January 19, 2008

• Remember When

   

   

  The Kween asks us: to go back in time and REMEMBER WHEN. There are actually 2 challenges this time, and I like both so I’m going to do the other one, maybe tomorrow. This one was just so much fun and begged for me to do it, so here it is!

   

   

  I remember:

   

  • When we got our first VCR it was a huge top loader — we were the coolest thing on the block

  

  • When our family got the Atari game console. We could play Pong, Star Wars, Space Invaders and of course Pac Man and  a few other great games, again, we were the hit of the neighborhood

  

  • When TV’s were so big, they were considered furniture

  

  • when there was only like 8 channels
  • when we got cable TV and went from 8 channels to 30.
  • When 8-tracks were replaced by cassettes
  • When cassettes were replaced by CDs
  • When Videos were replaced by Laserdiscs (which we still have)

  

  • When Laserdiscs were replaced by DVDs
  • When cameras had those weird square disposable flashbulbs

  

  • When children played outside from dawn to dusk, regardless of their age
  • When you could get a spanking in school
  • When silly putty and the Sunday comics was true delight!
  • When a 10 speed meant complete freedom for a 12 year old.
  • When phones first got call waiting and 3-way calling
  • We got our first answering machine and were amazed we could receive messages even when nobody was at home.
  • Beeper and pagers
  • The first cell phone, it was the size of  brick and had to be plugged in to your car

  

  • When $5.00 worth of gas would get my sister and I around for an entire week
  • When you could go to a movie and get popcorn, candy and a soda for $10.00 and have change.
  • When MTV first aired with VJs and really had music videos, and you spent all day with MTV on,  raving about the latest videos with your friends on a  phone with a cord

  

  • When gas prices hit $1.00 / gallon
  • When Dear God it’s Me Margaret and Forever had to be read by every teenage girl.
  • Who Mork was

  

  • Why they stopped making De Loreans

  

  • When my family got it’s very first “microwave” oven
  • When Avon ladies used to go door to door
  • The Fuller Brush man
  • When Toss-Across was the greatest game ever

  

  • When playing hopscotch, Chinese jump rope and Red Rover were the best way to spend a day with you friends
  • Station wagons, with sleeping bags in the back for long road trips – and no one wore seatbelts
  • When Michael Jackson was known for his music and talent, not his weird behavior.
  • When Frisbee in the park was an all day affair.

   

  I think I could go on for ever. It was thinking about all of this, and I realized that my family was usually on the cutting edge. We weren’t the first to get some of these things by any stretch of the imagination, but we were very often the first in our neighborhood to get some of the newest technology. Like cable, VCRs, Atari etc. All in all it was a good time. The question is would I give up the toys I have now to go back to that simpler time?

   

  It’s a tough question, and not one I’m sure I can answer.

  ---

  This was a fun challenge, now be-bop over to the Kween’s site and read other Remember When’s or better yet, read and then write your own and join us!

   

  Now, Question of the day:

  What was favorite toy in your childhood?

  • 11:07 am
  • 38 Comments