the Eighties...

There’s a gaggle of people out in blog world writing about how they experienced the decade of the 80’s for what appears to be a contest of sorts called, “Blogger Idol.” I honestly have not been to the site which gives all the details of the contest, but I have enjoyed reading all the entries. They bring back many memories.

When the 80’s began I was 8 going on 9 and when we all bid them farewell I was 17 going on 18. Needless, the majority of my adolescent angst, if I ever really had any, docile creature that I am, had that 80’s subculture as it’s backdrop. The 80’s were just plain weird, from what I remember. I look back at those clothes, the izod shirts and pegged pants…the big earrings and shoulder pads in woman’s clothing which would’ve suited most NFL linebackers quite well, and I shudder. There were also a lot of mowhawks in the 80’s if I am recalling correctly….most notably that of Mr. T. There was just this odd dichotomy going on…the preps and the punkers somehow existing at the same time…it just doesn’t make sense!

I discovered music in the 80’s…and music videos. My first experience of music videos came when watching video shows on regular old TV. This was before MTV came to our house…it may have been in someone else’s house…but it wasn’t mine. This show, the name I don’t recall, came on after school and showed 4 or 5 videos in half hour span. A plaited Boy George and Duran Duran jumping around all over a boat, and Michael Jackson when he still looked normal are the ones I remember with the most clarity.

I owned a copy of “Thriller.” Who didn’t…it was required for any warm blooded 12 year old. We all thought that picture of Michael on the inside in the white suit with the stuffed lion was so cute. Arghhh…if we only knew! I had it on cassette, but plenty of my friends still had RECORD PLAYERS…remember those?

I also attended Jr. High School…not Middle School…whatever!

Speaking of friends, we made friendship pins for each other and pinned them to our shoes. They were safety pins with beads on them. I also remember making these barettes with ribbons woven through them and giving them away as well…they were pretty.

I….became a woman in the 80’s….guided with the help of “Margaret” in Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret. Thank heavens for Judy Blume! I couldn’t wait for the aforementioned “change” to take place…and honestly I could now do without it! Funny how experience colors our vision on certain…experiences.

I also read every single one of the Laura Ingall’s books at least three times and also went through the entire Lucy Maud Montgomery collection (Anne of Green Gables). We lived in a salt march in Maine at the time I was really into these books and so I had the perfect place to act out the stories therein.

I had my first real experiences with death in the 80’s. My grandmother died just before my 12th birthday from ovarian cancer. I still miss her. My grandaddy (her husband) came to live with us after we had moved back to Virginia. He lived with us for a couple of years, my mom hoping that being around us Grandkids would restore his will to live. It didn’t. He gave up, stopped eating, and went on to heaven the day after my junior prom.

I had my first boyfriend in the 80’s. How I longed for one! I was such a nerd. I dated the same guy for nearly 2 years. His name was John…he had moved to Danville, VA from Maine. Weird coincidence! People said he looked like Randy Travis. He was a nice boy. We broke up…by my hand…after I went to college. John had stayed behind to go the local community college. It was too weird. Our lives were growing in different directions. I wanted new experiences. I know I hurt him. I wish I hadn’t. There’s no getting around the fact that life just sucks wind sometimes!

Ms. Ruby Hovatter was my 11th grade history teacher. She was a tiny little woman who had shaved off her eyebrows to paint on new ones. I have no doubt that if Ms. Hovatter had been on the front lines in Germany, Hitler wouldn’t have stood a chance. She was tough as nails, but she really loved American History and wanted us to love it as well. She showed us “Night and Fog” and for the first time I understood the horrors of WWII (come to Baltimore and we’ll go to the holocaust museum in DC…for further understanding). Ms. Hovatter also liked to feed us juicy little tidbits like the fact that Benjamin Franklin died of VD (it was VD back then….not STD) in Paris…and that FDR had his mistress…not Eleanor at his side when he passed. She made us memorize all the presidents. the preamble to the constitution, all the capitols…on and on. I earned and “A” in her class. I know she didn’t begrudge it…she was tough…but she cared. Thank you Ms. Hovatter!

I met my best friend, Emily, in the 80’s. I still kind of consider her that even though we don’t talk to each other any more. She lives in Danville and I here and we just lost touch. We still do the Christmas card thing. Well anyway…we became friends one day in a class…I think maybe it was Spanish. We realized neither of us had “best” friends…why shouldn’t we be each others? Luckily we also had a lot in common…both readers…both expressive deep feelers. We clicked…I have a feeling we’d pick right up again over a cup of tea. Some friends are just like that…

I started my quest to understand who God was in my life in the 80’s. There were short term mission trips to the Appalachian Mountains, youth group meetings and retreats, attempts at private devotions…I was trying hard, never quite feeling as if I lived up to who He wanted me to be. I finally understand that in the midst of the journey and the work…that happens…as long as I let Him work. Even when I abandoned Him, I turned around and there He was…right on my heel. Woo-hoo!

I became a freshman in college at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. The freshman class was huge and so I was one of the lucky ones picked to live in a hotel. Howard Johnson’s housed, Shannon, Cara and myself. Cara was from NoVA (northern VA) and Shannon and I were both from small southern Virginia towns. Unfortunately, Cara was the odd girl out and Shan and I roomed with each other throughout our college career. Cara managed though, she made friends and moved on. We weren’t cruel to her…it wasn’t in either of our natures to be so. The three of us just didn’t “click” as the two of us did. I just received a card from Shan…when I do my St. Patrick’s day letter, I’ll send her one. We’ve lost touch and it’s a shame.

Well…this is growing long. I think I’ll stop for now. I refer you to my ever favorite 80’s movie (can’t believe I didn’t mention movies in there), “Sixteen Candles” for a good primer on the 80’s. It’s the best John Hughes 80’s movies…says everything the overblown “Breakfast Club” did…only it was subtle and ridiculously funny. My poor husband has to watch it every time it comes on TV! Oh yeah…and “Dirty Dancing.” I say it at least 20 times….and Jennifer Grey had my hair…anyway. That’s all for now!

Will people talk about the 90’s this way? How about the 00’s? Hmm…

blessings…