I also had a subscription to Highlights when I was a kid, as well as National Geographic World. It was so exciting to get stuff in the mail, and I still remember some of the stories I read in there. My fiancee and I bonded over a shared memory of one particular story that talked about a 'corduroy road.' Weird what sticks with you through the years... And the slidy wire bead things are, indeed, just little roller coasters in disguise. :)

Ordered the paperback as soon as I saw this post--it will be a lovely little post-Christmas present to myself. Reading your posts about the creative process is really inspiring, and I think in the New Year I will try to bust out the pen and paper (it's all about the longhand) and get back into writing. I've been sorely neglecting it for years.

I was in third grade when it happened. My little Catholic grade school didn't have TVs for all of us to watch the launch, so my memory is of Sr. Carol Ann coming over the loudspeaker to tell us what had happened. Many years later, looking through yearbooks from that grade school, I was struck by how many kids listed 'astronaut' in the 'what I want to be when I grow up' category. Not something you get a lot of now. Also many years letter, I was cleaning out an old dresser and found a copy of 'Weekly Reader' from, I believe, late '85. It featured a profile of Christa McAuliff. I have no idea how or why it was saved, since I don't have any other old editions of the magazine. Yet somehow it survived, in pristine condition.

BBT is easily my favorite comedy on TV right now (it has surpassed How I Met Your Mother in laugh-out-loud-funny moments), so I'm very much looking forward to a convergence of geeky awesomeness.

Just ordered my copy! It's been eons since I actually sat down and watched season 1, but it's already conjuring up happy memories of Saturday nights spent eating pizza in the family room with mom and dad (I was 10 when the show premiered--that was an exciting night for us).

Went at around noon to vote...although there were quite a few people there, I didn't actually have to wait. It felt incredibly satisfying to cast a vote FOR Obama (contrasted with '04, which was really AGAINST Bush). I'm in Illinois, so I'm probably just a small drop in what will likely be a large Obama bucket, but it was still cool.

I've never really been a comic book reader, but I've watched several of the recent movie adaptations and enjoyed them to varying degrees. That said, I absolutely *loved* Iron Man. So nice to see Robert Downey Jr. back on his feet, and in a big-budget, mainstream film that will allow more people to witness his talent. I'm already excited for any and all sequels they film. Also, my copy of "Happiest Days" arrived last week, which made me very happy. :)

What an absolutely gorgeous photograph. I'm a bit of a camera junkie (on a strictly amateur level), and I'd love to be able to capture the kind of beauty that's on his website.

I also cast my vote for Obama today, out here in Illinois. If Hillary carries the nomination, then I will cast my vote for her, but it will not be with the same enthusiasm. This is the first time since I've been old enough to vote that I have truly been inspired by a candidate, that I have felt like voting was something more than, "well, he seems marginally better than the other guy." I have reasons beyond that for backing Obama, of course, and I know that an intangible like hope may not be enough to win a presidency or lead a country. Still, it's a nice feeling to have.

I'm neither a stepchild nor a stepparent, but that last bit totally made me tear up. At work. Thanks for a great glimpse into you experiences.

Congratulations! I actually read that you would be on Numb3rs in Michael Ausiello's column at tvguide.com this morning, and immediately came over here in hopes of getting your take on it. I love the show, and it will be great to see you on it!

I, too, was saddened to hear of his passing, although he obviously lived a long, full life. I loved watching his show on Nickelodeon, and the love of science and experimentation that eventually led me to become an engineer was definitely nurtured by it. I don't recall "The Third Eye," although I have fond memories of "You Can't Do That On Television." Other Nick favorites from the early '80s were "Pinwheel" and "Today's Special," but since I'm about 5 years younger than you, you might not have watched those.

Not a day goes by that I don't hold a real, paper-and-glue book in my hands and read at least a few lines. It's a part of my routine, something I have to do before I close my eyes and turn off the light at night. Although I'm also an Internet addict, my love of books far surpasses that. I think I'm pushing 600 with the number of books I own, and although I haven't read every single one, the percentage is certainly over 95. There is nothing quite so satisfying as immersing myself in a different world, or in our world populated by new people. I've been reading a bit more nonfiction as the years go by, but mostly I stick with mysteries, sci-fi, fantasy, "chick lit," literary classics, suspense...pretty much everything but horror and romance. Incidentally, I am choosing to blame my recent Neil Gaiman addiction on you. I'm just not sure why it took me this long to get addicted.

I didn't see the movie (I don't think I've been to the theater since the last Pirates movie came out--I'm a bit behind), but I wanted to comment that it's a relief to learn that I'm not the only person on the planet who wasn't overly impressed with Spider-Man 2. I enjoyed the first one a lot more.

I've only played Carcassonne once, but it was very enjoyable. And I've seen Bang! played, although I've not played it myself. Ticket to Ride: Europe is absolutely marvelous (as is the original, and my board-game-obsessed friend Jason says the Marklin edition is the best of the three), and I think you'll really enjoy it. I've been reading regularly for a few years now, but I rarely comment. This time I couldn't resist!

Thanks for sharing the funny. I clicked on over to The Onion, and I was particularly amused by the 'Not Quite Perfect' McDonalds, located at the positively horrifying Gurnee Mills in my hometown. I hate that mall... Anyway, just wondered if you saw the news that the original, unaltered, Han-shot-first versions of the Star Wars trilogy were finally coming to DVD on September 12th. 'Tis a red-letter day.