80s Nostalgia Revisited and Revised!

1. Those who were KIDS in the '80s: - nostalgia based mainly around toys, cartoons, some music (mall pop like Debbie Gibson), TV shows (in particular, Jim Henson-related, After School Specials, or other "edutainment"), video games, and movies we were allowed to watch or could sneak into (Goonies, The Last Starfighter, others). Currently the ones buying back all their old Star Wars and GI Joe (kung fu grip of course) action figures at 5 x the original cost. Wish they had been teens during the '80s. Probably had a Member's Only jacket their mom made them wear. Probably had roughly 2000 pins on their denim jacket that their mom didn't want them wearing.  Stayed up late to watch Flashdance and Fast Times at Ridgemont High on Home Box Office (to see the sex scenes). Played laser tag. Remember the cartoon shows based on Atari games.  Thought "Turbo Teen" was pretty creepy. Would rather play Nintendo. Cried after seeing the video for "Thriller." Knocked holes in wall of house looking for fraggles. Thought the Delorean from Back to the Future was the coolest car ever. Spent whole allowance in video arcade. Will never, ever, to this very day, go near the "Dungeons and Dragons Ride."  Cried when Optimus Prime died during Transformers: The Movie. Thought Rodimus Prime sucked hard.  Traumatized for life when older brother/sister spoiled Empire Strikes Back and Luke found out Vader was his daddy.  Got really grossed out when realizing Leia kissed her brother on the mouth.  Too scared to smoke pot because of Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" school video and the "This is your brain, this is your brain on drugs" commerical.

2. Those who were TEENS in the '80s:  Smoked lots of pot and remembers deep conversations with Fraggles.  Smoked lots of pot while watching TRON.  Couldn't take eyes off Darryl Hannah in Blade Runner. Actually had a clue what most of the lyrics were about, understood what a "New Romantic" was, could relate to the characters in John Hughes movies.  Tends to nod their heads and agree with about ~90% of SLC Punk. Might have dressed like Adam Ant.  Once.  Actually got into see Fast Times and the other movies mostly to watch the sex scenes. REALLY liked Phoebe Cates and Molly Ringwald. Really, really liked Phoebe Cate's breasts in "Fast Times."  Actually remembers Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi before George Lucas started really fucking with them.  Scoffed at how bad the cartoons based on the Atari games actually were.  Thought "Turbo Teen" and the "Mr T" cartoons weren't too bad if you smoked a lot of pot.  Still wonders if the kids on the "Dungeons and Dragons" cartoon ever made it home.  Thought Cheetarah and Teela were kinda hot, and to this day feels very dirty and wrong for it.  Put initials into every arcade game possible (except Missile Command).  Traumatized for days after watching "The Day After". Wore black and wrote very bad Cure-inspired poetry in spiral notebooks.  Still cried when Optimus Prime died.  Still thought Rodimus Prime sucked hard. Likely had the hots for Debbie Harry or Adam Ant (depending on gender and persuasion). Will dance to anything by Public Image Limited.  Made fun of the kids wearing "Members Only" jackets that their moms made them wear. Thought the kids who liked the Delorean from Back to the Future were nerds. Have "up up down down left right left right BABA select start" tatooed on forehead. Watched the original Nightmare on Elm Street and the Jason movies. Remember when MTV actually played music videos. Unless they were into straight-edge punk in which case they decided early on that MTV sucked and all they watched were grainy tapes of Minor Threat, Youth Brigade, and Black Flag. Really wanted to be in Black Flag. Didn't like Reagan. Not sure why, but just didn't like Reagan. Actually used the word "Radical" as slang at some point.

3. Those who were in their 20's in the '80s: Were probably IN Black Flag at some point. For like 5 minutes. Like you know played bass for them and stuff.  And the Misfits were there too. Yeah. Wonder what the hell happened to their parents to make them sell out so hard. Maybe voted for Reagan. Actually, probably voted for Reagan even though they had no job. Waxed nostalgic about teenage years during the '70s when they smoked lots of pot watching Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii. Smoked lots of pot while watching Pink Floyd: The Wall. Knew that John Hughes movies were full of shit.  Thought Heathers nearly got it right.  After watching "The Day After" were absolutely convinced that we were going to nuke ourselves. Even more convinced the world would be just like "Mad Max." Still liked Molly Ringwald though. Could care less about Fraggles (except when smoking pot), the kids from the "Dungeons and Dragons" show, GI Joe, and Transformers.  Interested in only one thing: becoming a yuppie, unless they were in Black Flag, in which case they were interested in spending the night at Discord House and starting a 'zine.  Knew that the song "turning Japanese" was about self-pleasuring. Actually know the difference between BETA and VHS. Maybe owned a BETA. Watched "Streets of Fire" on BETA. Thought about buying a laser disc player some day. Beat up kids who went to video arcades and stole their allowance.  Liked Atari better than Nintendo. Thought and brooded a lot about the actual meaning of the words to "Born in the USA" until they became a yuppie and stopped caring and voted for Reagan.  Maybe saw the bands on MTV while they were still slumming it at CBGBs and Max's Kansas City.  Made lots of money at one point but spent it all on hookers and blow.  Actually knows what "electroclash" is.  Probably owns some electroclash 12"s. Owns original pressing of "Blue Monday" on 12" vinyl.  Watch Scarface and say "ahh, the good old days." Preferred Pat Benatar to Debbie Harry, Morrisey to Adam Ant.  Will hit you with their best shot.  Wore skinny ties and had a keyboard scarf.  Had hair like the guy in "A Flock of Seagulls" for like 5 minutes.  Thought every band needed a keyboard player, or better yet a key-tar, unless a creepy old scene kid and still into Black Flag and straight-edge punk.  Thinks they knew someone who drove a Delorean and owned a key-tar.

4. Those over 30 during the '80s: Actually drove a Delorean. Thought key-tars sucked.  Gave up on their hippie ideals when they realized commune living and the "Age of Aquarius" weren't paying the bills. Discovered money was better than acid.  Actually SAW Pink Floyd play "The Wall" live.  Didn't buy "The Final Cut," or any of Roger Waters' solo albums.  Wrote a review for Time magazine about "The Dark Knight Returns." Could care less about the words to "Born in the USA" but still screamed "BRUUUUUCCCCEEEE" at every show and cried when the E Street Band broke up. Still smoked pot, only now rolled up in $100.00 bills. Watches "Wall Street" on repeat, on a laser disc player.  Looks back at the Enron mess and wonders how they hell they got away with junk bonds and running cocaine and guns through Colombia.  Know that "Contra" wasn't just a videogame.  Actually HUNG OUT with Pat Benatar and Morrisey. Or at least claim they did. Became the parents in SLC Punk.

5. Those really old during the '80s: Sulked a lot and then died.

Rescued from a Live Journal post.

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