Pin #206: Mamma Mia

I honestly have no idea where I got this pin.  I assume it has something to do with the play Mamma Mia.  It looks like it might be in support of a cause as well.  Whatever it is, someone gave it to me and it's on my board now.

Pin #205: National Junior Honor Society

That's right, I have my National Junior Honor Society pin.  I still display it proudly.  I earned it!  I was a smart kid, and I got good grades.  There really isn't much more I can say about this pin.

Pin #204: Sun Studio

This is probably one of the coolest pins I have.  It features the logo of the legendary Sun Studio, also known as the birthplace of rock 'n roll.  Sun Studio is where legends like Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis recorded.  The original building is now a tourist attraction, and I would love to visit one day.  This pin was a gift from my aunt.  I really like it.

Pin #203: Arizona

I know this looks very similar to another pin I posted a few months back, but it is a different one.  I do have another Arizona state pin that looks almost identical to this one, but I swear, they are different.  I actually like this one more because the cacti are a little fuller.  And, yes, that's pretty much what Arizona looks like.

Pin #202: Marquette

I bought this pin during my visit to Marquette University.  When I was looking at colleges I seriously considered attending Marquette.  They had a great program, they offered me a partial scholarship, and they had a big time basketball program which I liked.  Then I went to visit in February.  For those who don't know, Marquette is in Milwaukee.  It was really cold there.  I don't think I would have liked it.  But I did buy this pin with the school name on a basketball.  I thought it was fitting.

Pin #201: Alaska Moose

This is another pin that my parents brought back for me from their Alaska cruise.  It has a moose on it.  I told you I have a slight obsession with moose (mooses? moosii?).  This particular pin has a golden moose in the foreground with pine trees in the background.  A golden moose is always cool.

Pin #200: Hi-C Izzy

Here is yet another pin from the Atlanta Olympics.  This one features Hi-C as a sponsor and the mascot Izzy.  It's honestly a really boring and nondescript pin.  But I used to love drinking Hi-C when I was a kid.  Just thought I'd throw that out there.

Pin #199: Knott's Strawberry Jam

This is one of my favorite pins!  I don't really know why, but I just think this is the coolest pin.  When I first saw it during a trip to Knott's Berry Farm, I immediately said, "I have to have this pin!"  The brightness of the red jam really makes the pin pop, and it is so simple in design which makes it work even more.  It's such a clever idea for a pin, too.  You wouldn't think that a jar of jam would make an intriguing pin, but Knott's Berry Farm is known for their jam and it's a recognizable item, so it works extremely well.  And I love it!

Pin #198: Vietnam War Memorial Stamp

This stamp replica pin commemorates the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC.  It's a neat looking pin.  I've been to the Vietnam Memorial twice and it is a very powerful experience.  This pin is a nice reminder of those visits.  I don't remember where I got it though.  I think it was a gift from someone, probably my aunt, since I think she gave me the other stamp replica pins I have.

Pin #197: Baseball Mickey

This pin combines two of my favorite things, baseball and Disney.  It was actually a gift from one of my students quite a few years ago.  She knew I was a Disney fan and that I loved baseball.  Of course, she also could have been sucking up for a good grade, but who cares.  I got a cool pin out of the deal.

Pin #196: Airplane Stamp

This is a really cool replica stamp pin.  It's clearly a replica of a stamp that was used many years ago since it was only 8 cents.  And it has a cool picture of a plane.  For those of you who have been reading my blog regularly, you know that I love anything that is retro and historical.  So it should be no surprise that I love this pin.  It just has a neat retro look to it.  I believe my aunt gave me this pin, but I'm not entirely sure.  Whoever gave it to me, I'm glad they did because this pin looks very different from most pins on my board and it stands out.

Pin #195: Hershey's

I bought this pin during a trip to Hershey, PA.  I've been to Hershey twice, although it's been about 15 years since my last visit.  It's an awesome place though, and I really want to go back.  The whole town smells like chocolate!  Anyway, the pin is quite simply the Hershey Bar logo, but I can't imagine buying any other pin while in Hershey.  It's a cool reminder of my visits.

Pin #194: Islands of Adventure

This pin is from Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park in Florida.  Unfortunately, I wasn't the one to buy this pin because I've never been to that park.  My family bought it for me when they went for the first time.  They've been multiple times since, and I still haven't gone once.  Yea, I'm a little jealous.  But the pin is really cool looking and I appreciate that they thought of me.

Pin #193: You've Got a Friend in Me

This is another pin from the Magical Musical Moments series.  It features the song "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story.  On the pin are the two main characters from the movie, Woody and Buzz Lightyear.  I believe this pin was actually a gift, but I might have bought it had it not been gifted.  It's such a great song and the first Toy Story was so magical.  I hope all my friends know that they've got a friend in me.

Pin #192: Italian Guy

I'm not really sure who this guy is supposed to represent, but I know my parents brought this pin back for me from Italy.  I can't remember what they said about it either.  Either way, it's still a cool looking pin.

Pin #191: The Natural History Museum

This pin is from the Natural History Museum.  Which Natural History Museum, you ask?  I have no idea.  I don't remember where or when I got this pin, and I don't recognize the logo.  It almost looks like seaweed, but I don't really think it is.  If anybody recognizes where this might come from, please let me know.

Pin #190: Polar Bear Plunge San Diego Zoo

This pin is from the San Diego Zoo and represents the Polar Bear Plunge exhibit.  I've been to the San Diego Zoo a few times, but not recently, and I'm sure this is a really cool exhibit, but I don't really remember it.  I must have liked it enough to buy a pin, though.  It's a neat pin with a polar bear diving.

Pin #189: 1996 Torch Relay LA

Yet another Atlanta Olympics pin, this one commemorating the Torch Relay as it came through Los Angeles.  You can see the Olympic logo set on top of the California background, with a palm tree.  You can also see the slight outline of a Coke bottle in the background.  It's a very busy pin, almost too busy.  It's not one of my favorites, but I do remember the torch coming through LA.

Pin #188: Grand Canyon 1993

I bought this pin during my very first visit to the Grand Canyon in the summer of 1993.  It even looks a lot older than my other Grand Canyon pins.  I like how defined the colors are on this pin.  It's very exaggerated compared to the actual canyon, but it makes the pin pop.  This pin also reminds me of my failed attempt to become a Junior Ranger during this trip.  My cousins and I participated in the program and we had a list of tasks to perform and then return to the visitor center to get our badge.  Well, we ended up completing all of the tasks, but not in time, and by the time we made it back to the visitor center, it was closed.  That was unfortunate.  But it was still a fun trip.

Pin #187: Arizona Sonora Desert Museum

I got this pin during a trip to the Desert Museum while I was in college.  My parents came out to visit one weekend and we all went to the Desert Museum, because that's what you do when you visit Tucson.  In all fairness, though, the Desert Museum is really cool.  The pin features a mountain lion, which is one of the staple attractions at the museum.

Pin #186: Grand Canyon Panorama

This is one of many pins I bought during my many visits to the Grand Canyon over the past 6-7 years.  I like this one because it has a panoramic picture of the Canyon.  I love visiting the Grand Canyon.  It is one of my favorite places in the world.  I could just sit on the rim and stare out into the distance for hours.  The picture on this pin shows the beauty of it as best it can on a pin.

Pin #185: Alcatraz

I got this pin during my first trip to Alcatraz.  My uncle took me when I went to visit him one weekend.  It was shortly after The Rock came out so I was very excited to visit Alcatraz.  That was one of my favorite movies so I wanted to see everything they showed in the movie.  I was disappointed to find out that the movie embellished many parts of the The Rock.  Nonetheless, it was still really cool to see.  The history in that place is amazing.  I highly recommend everyone to visit Alcatraz at least once in their life.

Pin #184: Whistle While You Work

This is another pin from the Magical Musical Moments series released at the Disney Store.  This particular pin features the song, "Whistle While you Work" from Snow White.  I have a lot of Snow White stuff.  It's not necessarily my favorite movie, but the fact that it was the first full length animated movie means a lot historically, so I tend to gravitate towards collecting Snow White stuff.  That's why I bought this pin.  If only I was able to actually whistle while I worked.

Pin #183: New York City 2012 Olympic Bid Pin

This is a really cool Olympic bid pin that I got during a trip to New York.  The pin was released as part of New York City's bid to get the Summer Olympics in 2012.  I really like the design of this pin.  The picture of the athlete spliced with the Statue of Liberty makes it look like the Statue is cheering, which is a cool image.  And the colors really pop on the black background.  All around, it is a very well designed pin, and a cool addition to my collection.  I'm really glad I went into the NBC store on my trip and saw this pin.

Pin #182: San Francisco

This pin was a gift from my mom, if I remember correctly.  I believe she brought it back for me after one of her trips to San Francisco.  The pin highlights many of the most well known attractions in the city, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, and the Transamerica Building.

Pin #181: Star Mickey

This is a very simple pin that just stood out to me when I saw it.  It has kind of a retro Mickey face set on a star background.  I just thought it looked too cool to not buy.  So I did.

Pin #180: Palmetto Tree

This pin was given to me by a friend of my mom's.  She is from South Carolina and this is a pin of a palmetto tree, which is the state tree of South Carolina.  It's kind of a cool pin since it is all gold.

Pin #179: Jungle Cruise

This is another of my favorite pins.  It is part of the retro collection that was released in honor of Disneyland's 50th anniversary.  For those who don't know, I love retro stuff.  So I especially love the old school Disneyland sign on the bottom.  And of course, this pin represents the Jungle Cruise, which is one of my favorite rides.  The boat on the pin even moves back and forth.  And you can see in the background Schweitzer Falls, named after the famous doctor, Albert Falls.  Also in the foreground is one of the tikis who you encounter on your trip.  All in all, a really cool looking pin.

Pin #178: The Alamo

I bought this pin during my first trip to San Antonio and The Alamo in 1997.  I really like this pin.  The color is really cool, even though it's hard to see that in the picture.  And it showcases the facade of The Alamo, which is a very recognizable landmark.  All of this happens on the shape of the state of Texas.  It's just a cool looking pin.

Pin #177: Baseball Hall of Fame

This is a pin from the Baseball Hall of Fame.  It highlights the poem "Mighty Casey" which is probably the best known baseball poem ever written.  I like this pin because of the picture.  I'm a huge baseball fan, and I love baseball history, and this pin acknowledges the history of baseball and the poem.  But while this pin is from the Hall of Fame, I sadly was not the one to buy it.  I've never been to the Hall of Fame.  It isn't exactly the most convenient place to get to.  But I believe my aunt and uncle got this for me when they brought my cousins there many years ago.  I'm thankful that they thought of me.

Pin #176: Powder

This is a pin featuring one of the mascots from the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.  As you may recall from one of my previous pins, there were three mascots for those games.  This pin features Powder, a rabbit.  He's a cool looking mascot, but I don't think many people actually remember the Olympic mascots.  I guess it's a good thing that I have all these pins to remind me of all of them.  And now I get to share them with you too!