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Things I Didn't Have As A Kid: Rock Tumbler & Chemistry Set

When I was growing up, one of the most anticipated times of the year was the release of the Sears Christmas Wish Book. It usually came out in October, and from the first day of the month on, I would get off the bus and check the mail to see if it had arrived. Once it did, kids would spend hours, days, and weeks going through each page very carefully and use it as a guide to make our own personal wish list. 

Of course the book was filled with all the latest action figures, dolls, remote controlled vehicles and the like, but it also had a page or two of more educational toys. And in these pages were a Rock Tumbler and a Chemistry Set. Each and every year, those two items would go onto my wish list, and every year I would be disappointed when they weren't under the tree.

The rock tumbler was just a simple little machine that would work it's magic and convert small stones in beautiful, rounded and polished treasure. Now in all honesty, my desire for this went beyond educational. I had pictured myself churning out these beautiful little stones and then seeling them for a mint, and being rich before the age of 12. I see now that that dream was silly, but I still hold a grudge with my folks for never getting me the rock tumbler.

As for the chemistry set, I was totally sucked in by the idea of perfoming all kinds of experiments to see what would happen. As was the case with the rock tumbler, this never made it under the tree. I asked my parents years later why, and they said they were afaid I would mix the wrong chemicals together and cause a small explosion or something. THAT IS EXACTLY WHY I WANTED THE DARN THING!!! So in hindsight, it was probably a good idea that my folks never caved to my desires for the chemistry set.

9/11 Tribute To The Fallen

Things I Didn't Have As A Kid: Hit Stix

Now while I don't remember very much about this toy, I DO remember being super pumped when I saw the commercials. The producers did a very good job at making these things sound incredible. Supposedly, you could walk around playing "air drums" but actually produce drum sounds. Pretty cool concept. 

They were a combo of fluorescent orange and yellow, a pretty extreme and eye catching color coordination back in the early 90's. Each stick had a thin cord running from it to a sound box that you wore on a belt. All you had to do was make a striking motion in the air like you would while playing actual drums, and the sticks registered this "hit", and sent a signal to the sound box that emitted a sound as if you had just rapped a snare drum.

I wanted these things so much. I could lay around and daydream about being the coolest kid in school if I had those things. Walking through the halls, playing a radical solo, with lots of girls following me and talking about how cool I was. Sigh. Just wasn't meant to be I guess.

Rees rescues No. 22 ND in 20-17 win over Purdue

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Tommy Rees spent most of Saturday watching Notre Dame struggle with Purdue. Then he rescued the 22nd-ranked Irish.

Returning from a one-game suspension as a second stringer, the former starting quarterback got one chance and produced a last-minute drive that led to a 20-17 victory over the Boilermakers.

Rees wasn't thinking so much about his big opportunity after he'd sat out last week as punishment for his arrest in a skirmish with police following a party last May..........

Read the rest here:  http://sports.yahoo.com/news/rees-rescues-no-22-nd-233544055--ncaaf.html