that are in the Twilightzone by saying, “I’m for Team Edward, Team Edward Scissorhands.”

Like I said before, please don’t throw tomatoes. Being the pop culture lover that I am, how could I not appreciate what’s popular? Appreciating and liking are two different things, much like Edward and Jacob.

Because I haven’t read the novels, I am intrigued by the latest movie. It looks like all the high school drama is out and all the going to the chapel action is in.

Have you read the Twilight novels? Did you camp out to get your Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1 premiere ticket this week?

In honor of the latest Twilight premiere let’s step back into the “Twilight Zone” with this retro tune from 1982 by Golden Earring.

For everything Twilight, including ringtones, mobile games, wallpapers and movie info, visit the official site by clicking here.
Keep up to date with Golden Earring’s latest news and upcoming gigs, click here.

For some reason, I always snack while I watch these two shows. Reminds me of Home Alone when Kevin McAllister says “Guys, I’m eating junk and watching rubbish! You better come out and stop me!”

Funny, both of these shows have the word “wives” in them. I am a housewife, but I don’t have a sister, or a sister wife and thank goodness I’m not living in Beverly Hills. This leads me to the Down and Out title of my post.

The 80’s movie, Down and Out in Beverly Hills popped into my pop culture drenched brain the last time I watched The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Bette Midler plays a wealthy Beverly Hills housewife, bored and depressed. Richard Dreyfuss plays her disgruntled, work-obsessed husband. Enter Nick Nolte, as a down and out homeless man trying to drown himself in their sparkling pool. That cool Talking Heads song “Once in a Lifetime” plays, chaos ensues, the husband fools around with the housekeeper, the wife falls for the homeless dude, they fire walk in the backyard, Little Richard makes a scene on the front lawn,  the rich couple rekindles their marriage, and they all live happily ever after. I think. Maybe it’s time to watch this retro flick again.

Watch Bette Midler videos and read her “Words of Wisdom”: http://www.bettemidler.com
Check out articles, photos and a 3D representation of Nick Nolte’s heart? Um…sure… why not? http://nicknolte.com
Watch a bunch of cool Talking Heads videos, click here.

There just can never be enough pop culture and geek conventions!

This is the first year for the new Comikaze event and it’s a strong opening. The one and only Stan Lee will be gracing the event along with a long list of geek/comic leaders. The best thing about the event this year is that a normal ticket price for conventions can run 40 and up which in this economy is quite a strain on the pocket. Comikaze tickets are only a mere 12 dollars. We will be trolling the isles looking for interesting and new tidbits of geekdom. For sure lots of pictures and interviews await.

http://www.facebook.com/ComikazeExpo

http://comikazeexpo.com

http://www.youtube.com/ComikazeExpo

Click here to check it out.

I have to admit I don’t know most of the bands listed except the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Marilyn Manson, Alice Cooper and KISS.

What costumed bands do I know besides the ones above? Check out this 5 on Friday and find out!

5 Bands in Costume

1. Let’s a “Go-Go” to this Hulla Baloo dance party with Paul Revere & the Raiders! Anyone know who the cute guy is that introduces them? I do.

Visit Paul Revere & the Raiders to see them still rocking in costume http://www.paulrevereraiders.com

2. Move over Paul Revere & the Raiders because Adam & the Ants are riding through. Stand & deliver artsy fashion, also known as cool costumes.

Adam Ant still delivers his New Romantic style, check him out at http://www.adam-ant.net

3. Uno, dos, tres, quatro…Wooly Bully time with Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs. Watch it now!

Find out what Sam the Sham is up to, visit http://www.samthesham.com

4. Cher! Okay so Cher is a singer and not really a band but it’s my site and I can post what I want to.

See what Cher is wearing these days… http://www.cher.com

5. Need an idea for a costume? Look no further than The Village People. They’re like a costume catalog on stage.

Click here to watch everyone’s favorite group dance song, YMCA.

Wow, 35 years of The Village People on their official site! Visit http://www.officialvillagepeople.com today!

There’s a lot of fun trivia to be found about Gumby via cyberspace. Did you know they tested audition reaction by showing Gumby for the first time on the Howdy Doody Show? Did you know that Art Clokey created Gumby just after finishing film school? I bet you knew that Art Clokey also created another one of my favorite TV shows, Davey & Goliath.

Click here to watch Art Clokey’s first stop motion clay animation, Gumbasia.

In honor of what would have been Art Clokey’s 90th birthday, Oct. 12, 2011, Google created a Google Doodle in the style of his Claymation characters.

Visit the official Gumby World site for all things Gumby & friends. http://www.gumbyworld.com

Are you a Gumby fan?

It got me thinking about my denim vest in the 80’s all loaded up with fun pins, a.k.a. buttons. You remember those don’t you?

I had so many pinned to my vest, showcasing everything I was interested in. From Prince, to Prince and the Revolution, to Purple Rain, alright so maybe I didn’t have a diverse bunch of buttons but I had a lot of them. It was fun wearing my interests for the world to see, or at least my closest circle of friends.

These days, pins are making a comeback. Walk into a Hot Topic store and you’ll see what I mean. Here’s a few on my daughter’s denim vest.

If you stop by pinterest.com you’ll see something very similar in the form of images. You can create “boards” and add “pins” to them. You can pin images via links or upload from your computer. Here are a few of mine.

In my “MUSIC” category:

In my “DECADES” category:

None via Suzanne on Pinterest

Books:

Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Fashion: I call it What I Wear:

Source: hottopic.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Sharing is easy with an automatic post to Facebook and you can embed code like I did above.

The fun thing about pinterest.com is you can see what other people are interested in and then re-pin them yourself. The interests that is, not the people.
Are you pinning & re-pinning at pinterest.com? Follow me htpp://pinterest.com/suzannehih

Leave your pinterest url so we can follow you!

Country Bear Jamboree:

Sadly, the one and only original Country Bear Jamboree, isn’t at Disneyland anymore. Luckily we can still experience the attraction at Disney World & Tokyo Disney. At the Disneyland Park, the Winnie the Pooh ride took over the spot that was home to Henry, The Five Bear Rugs, Teddy Beara, Gomer, Big Al and the rest of the bear bunch.

“Give me a little intro there Gomer!”

America Sings

I loved music when I was a kid, I still do, so it made sense that I always rushed into the rotating seating section of America Sings. Talk about American patriotism, I felt like standing at a salute the entire show while Sam the Eagle and other animal cast members sang tunes through America’s history. Of course standing wasn’t the best idea in The Carousel Theater. The theater literally went round and round like a carousel.
After America Sings closed in 1988, much of the cast made their way to Splash Mountain. You can check out some of the images and find out more about America Sings, click here.

Sing it Sam! Clap with us!

Adventure Thru Inner Space

Have you ever been “miniaturized” to the size of a snowflake with electrons spinning all around you? I have while on the Adventure Thru Inner Space ride. This attraction was sponsored by Monsanto. Yes, Monsanto, a name we see in various debates these days.

I found this animated simulation on YouTube. Take a ride!

Adventure Thru Inner Space opened in Disneyland in 1967 as part of the New Tomorrowland project. It occupied the space that previously housed the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea walk-through and the Monsanto Hall of Chemistry. It closed in 1986. The space is now occupied by Star Tours.—yesterland.com

What Disneyland attraction of yesteryear do you miss?

Visit yesterland.com for lots of great information and images about discontinued Disneyland rides and attractions.

http://www.theavalanches.com

Let’s watch Walt Disney and his Imagineering Department tell us about it.

Thanks to doombuggies.com I found out Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion ride celebrated their birthday on August 9th. I was born in 1970 and the Haunted Mansion ride opened in 1969.

Let’s  honor the hauntingly happy ride with some Haunted Mansion music.

If you’re a foolish mortal like me then you need to visit doombuggies.com for all things Haunted Mansion.

Lucille Ball (August 6, 1911-April 26, 1989)

Visit the Lucy Desi Center site for all things Lucy! http://www.lucy-desi.com/

There is one side effect though. Being plugged in to the Intertubes day in and day out, can make me feel  “Internet Bipolar”.

I’ve been active in cyberspace for years now. I check in with social media daily, search for information, write posts, keep up with favorites, find gems of videos, some old and some new. Mostly old, but that’s just because I have a love for all things retro. The internet is an exciting place yet it can also be exhausting.

Some days I am thrilled by the fascinating finds I come across. I feel connected to the world, a part of something bigger than the confines of my little house on a So Cal cul-de-sac. Other days I’m done with it all.

The sharing, the linking, the supposed new ideas, the selling, marketing and spewing of everyone’s endeavors. That would be the exhausting part.

Do you ever feel this way? If so, how do you break out of those Internet Bipolar chains? One song comes to mind right now.

For more information about JDOCD, visit http://www.ohjohnny.net/jdocd.html

Thirty years ago I was 11 years old. The first time I tuned into MTV it altered my pop culture loving life forever. I don’t think video killed the radio star but it sure did get my attention.

If you’re old enough to remember the first days of MTV than your old enough to feel like I do; I want my old school MTV! For you young adults out there, get this… they used to play music!

Here’s a few of my favorites from MTV’s first day of broadcast:

Visit the Kitsch Bitsch on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/thekitschbitsch

I had to like put something up like so this minute because like oh me gawd! That was like so much an awesomely huge part of like my existence you know? Oh ME gawd!
There was a time when I tried like so hard to like talk with as many like “likes” as I could, right? You remember don’t you? Really? Are you fer sher?

Well it was this totally bitchin’ time in the 80’s and there was like all this awesome music. Totally rad colors like fluorescent ya know? Pinks, greens, yellows. There was like lightning bolt earrings and shades that look like those window thingys, you know shades like the ones you wear on your face. Fer sher!

Like OH me gawd, just like the raddest time could be spent like at the mall. You remember don’t you? Really?

OK, ok so like here’s some videos I like found on the internet which would have been so totally awesome back in say 1984. OH me gawd, like all we had then was like MTV and like arcades and like the Atari like 64. Oh and like 3 Way Calling which was like so cool. OK, ok! So here’s the videos:

I wasn’t from the Valley I was like from Chula Vista. Like oh me gawd it’s like still in California so that’s like why I thought it was so cool to be part of that scene. Ya know?

A contest? Like nobody told me about a contest?

So some of the comments on this next video like please, gag me with a spoon! But this video from Solid Gold is hot like Nicolas Cage! Totally!

Were you ever like a Valley Girl or did you want to say, “Oh me gawd bag your face!” every time one talked near you?