Describe yourself in 3 fictional characters

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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There's a new thing trending on Twitter and Instagram this week. Creating a collage of the three fictional characters that best describe you. I don't have the time to research how or why this is a thing, but I thought it was fun and did make the time to create one of my own.

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure

I chose Pee-Wee Herman because I'm a big kid at heart. I still like watching cartoons and wearing footie pajamas. I've been captivated with this null since watching his big adventure on the big screen and the TV series that followed on Saturday mornings on CBS. The innuendoes he makes along with his naivete remind me of me sometimes, although I'm probably a bit more vulgar...  (insert your own Kevin/movie theater joke here)

I AM Oscar the Grouch

Which leads me to Oscar The Grouch. I debated between him and Grumpy of Disney Dwarf fame. Years ago when my family took our first trip to Disney as a massive unit, I was given a Grumpy tee shirt. However, I feel like Grumpy is grumpy ALL the time. At least Oscar has some tender moments. Plus I'm a pack rat and a bit of a slob (I think that's reflective of my creativity, at least that's what I tell myself) and many years ago I dressed up like Oscar, complete with the metal trashcan. It was pretty epic. 

I'm so vain...

I round out my trio with Vanity Smurf. The Smurfs were such a huge part of my childhood I wouldn't feel right about not picking one. I was going to go with Papa, but he's smarter than me. Brainy is a little too annoying for me and I'm nowhere near as strong as Hefty or helpful as Handy. While I don't spend as much time gazing at myself in the mirror I do take more than enough selfies. So Vanity makes sense. Plus on more than one occasion my sexuality has been called into question, just like people wonder about that vain little guy.

So who's on your list? How would you describe yourself with three fictional characters? And did I get my list right? Who would you have made my picks?

Boo: Jack-o-Lantern Fun

An inside look at this year's creation

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

Through the years, we have carved our share of pumpkins in the Hunsperger household.  I'm usually the one who does the honors, but I am by no means an artist.  You'll see that in a moment with the pictures I've included.  But I do have a lot of fun doing it.  I do envy the people who are able to have very detailed designs on their jack-o-lanterns.  It truly is a work of art.  Here's a look at a few of the creations we've done around here.  The kids come up with the design, I just cut it out...

I usually do it without any problems.  However this year as I cut the mouth out of the jack-o'-lantern, I sliced into my thumb with the knife.  It luckily didn't cut deep into my thumb, but it grazed it enough to make it bleed, so I'm typing this with a bandaid on my digit.   Now on to the show...

Oscar the Grouch & friends (2012)

2009

Puking pumpkin (2010)

2004

Bunny ears (2005)

One of my first carvings (2000)

2004

Mr. Pumpkin Head & friends (2006)

Little pumpkin (2007)

Smiling (2011)

She painted, I carved (2013)

Happy Birthday Jim Henson

The Muppets

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

September 24, 2013 marks what would have been the 77th birthday of one of the greatest figures in entertainment, Jim Henson.  Sadly, this master of the Muppets died in 1990, taken way too soon.  But his legacy lives on in his creations.

My first exposure to the Henson foundation was through Sesame Street.  I remember watching the show everyday, enjoying my favorite characters as they taught me more about counting, language, and just being a better person.  To me, no character on the show compared to Cookie Monster.  He was without a doubt my favorite, maybe it's my love of cookies that drew me to him.  As I got older though, I have come to love and appreciate Oscar the Grouch.  More often than not, I feel like I relate to him better than any other character on that famous street.

Big Bird was always a favorite too, and after watching the A&E Biography on the show, I have a whole new respect for the Caroll Spinney, the man behind the bird.  Bert and Ernie (say what you will about them) also got a laugh out of me.  Growing up, I had a Bert and Ernie transistor radio.

The Muppets & Henson

My love of Sesame Street naturally transitioned to the Muppet Show, another Henson creation.  We'd watch each week as a different celebrities "hosted" the show which was a kid friendly version of Saturday Night Live.  Kermit the Frog, who was voiced by Henson, lead the way for a group of unique friends, including a joke cracking bear named Fozzie, an egotistical oinker named Miss Piggy, and a hooked nose who-knows-what-he-is, named Gonzo.  I still have the puppet versions of the Muppets I had growing up.

The show lead to several movies in the 80's and eventually an animated series featuring the Muppets before they were famous.  Another Henson project, Fraggle Rock, was another  show that I watched religiously.

A Frog & His Boy
by Seb Mesnard

I was in high school when Jim Henson died.  We had gotten out early that day in May because of flash flooding.  I remember my mom was watching her soap opera when ABC News broke into programming with a special report.  I watched the screen in shock as the anchor announced the beloved Henson was gone.  I was sad for days following the news.  I'm grateful of the times I had as a kid learning and loving ALL of Henson's Muppet creations.  From Cookie Monster to Gonzo to Wembley, Henson made my world (and the entire world) a better place.

Happy birthday and rest in peace.