Let's Make Fun

We have been unusually lucky this winter, in that no one has gotten sick. Today, however, the sinus evils are upon us. Kboy is home with a cough, and I feel like someone is trying to force one of my lungs up through my trachea.

So what does one do when one is trapped home, not well? Maybe shower and brush teeth to help feel better? No. Maybe clean up the breakfast dishes? No. Maybe traipse out to the garage and poke around through old boxes of memorabilia? Absolutely.

A little reminiscing is great stuff. I feel it can all be summed up in one sentence: The 80's are an open invitation for mockery. If your kids are growing up in the new millenium, they will have no excuse for not looking good. But if you grew up in the 80's, expect to be ridiculed.

Read on, and mock openly:

The best thing that EVER happened was when my mother realized that I was indeed both a little bit country AND a little bit rock n roll, so she got me backstage passes to the Osmonds. Funny thing, though, because in real life, I'm NOT the teeniest bit country.

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Yes, in honor of my birthday month, here's a look back at the big day in 1982. LOVE the ribbon-weave barettes! I think I had a pair to match every outfit. Although I clearly didn't know how to actually match, since the barettes are purple and my shirt is... um... what color is it, exactly?

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WHOA! Step back! Who's that girl!? What is it about the 80's that compelled us to pose ALL THE TIME? Was it Madonna? Debbie Gibson? I think it was a secret desire to be discovered and featured in Tiger Beat magazine. Right in between Ralph Macchio and Kirk Cameron. I apologize to my little brother, who I probably forced to take these pictures for me. Although on a lighter note, I think I was actually tan. Huh. Long time, no see in that department.

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Oh yes, that's you Steve. And you look as bitchin' in your IRON MAIDEN tshirt as I do in my LED ZEP. Speaking of looking like a freak... yes, there are braces on those teeth. Zits on my face as well, but you can't really see them in this shot. Pity. So... couple the zits and braces with these bangs, and ai carumba! I like to refer to this as my Slinky Hair. Not because it's sexy and slinky, but because the bangs actually took the tunneled-arc shape of a slinky.

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The 80's were a time of true love. There were rules about showing affection. I'm sure I knew none of them. This is my version of How To Impress The Guy You Like 101:

1. Sneak out in the middle of the night with Brooke and Tara.
2. Bring toilet paper and forks.
3. Throw the TP all over his family's huge, wooded yard.
4. Stab forks in the lawn to spell out his name.
5. Take pictures.

He will clearly know that you have feelings for him, and would like him to ask you out. Although, be careful, because since Brooke was there too, he might assume SHE was the one who liked him, and ask her to his prom instead of you. -sigh- It's okay. She had less acne than me. I understand.

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Another reason to mock a child of the 80's... hard-earned money was spent on Bon Jovi tickets. Brittany and I worked our way right up to the front. This Boston concert was used for the filming of the Lay Your Hands On Me video, and my right arm is clearly visible for about 2.7 seconds in said video. Seriously. I'm sure you can find it on YouTube somewhere.

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Now. This brings me to music of the 80's. I am quite certain that at some point in time, I cried over a boy to this song. This would be one of about 48 songs I cried to, and probably 42 boys I cried over. WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH 80'S HORMONES? Was it just me? Peter Gabriel- In Your Eyes; Tesla- Love Song; Brian Adams- Heaven; Broken Wings- Mr. Mister... have I struck a chord with you yet? I'm so happy R&B went the direction it did, and that I discovered it. Now THAT'S some music to dim the lights to.

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Did anyone else go to Girls' Camp and make these necklaces? You got a disc for each of your accomplishments. I was a little over-zealous. I liked a big necklace, because it meant I had accomplished a lot. (Brooke, you may want to make sure Linda sees this... lots of Z best...) As it turns out, I was pretty much an over-achiever. It was just Girls' Camp, for crying out loud.

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Lastly, my most monumental undertaking of the 80's... my bubble gum wrapper chain. It is longer than me, made out of hundreds and hundreds of intricately folded bubble gum wrappers. Oh yes, I worked on it during early morning seminary, biology, chemistry, even church. Every time anyone chewed gum, I accosted them for their wrapper. Look closely: remember Fruit Stripes bubble gum? Mmmmmm... good stuff. Don't ask me why I still have this, but I do. I dug it out today because I was telling Skip about it this week. He's coming home tonight, and I am ridiculously excited to show it to him.

So. In summation... the 80's were tough on everyone, for lots of reasons. It's no excuse however. We still deserve to be made fun of. Wicked bad.