The Sheila Variations

LOVED ZOOM! Although I never mastered Ubudubee (or however you spell that). There is a Zoom on still today that my kids loved, I wonder if they ever stopped production or is this a revival? And they still speak Ubudubee. And I still can't. I just end up sounding like Mushmouth from Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids.

What I never noticed then, but is GLARINGLY OBVIOUS now, is how NORMAL those kids were. They weren't model-perfect automatons like stars of kid shows are today. They looked like me and my friends.

That would never fly today.

Yeah - the little girls aren't done up in mini skirts and lip gloss, the boys look like real little boys- I love that.

A good friend of mine actually dated one of the girls from Zoom (well NOT when she was ON the show, that would be icky)... Just talked to this guy Sunday, btw, and turns out he's gonna be "zooming" into space for the 3rd time in December... what this has to do with anything I'm not sure... just rambling on a Thursday morning... Hey, what's that outside, is that a squirrel on my bird feeder, again!?

oh, I loved the original Zoom. And yeah, Sheila, the kids looked like REAL kids - instead of perfect mini-adults. (very 70s of them).

My favorite "Zoom talent" was that girl who could do the freaky thing with her arms - where it looked like her forearms could disjoint from the elbows and revolve. I know she showed how to do it but I could never master it.

and I loved the experiments they did on that show.

The new Zoom is okay but it's a little slicker somehow and doesn't quite feel the same. (And yes, there was an almost 20 year hiatus in the production of Zoom. It's not a continuing show.).

I remember as a small child, visiting Boston, and knowing what the zip code was...I could even sing it: "BOST-on Mass! O2134! (send it to Zoom!)"

hahahahaha.

Yes! The Bernadette arm phenomenon. I'm going to do it right now, sitting at my desk.

I just did it. I wish I had a web cam.

And ricki - HA! Yes: O21-34 send it to Zoom!!!!

Are you sure you don't have a web cam?... according to those PC vs. Mac commercials, Macs have a built in web cam... And if you DON'T have one put it on your wish list!... I'll buy you a web cam just to see that "Bernadette arm phenomenon"...

Bernadette has her own website, www.bernadetteyao.com. Click on "Zoom" and there's an animation of her doing her arm thing.

WHICH I NEVER MASTERED.

I am ashamed to this day.

JFH - hahahaha You know what - I might have a web cam, but I'm retarded and I would have no idea how to use it.

Just use your imagination. I am doing the Bernadette arm thing right now.

Seriously. I just did it.

Like JFH said, you most likely do have a web cam. Is there a little tiny hole just about your screen? That would be it. Find an app called Photo Booth and you can use that to take still pictures of yourself.

I'm not sure how to record video with it, since my Mac doesn't have an iSight and I haven't played around with the new one at work enough.

Oh! Okay! Yes - I do have one then, Mark. I have a little camera and I can take pictures of myself. And also see myself live. Which is kind of horrifying.

Guys, this is the level of ... technological challenges we've got here. I think of a "web cam" as ... er ... something OTHER than that little camera in the top of my laptop.

Because I honestly don't know what I'm talking about. That's the truth.

Speaking of which, Mark (sort of) - just so you know: You would not believe the amount of people who get to my blog from Googling: "How to thread a film projector".

Your wisdom is being passed on to new generations.

Are you going to play with the Photo Booth effects and treat us to such gems as "Sheila As An Andy Warhol Painting", "Sheila's X-Ray", and "Sheila As Seen By Predator"? I can't wait.

You would not believe the amount of people who get to my blog from Googling: "How to thread a film projector".

Dear God, I hope I didn't screw it up. All the other projectionists would point and laugh.

Bernadette changed my life.

The Zoom Mail is AWEsome! I remember writing letter after letter after letter to them. I always got cards back in the mail, and later, I became the Vice President of their Chicago Fan Club. I still have my official card.

Joe was another favorite of mine. I loved that he always used a British accent....for no apparent reason.

As the theme song was playing I began to remember every single arm movement. Every....single....one.

"0..2..1..3..4rrrrrrrr!!" That was the best. I love the jazz hands.

Remember when we used to write letters to people? "If you make a mistake, ya gotta do it again!" Love it!!!!!!

The playfullness of the kids. The joy. The pure, unadulterrated joy on their faces was amazing. They're so THERE, so PRESENT, so honestly having the time of their lives.

Ubby Dubby was my obsession. Still is.

This is the best day ever.

Thanks Sheila.

Do you know how much I LOVE it that a group of adults - at least several of whom have NEVER actually met - can find common ground discussing Bernadette's freaky arm-twirling talents?

and to think - people smugly talk about how they NEVER watch television. They're missing a lot, not least the chance to connect with others of their generation....

hahahahahahahaha Ricki - I know. It's one of my most favorite things about the Internet. Makes the world seem a bit smaller and more friendly - doesn't it??