1980's - Growing up in the 1980's - The Best Generation of ALL.

When 1980 rolled around I was 11 years old. WOW, what a time it was. Free Spirited seeking fun at every corner of my little galaxy in the neighborhood. One thing that shaped the start of the 1980's was the movie "THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK".

I'll never forget the moment I watched the Empire Strikes Back. The day after I remember taping a playing card to my husky dirt bike spokes. As the noise sounded while driving around my street I pretended to be a space ship from the movie. I was dogging rocks pretending to drive through asteroid fields. The best time in the World.

At that time I lived in a rented house in Jefferson City, Missouri. Behind our house we had a lot of woods. Many of the trees had large vines hanging down. I used to play with my neighbors almost on a daily basis swinging on those vines over little creeks. We used to make little fires, forts, camp sites, and haunted trails during halloween. We spent hours upon hours everyday in those woods.

Summers of course were the best in the World. It was an open playground every day. After spending hours in the woods with my neighborhood friends we would head indoors to watch the tv show "GREEN ACRES" and "I DREAM OF JEANNIE" Life was grand. After the shows we would grab some sandwiches and go outside to ride bikes up and down our street. Of course I can't leave out swimming. We basically lived at the public swimming pool, Price $2.

One thing I will also never forget was the death of my dog. He was a collie and was with me for around 10 years. He was my best friend. After he died I didn't really desire to have another dog or any other pet. Just hurt to much. I did eventually get a hamster around 1984 named Alexander The Great. That little critter could move.

When I was around 14 years old I will never forget going to a movie with one of my good friends. After the movie we went outside and saw something totally unexpected. Someone in a hot air balloon crash landed in the parking lot of the movie theater. People gathered round to witness the exciting show. Fortunately the pilot of the balloon was ok.

CLOTHES and HAIR STYLES- Here comes the teased hair generation. I'll never forget feathering my hair everyday before school. I was a sight to behold (so I thought). I remember the girls having perms and parts in the middles. Others had the puffiest hair I had ever seen. We were the "COOL" generation for sure. I remember wearing my Levi Jeans, polo shirts, and topsiders. I can't forget about those incredibly short white Tennis Shorts either (What was I thinking?). Last but not least I had my switch blade COMB in my back pocket. I really did think that I was the coolest guy around. Ah, the 80's. A breath of fresh air and freedom. Yes people, I was a "Preppy". Followed in the footsteps of my brothers.

Some things about the 1980's that changed the face of the Country included many movies: Empire Strikes Back, The Shining, Airplane, Caddyshack, The Blues Brothers, Friday the 13th, The Elephant Man, Super Man 2, Flash Gordon, Coal Miners Daughter, The Fog, FAME, Somewhere in Time, Herbie Goes Bananas, Raiders of the Lost Arc, The Evil Dead, Omen 3, Tootsie, ET, Annie, Rambo, and many many more popular films seen in reruns today.

Music totally changed the 1980's scene. We went from Rock in the 1970's to pop rock in the 1980's. Some of the top bands include: Depeche Mode, Motley Crue, Tears for Fears, REM, Eurythmics, Poison, Culture Club, Rat, and many more. The music definitely changed the climate of the culture back then. Those music stars that were around in the 1970's also changed much of their music types during the 1980's. The 1980's were golden.

Then we have Television. Television in the 1980's saw a lot of sitcoms, and just good all around fun shows. The list is endless. Here are but a few of the many shows we watched in the 80's: ALF, Magnum PI, Cheers, The Wonder Years, Full House, A Team, Knight Rider, The Cosby Show, Hill Street Blues, Who's the Boss, The Golden Girls, Night Court, Growing Pains, MacGyver, Married With Children, Dukes of Hazzard, The Simpsons, Star Trek the Next Generation, Fraggle Rock, Rosanne, Remington Steele, The Greatest American Hero, Murphy Brown, Dynasty, Mama's Family, St. Elsewhere, Saved by the Bell, and many more. What a Great Generation in Television.

So, the next time when you are out and about you should bring up the Greatness of the 1980's with your friends, kids, parents, and anyone who will listen. For we made the 1980's What it is. We should be very proud. Have a great all you Steemers. Keep Steeming along. Cheers.

PS: How Could we forget about the ultimate game still played today. Created in the 1980's -
The Rubix Cube

Article from Tim Crowe, Me.
(All images taken from google search imaging)