Growing Up in the 80's & 90's

Every generation has things unique to them. For instance, I could toss out words like rad/radical, cool, awesome, excellent, bodacious, and anyone my age would be able to translate.

These words bring several movies to mind: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Wayne's World, and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.

Here are a few other things only 80's and 90's kids can relate to . . .

"Dangerous" toys.

We road our bikes without helmets.

Slap bracelets.

You literally had to slap yourself with it to put it on. And, of course, you didn't just put it on. You put it on several times in a row.

Skip-its.

A heavy plastic ball you strapped to your ankle. You swung that leg in a circle and attempted to jump over the ball with your other leg. No danger there.

Pogo balls.

A donut shaped plastic ring encircling a rubber ball. You stood on the plastic ring and jumped.

Jumping on a rubber ball. Yeah, that's a good idea.

Slip 'N Slide.

A tarp you sprayed with a hose. You flopped onto it like a fish and slid across the yard. My thighs were always bruised afterward.

Easy Bake Oven.

I used mine once to melt down crayons because I needed lava for the cereal box volcano I made.

Swing sets.

We swung our friends so high we ran under them without getting kicked in the head.

We jumped out of swings.

We swung higher and higher until the legs of the swing set lifted off the ground.

The only time I had stitches growing up? Falling out of a swing. Who would've guessed?

Grandma and Grandpa.

Listening to Paul Harvey in the car.

If this name doesn't conjure up a smooth storytelling voice, Bose radios, and "the rest of the story," you're probably younger than me.

Looney Toons. Soap Operas (Grandma called them her "stories"). The Price is Right with Bob Barker.

Eight track tapes and rotary dial phones.

VHS and cassette tapes.

Weekends were for visiting Block Buster.

Kids today have no idea the level of patience it took to find a specific song on a mix tape.

Please be kind, rewind.

Saturday morning cartoons.

You were always guaranteed cartoons on Saturday mornings.

One of our favorites was Captain Planet.

He was a super hero who, with his planeteers, saved the world from pollution.

I'm not kidding.

They summoned Captain Planet with their special rings.

"Earth. Wind. Water. Fire. Heart.

Gooo, Planet!"

We used to pull a little red wagon around the backyard or neighborhood and pick up trash. We were cool like that.

Computer and video games.

We're talking old school Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt.

The label said you weren't supposed to blow air into the Nintendo or the games. We always did. That's how you made it work again!

Floppy discs the size of a slice of bread.

They were actually floppy.

Oregon Trail.

It was everyone's favorite when we got on the computers at school. Not in a computer lab, mind you. Computers lined up down a hallway. It was there we all played Oregan Trail, our characters repeatedly dying of dysentary and other ailments.

Music.

Janet Jackson. Brandi, also star of the show Moesha. Boyz II Men.

Macarena.

I knew all the moves to this. It was the only song I confidently danced to at a Middle School dance (in a vest, skorts, and hiking boots . . . ew!).

Clothes.

Jelly shoes (ouch!). Acid wash jeans. Blossom hats.

Stirrup pants (leggings with a strap under your foot). Anything sunflower. Hoop earrings. Big bangs. Butterfly hair clips.

Flares. White eyeliner and shadow (yes!).

Books.

Alas, there was not much to pick from when it came to young adult books. You either were stuck with the likes of Sweet Valley High, Saddle Club, and Caroline B. Cooney, or, you had to dive into adult books. I did both.

Looking back, it's probably why I had a "favorite" author in elementary and high school, but not middle school.

Book It!

You read books. You got free pizza.

Reading Rainbow with LeVar Burton.

(The guy from Star Trek: The Next Generation. It just makes him cooler.) A show all about books and reading!

Be still my nerdy little heart!

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What I'm Reading This Week:

I just finished Evermore by Sara Holland.

Currently reading Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas.

So good!

 

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Music I'm listening to:

Fleurie and anything by songwriter/producer Tommee Profitt. I've found a lot of great writing mood music in the last week or so.

Have a great weekend, friends!

--J

P.S. Don't forget to pick up your copy of

A Desperate Love today!

Available at Amazon.com & BN.com!