Pin #31: Space Needle

I bought this pin during my first, and only, trip to Seattle.  Naturally, I visited the Space Needle during my trip.  And of course, I had to buy a pin.  I really like the look of this pin.  It's simple, but very sleek and contemporary.  It's just a really neat design for a really cool landmark.

Here's a few more pictures from my visit to the Space Needle.

Pin #30: 1998 Rose Bowl Pin

We used to have a family friend who was on the Rose Bowl Committee.  He was able to get me all kinds of Rose Bowl and Rose Parade pins.  I have a lot of them.  I'm actually surprised that it took so long for one of them to show up in this blog.  This one is from the 1998 Rose Bowl.  It's probably one of the most non-descript of the Rose Bowl pins I have, as it doesn't even have the team logos on it, but I still like it with the rose logo and simple stadium outline.  Unfortunately, though, the friend was my mom's friend's husband and they have recently divorced, so I don't think I'll be seeing many more Rose Bowl pins heading my way.

Pin #29: A Goofy Movie

This pin was also part of a Disney Store series called 100 Years of Dreams and was released in 2001 to commemorate Walt Disney's 100th birthday.  Goofy is my favorite Disney character and I loved watching Goof Troop as a kid so I bought this pin because of that.  Plus I think the movie is funny too.

Pin #28: Hakuna Matata

This is another pin from the Magical Musical Moments series released by the Disney Store.  I think I bought this pin for myself because I actually have two of them.  My parents got me one for Christmas that same year.  I've been holding on to the other one because I don't like to get rid of pins, but I think I will take it with me on my next trip to Disneyland and try to trade it.  It will be my first pin trade and I'm nervous, but I hope I can get something cool out of it.

Pin #27: Cheeseburger in Paradise

I remember exactly when and where I got this pin.  Although, in all fairness, the where shouldn't be that hard considering it says Waikiki on the pin.  But I went to Hawaii with my family during winter break of my senior year of high school.  On one of our days in Honolulu we ate at Cheeseburger in Paradise.  It really was paradise.  We sat outside on the deck and watched the sunset over the ocean.  It was really nice.  I know it may seem kind of silly to go all the way to Hawaii and eat at a Cheeseburger in Paradise, but I had an awful Christmas night dinner at a place recommended by our hotel and I just wanted something safe and something that didn't look like it was literally just caught in the ocean and thrown on a plate.  Plus I got a cool looking pin out of it.

Pin #26: Celebrate Freedom

I don't know when I got this pin or who gave it to me.  I'm fairly certain that it's not a pin I bought for myself, though.  For one, I'm pretty good at remembering the pins I buy.  And second, it's not the type of pin I usually buy.  Aside from it being patriotic, there's nothing about it that stands out or makes it appealing.  It's kind of a bland pin.  I assume that it's something that came out after 9-11 to reinforce that patriotism in the country.  So from that standpoint it's nice to have on my board.

Pin #25: Denver Pin

My mom brought this pin back for me after one of her trips to Denver.  My parents usually think of me when they go places and pick up pins for me.  I've only been to the Denver airport, but I still have a few pins from the city because my parents have been there.  I assume this pin shows the Denver skyline with the Rocky Mountains in the background.  It's a cool looking pin.

Pin #24: Mets Pin

If this doesn't prove that I don't discriminate against pins, then I don't know what will.  I hate the Mets.  And I most certainly didn't buy this pin for myself.  In fact, I'm not sure where I even got this pin.  Someone must have given it to me.  Someone who doesn't know me that well.  But I've got it tucked away in a bottom corner of my board so it doesn't stand out too much.

Pin #23: Borgata Pin

I got this pin, along with a shot glass, during a trip to Atlantic City in the summer of 2004.  The Borgata Hotel was relatively new at the time and was the talk of the town.  I went with my family to celebrate my cousin's 21st birthday.  It was a fun trip and I won some money at the blackjack tables.  I also learned that Atlantic City is not Vegas.  Of course, some of that could have to do with the thunderstorm that rolled in the night we got there.  As a result, this will also be the trip that my family will always remember as the time I took my grandma to Hooters.  But in my defense it was the only place open!  Anyway, it was a good trip and I got a cool pin out of it.

Pin #22: Kennedy Space Center Pin

This was one of the first pins in my collection.  I got it during my first trip to Orlando in 1989.  On that trip, my parents and I spent a day to go to Kennedy Space Center.  It was so cool!  I got to see the Saturn V rocket, which is what they used to launch the Apollo spacecrafts.  And I got to see a Space Shuttle on the launch pad.  The actual launch was delayed a few days and we happened to be there during the delay, but after they had already brought the shuttle out.  That was awesome!  This pin brings back good memories of all those things, so I'm glad I have it in my collection.

Pin #21: White Sox Spring Training Pin

I remember exactly when I got this pin.  It was March 13, 2005.  This pin was given out to everyone who attended the White Sox spring training game that day.  I'm not sure that there was any real significance to the game.  I think it was just a basic promotion.  But I'm glad I went to that game because I got a pin and I got to watch a baseball game.  It was a good day.

Pin #20: Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah

This pin is part of a Disney Store series released in 2002 called Magical Musical Moments.  The pins showcased songs from various Disney movies.  Most people just associate Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah with Splash Mountain, but it was actually featured in the movie Song of the South.  The movie is widely considered to be racist so it is not produced for resale, which is why most people don't know about it.  Nonetheless, this is one of my favorite songs so I made sure to buy this pin when it was released.  I have a few more pins from this series, so I'll save some stories for those pins.

Pin #19: Laughlin Pin

This is a pin from Laughlin, Nevada, to state the obvious.  I've never been to Laughlin, so this was clearly a gift.  I don't remember exactly who it was from, but I think my mom got it for me when she went there once.  This is a fairly nondescript pin and doesn't really stand out.  But like I keep saying, a pin is a pin.

Pin #18: Sleeping Beauty's Castle with Princesses in Window

I will admit to you all that I have a slight Disney princess fetish.  I've managed to get my picture taken with all of the princesses at Disneyland, except for the new ones who were after my time.  And believe me when I say it's really awkward standing in a line with a bunch of kids to get your picture taken with a princess.  But enough creepy stories about me.  Back to the pins.  I think Disney does a cool job with the princess pins, so I've bought a few of them.  I really like this one for a few reasons.  First, it's Sleeping Beauty's Castle.  Anything with the castle is automatically cool.  Second, it has the princesses in the window.  And third, Ariel and Aurora slide over to reveal Cinderella and Belle.  So just when you think there are only four princesses, there are actually six!  I like pins with moving parts, and princesses that appear out of nowhere.  Ok, seriously, I'm done with the creepy, I promise.  Anyway, it's another cool Disney pin in my collection.

Pin #17: EuroDisney Inauguration Pin

This pin marked the opening of EuroDisney in April of 1992.  I remember getting this pin.  My aunt got it for me.  She was either in France at the time or a friend of hers who lived in France got it.  I can't remember exactly.  But I remember my aunt giving it to me and how excited I was.  It was one of my first pins so it holds a special place in my collection.  Plus it's just a cool looking pin.  EuroDisney has since been rebranded as Disneyland Paris, but this pin marks a moment in history.  And that's pretty cool.

Pin #16: Bowling League Pin

That's right, I used to be in a bowling league.  Don't judge.  Back in junior high I joined an after school league with a couple friends.  It was a lot of fun.  We played for a few years.  And I got really good.  This pin was given after I rolled a game that was 75 pins over my average.  That meant that game would have been somewhere in the 200s.  I don't remember exactly.  But I am a little disappointed that my bowling skills have diminished since then.

Pin #15: USA Olympic Team Pin

This is a generic Team USA Olympic pin.  You see the US flag, the Olympic rings, and a sun representing the Summer Games and a snowflake representing the Winter Games.  It also has the motto, "Swifter, Higher, Stronger" written around the edge, with "Go USA" on the bottom.  I know it's a little hard to see in the picture.  But it's a cool looking pin.  I don't remember where I got it, though.  And I'm beginning to think Olympic pins might give Disney pins a run for their money as far as numbers go.

Pin #14: 1996 Olympics Basketball Pin

I told you I had a lot of pins from the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.  This is another one.  There's nothing flashy or exciting about this pin.  It's just a pin representing basketball in the Olympics.  But I love it just the same as any of my other pins.

Pin #13: Donald and Daisy Dancing

This pin is part of a 5 pin Walt Disney Classics Collection set.  The other pins are spread around the rest of my board.  I think it was a gift from my mom.  I like this one, though.  It's a cute pin.  I really like Donald's outfit.

Pin #12: Little League Coach Pin

This pin was my dad's.  He was a coach for a couple of my little league teams, so I actually have a couple of these.  I played Little League for 8 or 9 years, so you'll see a few Little League pins show up in my collection.  On a side note, watching the Little League World Series is one of my favorite times of the year.

Pin #11: Disneyland 30th Anniversary Adventureland Pin

Well, here is the first Disney pin to show up in my collection.  It most certainly isn't the last.  I probably have more Disney pins than any others.  This is actually one of the first pins in my collection.  It is from Disneyland's 30th anniversary, which dates it back to 1985.  I have a few pins from this collection.  These pins were given to guests at the park during the 30th anniversary.  While I don't remember the specific trip when I got the pin, and it was likely my parents who got it, not me, I do remember having this in my room for the longest time.

Pin #10: 9-11 Remembrance Olympic Pin

This is a pin from the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002.  It was the first Olympics after 9-11 and happened to also be in the USA.  This was a pin to remember the tragedy and also celebrate the Olympics.  I know it was a gift, but I can't remember who gave it to me.  Either way, I really like it.  It has a nice design and nice message.

Pin #9: Clippers

I'm not sure when exactly I got this pin, but I do know why.  I'm a huge Clippers fan!  That's right, I said it, I'm a Clippers fan.  When you grow up in LA and can't afford to go to Lakers games, eventually you become a Clippers fan.  Besides, somebody has to keep Billy Crystal company.  And just to clarify, I was a Clippers fan long before they got good.  But back to the pin.  Well, there actually isn't much more to say about it.

Pin #8: Atlanta Olympics Pin Points

This pin is from the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.  Pin Points was the Pin Society Newsletter.  A family friend back then was able to get a bunch of different Olympic pins for me.  This just happens to be one of them.  I have a lot more of them, especially ones that are cooler than this.  But pin trading is a big deal at the Olympics, and it was an especially big deal in Atlanta.  Although, that may be because it was in the US and I heard more about it.  But you'll get to see all of the different pins from that year as well as other years as you continue to read this blog.

Pin #7: Wakko

If I remember correctly I bought this pin at a shop on Universal Citywalk.  Animaniacs was, and still is, one of my favorite shows.  And Wakko is my favorite character.  My friends and I used to go up to Citywalk to hang out every now and then.  There were cool shops there back then.  I was a little disappointed that some of our old favorites were gone the last time I was there.  Anyway, I happened to see this pin randomly in one of the shops and I just had to buy it.  They didn't have Yakko, Dot, or anything else related to Animaniacs.  Just this one pin.  I'm OK with that.  I like it.

Pin #6: Old North Church

I got this pin when I visited, you guessed it, the Old North Church in Boston.  I made my only trip to Boston in the summer of 2008, and I bought quite a few pins when I was there.  You'll see them all eventually.  I like the antique look of this pin.  And many of the historical places in Boston had similar looking pins.

Pin #5: UA Apple

I believe I got this pin when I was accepted into the College of Education at the University of Arizona.  I know for sure it came from the College of Ed, so I assume it was from when I got in.  I really like this pin because it represents my school, which I love, and my passion for education.  Bear Down!

Pin #4: The Risk Zone

I have no idea where I got this pin.  I have no idea what it means or what it represents.  I'm pretty sure it's a pin that was given to me by someone because it doesn't look like something I would buy.  I have no idea where it came from though.  Nonetheless, it's on my board.  A pin is a pin.  I don't discriminate.  If any of you recognize what it is, please let me know.

Pin #3: Rattlesnake

Today's pin also comes from the Cameron Trading Outpost.  It was purchased along with the Bald Eagle from yesterday.  I'm not sure why I decided to put them so close together on my board, but I did.  Usually I spread pins out that I buy in the same place.  Either way, I thought it was a cool looking pin.

Pin #2: Bald Eagle

I bought this pin at the Cameron Trading Outpost just outside of the Grand Canyon.  I remember it pretty well.  It was the first time we took our seventh graders on the Grand Canyon field trip when I was teaching.  We didn't actually spend that much time at the Grand Canyon, which was disappointing, and we weren't given any time to shop for souvenirs.  But we ate lunch at Cameron and were given lots of time to shop there.  Unfortunately, they didn't have any pins that said Grand Canyon on them.  So bought this one and a couple others.

Pin #1: President's Award

This is today's featured pin.  I know it's not the most glamorous of pins to start out with, but it is in the top corner of my board and that seemed like a logical place to start.  I'm pretty sure I got this pin in either junior high or high school because of my grades or test results or something.  Hey, a pin is a pin.

Welcome to My New Pins Blog!

Welcome everybody!  This is my new blog and it is dedicated solely to my ever-growing pin collection.  I have been collecting pins for 20-plus years now and my collection is quite impressive, if I do say so myself.  I usually buy pins whenever I go someplace, so I have pins from all over the country.  I've even been fortunate enough to have friends and family buy me pins from their travels as well.  I have Disney pins, Olympic pins, Rose Parade pins, limited edition pins, pins of all kinds!  They are displayed prominently in my house, most of which are on two bulletin boards.  Some of my other sets are displayed on bookshelves throughout the house.  And I often spend time looking at them each day.  And now I thought I'd share them all with you!  I thought it would be fun to feature one pin a day and give a little background about where I got it and what it represents.  Who knows, maybe some other pin collectors will see this and start up a conversation.  Or maybe I will inspire someone else to start their own collection.

Here are my two boards.  As you can see, it's a lot of pins.  I don't know exactly how many, but hopefully I will after this.  I hope you all enjoy reading about my collection!