Pin #108: 2004 Rose Parade

This is a pin from the 2004 Rose Parade.  The theme of the parade was Music, so the pin has a trumpet and music note on it, along with a rose.  It's a really cool looking pin.  I remember the parade that year because John Williams, yes, that John Williams, was the Grand Marshall.  The floats were really creative, and I got to go to the Rose Bowl and watch John Williams conduct the USC band.  It was awesome!

Pin #107: Smithsonian

I bought this pin during my first trip to Washington DC during the summer of 1995.  It shows the Smithsonian Castle, which is a very distinguishable building.  And it actually says Smithsonian Institution on the pin.  On my recent trips to DC, I've come to discover that the Smithsonian no longer has pins with the Smithsonian name or the names of the individual museums.  I found that to be a little odd, so I'm glad that I have this one.

Pin #106: Jungle Book

This is a pin of Baloo and Mowgli from The Jungle Book dancing.  It's a fun pin.  It came with the 40th anniversary Jungle Book snow globe.  I bought the snow globe for my friends' daughter, who had just been born.  The pin was an added bonus that I kept.

Pin #105: Mark McGwire #62

This is a pin celebrating Mark McGwire's record breaking 62nd home run.  I remember seeing this pin in a sports store a short time after he hit the home run, and I just had to buy it.  I think I also bought a hat.  This was such a big deal when it happened.  I remember watching the game when he hit the home run and I remember how I excited I was leading up to the moment.  I know many people don't want to acknowledge this moment anymore because of steroids, but I don't really care about that.  It was one of the most exciting baseball seasons in my life and nothing can take that away.  I don't condone steroid use, but I am also not going to vilify an entire era.  I have fond memories of watching baseball during that era, and that's what I will always take with me.  And that's why I proudly display this pin.

Pin #104: 1980 All Star Game Dodger Stadium

And another Dodgers giveaway pin, this one honoring the 1980 All Star Game.  I like this pin.  It's classy, with the big star in the middle and the Dodgers logo, and the banners up top.  I just like it.

Pin #103: Salt Lake City Olympics Mascots

This is a pin featuring the three mascots from the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002.  They are, as they appear from left to right, Powder, Coal, and Copper.  Powder is a snowshoe hare, Coal, a black bear, and Copper, a coyote.  They are all animals indigenous to the Western U.S., and are named after resources which have been vital to Utah's economy.  Each mascot represents a Native American legend as well.  I just learned all of this by doing a Google search to try to find their names.  I had no idea they each had such elaborate back stories.  But back to the pin, the square shape is a little uninspiring, but the images are cool.  I don't remember who gave this to me, but I do have a few Salt Lake pins.  They're not as good as the Atlanta ones, but I still like them.

Pin #102: 1999 World Series

This is a pin from the 1999 World Series, which was played between the Yankees and Braves.  My uncle and cousin are huge Yankees fans, and I think they went to a game during this series.  And they also got me this pin, if my memory serves me correctly.  This is the standard World Series logo, so the pin isn't exactly anything special, but it's still from a World Series which makes it awesome.

Pin #101: Hawaii Pineapple

I bought this pin during my one and only trip to Hawaii back in 1998.  I know it's hard to tell in the picture, but it's shiny.  This pin really stood out to me, which is why I bought it.  It's simple, but fun.  I really like it.

Pin #100: Big Bad Wolf

This is another pin from my Walt Disney Classics Collection series.  This one features the Big Bad Wolf.  It's probably my least favorite pin in the series.  Not that I don't like it, but just not as much as the others.  It does, however, get the recognition of being the 100th pin I've catalogued in this blog.  The crazy thing about being at #100 is that I'm only about 1/3 of the way through my first board.

Pin #99: National Aquarium of Baltimore

I bought this pin during my visit to the National Aquarium in Baltimore in 2008.  It was during my East Coast ballpark tour, and my cousins and I had some time to kill while we were in Baltimore.  The Aquarium was near our hotel, right on the water, so we decided that would be a good place to visit.  And I'm so excited that we did.  The Aquarium was absolutely phenomenal!  I highly recommend visiting if you are ever in Baltimore.  But this post is about the pin, not the Aquarium.  Since I always like to buy pins on my travels, I made sure to stop at the gift store, and this pin jumped out at me.  Literally.  The frog is on a spring so it pops out in 3D!  How cool!  Plus, it reminded me of the three fire bellied toads that I use to have in high school.  I loved those little toads.  They were my little buddies.  So this pin was not only a memento of an awesome trip, but it was a reminder of my former pets.  And that's why this is one of my favorite pins.

Pin #98: New Jersey

Another one of my state pins.  I don't remember exactly where I got this one, but I do remember why.  I have family in New Jersey and I have visited there countless times.  Growing up it was like a second home for me.  I don't visit nearly as much anymore, although I wish I could.  I don't, however, necessarily associate New Jersey with lighthouses, so the picture on the pin is a little confusing to me.  Maybe I've just never noticed them.

Pin #97: Tucson Safe Team

I honestly have no idea what this pin is or where it came from.  I think it has something to do with some sort of local safety campaign.  I don't know how I got it, though.  As a pin, it is nothing special.  It doesn't stand out, but it's not awful either.  It's just sort of there.

Pin #96: LA Dodgers 1963 World Champs

This is another Dodgers giveaway pin honoring the 1963 World Series championship team.  It was the first world title won at Dodger Stadium.  I really like this pin because it shows an overhead view of Dodger Stadium, which I think is one of the most absolutely beautiful ballparks out there.  One of the most distinguishing features of Dodger Stadium is the seat colors, shown here in the pin going from yellow at field level to red all the way at the top.  Growing up in LA I typically sat in the blue seats when I went to games, but every now and then I would get tickets in the yellow or orange seats.  Anyway, I like this pin.

Pin #95: Nascar

I have no idea where I got this pin or who gave it to me.  I'm not a Nascar fan, nor would I ever go to a Nascar event.  I assume someone I know found this pin among their stuff and didn't want it, then remembered that I collected pins so they gave it to me.  Either way, a pin is a pin, so I put it on my board.

Pin #94: Mount Vernon

This is a cool pin from Mount Vernon, George Washington's home.  I like the design of this pin.  It's simple and classy.  I didn't actually buy this pin myself because I've never been to Mount Vernon, but it would totally be a pin I would buy.  I think my parents got it for me when they went.  It seems like it would be a cool place to visit.

Pin #93: Little Bighorn

This pin is from the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.  I've never actually been there, nor have I ever been to Montana where it is located.  So I know I didn't buy this pin, but I don't even remember who did.  It's a cool looking pin, though, so I'm really glad I have it on my board.  One day I'll have to actually go to the monument and buy another pin to complement this one.

Pin #92: Sleeping Beauty Poster

This is a pin from the Disney Store's 100 Years of Dreams series released in 2001.  It features the poster from Sleeping Beauty, with the movie's release date of 1959 at the bottom.  I love this pin!  First, I love retro looking pins, and it doesn't get more retro than an old movie poster.  And second, Sleeping Beauty is probably my favorite Disney princess movie.  I know most people consider Beauty and the Beast the gold standard of princess movies, but I think Sleeping Beauty is better.  It is very underrated in my opinion.  As a movie, and not just a princess movie, it is great.  The story is well written and the villain is outstanding.  And that is why I love collecting Sleeping Beauty pins.

Pin #91: Atlanta Olympic City

What do you know, another Atlanta Olympic pin.  This one represents Olympic City, which was a fan zone during the Olympics.  It also features Izzy, the mascot.  It's honestly kind of an ugly pin, but I like all of my Atlanta pins because they really started my Olympic pin craze.  So I even keep the ugly ones on my board.

Pin #90: Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

I got this pin during a trip to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in my hometown of Simi Valley, California.  I've been there a few times since I lived right there.  It's kind of cool have a Presidential Library in your hometown.  It still kind of amazes me that Reagan put it in Simi Valley, but I like it.  This pin has the US and California flags with the presidential seal in the middle.  It's a good looking pin for what it is, and I'm proud to represent the SV.

Pin #89: Atlanta Centennial Olympics

Yet another Atlanta Olympics pin, this one commemorating the centennial anniversary of the Olympic games.  The first Olympic games were held in 1896, so Atlanta had the privilege of hosting the centennial.  And I have the pleasure of getting a pin that celebrates it.

Pin #88: Mandalay Bay

I bought this pin when I stayed at the Mandalay Bay in the summer of 2006.  The Mandalay is the perfect place to stay in Vegas during the summer.  The pool area is phenomenal!  And there are so many pools that you can easily find one that isn't very crowded so you can just lay out and relax during the day, while staying cool.  Plus, the lazy river is pretty awesome.  The pin simply features the M logo in black on a pewter background.  It's not flashy, which seems anti-Vegas, but that's why I like it.

Pin #87: Izzy II

Yet another Atlanta Olympics pin featuring the really weird mascot, Izzy.  He looks drunk or stoned in this pin, so I'm not sure exactly what they were going for when they designed it.  But he has stars in his eyes and a goofy smile.  It's all very awkward.  And there are a lot more Olympic pins to come so brace yourself.

Pin #86: Nationals Park

This is another pin from my East Coast ballpark tour in 2008.  I visited Nationals Park in Washington D.C.  They had this cool looking pin with the ballpark and Capitol Building and Washington Monument in the background.  Unfortunately, the game I went to was marred by rain delays, so I didn't get to see a full game.  But I did get to walk around the park a little bit.  It's a nice park, but I wouldn't put it in my top five.  I do like the pin, though.

Pin #85: NAPO Conference - Denver

My mom is part of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO).  A few years ago they had their national conference in Denver and my mom brought a pin back for me.  It's kind of a hard to read pin, but at least the city stands out.  Otherwise, there is nothing very special about this pin and I don't have any particular fondness for it.