Maya the Bee

Wow, it's been awhile since I last wrote, so I'll bring it back with a show that was a favorite of mine when I was little, but few people I know remember it.

Maya the Bee!

This was shown in the early 90s on Nickelodeon, but is actually a Japanese show from the 70s inspired by a German storybook first published in 1912. (Who knew I liked anime even when I was just a little tyke? Lol). It followed the adventures of fun-loving Maya and her friend Willy along with some of their other friends, such as Flip the grasshopper. Maya and her friends have many exciting aadventures, all while learning important lessons about friendship, etc. It's a really cute show. I remember I loved it when I was little.

Unfortunately, it isn't available in any commercially released DVDs in the US (or even any that are in English from any country that I could find). Some fans have put together copies using tapes of the original US airings, but I hope that some day an official release will happen.

If you haven't seen this show before, go check it out... you can find clips online. I think you'll enjoy it.

Mario Marathon

This isn't exactly a reminiscence, but it has been around for 3 years, and I do have some good memories of it. However, since my last post dealt with video games, I wanted to take time to make everyone aware of this great event.

Mario Marathon is a group of guys playing through most of the Mario series of video games in order to raise money for the Child's Play charity. Child's Play purchases toys and games to give to children's hospitals. You all should take time to check out the Mario Marathon. It's a fun event for a great cause! So head on over to www.mariomarathon.com and watch and donate.

Video Games: Old and New

In honor of last weeks E3 and all the exciting announcements about the "next big thing" in video gaming, let's take a look back at some classics in video gaming that all have had big announcements about made about the future of their series.

To start let's go back to some of console gaming's earliest days with the NES. Kid Icarus  is a much beloved, almost cult-like, classic from this console. I regret to say that this is a game I have never actually played myself; however, I have heard many people expressing their strong desires for a new version of this game. Well, this year, their wishes have finally been granted with the announcement of Kid Icarus Uprising.

Now let's go ahead a little bit in time and take a look now at those good ol' donkeys... err, I mean, monkeys. Donkey Kong Country  is a great Super Nintendo classic. I remember playing this and watching it be played many, many times over at my best friends house. Banana grabbing, barrel smashing, and crazy animal antics abounded. Donkey Kong and his pals haven't been heard from much in recent years, especially in any sort of traditional gaming form, so the announcement of Donkey Kong Country Returns is especially exciting.

Finally for a (slightly) newer classic we can look at what is still hailed as one of the best video games of all time: the Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time (Collector's Edition) - Nintendo 64 . Because the Nintendo 64 was the very first video game console that I owned myself; I have the strongest sentimental ties to its games. Many of my favorite games come from the N64. Ocarina of Time is no exception; it is where I fell in love with our hero Link. I'll never forget meeting all the unique and endearing characters, learning the beautiful songs, exploring the dungeons, and fighting the bosses. Therefore, I am, of course, looking forward to the newest arrival in the Zelda series: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

There are so many other great classic games that I could talk about, but that will just have to be a post for another day. Enjoy these three great games and be sure to check out their newer counterparts when they get released.

Capri Sun

Ahh, Capri Sun; another favorite of childhood! Found in lunches, at snacktime, and at sports' practices around the country.

They came in a variety of delicious flavors, and everyone had their favorite. They were especially enjoyable when packaged in a Lunchable (but that's a post for another day).

At the time the biggest difficulty was how to get them open so we could enjoy their juicy goodness! We'd stab and stab at that little hole with the straw until finally handing it over to an adult for help.

Of course, the really cool, older kids just flipped the pouch upside down and stabbed the straw into the bottom.

Glow in the Dark Stars

How cool were these plastic stars that you could stick to your walls and ceilings?! I'm sure many of you had these all over your room. I remember when they were the coolest thing with all of my friends.

I loved making constellations out of them on my ceiling. I would pretend that I was out in a treehouse, looking up at the sky with all the shining stars. I put them up above where my head lay in my bunk bed, and for many years they were very comforting to me as I fell asleep at night.

These are obviously still available, and I have to admit that I wouldn't mind putting some on my ceiling now... if I could talk my husband into it. :)

Fruit Stripe Gum

Oh, Fruit Stripe Gum, aka-"Zebra Gum," how delicious and sugary you were. This was a favorite of mine and many other kids. Of course, I was almost never allowed to have it. :)

I believe this is the first gum I ever had, and there is actually a funny story to go along with that. I was probably about 6 years old, and I was over at my best friend's house. We were playing in her room with her older brother while our parents were visiting together in the main part of the house. My friend and her brother offered me a piece of Fruit Stripe, and after some pressure, I cautiously agreed. You see, my mom hates gum, and because of this, I thought I wasn't allowed to have any. Due to my fear of getting in trouble, everytime we thought we heard an adult coming, I was told to "Swallow it!" After the "danger" had passed, I would be given a new piece of gum. By the end of the evening, I had probably swallowed at least half a pack of Zebra gum, only to discover that my mom really wouldn't have cared at all.

I'm sure that event was great for my digestive system, but, oh boy, was it delicious! Recently, I have discovered that this gum is still regularly available to be purchased and is now sugar free. So go out and by a pack and reminisce about the good ol' days.

Personal and Sentimental

There are lots of "nostalgia" websites out there, but this is my addition to the swarm. I don't claim to be the best or the most extensive. What I am is personal and sentimental. These are memories from my youth. Sometimes it will be an item/song/movie(etc.), sometimes a story, and maybe even some old pictures. I hope you enjoy and can relate your own childhood/teenage experiences to my own.