Growing Up in the Eighties

There were a number of special memories I have about the eighties. Like the time when I was turning six and my best friend, who was a boy, kissed me in his bathroom and then kicked me out of his house because he had to eat dinner. I also remember what I had to wear for picture day in kindergarten. A very hot pink layered lacey skirt, with my hair pulled as tight as it could be to the side of my head. Good times.

I also remember being made fun of a lot. I had flunked kindergarten and my older brother and sister always would make fun of me and tell me that I was stupid. They would always tell me I flunked because I did not know how to scribble. I remember all my teachers wore long jean skirts and their hair always in a bob. So, hear is my list of the top 10 things I can not block out of my head from the eighties. If you grew up in the eighties join with me as we go back in time and reflect with fondness and cringe at the same time.

1. The Walkman

   The walkman was so cool. Because it had a radio, with a tape player and it was portable. It was like the great grandfather of the iPod.

2. Polka Dots and stripes

   Polka dots and stripes seemed to be everywhere and they were mixed together. It was so wrong.

3. Boom Box

   People would carry these giant radios on their shoulders. Which I never understood because I would think after carrying it around ten minutes they would get tired.

4. Nintendo

   I think the Nintendo game system was one of the best things that came out of the eighties. Super Mario Brothers was the game, forget Halo 3, watch the lil plumber run around and go through all the levels. And if you passed the game you would go back and learn how to warp and skip levels.

5. Charles and Charge

   This was a cool show

6. Alvin and the Chipmunks

   I was in love with Simon and he was a cartoon chipmunk. I never grew tired of the antics of these rodents and when the Chipetts were introduced I was hooked

7. Neon colored clothing

   As a child you could never get lost in a crowd with neon greens, yellow, pinks, even adults wore these colors

8. Really big hair and sideway ponytails

   I remember the bangs that were flipped up and bangs flipped toward the forehead. I also remember ponytails never being centered in the back of the head but always to the side.

9. Big shoulder pads on jackets

   Everyone was walking around with their shoulder pads three sizes to big for them. Once again I did not understand how this was fashionable.

10. Bangles on the side of large t-shirts

    There were also these bangles that would be intertwined on the side of large t shirts.