That contraption was the source of all things powerful in my house. When my dad was watching TV with us, he would command his loyal subjects (me and my little sister) to change the channel for him. I hated that brown box with every fiber of my being. When it was just me and my little sister, I would make her change the channel. Of course I had to do some coercing, like promising to let her play with my toys or making her a snack. See, children of today just missed out on the fun. Speaking of the corded remote, I have a friend that has a VCR that still has one of those, still functions, and worse yet... is the primary source of video watching in his house! That story makes me feel better about watching TV on a 25" brown wooden floor model TV from an old television retail store (back when those existed) at 1960 and Jones.
I weep for all of you youngsters who will never know the magic of "Cadet Don." Growing up in Huntsville, we got 2 and 11 with reasonable reception, 3 out of B/CS, and 9 out of Lufkin. 13 came in hardly at all and of course that was the station that had all the cool kid programs. We got a spiffy new antenna when I was about 13 and I remember watching the Million Dollar Movie through fuzzy reception. We lived outside of town and lots of kids had cable before we did. I missed out on the whole Speed Racer thing because we couldn't pick up whatever channel it was on. In HS, we finally got cable. Soon after we got it, HBO ran one of those free weekend promos and one Saturday night, there was this movie with Linda Carter where she's swimming topless. Wow! It was unbelieveable seeing that on TV. It was the talk of school for about two weeks. Incidentally, AB, I have three Schoolhouse Rock CDs I play with my daughter: America Rock, Grammar Rock, and Science Rock. There are some old nuggets in there like " Verb: That's What's Happening" and "Do the Circulation." Here's "Sufferin' Till Sufferage": Now you have heard of Women's Rights, And how we've tried to reach new heights. If we're "all created equal"... That's us too! (Yeah!) But you will proba...bly not recall That it's not been too...too long at all. Since we even had the right to Cast a vote. (Well!) Well, sure, some men bowed down and called us "Mrs." (Yeah!) Let us hand the was out and wash the dishes, (Huh!) But when the time rolled around to elect a president... What did they say, Sister, (What did they say?) They said, uh, "See ya later, alligator, And don't forget my...my mashed potatoes 'Cause I'm going downtown to cast my vote for president." Oh, we were suffering until suffrage, Not a woman here could vote, no matter what age, Then the nineteenth amendment struck down the restrictive rule. (Oh yeah!) And now we pull down on the lever, Cast our ballots and we endeavor To improve our country, state, county, town, and school. (Tell 'em 'bout it!) Those pilgrim women who... who braved the boat Could cook the turkey, but they... they could not vote. Even Betsy Ross who sewed the flag was left behind that first election day. (What a shame, Sisters!) Then Susan B. Anthony (Yeah!) and Julia Howe, (Lucretia!) Lucretia Mott, (and others!) they showed us how; They carried signs and marched in lines Until at long last the law was passed. Oh, we were suffering until suffrage, Not a woman here could vote, no matter what age, Then the nineteenth amendment struck down that restrictive rule (Oh yeah!) And now we pull down on the lever, Cast our ballots and we endeavor To improve our country, state, county, town, and school. (Right on! Right on!) Yes, the nineteenth amendment Struck down that restrictive rule. (Right on! Right on!) Yes, the nineteenth amendment Struck down that restrictive rule Yeah Yeah Yeah Right on! We got it now! Since 1920 Sisters, unite! Vote on!
I think I know that store. Having gone to Klein Forest High School back in the day...I remember a lot of stores like it.
The people who are starting college this fall across the nation were born in 1982. They have no meaningful recollection of the Reagan Era and probably did not know he had ever been shot. They were prepubescent when the Persian Gulf War was waged. Black Monday, 1987 is as significant to them as the Great Depression. There has been only one ! ! Pope. They were 11 when the Soviet Union broke apart and do not remember the Cold War. They have never feared a nuclear war. They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up. Tianamen Square means nothing to them. Bottle caps have always been screw off and plastic. Atari predates them, as do vinyl albums. The expression "You sound like a broken record" means nothing to them. They have never owned a record player. They have likely never played Pac Man and have never heard of Pong. They may have never heard of an 8 track. The Compact Disc was introduced when they were 1 year old. As far as they know, stamps have always cost about 33 cents. They have always had an answering machine. Most have never seen a TV set with only 13 channels! ! , nor have they seen a black and white TV. They have always had cable. There have always been VCRs, but they have no idea what BETA was. They cannot fathom not having a remote control. They don't know what a cloth baby diaper is, or know about the "Help me, I've fallen and I can't get up" commercial. Feeling old yet? ... There's more: They were born the year that Walkmen were introduced by Sony. Roller skating has always meant inline for them. Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show. They have no idea when or why Jordache jeans were cool. Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave. They have never seen Larry Bird play. They never took a swim and thought about Jaws. The Vietnam War is as ancient history to them as WWI, WWII and the Civil War. They have no idea that Americans were ever held hostage in Iran. They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are. They don't know who Mork was or where he was from. They never heard: "Where's the beef?", "I'd walk a mile for a Camel," or "De plane, de plane!". They do not care who shot J.R. and have no idea who J.R. was. The Titanic was found? They thought we always knew. Michael Jackson has always been white. Kansas, Chicago, Boston, America and Alabama are places, not rock bands. McDonalds never came in styrofoam containers. There has always been MTV. They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter. Do you feel old yet?...
Anyone here remember when MTV played music videos 24 hours a day? Why is it that I can remember who I was talking to on the phone the night hurricane Alicia hit in 1983, but can't remember what I did two days ago? Was that really almost 20 years ago?
I think it was called Curtis Mathis. my parents still have that TV and I was watching some football on it over Thanksgiving when I went to visit. The thing shows everything with a nasty green tint, and they prefer to use it as a "drink placer" by the pool table in the game room. In fact my mom scolded me for using it to watch TV when there are nearly a million other TVs in various nooks and crannies of the house. But sometimes, ya gotta relive your past, ya know?
My parents still have their Curtis Mathis console in the living room. Damn that thing is big. They use it to place the newer 32" Tv on, as well as the DVD, VCR, Surround sound, and satellite receiver. I think it still works too, but it's not cable ready.
Yes, but it was the same 15 or so videos...over and over and over and over Bob, I really could have done without that post of yours.... I need a nap.
My grandfather took me to watch the dump trucks hauling dirt out during the excavation for the Astrodome. I saw a baseball game live at Colt Stadium. I grew up in Meyerland, three blocks south of South Braeswood. When I was a toddler, I'd run to the bay window to watch the trains pass down at South Main. I could hear the train whistles inside the house.
Down memory lane with Finn's post. Here's something else on that topic: (although some even predate me). Looking back, it's hard to believe that we have lived as long as we have............... As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a special treat. Our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paint. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors, or cabinets, and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets. Not to mention hitchhiking to town as a young kid! We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then rode down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times we learned to solve the problem. We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. No cell phones. We played dodgeball and sometimes the ball would really hurt. We got cut and broke bones and broke teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. They were accidents. No one was to blame but us. Remember accidents? We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learned to get over it. We ate cupcakes, bread and butter, and drank sugar soda but we were seldom overweight.....................we were always outside playing. We shared one grape soda with four friends, from one bottle and no one died from this. We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X Boxes, video games at all, 99 channels on cable, video tape movies, surround sound, personal cellular phones, Personal Computers, Internet chatrooms,...........................we had friends. We went outside and found them. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's home and knocked on the door, or rung the bell or just walked in and talked to them. Imagine such a thing. Without asking a parent! By ourselves! Out there in the cold cruel world! Without a guardian. We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate worms and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever. Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment...... Some students weren't as smart as others, or didn't work hard enough, so they failed a grade and were held back to repeat the same grade........................ Tests were not adjusted for any reason Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected. No one to hide behind. The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law, imagine that! This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem solvers and inventors, ever. Ahhh -- bring out the violins.
Now that was a real treat, especially on hot summer days. I was smart enough not to do the riding in the go-carts. I would stick my little sister in them to test them out for me. I had foresight, she didn't. But I got spanked, and she didn't. So, it evened out in the end. my absolute favorite from the list. I would literally be gone from sunup 'till sundown on summer days. My parents didn't care because they knew most every kid on the street and knew I was only out playing football, basketball, or trading sports cards. Man I would give anything to be that young again! especially when you used a baseball, like I did! acci-whats? no stupid weapons ever got involved. Just our two fists. 24 hours later, all was forgotten and a good game of basketball ensued. speak for yourself! I was one fat-ass kid! Absolutely brilliant! Of course I grew up in an age of Atari and Nintendo, so on cold days we would go next door for a good game of Pac-man or Power pad running Pretend-based games like playing "spy" with walkie talkies and trench coats while hiding in bushes on the block were fun ways to waste a summer afternoon. can't relate. never broke the law as a kid, unless you count torturing a sibling... nah! and i'm a prime example!
