It all started with.... Davy Jones
Sunshine, Lollipops & Rainbows is an extension of who we are.and we believe in finding things that make every day a little magical. So in our blogs you will find stories about us, and things that we find add joy. We hope you enjoy them!
Those of you that know Maura and I are likely also aware that we are Disney nerds. Most Disney fans are aware of Walt's famous quote, "I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse". Walt reminds us that no matter where our journey leads us, don't forget how that journey began.
For Maura and I that journey began in a high school theater class in our freshman year. And, yes, it also involved Davy Jones from the Monkees.
We were both new high school students, coming from different middle schools in the district. Most of my friends had gone to the other high school in the district and I was a bitter teenager. So starting high school was not one of my favorite adventures
I also had a dream of being in the theater, so one thing I was excited about was that the school offered a theater class. There I did open up a bit and started speaking (a little too much, sorry to Mrs Manfredi!) to the other freshman around me. When I mentioned that I had seen the Monkees in concert several times, not many people were impressed.
Maura, however, perked up with, "Hey, I like the Monkees too."
As we discussed the finer points of the Monkees' influence on pop culture and whether it mattered if they played their own instruments or not, Maura said, "Have you ever seen the episode of the Brady Bunch with Davy Jones?"
Keep in mind that while I was a Brady Bunch fan, this is in the day before DVRs and watching anything on demand. We had a VCR, but no one ever could figure out how to program it. There was also no internet. So I didn't even know Davy Jones had done an episode of the Brady Bunch.
But the best news was yet to come. Maura had a copy of this episode on Betamax! Do you remember what Betamax was? No? Me neither. In fact, I am pretty sure I didn't know what it was then. I just knew it sounded fancy. So that day we made plans for me to come over to watch it.
That was the first of many days I would spend at Maura's family abode. Ironically we couldn't get the Betamax to work, so it was years before I finally saw that episode of the Brady Bunch.
The rest, as they say, is history. But this story certainly helps illustrate the common thread of quirky taste that has laid the foundation for a friendship that spans over 2 decades.
It will not surprise anyone that pop culture from the 50s to present day inspires that lollipops and bows that we make. Inspiration is everywhere!
And luckily the internet makes it easier than ever to find your inspiration. Just in case your friend's Betamax isn't working, I don't want you to miss Davy Jones on the Brady Bunch:
