The electronic game of Pong is usually associated with the seventies but I got a Pong console, the smaller eighties version, for about my eighth birthday. It was terribly exciting
I also had one of these annoying things, Simon Says, where you have to remember the various patterns of musical notes and coloured lights. It gets faster and faster until your brain explodes
During our town’s annual festival, cap guns and torpedoes were popular. The fun only lasted as long as your supply of caps
Archie comics. The best part about these comics were the advertisements for exotic novelties from the US like Sea Monkeys and spy cameras
Battle of the Planets was my favourite cartoon show, probably followed by Astroboy
Doctor Who. I remember trying to recreate the tardis with friends, using a removal box and blue crepe paper. There was always a fight over who was going to wear the long knitted scarf
Young Talent Time (similar to the Mickey Mouse Club). I was utterly convinced that I was going to audition for this show one day. And then while i’m away, I’ll write home ev’ry day…
A Country Practice, a soap opera/drama series that ran from 1981 to 1993, and also resurrected for 30 episodes in 1994. Who can remember when poor Molly Jones died?
Music I remember from this era: George Michael, Belinda Carlisle, Fine Young Cannibals, Martika, The Bangles, B52s, and during junior High School I had a thing for…
I’m not sure how much pocket money I used to get but I know that every fortnight I could afford to buy a Chalet School book
Novelty earrings. I had dice ones and red zip ones
Scratch ‘N Sniff Stickers. I remember marshmallow and peanuts. The peanut one would probably kill half the class these days
8 responses so far ↓
1 Matilda // Jul 16, 2008 at 4:25 pm
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…
Rummaging through the basement lately, I came across a scratch ‘n sniff sticker book that belonged to my (now grown) daughter. The very last sticker was a skunk. Of course I felt compelled to give it a little scratch and sniff. That very, very, very faint skunky smell brought a little tear to my eye…
2 squib // Jul 16, 2008 at 5:15 pm
I’ve always felt curious about what they smell like Til. Closest I ever got to one was watching Pepé Le Pew on the telly
3 lill // Jul 16, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Hey I still play the B-52s, nothing like singing ‘Wig’ when driving in the car with my teenage daughter. She loves them too! “what’s that on your head - it’s a wig, it’s a wig!”
4 Matilda // Jul 17, 2008 at 5:02 am
I always forget about skunks being a north american thing. My cousin was visiting from england once and desperately wanted to smell skunk (and see Niagara Falls, which was easy enough since its only an hour away).
Usually there are skunk carcasses all over place during the summer, but I had to drive around the countryside for awhile before we came in the proximity of a dead skunk on the side of the road for her to smell.
Thing is, the stench comes to you far before you get anywhere near the actual skunk and once it hit her nostrils she begged me to turn around and escape the odor long before we came upon the poor dead soul.
It truly is a horrible smell.
5 squib // Jul 17, 2008 at 10:57 am
@ lill, that’s weird I’m not sure that I’ve heard the wig song. I remember Love Shack and Roam and Rock Lobster the most
@til, you could’ve saved yourself the trouble and given your cousin a skunk scratch ‘n sniff sticker
6 lill // Jul 17, 2008 at 7:16 pm
I can’t find Wig on youtube but I found Quiche Lorraine which is just as good. Great for singing along to, I love the lyrics. Watch out for the B52s greatest hits cd - it’s fantastic. I love their sense of fun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16R1U1h6nNg
7 squib // Jul 18, 2008 at 9:54 am
Aye they’re good fun though I think I can only take them in small doses!
That reminds me, my dad recently bought a CD that is like a Japanese version of the B52s, called The 5.6.7.8’s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjZvIWV5TW4
8 Sandi // Jul 21, 2008 at 8:28 pm
I ran across your post while searching for novelty earrings. I remember those dice ones too! Thank you for bring back some fond and not so fond memories of the 80’s.
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