Pin #138: Taz

This pin features Taz holding a copy of a Bugs Bunny stamp.  For those of you who follow this blog regularly you'll recognize the Bugs Bunny stamp from an earlier post.  I can only assume both pins were part of a series.  And in fact, after doing some research, they were part of a US Postal Service Looney Tunes Stamp Collection.  I got the pins from my aunt, but I don't know where she got them.  I love Taz, though.  He's one of my favorite Looney Tunes characters.  And I like this pin.

Pin #137: Sneezy

This is another pin from the 100 Years of Dreams series that the Disney Store released in 2001.  It features Sneezy, one of the seven dwarfs, sitting in a mine car.  Each of the other six dwarfs has a similar pin, but I only have the Sneezy one.  I remember the dwarf pins actually being hard to find when they came out, which is why I only ended up with one.  Eventually I'll try to track down the other six, but until then I still like this one because it's a neat concept.

Pin #136: Dodger Stadium First Game

This pin commemorates the first game played at Dodger Stadium in 1962.  It is currently the third oldest stadium in MLB behind Fenway Park and Wrigley Field.  And it is still as beautiful as ever.  I love Dodger Stadium.  It brings back such good memories from my childhood and I still think it is one of the most picturesque parks out there.  This pin does a good job showing that, and I really like it because of that.

Pin #135: 2001 Final Four Championship Game

This is another pin that I bought at the 2001 Final Four.  I bought it because my team, Arizona, was playing for the championship that year.  The pin doesn't have the Championship Game participants, but that's likely because there is only a day in between the semifinal games and championship, so that's a quick turnaround to get a pin out.  But this is a cool pin because it also features the state and city where the game took place.  And, like I said in my previous post, this is one of my favorite sports memories.

Pin #134: Gettysburg

I got this pin during my visit to Gettysburg in 1995.  I don't remember much from that visit, except that it is in the middle of nowhere and took forever to get there.  I would like to go back someday, though, so I could get more out of my visit.  As far as the pin goes, it's kind of cool with the two flags criss-crossed up top, and the script print of Gettysburg underneath.

Pin #133: Metro Pin

This is a generic Metro pin.  I have no idea what Metro it is from.  I've ridden the Metro in a few cities, Washington DC, Boston, Baltimore, and there is a Metro in LA, where I grew up, so this could be from anywhere.  I don't actually remember buying it, but that doesn't mean I didn't.  It's not a very exciting pin, but I do like riding the Metro.

Pin #132: Six Flags Fiesta Texas

This is a pin from Six Flags Fiesta Texas.  I went there during my family vacation to Texas in 1997.  Growing up around the corner from Magic Mountain, though, Fiesta Texas was a bit of a disappointment.  It didn't have nearly as many thrill rides as I was hoping for.  And it was really a lot smaller than I expected, but I still had fun.  And, of course, I bought a pin to signify my visit.

Pin #131: Maine

This is one of the oldest pins in my collection.  It actually belonged to my parents first.  One of my mom's friends is from Maine, so my parents got this during a trip back there for either the wedding or something else when I was really young.  I remember I always liked it because it had a lobster on it.  I was easily amused as a kid.  Anyway, they let me keep it in my room, and once I got my board I put it on there.

Pin #130: Wisconsin

Another state pin for you.  I believe I bought this one during my one and only trip to Wisconsin.  I went to visit Marquette University because I was seriously thinking about attending there.  It was way too cold for me though.  I don't think I would have been happy if I chose to go there.  It is a really great school, though, and they had a nice campus right in the heart of Milwaukee.  I would like to go visit Milwaukee again some day, especially to see a baseball game.

Pin #129: The Love Bug

This is another pin from the Countdown to the Millennium series released by the Disney Store in 1999.  It represents The Love Bug (duh), which was released in 1969.  It's a really cool looking pin with the movie title in the shape of the car that is the star of the movie.  I didn't buy this pin for myself, but if I hadn't been gifted it, I might have bought it because it is so cool looking.  I'm not a huge fan of The Love Bug, but I do love this pin.

Pin #128: Waikiki Aquarium

I love going to museums, zoos, aquariums, etc. when I visit new places.  It's a great way to spend a day, learn something, and get a flavor for wherever you are.  So when I went to Hawaii, I had the chance to go to the Waikiki Aquarium, and I'm really glad I went.  It was really cool and had a very Hawaii influence, which made it fun.  And of course, I bought a pin to commemorate the visit.  There's some sort of tropical fish on the pin.  I'm not entirely sure what kind, though.  But if you're ever in Honolulu, you should visit the Aquarium.

Pin #127: 2002 Rose Bowl - National Championship Game

This was the first Rose Bowl I went to, and it was the first time the Rose Bowl hosted the National Championship.  That's why my dad and I decided to go.  We thought it would be cool to go to the National Championship.  Plus, we had been to the Final Four only a few months earlier.  This ended up being the least enjoyable of the three Rose Bowls I've been to.  It was cold since the game was at night, and Miami absolutely destroyed Nebraska.  Oregon should have been in the game instead of Nebraska, although I'm not sure the outcome would have been different.  As far as the pin goes, it's a pretty standard Rose Bowl pin, but it is the first Rose Bowl National Championship pin so that makes it unique, and even more special.  And it's a reminder of a cool sports memory for me.

Pin #126: 2001 Final Four

One of my greatest sports memories is attending the 2001 Final Four.  I was a sophomore at Arizona at the time, and I was fortunate enough to win a lottery for the chance to buy Final Four tickets if the team made it that far, which they did.  My parents helped make this dream a reality and I met my dad in Minnesota.  The games were played at the Metrodome, and it was really cool to walk into that stadium and see the division of colors representing each of the four teams.  I was convinced that we were going to win it all that year.  I still think that team was the best in Arizona history.  We came out in the first semifinal and blew out defending champ Michigan State.  Duke beat Maryland in the second game setting up a matchup of the two teams that most people predicted would play for the championship back in November.  Unfortunately, Arizona lost the game, although I still believe that if Gilbert Arenas didn't get hurt we would have won the game.  Even though we lost, though, it was still a memorable experience and one that I will treasure forever as a sports fan.  Going to a Final Four is a once in a lifetime experience in and of itself, but to see your team playing in it makes it even better.  Oh yea, and I got this pin.  I love the logo on top, but the bottom with the four teams listed is a little drab.  I feel like they could have done a better job with it, but it's still a Final Four pin from a Final Four that I actually went to, and it doesn't get much better than that.

Pin #125: Habitat for Humanity

Let me first state that I have never volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, even though it is a great cause.  So I did not get this pin as a result of my community service.  I actually don't know how I got this pin to tell you the truth.  But I do think it's a cool pin with the people creating the frame of a house.

Pin #124: Atlanta Olympics Countdown - 750 Days

Another Atlanta Olympics pin.  And another one featuring Izzy.  This one is part of the countdown series, marking 750 days until the start of the Olympics.  So, yes, that's about two years before the Olympics actually started.  And they were already releasing pins, which is probably why I have so many pins from the Atlanta Olympics.

Pin #123: It's a Small World

This is another cool Disney pin I have.  It commemorates the It's a Small World attraction.  I get the feeling that most people don't like the ride because of the song, but I really enjoy it.  It's fun and relaxing.  I don't go on it very often though because most people don't want to ride with me.  But when I saw this pin, I really liked it.  It features three characters from the ride dancing in front of the facade of the attraction.  Eventually I'll have pins representing all of the attractions at Disneyland.

Pin #122: Citizens Bank Park Inaugural Season

This is a pin I bought during my first visit to Citizens Bank Park.  When the park opened in 2004, I made sure to make a visit to go see it, and to see family, too, of course.  I wanted to get there early so I could walk around and explore, but that didn't happen, so I had to explore and shop during the game.  Naturally, I bought a pin.  I like this pin because it has the Liberty Bell set behind the Phillies logo.  It's a nice looking pin.  On a side note, the game where I bought this pin was also the last game I attended with my grandma.  She was an even bigger Phillies fan than me, and it was always fun going to games with her.

Pin #121: Yankees-Red Sox

I saw this pin when I went to the old Yankee Stadium in 2008.  I thought it was cool because it recognized the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry through the years at Yankee Stadium.  While I'm not a fan of either team, I do respect the history behind the rivalry, so I had to buy the pin.

Pin #120: 1993 World Series

In 1993, my favorite team, the Philadelphia Phillies, made a run to the World Series.  I was so excited.  This was the first time that one of my teams was playing for a championship.  Of course, growing up in California, and being in seventh grade, I got teased mercilessly when they lost.  I still don't understand why.  It's not like I went to school with a bunch of Blue Jays fans.  Anyway, I didn't get to actually go to a game in this Series, but someone in my family, my uncle I think, bought this pin for me.  This was my first World Series pin, and I've been lucky enough to acquire a few more.  You'll see those later in the blog.

Pin #119: Dolphin

I remember exactly where and when I bought this pin.  I was on a family vacation in Orlando in 1994 (Holy cow, that was 20 years ago!).  We went to Sea World and while enjoying our day at the park, a typical Florida thunderstorm struck.  We all rushed for cover inside of a gift shop.  There were a lot of other people who had the same idea as the gift shop was excessively crowded.  Since we were essentially stuck in the store, we all did some shopping.  I found this pin and fell in love.  I was in a stage of my life where I wanted to be a dolphin trainer, so this was perfect.  Plus, the color was awesome.  To this day I still really love this pin.  So I guess it's a good thing that the storm stranded us in the store, or I may never have found it.  And after about an hour of waiting for the storm to end, we decided to just buy some ponchos and call it a day.  This was the beginning of the poncho adventures that my family had.  If you want more details about that, please send me a message and I would be happy to share.

Pin #118: More Izzy

Yet another Izzy pin from the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.  This one has Izzy looking more happy and less drunk.  But it's still kind of a blah pin.  The stars in the eyes is a nice touch, though.

Pin #117: Mendenhall Glacier

This is a pin from the Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska.  It doesn't actually show the glacier, but has a black bear instead.  That's cool.  I like bears.  I didn't buy this pin because I've never been to Alaska.  A bunch of my family went, though, a few years back, and they brought me back a few pins.  This was one of them.

Pin #116: Queen Amidala

I believe this pin came with either a DVD or poster I ordered.  I can't remember what exactly, though.  I know I didn't buy it on its own, though, because I remember being excited that I essentially got a free pin.  It features Queen Amidala, played by my future wife, Natalie Portman, in her full regal attire.  It's not my favorite Star Wars pin, but I still like it.

Pin #115: California

Here's another state pin, this time of California.  The pin features notable California geography like the ocean and farmland.  I don't remember where I got it, but I grew up in California so that's why I have it.  Just another addition to my state pin collection.

Pin #114: Mr. Toad's Wild Ride

This is one of my favorite pins (I say that a lot, don't I?).  It's a pin from the Mr. Toad's Wild Ride attraction at Disneyland.  It features Mr. Toad and Mole in one of the cars from the classic attraction, which is displayed in all gold.  It's really cool looking!  One thing you might notice that is off on this pin is the coloration of Toad and Mole.  It looks as though the paints were switched and Mole got painted in green while Toad ended up in a more flesh color.  It's just another cool feature, even if it was a mistake, of this pin.  This pin was released in 2005 as part of the Happiest Homecoming on Earth celebration.  As soon as I saw it, I had to have it.  First of all, it's one of the coolest looking pins I have.  And second, Mr. Toad's is one of my top five favorite rides at Disneyland, so I love collecting pins for that ride.  They are actually a little harder to find than you might think, too.  But this one really stands out on my board.

Pin #113: 1984 USA Olympics Pin

This is one of the oldest pins in my collection, and quite possibly one of the first ones that was ever given to me.  This is an Olympic pin from the 1984 Olympics held in Los Angeles.  My parents had a lot of Olympic paraphernalia from that year because we were living there.  I was very young at the time so I don't remember much about the games.  But I do remember having a flag and this pin.  I had this pin in my room before I started officially collecting pins, but now it is a cool part of my collection.

Pin #112: Go USA 2004 Olympics

Yet another Olympics pin.  This is a fairly generic pin supporting the USA Olympic team in the 2004 Olympics.  Honestly, it's kind of a plain pin.  I have much better Olympics pins.

Pin #111: Challenger Mission Patch

This is one of the coolest pins I have!  It is a replica of the STS-7 mission patch worn by the Space Shuttle astronauts.  This was the seventh shuttle mission and the second for the space shuttle Challenger.  No, it wasn't that Challenger mission, but it was still a notable mission.  You will notice the names of the astronauts on the bottom of the pin.  One name that should stand out is Ride.  This was Sally Ride's first mission.  She was the first female astronaut, so this was a very important mission.  Other interesting notes about this pin are that the seven stars represent that this was the seventh shuttle mission, as does the arm, which extends from the shuttle to form a 7.  And the five armed symbol on the right represents the flight crew, consisting of four males and one female.  Once again, it's really one of the coolest pins I have.  I don't know where I got it, but I love having it.

Pin #110: 1997 Rose Bowl for That School up North

This is another Rose Bowl pin that I got from my family friend who was on the Rose Parade committee.  Before you start judging me for having this, just remember that I didn't start attending U of A until 1999.  So I got this two years before committing to the better school in Arizona.  But I leave it on my board because it's still a pin and I don't judge.

Pin #109: San Diego Zoo

This is a cool pin from the San Diego Zoo.  It's colorful and has a variety of animals featured on it.  I've been to the zoo a few times, so I'm not exactly sure on what trip I purchased this pin, but I like it.  And I love the zoo!  If you've never been to the San Diego Zoo, you need to go.  It is absolutely phenomenal!