Blogophilia 2.18: Kids These Days

Marvin Martian says: Attention Blogophilians! Welcome to Week 2 of Year 18! We hope all of you American Blogophilians had a wonderful 250th birthday celebration yesterday! We want to thank you for joining in our weekly challenges! We greatly appreciate your participation, as we do want to continue – as long as we have enough writers contributing each week. So feel free to jump back in whenever you wish – don’t be shy. And keep up the wonderful writing, all!!! As always, we at Marvin house look forward to reading your amazing writes this week.

Blogophilia Facebook group HERE & blog topic parameters and how it works at WordPress HERE

Hard Bonus: Include something from the past that would blow the minds of today’s kids

Easy Bonus: Mention a favorite song title from your own days of youth

Running for snacks

Kids These Days… I really don’t think they have it easier today. Sure, when we went to a park, we had metal monkey bars, slides, merry-go-rounds that also had spikes, and if the sun didn’t dry us out like a prune, the slide felt like a cast iron skillet that just came off the fire, and we drank out of hoses, ate peanut butter sandwiches & Kool Aid, if we were lucky enough to have some. But, today, with so many gadgets… phones, tablets, game consoles, and what else young people have… I honestly think we’re doing a disservice to them by not being out playing in the dirt, riding bikes, and family trips to the zoo & beach…

Gen X, the age of latchkey kids, feral children who stopped in for lunch & went back out until it was time for supper over the summer, and it was the age of anti-establishment. We were rebels with a cause, whether it was togetherness or celebrating individualism; MTV brought us together with music, and we discovered each other’s music. Sweet Dreams Were Made of This and we learned to Walk This Way from Aerosmith & Run-DMC. Racism dismantled a great bit and we were idealistic with Tainted Love.

With the current economy being what it is, the younger generation might be onto something with doing Freelance, because the 9-5 grind isn’t worth what it used to be, so they’re Working for a Living via gigs. Even full-time workers are in need of money, and it’s good to have a solid side Hustle.

Hoping everyone had a good weekend over the 4th, and all enjoy the summer weather.

Blogophilia 1.18 – Old Glory

From the House of Marvin Martian: Greetings, Dear Earthlings and Fellow Blogophilians!! Welcome to YEAR 18 – a brand new start, please join us so we can continue our blogging adventures together!! Happy 18th Anniversary and Cheers to all Earthlings!

Happy 250th Birthday, America! This week the USA celebrates a very special July 4, with patriotic gatherings, fireworks, picnics and flying Old Glory with pride. We at the Marvin House wish all Americans a safe, fun and memorable holiday. Post your July 4 celebration pictures!

Blogophilia group on Facebook HERE & blog topic parameters and how it works HERE

Hard Bonus: Include something you might find at a BBQ or cookout

Easy Bonus: Incorporate fireworks

Here’s the kaboom!

Racine, WI was declared the Drum & Bugle Corps Capital of the World by US Congress in 1967, in recognition of the city’s booming music culture in the 60’s & 70s.

The Boys of ’76 by American Legion Post 76 was the 1st, formed in 1921 and won the American Legion National Championships several times.

From the Boy Scout Troop 15, the Racine Scouts formed in 1927 & nicknamed the Chrome Domes because of the helmets.

Founded in 1935, the YMCA sponsored The Racine Kilties, a Scottish themed group with kilts & bagpipes & everything, and won a few VFW National Championships.

For a short time, starting in 1972, we had New Day & New Dawn drum & bugle corps, the senior & junior co-ed drum & bugle corps.

Credits: Racine Heritage Museum, Racine Visitors’ Bureau, and Drum Corps International.

Racine Concert Band is in the 104th music season, and we currently have Lighthouse Brigade Marching Band (1980) & the Junior Band, still playing today, providing quality music to our community.

Oh, sorry, I digress…The 4th of July is when we honor Old Glory, of course, with music from the groups I’ve mentioned above, and celebrate the freedoms we have. I’ve always wondered why some people want to say the holiday isn’t about BBQ ribs & roasted corn, because yeah, we do this in honor of being able to do this. Now, if we all could be free on the same playing field, that would be better, and I’ll continue to celebrate for as long as I can. Let’s see the fireworks show!

Blogophilia 52.17: Seaside Rendezvous

Marvin Martian asks: It is the FINAL week in the FINAL Season of Year 17!!!
Now the question is – do you want to continue the challenge to Year 18?
Are you ready and willing to participate? Drop a comment below and let us know your thoughts!

Blogophilia Facebook group HERE & Blog topic parameters & how it works on WordPress HERE

Hard Bonus: Describe a peaceful beach scene

Easy Bonus: Mention a color or hue you would see in a sunset

Service to Surfing Dog

Sunshine warms the waters along the shores

Even in the shade, feel the warm sand

Always reflecting, especially in moonlight

So many sights & sounds of the tides

Islands in the sun glimmer

Deep into the waters still frigid

Ever still, life abounds out of sight

Rains rise from our waters into the sky

Evaporating into the clouds

Needing gentle rains for the crops

Devouring picnic lunches, watching seagulls

Eagles flying overhead, soaring in the sky

Soaking up the sun, the water & air

Violet western skies as moon rises in the east

Over & under life continues within & beyond

Ubiquitous liquid that is the base of all life

Serpentining through life, we are all one

Blogophilia Week 51.17 – Kick the Can

Marvin Martian & Commander K say: We just want to take this opportunity to thank ALL of our Blogophilian friends for joining in the challenges each week! WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU SO MUCH! And to former Blogo writers, we sincerely invite ALL of you to return to Blogophilia and write with us again – we miss reading your amazing writes. Remember that it’s never too late to start writing again!!

Blogophilia group on Facebook HERE Blog topic parameters & how it works on WordPress HERE New writers are welcome. You don’t need your own blogging site. You can simply write one in the comments under the topic post in the Facebook group or under the parameters on WordPress – make sure it’s Martien Ecrits in the FB group, not mine, so what you share can be read by other bloggers. It’ll be fun!

Hard Bonus: Incorporate your favorite childhood summertime game

Easy Bonus: Use the title of a Barbara Kingsolver novel

Run Like An Animal

I guess when it came to summertime games, I was kind of lame… When my sister & I visited Japan as teenagers, we got to spend time with our cousins (our dads were brothers) and their cousins (from the mom’s side), and there were 10 of us total, from 20 down to 11, I think… It was a crazy game of Kick the Can because they don’t wear shoes inside, but they’re all slip ons, so we’d fly out of our shoes, carry them through the house & toss them out the window to jump back into them to keep the game going.

I think dodgeball was what I liked, because everyone is a bit Unsheltered. My Flight Behavior was too slow, so, I learned how to catch the ball, to eliminate the opponent who threw the ball, or I’d have been a direct hit. Maybe that’s why I ended up the catcher on my softball team.

So, Come Dancing and be Forever Young!

Blogophilia 50.17: Whose Line is it Anyway?

Blogophilia group on Facebook HERE

Blog topic parameters & how it works on WordPress HERE

Hard Bonus: Incorporate your favorite game show

Easy Bonus: Include a song title or lyric from the New York Dolls

Whoopi Catberg

I couldn’t believe it on a Subway Train Vanna White is hosting the Wheel of Fortune in the smoking car… She said it’s not my turn, but I want to know, Whose Line Is It Anyway?

I’m always terrible with these games, and I think it’s cool that these people can pull of those skits.

Blogophilia 49.17: Pie in the Sky

Blogophilia group on Facebook HERE Blog topic parameters on WordPress HERE

Hard Bonus: Incorporate a song title or lyric from Stevie Wonder

Easy Bonus: Describe a cloud

Leap of Faith

The bright sun is a ball of fire, and the moon is made of blue cheesecake. I’d prefer a Pie in the Sky to eat while riding the fluffy air surfboard. I’m too short to reach for the stars.

Now we’ve been searching for a long, long time
(In order to find) To find a way to leave our trouble behind
We’ve been down under and we’ve sure been blue
Come on and play it like we know you can do Hey Harmonica Man, Stevie at the Beach album 1964

Blogophilia 48.17: Take the Long Way Home

Marvin Martian gives or bygone military personnel a Happy Memorial Day – this weekend we honor the dedicated individuals who served the USA and paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives. Thank you is never enough!

Blogophilia Facebook group HERE. Blog topic parameters & how it works on WordPress HERE

Hard Bonus: Integrate a song lyric by Linkin Park

Easy Bonus: Mention a famous road or street

Long & Winding Road

ROAD TRIP! Enjoy the ride, and Take the Long Way Home From the top to the bottom (bottom to top I stop) – 1987 Xero album “Rhinestone“. No time to be stuck, even in this time of uncertainty, keep the roads clear from Sesame Street to State Street, and 34th Street won’t show you any miracles, and don’t be on the wrong side of 21 Jump Street.

Dedicated to the military personnel who have served & are on the other side, and for ALL of them, including the doctors, nurses, mess hall staff, etc.