As a student growing up with ADD, learning the Dewey Decimal System was one big daydream for me. I would consistently drift away from the complexities of card catalogs into a realm that was much more satisfying and worthwhile, a secret place where a “nobody” turned into a “somebody,” a world of infatuated make-believe where I was “rounding the bases” with Tooty of Facts of Life fame. (And let me tell ya, this was much more rewarding than locating Everyone Poops in 7.9 seconds.) Young femme fatales like Tooty had a numbing, angelic aura that could make even muscle-crazed tough guys weak in the knees. Such cotton-candy innocence, charismatic leadership, and joyful optimism are almost nonexistent in today’s post-feminist prime time line-up. God bless Nickelodeon’s TVLand and the Web, two portals back to the best boob-tube babies of the '80s.  

1.) This vibrant Rainbow Brite http://members.aol.com/cakkari/rbindex.html Web site is bubbling with informative tidbits on Hallmark’s beloved series. Read up on all of your favorite characters including Canary Yellow, Buddy Blue, and La La Orange in the character bio section. Sing along to Rainbow Brite’s lost classics in the sound section (no fear, the lyrics are here too) and venture into the Rainbow Brite collection section to see all the rare paraphernalia you’ve been missing.

2.) Moving on from cuddly cartoon to complex cyborg, we reminisce about V.I.C.I. (sounds like Vicky) the adorable household robot on Small Wonder. This Web site http://smallwonder.hispeed.com/ takes a provocative look at V.I.C.I. and her impact on society: what would it be like with a real life Variable Industrial Cybernetic Implement? You’d be surprised to hear some of the wacky fictional predictions. (One crazed fan has V.I.C.I. declare in James Earl Jones’s voice: “Ha, ha, ha! Now I can stop the stock market crash, rescue Amelia Earhart, and assassinate Hitler!) Also, check out the Video Gallery where you can watch every episode of Small Wonder in its entirety and take a look at the technology behind the loveable main character in “the nuts and bolts of V.I.C.I.”

3.) With her raspy voice and abundance of energy, Punky Brewster was a character you couldn’t help but adore. This pink-tailed tot was a true survivor who always seemed to find ways out of very adult jams. This well-designed Web site http://members.fortunecity.com/punkysplace/ boasts an easy-to-follow index of Punky Brewster categories including an episode guide, a cartoon section, and a link to Soleil Moon Frye’s current projects. And test your Punky knowledge on the quiz challenge: do remember who said, “Stand back, she's gonna explode”?