It’s no secret that I love the ‘80s. Just check out any of my Friday Flashback posts for proof. And yeah, while I dig all things ‘80s, when it comes to music, I was always a big-hair, head-banging fan. Growing up, I’d crank the CD player… er, make that the tape player up to 11 as Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider belted out “We’re Not Gonna Take It!” My sister knew this. She listened to it. She knew I hated most mainstream poppy type music like WHAM! Or Boy George. And yet, she went and did it anyways.

I must’ve been a freshman in high school. She was a senior and one of her good friends Denise was in the school marching band, so I knew her from there. For my birthday that year, my sister decided to get me something special. Something I’d never done before. She knew I love music but I’d never been to an actual live concert before. So she bought me tickets to my first show ever.

Back in 1986, tickets prices were probably a lot lower than they are now, but still cost a pretty penny. Especially for high school students. So yes, it was definitely a nice gesture. Except she not only bought me a ticket, she bought herself a ticket. Okay, so I’ll go with my sister to my first concert. I can live with that. Except… we were also going with her friend Denise, and Denise’s boyfriend. Uh, okay. Little weird for me that I’d have to spend time with practically two strangers on my birthday, but okay. I could live with all of that except for one thing… the musical act.

So who’d we see? What was my first concert-going experience like? What horrendous act did my sister force me into under the guise of my birthday present? Something that would scar me still to this day? Sigh. She bought me tickets to… Madonna. Yep. During the big controversial “Like a Virgin” Tour no less. Oh, and for added fun, Teknotronic opened up playing the wonderfully poppy “Pump up the jams.” Yeah, I really don’t like dance music either.

But being a good little brother, I went. I feigned enjoyment and thanked her for the tickets. But I knew deep down she probably wanted to just go herself and didn’t want to be a third wheel to her friend Denise and her date. Either that or my sis really doesn’t know me too well.

I’ve only been to a handful of other concerts since then, mostly at fairgrounds or small arenas (Whitesnake, Black Crows, Tom Petty to name a few). Next month, however, I get to try again. My friend Bill snagged some tickets for an upcoming Iron Maiden show. But not only is it Maiden (who I really dig), but they’re doing a retro tour, where they’re playing all their hits from the ‘80s; even using the same type of stage sets they did from back then. Maybe I can fool my mind into thinking I’m back in high school attending my first rock concert. Yeah, I think my memories are already getting a little fuzzy. Madonna? Madonna who?

COUPON TIME:

$20 off an order of $250 or more at RazorGator.com
Use Discount Code ultcpns250 in your shopping cart. (Click where it says “Add Discount Code”, then enter the code and click apply.)
Valid through: March 31, 2008
Cannot be combined with other coupons.

$15 off your order at RazorGator.com
Use Discount Code take15off in your shopping cart. (Click where it says “Add Discount Code”, then enter the code and click apply.)
No minimum order size. Cannot be combined with other coupons.

$5 off a purchase of $75 or more in the Videos/DVDs, Games & Music Stores at Buy.com
Use the above link. Valid through: June 30, 2008 11:59pm PT
New Customers Only.

So tomorrow is February 29. A day that only comes along once every four years thanks to those zany mathematician/calendar, uh, iticans. If your birthday happens to be on the 29th, well Happy Birthday to ya! That’s gotta really stink having your bday every 4 years though. I’ve always wondered just what parents did in that case, do they celebrate every year on the 28, or go for March 1?

Anyways, no matter when you were born, you can celebrate Leap Day by snagging yourself some Free Pasta from Ronzoni! Okay, okay, so it’s “healthy” pasta, but hey, everyone can use a little more healthy living can’t they?

Just buy a box of Ronzoni Healthy Harvest pasta at your local retailer on February 29, 2008 and mail in your receipt by March 15, 2008 with the downloadable claim form (PDF) to receive your rebate.

You can click here for more details all around.

I’m writing this post roughly 40,000 feet above the Earth. Yeah, as I write this, I’m on my way to Las Vegas for a work-related convention and it’s kind of blowing my mind how far things have gone in terms of technology. When I was a kid we brought two things with us on flights, playing cards and books. I must’ve played 48 games of “War” and “Spit” with my sister when we flew down to Florida decades ago.

Sure I’ve traveled a lot since then. I’ve seen GameBoys change the entire scheme, keeping even the most Ritalin-withdrawn kids glued to their seats for the bulk of the flight. Then came cell phones and laptops popping up here and there. Nowadays it’s a pretty safe bet that at least 1 or 2 folks in every aisle has a laptop out during flight. Not to mention iPods.

And now as I sit here in seat 26F on a Continental Flight I see even the major airlines are finally catching up with the tech-advanced types like Jet Blue. The back of every headrest has a video monitor to watch any of 20 movies, play games, listen to music, or just check the in-progress flight map. Plus with an adapter, every seat can have an outlet on it, so no more fears of running out of batteries on your laptop. (Yeah, had I know that, I could’ve saved some big bucks on a spare laptop battery.)

I know it’s just a matter of time before all airlines start using satellite technology to offer live TV programming and full internet access. Once that hits, there’ll be no excuse not to travel for work.

I just wish some airline would go the other route and opt for comfort all around, including a huge entertainment room chock full of video game systems, walls of HD TVs and big comfy couches. Yeah, I guess those are called “private jets” to some degree. But how cool would it be to fly “Rock Star Airlines” where you can just hang out with your fellow passengers eating complimentary cheese balls, drinking cold frosty root beers and banging your fingers away on your guitar controller as you guys battle for music supremacy on the Xbox 360’s “Rock Band”? Okay, okay. I’m dreaming. Must be the high altitude.

COUPON TIME:

In honor of flying to Vegas, here’s a few travel and Vegas-related coupons for you to gamble on:

Up to $100 Rebate on your Hotel stay
Use the above link to view the coupon.
Get $20 with a 3-Night Booking
Get $30 with a 5-Night Booking
Get $50 with a 8-Night Booking
Get $75 with an 10-Night Booking
Get $100 with a 12-Night Booking
Valid for reservations booked online through March 31, 2008
Must travel by May 31, 2008

Vegas hotels from $40
Flight + 2 nights from $262 at Expedia.com
Travel must be completed by April 30, 2008
Book by: March 14, 2008

$50 off any Las Vegas Package
Minimum 2 passengers
Use promo code LVEGAS50.
Valid through: March 31, 2008 11:59pm ET
Valid on Last Minute Deals for the purchase of a Flight + Hotel Last Minute Deals package to Las Vegas for at least two travelers. Not redeemable on other Travelocity products or gift certificates. Cannot be combined with any other promotional offer (including any other promo code) and must be redeemed at time of purchase.

Australia’s always fascinated me. Not just because they apparently throw shrimp around and say things like dunny and barbie and G’day. Yeah, Gene Hackman’s “Lex Luthor” in the original Superman film wanted to rule Australia. And it was always the easiest and quickest continent to take over in RISK. (Though good luck winning the game if that’s your overall gameplan.)

But in 1987, some cute, peppy little blonde from Australia decided to remake a silly little dance song and for some reason it took off like mad. In the late ’80s you could not avoid this driving tune as it continued to chug up the billboard charts everywhere. Heck, chances are if you attended any weddings, sweet sixteens or other formal type of events, the band or DJ would surely crank this tune out. These days, Kylie’s still singing, acting and all that jazz. And I’ve got to admit, she looks 20 times hotter these days. Don’t believe me? Check out this rather revealing and erotic underwear commercial she did for Agent Provocateur a few year’s back. (WARNING: While no nudity here, this one’s probably not completely safe for work)

But going back to this gal’s roots, I bring you this week’s Flashback tune, which once you hear, you won’t be able to get out of your head and you’ll be cursing me out all day. Sorry. Anyways, enjoy the ride:

Kylie Minogue - Locomotion

Coupon Time:

I’m fresh out of Wallaby and Wombat coupons, so instead in honor of Kylie’s revealing advertisements, I’ll offer up some coupon links and codes for stores offering all sorts of intimate apparel, among other things.

Free Shipping on orders over $75 at Bare Necessities
Use the above link to activate the coupon.
Discount should appear in your shopping cart. Cannot be combined with other coupons.Valid for Standard Shipping within the U.S. only.

10% off your purchase at Kohls.com
Use promo code NEW9914 during checkout.
Valid through: March 1, 2008 11:59pm CT
Only one 10% off promo code can be used per order. You’re allowed use another type of coupon as well, such as free shipping, but they rarely exist. Excludes sales tax and shipping. Not valid with other coupon offers, purchases of gift cards, Kohl’s Cares for Kids merchandise, and price adjustments on prior purchases. Valid online only.

10% off online orders over $75 at Undergear.com
Enter Promotion Code AFFU8P6 in your shopping bag.
Valid through: February 29, 2008
Valid online only. Gift certificates do not count towards the minimum purchase amount. Cannot be combined with any other promotions or discounts (except Advantage Club discount).

Free Shipping on orders over $100 at Bloomingdales.com
Use promo code FSHIP.
Valid through: March 3, 2008
Valid online only. Excludes Electronic Gift Cards, Beauty, furniture and mattresses. No adjustments to prior purchases. Online offer is not valid at bloomingdales.weddingchannel.com and on any in-store purchases. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Valid for standard shipping only; delivery charges and applicable taxes are additional.

Does anybody still use paperboys? You know, teenage kids who ride around on their bikes and deliver the daily newspaper, coming to your door once or twice a month to demand their two dollars! (Bonus points for anyone who gets that last dollar movie reference). These days we get the paper delivered daily, but it comes at like 6 a.m. and is delivered by some guy driving in his car who literally tosses the papers out of his car window and tries his best to hit our front stoop. But it got me wondering if anybody anywhere still uses paperboys?

Growing up, I never held the position, but my best buddy and next door neighbor Ethan did for a few years. I remember coming home from school (probably junior high?), hanging out to talk with him and even helping him open up the bundles of papers on his driveway. Then he’d toss a slew of them into his paperboy canvas bag, hop on his bike and ride around the neighborhood to deliver the latest news (at like 3 o’clock in the afternoon). Sometimes I’d join him to keep him company. Same goes with the few times a month he’d walk door to door to collect his pay. But Ethan (sorry bud) got a bit, well, lazy. As time went on, he wouldn’t get right off the bus and get to work. We’d talk. We’d play Nintendo. It’d be almost dinner time and he’d remember he had to get his deliveries out. So yeah, I guess I can see why he didn’t last forever at that job.

But in today’s plugged-in, news-by-the-second society that we’re in, I know for a fact that magazine and newspaper subscriptions are down. Way down. And I’ve got to imagine that for those who do get it, they need to get it first thing in the morning, and not at 2 or 3 in the afternoon when kids come home from school. Which is why I’m guessing there aren’t too many paperboys mulling about anymore. Though I’m sure there are plenty of areas out there where they do get that work ethic going. Anyone out there have a paperboy riding around their neighborhood these days, keeping a great old tradition alive?

COUPON TIME:

Well I do have a good New York Times offer, so I’ll toss that below, but I’ll mix in some bike and sporting goods type coupons for ya too!

4 weeks of The New York Times home delivery for only $4!
With convenient home delivery of The New York Times, you’ll get probing, in-depth insight from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists on news, business, sports, science, the arts, literature, technology and more.

Free Shipping on orders over $50 at Competitive Cyclist
Use this link to activate the coupon. If you don’t see the discount during checkout, enter the provided Promotional Code on the “Payment Information” page of checkout.

$30 off online orders over $200 at Competitive Cyclist
Use this link to activate the coupon. If you don’t see the discount during checkout, enter the provided Promotional Code on the “Payment Information” page of checkout.

15% off your order at Modells.com
Use the above link to activate the coupon or use Promotion/Discount code MOD_1508 at checkout. Eligible items will have the following note on their product page: “15% off entire order”
Valid through: February 29, 2008 11:59pm ET
Maximum discount of $200. Valid for in-stock merchandise only. Discount excludes the following: Electronics/optics, Atec, Bauer, Bowflex, Carhartt, Callaway, CCM, Cobra, Coleman Boats, Columbia, Crocs, DeMarini, Easton, Escape, Fitness Quest, Fly Flot, Footjoy, Future Beach, Garmin, Heelys, Hi-Tec, Horizon, Jugs, K2, Kettler, K-Swiss, Leisure Life, Louisville, Louisville Slugger, Magellan, Magnum, Marmot, Miken Sports, Minolta, Mission, Mongoose, Motorola, Muzono Golf, Nike, Nike ACG,Nike Golf, Oakley, Pelican, Pro Feet, Puma, Rawlings, Razors, Roces, Rollerblade, Salomon, Spira, Spring Step, Sole, Taylor Made, The North Face, Titleist, Trend Sports, Under Armour, World Industries, Worth and select other brands. If the coupon doesn’t seem to work on an item, the brand is probably excluded. Discount does not apply to gift cards, gift certificates, taxes, shipping and handling charges, gift wrapping and similar charges. Cannot be combined with any other promotional offer nor is this offer valid on previous purchases. Entire order must be shipped to a single address. Valid online only.

In honor of today’s love-filled holiday, I give you some coupon poetry:

Roses are Red,
Violets are Blue,
Coupons save money,
So go buy a shoe!

Free Shipping on orders over $60 at FootSmart
In your shopping cart, use promotion code WBSHIP60.
Valid through: February 29, 2008
Valid online only. Standard Shipping within the Continental U.S. only. Additional shipping charges to Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. Territories and APO/FPO addresses still apply. Additional fees apply for Expedited Shipping and multiple shipping destinations. Cannot be combined with other promotion codes. Not valid on previously placed orders or for shipments to Canada.

Violets are Blue,
Roses are Red,
Go get some sheets,
For your nice comfy bed.

10% off your purchase at Kohls.com
Use promo code NEW3988 during checkout.
Valid through: February 23, 2008 11:59pm CT
Only one 10% off promo code can be used per order. You’re allowed use another type of coupon as well, such as free shipping, but they rarely exist. Excludes sales tax and shipping. Not valid with other coupon offers, purchases of gift cards, Kohl’s Cares for Kids merchandise, and price adjustments on prior purchases. Valid online only.

Orchids are yellow,
Lilies are white,
Buy the right size,
So that shirt’s not too tight.

15% off your online order at The Children’s Place
At checkout, enter web code S2A28.
Valid through: March 9, 2008
Valid online only.

Daisies are purple,
Tulips are pink,
Using coupons online,
Saves you more than you think.

$300 off a customized CTO HP Pavilion Desktop PC configured at $999 or more
Use coupon code DT5999.
Valid through: February 16, 2008
Offer good while coupon supplies last and not valid with other promotions. Valid online only. Limited supply available. Restrictions apply. (For complete conditions, see “Coupon Information” in the Customer Service section of the HP Home Store.) Coupon discounts are not combinable with instant rebate(s) or free gift offers. HP will apply the higher of the two discounts.

Grass is green,
Water is blue,
Here’s a great coupon,
For the Limited Too!

25% off your order at Limited Too
Use the above link to activate the coupon and get all the details.
Valid through: February 18, 2008
Cannot be combined with other coupons. Not valid on purchase of Nintendo DS Console and games.

That’s all I have written,
That’s all I can say,
So visit UltimateCoupons.com
And have a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Unless you don’t mind running to the drugstore on your way home from work to pick up a crushed Whitman’s Sampler box and some half-wilted carnations, you better hustle if you want to make sure you get something really special for that someone special in your life. But thanks to the magic of the Internet, you still have time!

Sure you can get something fun, techie and/or geeky over at ThinkGeek.com, like say these unique candy hearts for the sourpuss in you at this time of year:

But if you’d rather spread the love than the sarcasm this Valentine’s Day, here are a few of the top current coupons for last-minute savings on jewelry and flowers:

20% off your order at ICE.com
Use the above link to activate the coupon code.
Valid through: February 14, 2008 11:59pm ET
One coupon per customer. Excludes sale items, engagement rings and items under Hollywood Jewels. Cannot be combined with any other coupons.

20% off your order plus free shipping at Diamond.com
Use the above link to activate the coupon.
Continental U.S. orders also get free shipping.
Valid through: February 14, 2008 11:59pm ET
Discount will appear in your shopping cart after you add a qualifying item. Not valid with any other offers, sale items, engagement rings, watches, certified loose diamonds or “Create Your Own” orders.

15% off an order of $29.99 or more at 1-800-FLOWERS.COM
During checkout enter promotion code ULTIMATE.
May be used on multiple orders.
Valid through: December 31, 2008
Valid online only. Discount does not apply to shipping charges. Cannot be combined with other coupons or used on previous purchases.

10% off AND a Free glass vase at ProFlowers.com
Use the above link to activate the offer.
10% off is valid on all ProFlowers.com products. Free glass vase comes with every bouquet but not with plants, wreaths, preserved items, and gift baskets. Limited Time Offer

15% off your order at FTD.COM
Use the above link.
Your discount should be displayed at the top of the page. Discount will be reflected in the prices you see.

Nothing says romance more than a steaming pile of… meat. Yep, with Valentine’s Day just days away, now you can impress your sweetheart and still keep your checks from bouncing.

It’s Valentine’s Day at the Castle! On Thursday February 14 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at select White Castle locations, you can bring your significant other for a romantic candlelit dinner. Seriously. Any day is a great day for the Castle, but going on V-Day will ensure a night she will never forget. (Although, on the flip side, eating there will also ensure a morning run to the bathroom she’ll wish she could forget.)

And speaking of the Castle… I have very fond memories of the White Castle in my town. It probably popped up when I was around 10 or so and I remember my dad going crazy about it, ’cause he loved it and hadn’t had it in years. So he’d run out and pick up a sack or two of sliders, bring ‘em home for me and my sister to devour. (I’m sure he had another sack in the car that he ate on the ride home.) When I was a teenager, I used to go with my friend Ethan all the time. One summer, it was probably around 11 or 12 at night (drive-thru is open 24 hours), we got there and it was packed. There were probably about 10 cars ahead of us. Yeah, this is the world’s worst White Castle drive-thru by the way. But we were kids and we were hungry and we had nothing better to do, so we pulled up behind the 10th car and just waited.

Now, we were in Ethan’s old, rundown blue van at the time. And of course after waiting like 15 or 20 minutes and maybe moving one full car space forward, his engine light went on. So, Eth popped the hood, got out and started looking in there. He had no clue what he was looking for and it was midnight and we were in the middle of a long line of cars waiting to order food at the world’s slowest drive-thru. And he fiddled with stuff under the hood, and as soon as the next car started moving up, he got back in and moved up. Then got out and looked again. Seriously, this went on for probably an hour or so and eventually the light stopped going on and we eventually made it to order our food. But we prob didn’t eat until like 1:30 or 2 in the morning. I remember just laughing all night though and stuffing our faces. And Eth was heading out to Chicago the next day for a few weeks, so this was our last hurrah for the summer really. Bad service. Bad food. Good times.

COUPON TIME:

Hmmm… the things I could connect to the infamous White Castle sliders… Pepto? Stomach pumps? Toilets? Oh the places you will go… Instead, I’m gonna throw you a curveball and base today’s coupons on a different part of my story: busted cars! So here’s a sack of auto parts coupons to enjoy!

$15 off online orders over $299 at AutoAnything
Plus Free Shipping
Use this link to activate the coupon code. If there’s a problem, use code KEEP15. Valid through: March 31, 2008
Offer cannot be combined with any other offers. Due to manufacturer restrictions, offer excludes Access, AEM, Airaid, B&M, BAK, BedRug, Beltronics, Borla Exhaust, Brembo Rotors, Bully Dog, Corsa, Covercraft, Diablosport, Edge, Escort, Extang, Hypertech, MileMarker, Ramsey, S&B, SCT, Skyjacker, SnowSport Snow Plow, Superchips, Superlift, Thule, Truxedo, Undercover, Warn, Weathertech and Zymol products.

$20 off online orders over $399 at AutoAnything
Plus Free Shipping
Use this link to activate the coupon code. If there’s a problem, use code KEEP20. Valid through: March 31, 2008
Offer cannot be combined with any other offers. Due to manufacturer restrictions, offer excludes Access, AEM, Airaid, B&M, BAK, BedRug, Beltronics, Borla Exhaust, Brembo Rotors, Bully Dog, Corsa, Covercraft, Diablosport, Edge, Escort, Extang, Hypertech, MileMarker, Ramsey, S&B, SCT, Skyjacker, SnowSport Snow Plow, Superchips, Superlift, Thule, Truxedo, Undercover, Warn, Weathertech and Zymol products.

$5 off online orders over $99 at Auto Parts Warehouse
Plus Free Shipping!
Use this link and coupon code APW5.

15% off online orders over $100 at Stylin Trucks
Use coupon code FEB15.
Valid through: March 1, 2008 11:59pm ET
Valid online only. Excludes wheels, suspension and front end conversion kits.

Today officially kicks off the Chinese New Year! So Happy New Year to everyone! (Not that I’m Chinese or anything…) And this year is the bestest of all since it is the Year of the Rat! And yes, I am a Rat! And proud of it!

According to our friends at the Wikipedia: “The Rat (Chinese: 鼠) was welcomed in ancient times as a protector and bringer of material prosperity. It is the first of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. Rat is associated with aggression, wealth, charm, and order, yet also associated with death, war, the occult, pestilence, and atrocities. The Year of the Rat is associated with the earthly branch symbol 子.”

Well I do like the wealth and charm part. I don’t think I’m very aggresive though and I certainly don’t like the death, war, pestilence and atrocities part! Hoo boy. Anyways, you’re a part of Team Rat if you were born in the following years: 1900, 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972 (woo!), 1984, 1996.

I’d like to take this opportunity to start a Blogging Rat Club and invite any of my readers (or any bloggers out there) who are Rats to join in! Just copy this list, add your name to the bottom and post it on your own blog. (Or just leave a comment on this post and I’ll add you to my list!). Let’s see how many rats we’ve got out there!

Blogging Rats:

Andrew of Everybody Loves Coupons
Christy of Christy’s Coffee Break
Tish of The Kat House
Catherine of Wisebread

COUPON TIME:

Rats can actually make good pets. No, really. My one of my roommates in college actually had one that he called Templeton. Cute li’l bugger. Well, not so little actually… Anyways, here are a bunch of spiffy pet-related coupons to help break in the Year of the Rat!

15% off a purchase of $60 or more at PETsMART.com
Use this link to activate the coupon. Discount will appear in your shopping cart. If necessary enter coupon code SAVEFEB.
Valid through: February 29, 2008 11:59pm ET
Minimum purchase must include at least $60 of pet supplies. Discount does not apply to gift cards or backordered items. These items may not be used to meet minimum purchase requirement. Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts. Limit one per customer.

10% off any size order at Petco.com
Use this link to activate the coupon or use promotion code PETCOEA.
Valid through: February 13, 2008
Valid online only. Excludes dog food, cat food, cat litter, live aquatics, purchases of out-of-stock items, donations, gift certificates and gift cards; merchandise purchases through Bottomless Bowl & More subscriptions; shipping and applicable taxes. Additional exclusions may apply and will be noted on the product detail page. One use per customer only.
$5 off a purchase of $35 or more at PetFoodDirect.com
Use discount code PER38.
Valid through: Unknown

$10 off a purchase of $75 or more at PetFoodDirect.com
Use discount code PER37 or PER32.
Valid through: Unknown

Up to 25% off at Drs Foster and Smith
25th Anniversary Sale!
Valid through: December 31, 2008

Guys, you’ve got 1 week to get your act together and snag your sweetie some sweet gifts for Valentine’s Day. The clock’s ticking so here’s a little help for you:

Top 10 Valentine’s Day Products from Diamonds International

1. 14k Gold Pink Topaz & Diamond Ring
2. 14k Gold Ruby Heart Pendant
3. 14k White Gold Mother of Pearl & Diamond Heart Pendant
4. 585 Karat Platinum Heart Earrings
5. 14k White Gold Diamond Heart Pendant
6. 14k Gold Diamond Solitaire Engagement Ring
7. 14k Two Tone Gold Diamond Ring
8. Silver Diamond Heart Ring
9. Silver Diamond Infinity Pendant
10. 100-inch Freshwater Cultured Pearl Necklace

And I just so happen I have a few coupons for these guys:

20% off any purchase at Diamonds International
Use Reference Code HEART20.
Valid for the first 200 customers through: February 7, 2008

10% off any purchase at Diamonds International
Use Reference Code TAKE10.
Valid through: December 31, 2008

$10 off orders over $25 at Diamonds International
Use Reference Code GIFT10.
Valid through: December 31, 2008

More Diamonds International coupons