That Blue Light Special Magic: A Love Letter to Kmart's Heyday

As a kid, the simple act of "going to the store" was a genuine adventure. Sure, I probably would have preferred the bright lights of a mall, but even our regular trips to local staples like TG&Y, Delchamps and the small-town Kelly’s IGA in Milton, Florida, hold a cozy spot in my memory. Maybe it’s the inherent compulsive window shopper in me, but those trips were always fun. Yet, one store, in particular, captured my imagination for life, especially as the Christmas season approached: Kmart.

Growing up in small Southern towns during the 1970s and 80s, our retail landscape wasn't exactly overflowing with options. This was long before the retail behemoth Walmart rolled into our area. We had a brief flirtation with Zayre before it became Ames and then vanished, but Kmart was the destination. As the formerly robust TG&Y began to thin out—its once-great shelves becoming barer and its product selection shrinking closer to a dollar store's—Kmart became my family’s reliable anchor. And trust me, I still have immense fondness for TG&Y, the place my dad bought a lawnmower that ran for nearly two decades and where I spent hours in the electronic, record, toy and pet sections wishing I would be able to pick something out and mama or daddy would buy it for me to take home. But Kmart? That was where the real magic was. The Heyday of Everything-Under-One-Roof

It’s funny how the small, everyday components of our childhood—like the ubiquitous department store—are now just a collection of vivid memories. In our town, Kmart felt like the slightly classier, more upscale alternative—the Target to the era's Walmart, which would have been TG&Y. Kmart had nicer items and some great brand names, even if we as kids dreaded being caught in anything that obviously screamed "Blue Light Special."

And speaking of those Blue Light Specials—who could forget that siren call? You'd hear "Attention K-Mart Shoppers," and then, like a synchronized retail ballet, a rumble of shopping carts would converge from every direction, leading to the flashing blue light that was eerily reminiscent of a police car. Witnessing my mom and old ladies make a frantic dash for deeply discounted staples like Fruit of the Loom panties, Cannon Washcloths or Mead Filler Paper was horrifying at the time. Looking back, though, it was pure, small-scale excitement—a mini, everyday version of Black Friday.

Kmart truly was a one-stop shop for almost everything except groceries initially (a venture they attempted later in the 1990s). If you told someone today that Kmart had a full-scale paint department in its large hardware section or a huge sporting goods section where you could browse a vast selection of roller skates, tennis balls and even bowling balls and bags, they'd look at you with utter disbelief—unless they lived through the Kmart heyday.


My absolute favorite time to shop at Kmart was during Christmas. As a kid, it seemed to carry the best decor—my mom’s Christmas cards from Kmart were always stunning. Later, when I moved to Atlanta, my partner Terry and I, frequented the two-story Kmart across from the Lindbergh MARTA station. It even had an escalator that led down to a basement level where the hardware, sporting goods, and, most importantly during the holidays, the massive Christmas section resided.

Kmart’s holiday offerings were surprisingly high-quality. Their glass ornaments were top-notch and usually priced better than other stores. I still have a few strands of Christmas lights I bought there in the early 2000s and aside from the slight fading of the blue bulbs, they work perfectly!

The brand selection was impressive, too. You’d find their Trim A Home® signature holiday brand with a wide array of lights, tree skirts and themed ornaments. They also carried items from Gemmy Industries (known for those fantastic outdoor decorations like Santas and snowmen) and other private label collections like Christmas Tidings. Whether you needed shatterproof globes, lawn figures, themed bath mats or even those novelty gingerbread houses, Kmart was stocked and ready for the season.

The toy section, especially for a pre-teen in the 80s, was spectacular. I liked things that were slightly off the cutting edge of the latest fad and Kmart had a perfect mix of older stock and newer releases. Many of my original Masters of the Universe action figures came from Kmart, as they often seemed to get the new waves before TG&Y.

My mama, a devoted crocheter, loved making everything from scarves to massive afghans. While TG&Y had a huge selection of colors, Kmart’s slightly smaller yarn section often carried a selection with a softer, less scratchy feel. I vividly remember her creating a huge, cozy afghan out of skeins of blue and creamy white yarn from Kmart—it reminded me of a perfect winter sky.

And we can’t talk about Kmart without praising their layaway program. In an era before credit cards were ubiquitous and easy to use, layaway was a lifeline. It allowed people, like my mom, to reserve items they needed for a future date, such as Christmas gifts (Hey Santa I’m thinking about you!) and pay for them in manageable installments until the purchase was complete. It was a true act of community and financial assistance that is sorely missed today.

After Walmart finally arrived, my mom gravitated toward their lower prices, but my dad remained loyal to Kmart, particularly for their garden center. After the Milton, Florida store moved to a newer, larger location a mile or so west of the original store on Highway 90, the vibe was never quite the same.

Yet, even in its final years, Kmart tried to step up its game. Who would have thought the store of our childhood would host clothing lines from names like Martha Stewart, Jaclyn Smith, Sandra Lee and even Adam Levine? In the end, the very last Kmart I frequented, the Peachtree City location, had an Adam Levine collection that genuinely impressed me. I guess it was an effort to reinvent themselves and keep up with the changing retail landscape but as with so many greats, it was a little too late to recapture some of that old department store glory.

Today, Kmart lives on as a nostalgic memory, a symbol of a time when the "department store" was the centerpiece of small-town retail life. That iconic blue light may have gone dark, but the memory of those Christmas trips and the excitement of the layaway counter remains brightly lit.-----Thank you for joining me on this walk down memory lane. I truly enjoy sharing these little pieces of my history with you. Did you have a favorite department store growing up? Perhaps a treasured Blue Light Special score? I'd love to hear your memories in the comments below! If you enjoy these nostalgic stories about the things that shape us, consider sharing this post with a friend or perhaps you could even contribute a little something toward my next writing adventure—every comment and contribution helps keep these memories alive!

Last Night’s Dream: My Unexpected Pet, The Color Yellow, Spikes and Feathers

Have you ever had a dream so vivid, so utterly personal, that you wake up feeling like you’ve been on a full-blown adventure? That's what happened to me last night. It’s the kind of dream that sticks to your subconscious like glitter, forcing you to wonder about its meaning and frankly, its cinematic potential. It involves a very special boy I named Valo.

I have odd dreams, sometimes the beginning is just me sleeping and eventually seeing everyday stuff or even visiting friends or family that have passed on. Sometimes I feel like I am either time travelling or astral projecting to another realm or just somewhere else than where my body is. I don’t really have nightmares, I used to but they haven’t happened in a long time, not really since I was a kid. So this one began just sort of started with me being at home, not the one I currently live at but something different and it switched over to something that felt like a moment of pure, unadulterated joy. I was simply walking in my yard, near a tree, when I found him: a bright, sunshine-yellow hedgehog. Bear in mind, I am colorblind and yellow is one of the colors on the spectrum that I can’t see but I can only imagine what it is. Anyway, I scooped him up and in that instant, he looked in my eyes and it looked like he was smiling. He snuggled against my hand and he was mine. I named him Valo, because he truly was a little ray of light. He was the happiest boy I have ever met, his little snout twitching.

What made Valo truly unique wasn't just his shocking color, but his unexpected talents. He was an absolute menace on the ground, but he somehow, impossibly, became an aerial acrobat. Valo could climb trees with the agility of a squirrel and he quickly befriended all the birds in the trees. It was a bizarre, beautiful little community we had that he had convinced to come out of hiding high up in the branches and visit with me, not just birds but squirrels and chipmunks. There was only one enemy in our peaceful, arboreal existence: the dark shadows of hawks, who would circle above, their eyes sharp with predatory hunger. I became Valo’s fierce protector, always keeping one eye on the sky. There was also an old owl that kept watch also, he was the only bird who didn’t partake in a physical friendship but it felt like he was with us no matter what.

One cool, quiet night, I took Valo to hang out and look up at the stars because he seemed to love them. He scampered ahead, heading straight for the tallest, gnarliest oak tree in the yard. I watched him climb, a tiny, golden beacon against the dark wood and then he simply disappeared into the canopy. I waited, but he didn't return.

That's where the scene shattered and reformed. Suddenly, I wasn't waiting under the oak tree. I was traveling, deep into what I can only assume was my book signing tour, a reality I hope will happen one day soon. Yet, I wasn't focused on the crowds or the signings. My eyes were glued to the ground and trees, following a curious, almost magical trail of bright yellow feathers. It was like a golden breadcrumb path. I instinctively knew: Valo hadn't just vanished. He had shifted. My hedgehog, my happiest boy, had transformed into a bird, a creature of the sky he seemed to be so close to in the trees. The trail of feathers always seemed to be wherever I found myself, from Pensacola to Los Angeles, from one book event to the next.

The tension in the dream started building and became excruciating because I felt like I was so close to finding him, to reuniting with either the hedgehog or the bird, when my body’s cruel alarm clock (my bladder) woke me up telling me it was time to pee. I was left with the profound, unsettling feeling of an adventure cut short and there was more to Valo than just a hedgehog that transformed into a bird. So the unresolved ending of that dream has been the most frustrating part of my day because I couldn’t figure out the dream’s purpose and wondered what the ending would be so I decided to write about it and use my imagination for possibilities. Here are a few ways my journey with Valo might have ended:

As I reach the final stop of my last book event, someone hands me a yellow feather from a bird the exact same color as Valo as a hedgehog and later the bird and asks me to sign his copy of my book to Valo. My bright, happy hedgehog had fully shifted to something else. He is now a casual, engaging human being, a handsome man who looks like a real life version of my favorite doll from Barbie, a real like version of an Alan doll, with an electric, almost golden energy and a slightly mischievous glint in his eye. He’s standing right behind me and he simply says, "Finally caught up, Adrian. Thank you for taking care of me as a baby and never giving up on finding me. Now that I found you, are you ready for that date?" Valo became my boyfriend, a totally unique and wonderful person and the adventure had just begun.

I find the bird, not realizing he's not Valo, but another bird I named Tails, a nod to that other famous yellow hedgehog's flying friend. Valo, as the yellow bird, has flown on, having served his purpose to show me that I too, can achieve a new level of personal freedom and overcome my "hawks" (my personal fears and anxieties). He didn't need to be caught; he needed to be free.

The trail of feathers leads me not to a creature, but to a pristine, yellow quill pen sitting on a velvet pillow. Valo wasn't meant to be kept, but to be a catalyst. The entire book signing tour was the real-world manifestation of the dream's core message: The adventure is the writing, and Valo, in his final form, has become my enduring muse, a permanent companion in my creative process.

Now I'm left with the lingering memory of a yellow hedgehog who could climb trees and a trail of feathers that led me across an imagined world. The dream felt like a gift, a story from my subconscious. What do you think happened to Valo? Did he become a person, a muse or is he still flying, a little yellow bird just out of sight?

I'd love to hear your thoughts and interpretations in the comments below. Every perspective helps me understand this surreal little journey!

And if you enjoyed this glimpse into my dream world and would like to support more of these stories (or maybe help fund a trip to the nearest pet store to look for a real, slightly-less-magical Valo), you can always show your appreciation. Your readership is the greatest gift, but any small contribution toward my next creative project is incredibly kind and always welcome. Thank you for reading!

A Nostalgic Goodbye to Fingerhut: Remembering the 'Buy Now, Pay Later' Catalog

Not a real Fingerhut catalog but this captures the essence of a real one

Oh, the catalogs. I swear, growing up, our mailbox could have been less of a mail receptacle and more of a gateway to a museum of mailorder business. We had the heavy-hitters, Sears, Spiegel, Montgomery Ward, JC Penny but the one that always seemed to show up, year-round, was the Fingerhut catalog. It was just there, no matter if my mom was ordering or not.

Honestly, I didn't pay much mind to Fingerhut until I hit my teens. That's when my high school sweetheart, Richie, became a customer. I'll never forget the saga of the comforter. It was the early 90s in Pace, Florida and Richie was proud of the decorative comforter he’d ordered. His mom, Rose, on the other hand, made fun of him because he got it from Fingerhut. Looking back, Rose was kind of a cantankerous person who instilled enough passive aggressiveness in her parenting that one couldn’t tell if she was just being mean or just didn't get the magic. The comforter was cozy, not feminine, not basic and frankly, it was cute. It also served the vital purpose, Richie would share it with me while we sat next to each other on the couch and it hid the fact that we were holding hands while we watched TV with his sisters and Rose. I wasn’t in the closet but Richie was so keeping our attraction a secret was important, and yes, the pun is intended: that blanket kept us undercover. Hats off to Richie for being savvy enough to fill out that order form for a comforter that cost just $3.99 a month. I have no idea how many payments he had to make, but trust me, it was worth every single cent.

AI version of a Fingerhut-esque page

When he showed me the catalog, I was struck dumb. It wasn't just bedding; they had everything! And the most incredible part was their business model. It was all sold on the promise of credit with no credit check. You just sent in your first month’s payment, and 6 to 8 weeks later, your purchase arrived, usually just after your first bill.

Everyone talks about the music clubs—BMG, Columbia House—but no one really talks about Fingerhut's amazing business model of trust. I actually bought a few things myself and it felt like such a sophisticated adult thing to do! The only things I can vividly remember ordering was a glorious Lava Lamp and a Panasonic portable cassette player—or as we all generically called them back then, a Walkman. While not exactly as fun as getting instant gratification from buying at a store and taking home upon payment, they were delivered right to my door and I paid for them later. I only started to understand Rose’s "smack talk" years later when I realized I was probably paying double what I would have if I’d gone straight to a store and paid cash. The cassette player most likely wasn’t the newest model but it worked like a charm and it was mine.

As I got older, I realized the weird stigma attached to Fingerhut. It was the original "buy now, pay later"—kind of like reverse layaway. If you think about it historically, though, it was kinda cool; old general stores did similar things, offering accounts that people could pay off over time. But then stores like Big Lots expanded and it became clear that a lot of the items in the Fingerhut catalog were similar closeout items. Still, they had their definite place in the world of mail-order, just as Big Lots had its place in the retail world.

In my adult life, I always loved getting the Fingerhut catalog. It felt old-fashioned, comforting and a total throwback to a simpler time. I could easily jump online and buy the same things with a few clicks using a credit card or even go to the Fingerhut website and use a Fingerhut credit card, but nothing beat flipping through those glossy pages.

So, it's been a while since I received one and curiosity finally got the best of me. I went to the website and discovered the gut-punch news: they have recently gone out of business. How incredibly sad is that? To me, this company seemed like one that would last forever. It’s been around as long as I can remember.

Now that they’re gone, will you miss them? If you loved the old-school Fingerhut business, you can still check out a similar online store called Ginny’s, which is owned by Colony Brands—the company many of you might remember as Swiss Colony, who also own the current incarnation of Montgomery Ward. Were you a Fingerhut customer? What products did you buy? Share your favorite memory in the comments below.

If you enjoyed this little trip down memory lane and would like to support my writing and future nostalgic deep dives, you can buy me a coffee through my profile link. Your support helps me keep the lights on and the memories flowing. Thanks for reading!

The Bible, a Nasty Hotel and the Customer Who Spat at Me: A Wild Front Desk Story

First off, a quick note on my book: I'm in the final stretch of revisions! Out of 35 chapters, I've powered through 31. It’s been a serious, sometimes exhausting, learning process and honestly, if you’ve self-published your first book, you have my complete admiration. Now it’s just a matter of those last few chapters and then one final, meticulous read-through to make sure the timeline is perfect before it heads off to the editor and then publisher. I'm so excited to get this first book in my series out to you soon!

Funny enough, today’s topic was inspired by a sick day. I woke up this morning not feeling well and had to call out, even though I really can’t afford the time off right now. As I was laying in bed—totally bored, as you can imagine—my mind started wandering back to some of the wildest times in my life and one particular incident from my hotel days flashed into my mind. I worked at a Ramada Plaza in College Park, and let me tell you, that place was a whole world of its own. It's no secret the hotel was, well, not a nice hotel. The super cheap rates meant we attracted a lot of less-than-exemplary people: addicts, transients, hookers and others. We staff—especially at the front desk—had to deal with some seriously weird situations, and while we tried to keep calm, sometimes you just had to refuse service and cut your losses. The owner would claim our safety was a priority, but the reality was that, apart from housekeeping during the day and security arriving at 8 PM, the front desk person was often completely on their own, especially at night.

It’s been years, but I’ll never forget the day a man came in, dropped his Bible on the counter with a loud thud, and became the central character in a story I still can’t quite believe happened.

It was a Friday afternoon, and the moment I made eye contact with this Nigerian man, I just knew he was going to be a problem. When you’ve worked a front desk as long as I did, you can spot trouble before it even hits the automatic door.

He had a very thick accent and simply announced, “I am a man of god and I need to get a room.”

I gave him the standard room rates and his immediate reply was just a repeat: “I am a man of god.” Then he started quoting scripture, seemingly about giving away accommodations for free. I explained that while I could maybe offer a system discount (like an AA discount or something similar), I absolutely couldn’t just give a room away.

That’s when he started to get irate. Things really escalated when I mentioned the mandatory $150 security deposit in addition to the room rate, anyone who has ever checked into a hotel would know this as a hold for incidentals. He literally grabbed his chest, acted like he was having an attack and spat at me across the counter. That was it. I told him he had to leave, walked to the back, and just let him scream and call me every name under the sun until he finally left, realizing I wasn't going to engage further.

The next day, I was back on the same shift. I could have sworn I saw him leaving at the front door, but in a place like the Ramada, everyone looked like everyone else from behind. The next day, however, I was on the morning shift, tasked with getting all the departing guests out by check-out time. I had one person left who wasn't answering the phone, so I sent housekeeping to knock.

Not only did he refuse to leave, but he started screaming at the poor housekeeper for "invading his privacy." When he called down to the front desk to yell at me, I instantly recognized the voice.

Turns out, someone had checked him in—but they hadn't charged him but a quarter of the lowest Priceline rate and there was no security deposit on file. He was simply going to check out when he "felt like it." That’s when I knew I had to call the police to have him removed.

Before the police arrived, he came downstairs, bible in one hand, grabbing his chest with the other and started yelling at me again. He put on a full performance, claiming to be having a heart attack and suddenly starting to cry when he saw the police coming through the front door, insisting I was causing him "distress." When the police arrived and called the paramedics, his theatrics went into overdrive. Still clutching the bible, he kept telling the paramedics that I was the devil and was causing all his problems.

The police, thankfully, got the full story about the refusal-to-check-in the day before last, the weirdly low room rate and his refusal to leave. When the paramedics checked his vitals, they confirmed he was fine, asking if he wanted to go to the hospital. He said, "No, I want to go back to my room," which is when the police informed him he hadn’t paid for his room. He then claimed he was just waiting for "that lady to come back to extend the room."

I had to call the owner, who told me to call "Dulce," the manager. Dulce had no idea what was going on, so she told me to have the police remove him and leave the check-in info on her desk.

I was off for the next two days, but I watched our group chat explode with messages from Dulce which included a corporate complaint screenshot from Wyndham about me, the state of the hotel and a photo of his ID, which came with a strict note: never to rent a room to him again. Oh, and the final, disgusting detail? Feces was also found under a towel in the bathroom.

I had been telling the owner and manager for ages that things weren't adding up—people were getting rooms for weird rates, deposits were being skipped—but they always brushed it off until this incident blew up. Even then, they acted like I could have "handled things better." I still think the better solution would have been to hold the person who checked him in accountable for breaking protocol and, frankly, running a hotel that wasn't a complete dump catering to sketchy people. I have so many more stories from that place, including people who ended up being arrested and on YouTube videos in other locations!

Anyway, I am so glad I’m not working there anymore and am in a much better place years later. 

What's the wildest, most unbelievable customer service story you've ever experienced or heard? Drop your comments below—I need to know I'm not the only one with these kinds of tales!

When Legendary Childhood Idols Leave Us: Remembering Ace Frehley

It’s a strange thing when someone who shaped your childhood, whose music was the soundtrack to countless memories, suddenly isn’t with us anymore. Over the past few days, there’s been a quiet sadness rippling through the community of Ace Frehley’s fans. While his health concerns were known to many, the specifics remained private. There were whispers of a stroke or a heart attack, but the definitive issue was unclear – just that our beloved "Spaceman" wasn't doing well. Then, the news came yesterday, though I didn’t get it until I woke up this morning and it hit hard.

For so many of us, growing up meant growing up with KISS. My sister had those iconic 8-tracks of Destroyer and Love Gun and that shiny silver Double Platinum album. But for us kids, Ace was the guy. His Spaceman persona wasn't just cool; it felt like it jumped right out of a cartoon, perfectly matching his laid-back personality and incredible stage presence. He was the one who made us all want to pick up a guitar.

Ace, born Paul Daniel Frehley in the Bronx, New York, in 1951, was immersed in music from a young age. His father was a church organist, and both his older brother, Charles, and sister, Nancy, were musically trained. Ace himself taught rudimentary guitar chords by playing along with his siblings' records. He had a fascination with both art and mechanics, which, along with his growing love for the guitar, helped keep him out of trouble in school and on the streets. Though he was popular for his ability to find dates for friends – earning him the nickname "Ace" – he was kicked out of several high schools before eventually earning his diploma. He got his first guitar at 14, learning from his brother and, true to his mechanical interests, tinkering with its inner workings. He picked up the guitar at 13, inspired by legends like Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page and even worked as a roadie for Hendrix at 18.

In 1973, Ace co-founded KISS with Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Peter Criss. He became known for his distinctive, bluesy, hard-rock guitar solos, which he once described as "unorthodox" because he never took formal lessons. He penned KISS classics like "Cold Gin" and "Shock Me," and contributed to beloved tracks such as "Parasite" from Hotter Than Hell (1974) and "Getaway" from Dressed to Kill (1975).

As I got older, I somehow stumbled upon Ace’s Trouble Walkin’ album and added it to my cassette collection and played it until it practically wore out. His version of “Hide Your Heart” is still my absolute favorite, even over the KISS version!

I honestly never thought I’d see Ace play live with the band. But then, during KISS’s Farewell Tour, my friend Karen invited me to go to Knoxville with her. It was one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. Seeing all four original members of KISS on stage, together, was pure magic. On a side note, Karen and I would hang out at the Ritz Carlton in Buckhead during the band’s Southeast leg of that tour, just hoping for a glimpse of them. Gene, Paul, Peter and Ace were all incredibly kind. Doc, their manager, would even give us a heads-up if the guys had a rough night, which was our cue to respectfully leave before they came in. Karen even baked Gene cookies (which Ace claimed for himself!) and a cake for Ace. It was such a cool experience and a reminder that these "rock gods" were just as human as us. Walking away with those incredible memories is something I’ll never forget.

After his initial departure from KISS, Ace embarked on a successful solo career. His 1978 self-titled solo album, released while still a member of KISS, featured the top 40 hit "New York Groove". He continued to release solo albums, including Frehley's Comet (1987), Second Sighting (1988), Trouble Walkin' (1989), and Anomaly (2009), which reached No. 27 on the Billboard 200 chart. His later works include Space Invader (2014), Origins Vol. 1 (2016), Spaceman (2018), Origins Vol. 2 (2020), and 10,000 Volts (2024). He also made guest appearances on albums by other artists, showcasing his versatile guitar skills.

Ace briefly ventured into acting with the low-budget crime thriller Remedy (2005). In 2014, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a co-founder and original lead guitarist of KISS. Guitar World recognized him in the Top 15 of its "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists of All Time".

I’ve kept up with Ace over the years, collecting his solo albums and even an album by his touring band, Rock City Music Co., which featured my friend Jeanne’s boyfriend, Ryan Spencer Cook.

Hearing the news of Ace’s passing this morning left me with a profound sadness. It’s not just for the loss of a person whose music was such a huge part of my childhood and who gave me incredible memories in my adult life, but also for his family, friends and bandmates. My heart truly goes out to everyone whose lives he touched and who are now feeling this immense loss. He was a true original, a "Spaceman" who left an indelible mark on rock and roll, inspiring countless musicians like Slash, Tom Morello, John 5 and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam.

Ace Frehley also shared his story in his New York Times bestselling memoir, No Regrets. For fans looking to dive deeper into his world and the history of KISS, other great books include KISS and Sell: The Starchild, the Demon, an American Icon and a Story of Loving Too Much by C.K. Lendt, and Kiss: Behind the Mask – The Official Authorized Biography by David Leaf and Ken Sharp.

It’s hard to say goodbye to our childhood idols, but their music and the memories they created live on forever.

Pac-Man Fever: A Nostalgic Dive into the Classic Game's Legacy

Today, I want to share a nostalgic trip down memory lane, celebrating one of the most iconic video games of all time—Pac-Man. Whether you were an arcade aficionado or a casual player, Pac-Man has left an indelible mark on our hearts and minds. So, let’s dive into this fun and engaging story about Pac-Man fever!

I was too young to fully appreciate the release of Pac-Man, but my sister was all about it. She had Pac-Man fever for years, playing the game on consoles in front of TG&Y, at Pizza Hut, and at her friend Laura Moon’s house. When we finally got our own Atari 2600, she would play Pac-Man all night long during weekends and holidays. While I appreciate the game, it moves a bit too fast for me. I’d be lying if I said I made it past the 5th board. Ms. Pac-Man, while I love her, has only seen me reach the 4th board. I’m more of a Tetris fan, but Pac-Man still holds a special place in my heart.

Decades after its debut, the sights and sounds of game designer Toru Iwatani's legendary creation, Pac-Man, still represent the golden age of video games for many. But Pac-Man has been embraced by subsequent generations, too, and it remains one of the few arcade games from that era you might still run into at arcades, bars, pizza places, amusement parks, skating rinks, and bowling alleys. Pac-Man didn’t become an immediate hit when Namco launched it as Puckman in Japan on May 22, 1980. But once Midway Games started distributing it in North America on October 10, 1980, the craze took off. Within its first year, the game grossed more than $1 billion in quarters. Throughout 1981-82, millions of people caught Pac-Man fever—so much so that Buckner & Garcia's novelty song "Pac-Man Fever" became a gold record, spending three weeks on Billboard's Top 10 in early '82.

As one of the first identifiable and marketable characters in video game history, the lovably cute Pac-Man appeared in many other pop-culture arenas. He graced apparel, had his own breakfast cereal, starred in a Saturday morning animated series from 1982-83, and even had a brief cameo in Disney's original Tron film. By 1982, Pac-Man also had a sequel—Ms. Pac-Man, which many consider even better than the original. Ms. Pac-Man introduced a new ghost, Sue, alongside the familiar ghosts Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde. Each ghost had unique behaviors that added depth to the gameplay. Blinky, the red ghost, is the most aggressive and speeds up as more dots are eaten. Pinky, the pink ghost, tries to ambush Pac-Man by moving to a position in front of him. Inky, the cyan ghost, has unpredictable behavior that combines elements of Blinky's and Pinky's strategies. Clyde, the orange ghost, moves randomly, making him less dangerous but more confusing.

Pac-Man's influence on the video game industry cannot be overstated. It launched the maze chase game genre, was the first video game with power-ups, and was among the earliest games to feature cutscenes. The game's other beloved characters—Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde, the ghosts who relentlessly pursue or are pursued by Pac-Man—were designed with early artificial intelligence.

By the time the Atari 2600 version of Pac-Man was hurriedly released to poor reviews in 1982, Pac-Man fever—and the golden age of video games—was nearing its end. The video game market would crash the following year. However, in 1981, Pac-Man was first bundled with the Atari 2600 console. This move significantly boosted the sales of the Atari 2600, attracting more buyers despite the game's mixed reviews due to its poor adaptation. But 40 years later, Pac-Man remains not only an indelible symbol of that era but also one of its few enduring survivors. For Pac-Man, it will never be "Game Over." Pac-Man wasn't just an arcade phenomenon; it also made its way onto various consoles, computers, and handheld devices. The Atari 2600 version might have received poor reviews, but it was just the beginning. Pac-Man has since appeared on countless platforms, bringing its iconic gameplay to new generations.

Some notable versions and spinoffs include Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness, a 3D platformer released in 2000 for multiple platforms, including the Nintendo 64. In this game, Ms. Pac-Man navigates through various mazes, collecting items and avoiding ghosts. The game features a mix of classic Pac-Man gameplay with new elements, such as power-ups and mini-games. Terry and I spent countless hours playing Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness on our PlayStation. It was a blast navigating through the mazes and chasing those pesky ghosts.

There were various handheld versions of Pac-Man. The MGA Handheld Series, launched in 1992 by Micro Games of America (later MGA Entertainment), includes numerous models of handheld LCD games based on the original Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man arcade games. The gameplay varies slightly across models, with some featuring nonlinear maze layouts and unique "Energy Fruits" that act like Power Pellets. The Nelsonic Pac-Man Watches, released in the early 1980s, were essentially miniature handheld games that could be worn on the wrist. Coleco also released a series of table-top versions of Pac-Man, which were essentially handheld games with a larger screen and more robust controls.

The console versions of Pac-Man varied in quality and gameplay. The Atari 2600 was one of the earliest home console versions, released in 1981. Despite its popularity, it's often criticized for its poor adaptation of the arcade game. The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) version, released in 1984, is more faithful to the original arcade game, with improved graphics and gameplay. Game Boy and Game Boy Color versions brought Pac-Man to the portable gaming scene, with the Game Boy Color version featuring enhanced graphics and additional features. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) version, released in 1993, includes updated graphics and additional gameplay elements. The Nintendo 64 version, released in 2000, includes Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness, a 3D platformer that features Ms. Pac-Man as the main character.

Here are some interesting facts about Pac-Man. Thought to be the highest-grossing video game of all time, Pac-Man's inflation-adjusted intake is estimated at about $12 billion in total revenue. The release dates for Pac-Man are May 22, 1980, in Japan, and October 10, 1980, in North America. There are 256 boards in Pac-Man, and the highest possible score is 3,333,360, known to have been achieved by eight people.

Pac-Man's success spawned numerous spinoffs for consoles, computers, and handheld devices, but the notable arcade spinoffs include Ms. Pac-Man (1982), Pac-Man Plus (1982), Super Pac-Man (1982), Baby Pac-Man (1982, video game/pinball hybrid), Professor Pac-Man (1983), Jr. Pac & Pal (1983), Jr. Pac-Man (1983), Pac-Land (1984), and Pac-Mania (1987).

I hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane and reminiscing about the iconic Pac-Man. If you have similar stories or memories of your own, please share them in the comments below. Your feedback and shared experiences help build a wonderful community. If you'd like to support this effort, your contributions are greatly appreciated. Even small gestures of support mean a lot as we continue this journey of storytelling and connection. Thank you! ❤️

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The Ever-Shifting Sands of Tech: A Nostalgic Look (and a Question for 2025)

Hey there, fellow tech enthusiasts and digital wanderers! I want to take a little trip down memory lane, a journey through the ever-shifting sands of technology that have shaped our lives. I’ve always been a bit of an early adopter or so I’ve been told, when it comes to gadgets and electronics. And honestly, it’s been a wild ride! Over the past few decades, we’ve witnessed an incredible transformation: TVs, stereos, appliances, computers, and game systems have shrunk from bulky furniture pieces to sleek plastic and aluminum devices that fit in the palm of your hand. With this rapid evolution, expectations for new tech seem to accelerate just as quickly. It’s almost like we blink, and suddenly, yesterday’s cutting-edge is today’s antique.

While some upgrades I embrace readily, others I just can't bring myself to abandon. If I had my way, we'd still be seeing new Atari 2600s and Nintendo Entertainment Systems rolling off the production line, with all the classic games readily available. Imagine a world where portable cassette players, CD players (remember those?), and even advanced minidisc players were still thriving, untouched by the rise of smartphones and streaming services. A few years ago, I pulled out my old Philips Touchscreen CD player and earbuds from my messenger bag, and a teenager looked at me with an expression of pure bewilderment, like I'd just unearthed an 8-track player. Have we really moved so fast that even an MP3-capable CD player is considered an archaeological artifact? It certainly felt that way in that moment!

It's tempting to jump on the latest bandwagon, like those who eagerly queue up for a brand-new iPhone and I certainly wouldn't say no if one magically appeared in my hands. But I get used to something, and it takes a bit for me to switch over to a new device. I held onto my LG phone for a couple of years after they stopped updating it, simply because Samsung was the only game in the Android world that had the features I expected and had grown accustomed to. Many years ago, I remember visiting my family, and my young nephew, looking at my old Creative Zen Touch MP3 player in wonder, asked why it was "so thick." My answer? "Because it has a 40GB hard drive, just like a mini-computer!" Perhaps the fact that I love retro and nostalgic things is one of the reasons that I don’t always feel the urge to upgrade to the latest and greatest. There's a comfort in the familiar, a charm in the slightly outdated.

My gaming journey also speaks to this sentiment. I only upgraded my purple Game Boy Color to a pink Game Boy Advance to finally play the classic NES Castlevania, a game I'd always wanted to conquer. Then, thanks to a break-in years ago, my beloved pink GBA, which was one of my absolute favorite Christmas presents from Terry, was stolen, forcing an "upgrade" to a blue Game Boy Advance SP. And honestly, at this point in time, I don’t really care for it because the original GBA fit my hands perfectly. Why did I not switch to a Nintendo DS Lite? Because my cherished Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and GBA games are my favorites, and the DS primarily focused on its own library and GBA titles. I watched the PSP and Nintendo Switch come out, and as much as they seemed tempting, especially since the PSP has an incredible Pinball game (Pinball Arcade) on it, I just couldn’t justify buying another handheld console that I would play mostly Tetris on, which I could easily do on my GBA. Recently, I did buy an amazing handheld featuring emulated ROMs from consoles like Atari 2600, NES, GBA, GB, GBC, Super Nintendo, a few PSP, and a ton of other consoles I’ve never really played. It’s the best of both worlds, a true testament to the enduring appeal of classic games.

This brings me to my central question for 2025: Is it truly necessary to have something slightly larger than the size of a bar of soap to manage your entire life and keep you entertained? Or do you, like me, sometimes feel a little awkward using what's considered "outdated" tech in public? I’d love to hear your thoughts and stories in the comments below. What tech do you stubbornly hold onto? What’s your most cherished retro gadget? Let’s keep the conversation going, and if you enjoyed this little trip down memory lane, consider supporting my passion for sharing these stories. Every little bit helps keep the retro tech dreams alive!

Vegas Baby, Vegas: My Wild Ride with Wrestling Legends and Lucky Slots

Slots in the Las Vegas Airport

Hey everyone! Remember how I hinted about a super special, low-key trip a few months back? Well, once I arrived where I was going, the secret was out! Aside from Terry and my amazing friend Jeanne (who played Hollywood in GLOW, by the way!), only a handful of folks knew I was headed to Las Vegas for the Cauliflower Alley Club reunion. It was a first for me – even though I’m a CAC member, I never really thought I’d actually go. For those of you wondering, the Cauliflower Alley Club (CAC) is this incredible nonprofit organization. It's not a wrestling promotion, but more like a tight-knit community that gives back to the professional wrestlers, boxers and combat sports figures who’ve given us decades of entertainment inside the ring. Think of it as an organization that celebrates these legends and helps them out when needed!

Our second gate but not our plane

The CAC events are usually packed with cool seminars, chances to meet tons of wrestlers (and grab their awesome merch!), plus photo ops. And of course, there are always some epic banquet dinners and other happenings that make it a truly memorable experience. The reunion was held right in the heart of downtown Las Vegas at the Plaza Hotel and Casino, which faces Fremont Street, just across from Circa and the Golden Nugget. It was such a trip sharing a room with Jeanne; if you’d told 12-year-old me that I’d be rooming with Hollywood in Vegas, I would have laughed you out of the room! But seriously, when Jeanne invited me, it was an offer I just couldn’t refuse. Plus, the fact that I fly for practically free sealed the deal!

Finally in the air

My flight was booked using my all-you-can-fly pass with Frontier Airlines. Now, I know Frontier is pretty barebones, but honestly, I don't mind budget airlines as long as they get me safely from point A to point B. That's the most important thing for me! For months, I meticulously planned my personal items bag – if you fly budget, you know the drill! Fitting everything you need in a “personal item bag” that measures 14"x18"x 8" which basically fits the bill for my favorite Swiss Gear backpack. I am absolutely not about paying for overhead bin space if I don't have to and I learned back in my homeless days how to make the most of the space in whatever bag I am carrying at the time, whether it was a backpack or a fanny pack. Good news though, I’m now gold status with Frontier, ***hello to picking my own seat, free carry-on and boarding zone 1*** so that's a few less things to worry about!

Ronnie Gossett and myself in row 12

I hadn't been back to Vegas since the mid-1990s, so this trip felt like a return to a place I once considered home. I was super excited to see how the Strip had changed. While a few hotels from the '90s were still around, many of the classics I remembered were gone. The Riviera, for instance, which was demolished years ago, is still just a vacant lot. It was a little sad to see the original home of GLOW completely gone. Even some hotel names have changed, like the Las Vegas Hilton is now the Westgate. Personally, I’ve always preferred downtown Vegas over the Strip; it just has that classic Vegas vibe and you don’t feel like you’re walking for an eternity to get from one hotel to another. The Plaza, Golden Gate, Golden Nugget and many others are still there. Binion's Horseshoe is now simply Binion’s. It’s familiar, yet different – Vegas is always evolving!

Heading to the hotel in the Uber

Our hotel pool

You guys know I work in the airport and we have our own dedicated security lanes as well as access to alternate entrances for those of us who have higher clearance but when we travel, we do have to go through regular security, or global priority which is why I always carry my badge when I travel, in addition to the discounts I get from any of the Avolta/Dufry/HMS Host/Hudson locations anywhere in the world. Employee perks are always a plus!!!

Ashley Cartier & Royal Hawaiian

The view from our hotel room, I loved looking out and seeing this!!

My flight experience, as I mentioned, was on my all-you-can-fly pass and I did splurge a bit to pick an exit row seat. I'm one of those people who shows up hours before a flight because I know how gate changes can happen. This flight was a prime example of gate change drama! If you fly Frontier in Atlanta, be prepared for a bit of a walk because aside from 3 dedicated gates at the very end of the E concourse, their flights never depart or arrive anywhere near the centerpoint of the concourses. It was supposed to leave from concourse D, but shortly after I arrived, the app updated to concourse C. Then, just before our boarding time, the gate changed again to the one right next to where an entire planeload of people were waiting. I told a lady next to me we were lucky it changed to a closeby gate, but as I said it, the gate changed again to E4! I literally bolted from C6, hopped on the plane train and booked it to E4. I was the first one to make it to the gate, with other passengers trailing a few minutes behind me. And then I saw it: no plane at the gate. GREAT, I thought, this means a delay.

Hollywood's CAC Merch Table

As the crowd of passengers started arriving and noticing the empty gate, I mentioned to someone that I was just trying to get to a wrestling convention and hoped the only drama would be among the wrestlers. As luck would have it, it was Shooter Ronnie Gossett, who was headed to the very same place! When the plane finally arrived and unloaded, the boarding process began. I was in Zone 2, which is fine by me – I'm okay with not being the first to board, unlike some people who are always in a mad rush, as if they don’t have assigned seats! When I got to my window seat in the exit row, Ronnie was in the same row! We chatted a bit about who we knew would be at the convention. He knows way more people than I do; most of my wrestling knowledge comes from 1980s and 1990s WWF and, of course, GLOW. Once everyone was seated and the doors closed, there was yet another delay for a medical emergency – I think a passenger was having a panic attack. They reopened the doors, she left the plane, and then the doors closed again, and we were finally on our way to Vegas!

Hollywood working her magic at CAC!!!

I doubled my money with Casper!!!

I had originally planned to take the bus downtown from the airport since it’s the cheapest option, especially since my friend Ry aka “Stig” was at work. But since Ronnie was there, I opted for an Uber to get us both to the Plaza. Once we arrived, I went straight to the convention area to meet up with Jeanne, grab my key and take my stuff up to the room. I hung out with Jeanne while she worked her table; she's truly a pro, so good with both fans and other wrestlers. Later, we headed to the pool area where there was a pool party for the wrestlers going on. We didn't swim because our evening plan was to meet up with her friend Stephen at Circa, have dinner at an Asian restaurant there and then do some gambling. Stephen is a whiz with the slot machines, he really knows his stuff. Unfortunately, I started feeling a bit ill at dinner, so I excused myself and headed back to our room. Jeanne came back a few hours later and I was already in bed. We chatted for a little while, and once my meds kicked in, anything we talked about until I fell asleep is a complete mystery! I think the intense heat might have been a factor. When I was in Vegas in the '90s, I was there during the cooler months. This dry heat, at 113 degrees, feels like walking through the same heat you feel when you open an oven door and lean over to pull out something you’ve been baking.

Daisy and me

The next morning, I woke up feeling much better. Jeanne was still asleep, so I snuck out to grab coffee and doughnuts from Pinkbox. Almost $50 for a dozen and they were ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! We had a full day ahead of us, with lots planned: from Jeanne working her table in the meet-and-greet area to heading to Fashion Show Mall to get her hair done for the awards banquet and then off to see the Scorpions at Planet Hollywood. She invited me to see the Scorpions with her and her friend Kristi, but I really wanted to hang around Fremont and do a little gambling for some videos that Terry had requested. He gave me specific directions and strategies that he’d seen other YouTubers doing for their videos. I’d never really done video slots before; I used to play the old coin-operated ones, so the new ones seemed a bit intimidating. I decided I’d wait until Wednesday when Jeanne could guide me. This afternoon, I came face to face with a few GLOW girls I hadn’t spoken to in years. I knew they’d be there, but they had no clue I was and didn’t recognize me at first! It’s funny how the hairpieces I wear now make me look a bit different. Anyway, I spoke to Roxy Astor, Ashley Cartier and Sunny on our way out to the Fashion Show. The one GLOW girl who didn't know I was there at that point was Daisy. My friend Sammi Z invited me to go see a midget wrestling event that was going on after the banquet. I know that’s not the PC way to say it but that’s what they call it, so don’t judge me. I am a huge fan of people with short stature and if you have ever witnessed a wrestling event featuring little people, you would absolutely love it. Once Jeanne left for the Scorpions, I sent Daisy a text asking how things were. She answered back and asked what I was up to and I told her I was just hanging in the hotel before heading out to the midget wrestling at The Nerd. I think she was shocked I was there! We met at one of the bars on Fremont. Daisy, Roxy and I walked to The Nerd just in time for the start of the show. I showed them both the concept and some of the artwork for my book, because you know I am super proud of it and excited that it’s almost complete! I started feeling a little overheated in the bar again and walked down Fremont by myself, not that it was any cooler outside, until I got a text from Jeanne telling me that David McLane was at The Nerd. REALLY? This is the second time that David, by coincidence, was in the same place as me and the GLOW girls. He wasn’t in town for CAC but for other business. David is a super nice guy. I’ve actually had really good experiences with the men of GLOW that I’ve met so far: David, Johnny C, Steve Blance and the paramedics Ron and Scott. Once I meet Matt Cimber, Benny Diamond and Tony Cimber (aka Nature Boy!), I will have met all of the living men of GLOW… though I love the ladies, I have a deep respect for everyone who was involved in the production.

Micro Wrestling @ The Nerd

An assortment of amazingness

Love the Pinkbox Atmosphere

Jeanne and I rode back to the hotel with her friend Kristi, and we went to bed, ready to get up early. She had to work her table one more day, and I had to catch my flight back home that same night, so I really needed to make the most of my remaining time. While she was getting her makeup done for the final banquet, I went downstairs to the casino to attempt to get the video footage Terry wanted me to get. As luck would have it, Ashley Cartier was down there and she walked me through the basics of the machines. She even filmed me at the Casper slot machine! I chose Casper because that’s the name of the main character in my book, so I felt in my bones he would bring me some luck. I have a very addictive personality, so I knew I needed to budget myself with a low amount, otherwise I could easily drain my bank account chasing a jackpot. I had $100, and my plan was to play $20 in each machine. Once that $20 was spent, I'd move to another machine. If I made over 25% of the $20 I put into the machine, I'd cash out and move to another. This strategy paid off! Within just $60, I cashed out at $154. Not bad for a novice, right? Of course, I played the other $40 and lost it, but that was OK – technically, I was still $54 ahead of what I put into the machines. I know some people love gambling, but it’s just not really my thing. I’m just cautious when it comes to spending money. It was fun though!

Daisy and David McLane

I had one more order of business before I left: I needed to see my childhood friend “Stig.” He came to the hotel, picked me up and as we took the scenic route down the Strip to the airport, we thought about going to the indoor park at Circus Circus but ended up at the Pinball Hall of Fame, which was really cool. Both of us LOVE playing pinball! We only spent 30 minutes there before he dropped me off at the airport. While I waited for my plane, I popped into a few of the Hudson stores, the company I work for. They have better food options than we do, though I guess the grass is always greener.

Roxy Astor, me and Sunny

During my trip, I met some truly iconic figures: Brian Blair, Jimmy Hart, Bushwhacker Luke and author Kurt Nielsen. From GLOW, I met the Royal Hawaiian as well as Scott the Paramedic. I also got to chat with Malia Hosaka, Andrew Anderson and Missy Hyatt. Funny story: I actually walked right past Susie Spirit from GLOW and didn’t even realize it was her at first! And get this, Greg Valentine, who isn’t really known to be the most fanfriendly person, said hi to me as I passed, nodded and said, “Good afternoon, how are you?” Must be my southern charm, lol. I’m not one of those people who will intrude on someone’s personal space or privacy; I’m good at reading the room and I’m always aware of my surroundings.

Hollywood will always be my #1 girl!!!

The flight back was, let's just say, an interesting experience. While in the boarding line, an Indian woman who was with her husband started pushing me to the side with her elbow before edging her way in front of me, leaving her husband standing behind me. I had to put her in her place and give her a reality check. I don’t care about cutting in line because we have assigned seats, but she was touching a person who doesn’t like to be touched by strangers and disregarding someone’s personal space. She thought I was rude, but I am on my best behavior in the airport setting. If we were outside security, it would have been a whole different story.

Royal Hawaiian and me

My flight, which Ronnie Gossett was also on, pulled out of the gate and then did a complete turnaround and went back to another gate. The captain announced they couldn’t get one of the computers to restart and needed someone to come on board to restart it. That’s reassuring for a 4-hour flight, right? We were supposed to depart at 10:30 PM Las Vegas time and arrive in Atlanta at 5:30 AM Atlanta time. They first said a 15-minute delay, which turned into 30 minutes, then 45 minutes and I looked out my window to see two guys working on something under the wing. We were delayed about an hour and a half. As annoying as it is, I would prefer a delay to get a potential problem fixed than a complete deplane and scramble to get onto another plane. The other passengers seemed to not understand the concept of patience and were making scenes of their own. I just put my earbuds in and zoned out. Once we took off, we made it back to Atlanta around 7:30 AM. I got to my house at 8:00 AM, took a shower and went to bed. Got up for dinner and went back to bed to be up at 3:30 AM for work Friday morning.

The mechanics replacing a part, not restarting the computer

It was a truly great trip! I enjoyed my time with Jeanne as well as the short time I had with Stig. I actually lost 2 pounds while I was there, which is wild! Aside from a little bit of the Asian fusion food, doughnuts and pizza, I didn’t really eat, which is odd for me. Something about the heat kept me disinterested in taking advantage of the deals on prime rib, steak and lobster…or the White Castles that are always a bit of a fun experience…but definitely not ahead of a 4-hour flight.
So there you have it, my Vegas wrestling adventure in a nutshell! What are your thoughts on meeting childhood heroes or those crazy airport moments? Have you ever had a chance encounter with someone famous? Let me know in the comments below!