Trapped in the 80's Moms: A Blog

Finally: QUEEN WEEK

2012-02-16T11:18:00.009-06:00

I need to apologize.

For those of you who have been following this blog for some time, I know it has been difficult these past months to go without your nostalgia fix. I feel sorry if my absence has caused you any delerium tremens, depressive episodes, or desire to run naked through city streets in a makeshift tutu and platform heels. I realize the role that nostalgia plays in keeping us sane when the demands of the daily grind get to us; there is always comfort in looking back to simpler times, to before we had to pay rent, or change dirty diapers, or wear reading glasses.

I am glad to say, however, that I'm finally back in this ridiculous saddle and ready to spread the love with "Queen Week".

For today, I'd like to share with you a video from this past year's MTV EMA awards. It features the MTV EMA finale of Queen with guest vocal performance by Adam Lambert. Those of you who have followed my blog for years remember that I am a big Lambert fan. When his pristine vocals are combined with the music of Queen, it somehow feels...I dunno...right.

I was too lazy to find the live version with audio and video that has not been blocked from YouTube (seriously--what do you expect? I still own a VHS player and lament the demise of the Betamax. Don't expect much from me, OKAY?). But here, go ahead and click to at least listen to this totally rad medley:

There has been much gossip and rumor-making about the possibility of Adam Lambert taking up the mic permanently as frontman for Queen, one of my all-time favorite bands of the 70s and 80s. But as of now, it seems these are just rumors; Adam has suggested himself that there may be some future appearances with Queen, but a permanent gig as frontman is currently not in the making.

I would love to hear your opinions on this pairing. Honestly, I could not think of a more fitting combination. I am sure Freddie himself would approve of what Lambert does with these songs--he delivers the spirit of the original, but changes them just enough to make it feel like something new. No one wants to hear Queen karaoke, but we also do not want to hear our beloved classics deformed and made unrecognizable. In this performance, Adam Lambert commits neither sin.

Basically, it ROCKS.

John Mellencamp Documentary

2012-01-03T09:00:00.005-06:00

Okay, okay. Yes, I have been a lazy blogger. But for those of you who have been waiting for 'Queen Week', fear not--it is coming soon!

For today's business, I'm posting information on an upcoming documentary on John Mellencamp (or as I still refer to him, John Cougar). A reader of this blog has asked that I tell you about it. Here is the info that was provided:

"The film is about to do a limited run in both New York (opening Jan 4th at IFC Film Center) and LA (Jan 6th and Laemmle Music Hall)-- A nice way to ring in the New Year.":

JOHN MELLENCAMP: IT’S ABOUT YOU is a new musical documentary that offers a rare and intimate look at the life and music of Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Mellencamp. The film premiered at this year’s SXSW festival and follows Mellencamp on his summer 2009 concert tour and during the recording of his most recent album, 2010’s universally acclaimed No Better Than This, the sessions for which took place at American musical and historical landmarks, including Sun Studios in Memphis and the First African Baptist Church in Savannah, GA. We see Mellencamp recording – with a single mike and mono tape recorder more than half a century old – in the same hotel room where legendary bluesman Robert Johnson created some of his most memorable work. Along the way, Mellencamp reveals a side not often seen by the public, in a film that becomes a soulful, highly personal meditation on small-town America.

"The Eye" -- So You Can Figure Out What You Wanted From the Pantry

2011-11-02T08:34:00.008-05:00

I'm not a mystical person. I do not subscribe to superstitions in the least. A black cat can cross my path, and I am not bothered by it one single bit (except for the fact that I don't care for cats--they don't give good kisses like dogs do). The Mayans can proclaim cataclysm, and I think: "So long as they don't cancel Glee, have at it, world".

But as a student of culture (our own, as well as those of the past), I am interested in the imagery of mysticism and understand the rich heritage that stands behind it.

Throughout the ages, many cultures have believed that wearing the symbol of an eye grants protection from evil. From evil eye rings to Eye of Horus amulets, this symbol has always given comfort. For me, personally, the eye is just symbolic of awareness. Now that I am middle aged (wait--WHAT? It's not the Reagan era any more?), I actually need 'reminders' to be aware (especially when I stand in the pantry for a full three minutes, repeating to myself: "Now WHAT did I come in here for???").

So, as part of my jewelry design business (Meditations Jewelry), I am making these reminders of awareness. Or, of protection, if that's how you see it. This silver ring features a glass Fiber Optic Cat's Eye bead. These beads contain a shimmer down the middle, a chatoyant band of glimmer that resembles the eye of a big cat.

I would love to craft for you a made to order silver eye ring similar to the one pictured, only in your size and color choice [True Blue, (pictured); Cobalt Blue; Icy White; Peach; Lime Green; Deep Purple; Lemon Yellow; Pink]. It is affordable, at only $14! These would also make great holiday stocking stuffers (why not have one made in a person's eye color?).

As usual, I like to offer discounts to readers of this blog. So here it is. At checkout, any time between today and Thanksgiving, you can get a 10% discount on this custom ring, or on any item over $14, by entering the following coupon code at checkout: 80SMOMBLOG

Click here to see this silver ring, as well as many more gemstone necklaces, bracelets, earrings, beaded eyeglasses chains, and accessories: Meditations Gemstone Jewelry.

I will be back soon with more 80s love!

The Wonder Years: More Like the "Wonderful Years"

2011-10-25T17:05:00.006-05:00

I may have blogged about The Wonder Years in the past, but I can't help doing it again.

I get away with mentioning this program because, although it is set in the 1960s and early 70s, this series was filmed in the 1980s and early 90s. Watching this excellent show was part of my high school and college years, for sure. Even though I was not so far removed from the middle school trials, tribulations and triumphs of Kevin Arnold, I was old enough to understand the nostalgic quality of the program even then. I found the narration to be beautiful (and true).

Because all the episodes of this well-written and expertly performed series are now available on Netflix streaming, we have a habit of tuning in, as a family, to at least one episode of The Wonder Years virtually EVERY night. It has become almost like a ritual for us these past weeks. We laugh a little; we cry a lot. We do it together, from the youngest family member to the oldest.

Trapped in the 80s Moms (and Dads), this is the program for all ages. Your kids will love it. You will love it. Your grandma will love it. It is even better than you remembered (you are an adult now, after all). Just do it.

Here is the intro to the pilot.

80s Makeup -- otherwise known as makeup from the time before dinosaurs

2011-08-10T09:53:00.009-05:00

After doing my recent color analysis exercise, I started to really think about 80s makeup (as I stated before, the experts in ridiculous lady things say that bright colors are supposed to 'work' for me). I am sure most of you remember a few years during the 1980s when you lined your eyes in cobalt or electric blue (take a long look at my stupid profile picture ... hmmmm...). I am sure you remember the upswept blocks of clashing colors on the eyelids. You remember green mood lipstick (I know you want to read about it here). You may even remember sticking tape to your upper eyelids while applying makeup, so as to make the demarcations between the colors sharper, and the lines more distinct.

Well, it seems we are getting old enough that what seemed to come naturally to us is now being treated as a weird makeup technique of the dinosaur era. Do you want to feel old? Take a gander at the various Youtube makeup tutorials aimed at helping young women achieve an '80s' look. There is this funny attitude that I guess I will need to get used to as we age further--an attitude of 'this is what they used to do way back when'. WAY BACK WHEN. These videos talked about the hot pink blush and emerald mascara as if it were henna tattoos, or corset lacing, or some weird ages-old atrocity that would have sucked at the time, but that they somehow think it hip to flirt with a little now.

There are numerous videos by makeup experts telling everyone how to achieve the 'look' of a recent Katy Perry video where she dons 80s inspired makeup. There is no trick, no expertise needed from makeup historians. Just ask little old me, circa 1984.

So, the hip out there are bringing back a little bit of dinosaur makeup? Well, all I can say is: the cobalt has never left my waterline.

Color Me Beautiful -- In the 80s, I Was Just a Plain Ole Winter

2011-08-03T12:22:00.010-05:00

Do you remember the color analysis fad spurred by Color Me Beautiful in the 1980s? I had that book. Although I did not attend one of those analysis parties, I spent a lot of time pouring over this book and obsessing on which colors did me the most justice. I didn't always obey, and spent many years wearing mustard and rust colored pullovers and looking like something from Night of the Living Dead (yes, smart alecks, I KNOW this was a black and white film).

While net surfing the other night, I accidentally came across a color analysis video and discovered that just as many things have grown more complicated since the 80's, so has determining your 'season'. Your 'color season' is determined by holding swatches of fabric to your face and taking ridiculous, virtually impossible quizzes, with questions such as 'do your eyes have flecks?'. Although most people don't talk about the whole 'seasons' thing these days, it appears the color gurus are still at it, and have complicated the process even further. Now, instead of there being 4 season to choose from, we now must choose from three different variations within a season (for a total of 12 choices), so as to even further fine-tune our category and hone in on our most flattering color choices (see this: Color Analysis Info).

After some obsessing over the questions (Do I have flecks in my eyes? Are those flecks, rays, or dots? WHAT THE HELL?) I finally determined myself to be a 'clear winter' slightly flowing to 'clear spring'. I am supposed to always wear pink or purple goop slathered on my cheeks. Lucky for me, since that is exactly how people looked in the 1980s. I am not only nostalgic in my mind, but obviously am connected to that era deep down in my blood.

This sounds really stupid. I know. But yesterday I wore a purple shirt and piled the tacky goop all over my face (I know you think it is funny that I consider ANYTHING to be tacky, considering my profile picture here). Fuchsia lips. Lavender lids. Plum eyeliner. I looked almost like a burn victim.

Funny thing is, men and women both seemed to go out of their way all day to talk to me. They were excessively friendly, and their eyes seemed to linger (I am hoping it is not because they thought I was turning tricks in the shopping mall). My kids both said 'you look really pretty today'.

Obviously, I AM a clear winter, flowing to clear spring. So be it. This post is so girly that I am almost ashamed; tomboys don't write posts like this, and do not wear hot pink lipstick.

This is really stupid. But I can tell you (since I actually wrote a poem to Ralph Macchio once) that stupid can sometimes be good.

Solid Gold Was All We Had

2011-07-18T17:07:00.006-05:00

Solid Gold was all we had. Really. Few families has cable TV in my neighborhood in the very early 80s, so we unfortunately missed out on that first year or so of MTV. There were few places to go to see visuals to connect with our favorite songs from the radio. Up until 1983, when Friday Night Videos came to the airwaves late at night, the only music program available on regular network television (and I think it was a syndicated program, at that) was Solid Gold.

And we loved it. We LOVED IT.

Low and The Hurting -- Albums for When I Was Low and Hurting

2011-07-14T17:47:00.010-05:00

I recently treated myself to the remastered CD of David Bowie's Low. I have always loved this album. I had purchased this cassette tape sometime in the late 1980s, and it quickly became a go-to album for those times when I felt a little depressed and just wanted to wallow in a bit of sad contemplation.

It wasn't side 1 of this album that I felt this way about--it was side 2, which mainly featured pieces co-created by Brian Eno. This side, which is almost entirely ambient instrumentals (with occasional atmospheric vocalizing by Bowie), ran the gamut from sad to desperate to contemplative to just plain beautiful. On so many occasions as a teen I would lie down with my Walkman headphones on, feeling quite 'low', and come out of side 2 feeling energized by the sounds. It was a therapy.

I often experienced a similar feeling after listening to The Hurting, my favorite Tears for Fears album. I had that one on vinyl. The Hurting was on the turntable so many times that I can almost tell you exactly where the pops and crack are in my record, even to this day.

Those two albums brought me through some tough times. To this day, I somehow find them simultaneously depressing and exhilarating.

I would be interested to know which albums served as your 'therapy'.

Name That Tune--80's New Wave Edition

2011-07-05T12:39:00.004-05:00

The other night I came across this fun little challenge. Courtesy of YouTube user mariflame, here is a fun little 20 song New Wave "Name That Tune". Everyone following this blog will know at least a few of these tunes--but do any of you know them all? I was able to name the song and artist on all but 3 of these. Take the test, then come back here and let us know how you did!

REVIEW: Super 8 Should be called "Super 80s"

2011-06-12T11:45:00.011-05:00

Yes, I know, I know, it is set in 1979. But need we be sticklers for details?

This film, directed by J.J. Abrams and produced by Steven Speilberg, captures this era precisely. It is a close re-creation of the time (as I remember it) when disco was dying, New Wave was making its grand entrance, and the aesthetic that would shape much of Generation X taste was just being born. Here you will get everything you expect, and more: the obligatory references to the Walkman, Rubik's Cube, nods to 80s music, and expertly furnished sets that make you feel as if you grew up right there in the living rooms depicted. In lesser hands, all of this could have appeared hokey and heavy-handed, as it did in the ... ahem ... film Hot Tub Time Machine. But here it is so much fun, and so bittersweet in presentation. I may have spent as much time looking at the set pieces and props as I did focusing on the actors' faces.

My husband summed it up when twenty minutes in he leaned over and whispered: "I don't feel like I am watching a movie about the 80s. I feel like I'm watching a movie FILMED in the 80s".

Why? Why this distinction? It comes down to more than just the accuracy of the clothing, expressions, and set. I am no film expert, but it really comes down to a style of movie making that seems to be characteristically 80s. Which means: it is characteristically Speilberg.

What makes a film seem "1980s"? To me, there is a certain reactionary aspect. Perhaps it is a sort of hearkening back to the time when film was more formulaic, more interested in manipulation of human emotion and less interested in representing a 'gritty' (and oftentimes nihilistic) reality. When you watch a film from the 80s, or, actually, from Speilberg in general, you are not confused into thinking that what you are watching is anything close to a realistic portrayal. What you are watching is what all film should, in my opinion, be: a REPRESENTATION of what's real. What you are watching is a reality where all action, all behavior, all settings and plot devices, are somehow unbelievable for their disconnect from our everyday experiences, yet somehow very real for how they touch something real inside of our hearts.

WOW, that sounded sappy. Go ahead, make fun of me now. It won't bother me one bit.

Beefing up the Blogroll

2011-05-31T20:00:00.004-05:00

It is a shame that my "Totally Tubular 80s and Gen X" blogroll is so paltry (to see it, scroll down and look to the lefthand side below the blog archive). I would love to turn it into a lengthier go-to compilation of 80s themed websites and blogs. Instead of randomly posting links into the list, I would prefer to trade links with those I communicate with either here or on Twitter. So, if you have a 1980s or Generation X themed website or blog and would like to trade links, make a comment below with a link to your site. I will only place appropriate sites in the blogroll; no blogs about Hummel figurines, or about recipes or about persian cats. Unless, of course, you can thematically tie those things into the 1980s.

Seeing You Out in Style

2011-05-20T11:02:00.004-05:00

Just in case the world changes tomorrow with the predicted rapture of May 21, 2011, I thought I'd see you all out in style.

My favorite 'end of the world' song has always been Prince's 1999. But since Prince does not allow his music on Youtube, you will need to settle for my second favorite, by R.E.M. Enjoy!

Staredown with a Permanent Wave

2011-05-10T08:41:00.017-05:00

I wanted to perm my hair last month. Not only was I fully prepared to perm it, but I actually got the 'hairbrained' idea to do it myself as I had always done in high school. I guess I wanted to conjure the high hopes that the chemicals, and tiny rollers, had always conferred. To me, that perm solution had always smelled as magical as had Charlie, or Chanel No. 5, or as powerful as Love's Baby Soft.

Call this game plan part of a nostalgia roadtrip if you want. Call it anti-fashion. Call this idea what it was: just plain dumb. I didn't know this when I drove to the beauty supply store. En route, I cranked up the Kajagoogoo or some such music. Maybe it was Naked Eyes, or Simple Minds. Who knows. But I know the accompaniment was a tribute to what I planned to do, a tribute to the time when I was wide-eyed about the future and believing that putting those curls in would change EVERYTHING.

Obviously, the beauty industry does not believe, in the year 2011, that putting in tight curls will change everything (aside from making one appear completely out of sync, in an effect not dissimilar to what a mullet would do to a forty year old guy). There was a very small section on the shelves, very small, devoted to perm kits, while an entire smorgasbord of hair straightening products stood nearby. There were chemical straighteners. There were de-frizzers. There were flat irons. There were all manner of devices and systems designed to give the 21st century woman the appearance that her hair was not actually hair, but that it was, instead, a bland, lifeless helmet of shiny microfibers.

I spent an hour looking at the small selection of boxes. I hemmed and hawed over which size rollers to go with. I walked back and forth to the register several times. Then, I copped out.

I copped out.

However much I longed for it, I did have my limits. Could I wear huge shoulder pads? I could (and I did, for a Lady Gaga concert when I pulled a jacket from the back of the closet that was from The Limited, circa late 80s). Could I wear skinny jeans, despite the fact that my ever-widening rear end made it a fashion nightmare? Yes. Could I wear penny loafers? Why, yes. Of course. But when it comes to hair - that is another thing altogether. I suddenly thought of the bouffant ladies. We all know who they are - the ones who wore bouffants clear through the 70's, 80's and beyond. I remember how dating those hairdos were, and how OLD those women seemed back then, even though, no doubt, they were around the age that I am right now.

The thing is (and this thing is why I had a hard time carrying those perm supplies to the register): the perm has become the new bouffant.

I am proud, though, that I did, on one spring afternoon in 2011, stare down "The Perm" in a nostalgic clash of the 80s titans.

"The Perm" stared back. It won.

Top Ten 80s New Romantics - Featuring Boy George

2011-03-24T20:25:00.006-05:00

I have written in this blog before about how much I loved and identified with the music and fashion of the New Romantics of the 1980s (See my post from 2009, I Left My Heart with the New Romantics).

New Romanticism was primarily a fashion movement driven by the British club scene of the early 80s, but the look was so intertwined with the new wave/synthpop music coming out of Britain at the time that the two are virtually inseparable.

Check out the two videos below for an in-depth (and don't say I didn't warn you - these are IN-DEPTH!) countdown of the top New Romantics. It is hosted by the one and only Boy George, who in my mind has always been a kind of New Romantic mascot.

My Lethargy, and Bryan Ferry

2011-02-24T13:09:00.007-06:00

I am so sorry for my lethargy as regards this blog. I have been very, very busy lately with sleeping late and watching dust bunnies blow across the floor. These activities leave me little time for blogging. Hopefully I will be back in the game soon. Until then, enjoy some music.

You People Are Just Delightful!

2011-01-31T14:25:00.006-06:00

Seriously. I love reading your comments. Although they are usually not earth shattering (much like my blog posts), every once in a while a comment is made that is so entertaining, I have to share it with you.

Following is one of those. I grinned ear to ear with the prospect of someone having such vehement anger towards something so seemingly benign as a Taco song.

Just when I feel like quitting this blog, something like this rises to the surface to make it all worthwhile.

Here is the original post this comment was made on, along with the video for Taco's "Puttin' On The Ritz".

And here are the comments, from 'anonymous':

Anonymous said...
I hate it with the blinding fury of 1,000 suns. You know why that song is never on the radio anymore? Because it killed itself in 1992 out of shame and guilt, for sodomizing so many people's innocent ear holes.

If you enjoy this song, you will go to hell. It's written in the bible. And you know what you will hear in the lobby of hell once you get there? This song. Played over and over again.

Only it's an extend twenty-eight minute "jam" version.

Truly, truly Infernal.

The thing that really makes this song so horrible, is when you're unlucky or unhip enough to be at a club or bar where this song comes on, and you then have to watch the people who enjoy it sing or dance to it. It is always guaranteed to be one of the saddest, whitest, nerdiest, most pathetic, most cringe-inducing sights a man can behold in life.

It is absolutely assured, such an experience will be unspeakably uncomfortable for any living animal with eyes and/or ears, 100% of the time, without fail. COCKROACHES hate this song. SPONGES don't have eyes OR ears, and even THEY hate it because the salty tears of misery and despair cried by it's victims inevitably require sponging.

God forbid, you ever see a woman do a strip-tease to it. It is so mind-rapingly disturbing and unsexy, there's a good chance you'll go just up and go gay right there on the spot... Like "Yep, that's it. I'm done with women for life."

At the very least, it will take weeks to get any semblence of a sex drive back.

I would rather watch puppies get crushed with cinderblocks, or listen to a symphony of industrial chainsaws for an hour, than to watch or hear this video or song ever again.

Ummm... No. No ma'am. I don't much care for this song. I think that's essentially what I'm trying to say.

I Want a Chicken Wire Michael Jackson!

2011-01-25T17:04:00.008-06:00

While surfing around the net today, I came across the coolest piece of artwork and wanted to share it with you. It is a sculpture of Michael Jackson made of chicken wire. It was crafted by an Australian artist named Ivan Lovatt, who you can read about here.

I just liked it and wanted to show it to you. I wish I could have a chicken wire Michael!

I Never Get Sick of This Man - David Bowie

2011-01-23T12:12:00.006-06:00

I have paid attention to this man for over thirty years and never get sick of him. Here is one of my favorite songs from the Glam Rock era. This is from 2002.

Parachute Pants, Revisited

2011-01-12T18:50:00.006-06:00

One of the most visited pages on this blog is an old post I made in 2008 concerning parachute pants. To see it, click here: "And The Winner Is ... PARACHUTE PANTS!"

I rarely highlight comments in blog posts, but recently "Anonymous" posted a comment on that page that I wanted to share with you. Apparently he took exception to several of my points concerning parachute pants. Thanks for your entertaining and enlightening comments, anonymous. I will concede that my post was probably in error concerning Michael Jackson videos. I cannot reference one, but am sure he wore them in some concert footage somewhere.

You will never, however, get me to agree on the chick magnet part.

Anonymous said...
In December 1989 I vowed to never leave the 80s ... I'm still there after 21 years now. I was an avid fan of the parachute pants because of their coolness, in both meaning of the word. Your list is partial agreeable. My list of Parachute pants characteristics:
1) No, there are not cargo pants (cargo pants are based on military BDU's)
2) Yes, they are NOT MC Hammer pants, MC Hammer pants came out about 5-7 years AFTER parachute pants. MC Hammer pants are 'screwed-up' baggy pants. MC Hammer pants have nothing to do with jumping out of an aircraft.
3) Parachute pants were made to JUMP from a aircraft and were made of nylon and easily frayed.
4) Parachute pants WERE chick magnets, they LOVED the way it felt.
5) You can sneak up on a person with parachute pants, I know I was a 80s Ninja.
6) Parachute pants are very beautiful.
7) I don't recall Jackson wearing parachute pants in a music video, but I'm sure he did on stage at some point in the early 80s.
8) Yes, worn by break-dancers and wanna-be's, I was a break-dancer wanna-be but that was my public personsa. I was a undercover ninja that used to wear black parachute clothing to simulate black ninja attire. Also carried butterfly knives, ninja stars, nunchucks in my zipped parachute pants.
9) Parachute pants must have zippers. To keep thangs from falling out of your pockets after you jump out of an aircraft.

Today's 80s Life Tip

2011-01-08T12:51:00.001-06:00

Tell the people you love that they are totally tubular, awesomely radical, and, for the most part, bitchin' righteous.

Do They Know It's Christmas? by Band Aid

2010-12-22T13:57:00.006-06:00

I post this every year. It never fails to make me feel gratitude for all that I have. Enjoy it again this year.

I hope the holidays treat you well, and that you get a pair of legwarmers, or jelly shoes, or parachute pants in your stocking.

Scents of the 80s

2010-12-16T16:17:00.006-06:00

Today via Twitter, some of us GenX-ers recalled the scents that we connect with the 1980s. There is something so nostalgic about the smells that take us back to a certain time and place. For me, the favorite scents of my past are Jean Nate After Bath Splash and Love's Baby Soft Cologne. Every single Christmas I have memories of getting those as gifts.

The 1980s were about being noticed, and boy, did our colognes and perfumes do that! They were bold. They were brazen. They made us hold our noses for an entire deacade (or two, if you count the 70s). And it was never enough to have just the perfume - we also had to wear the matching powder and moisturizer - all at the same time.

Which scent brings you back to the 1970s and 80s? Is it Charlie? Chanel No. 5? Drakkar Noir? Polo? I bet there is at least one Avon scent on your list. Which one is it?

The British Parliament Discusses The Smiths / Morrissey

2010-12-14T11:52:00.007-06:00

Okay. I know I very recently blogged about Morrissey, but I saw this today and had to share it. Take a look at this video, where you will see the British Parliament joke at length about The Smiths/Morrissey with David Cameron.

I try to imagine our Senate or House of Represantatives being that cool, but for some reason I just can't imagine Charlie Rangel and John McCain discussing "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now."

I think I need to move to England.

Did You Love Ms. Pac Man?

2010-12-14T09:14:00.003-06:00

This is a weird little commercial for Ms. Pac Man. What is going on at the end with the little dancing Ms. Pac Man wearing the feather boa? Who, exactly, was this marketing directed at? I am guessing Ms. PacMan was an effort to lure girls into gaming. Did it work, ladies? Did you connect with the Ms.?

Free Download of New Duran Duran Single!

2010-12-11T14:55:00.005-06:00

I am so busy with the holidays that I do not have the time to do justice to this post. I will apologize up front to Duran Duran for the swiftness with which I dispatch this information. But here goes:

Duran Duran has a free download available on itunes for their single released this week, "All You Need is Now". Go and download it. Just do it, 'trapped in the 80s' people! I really still love these guys - as if you have not figured that out already.

Fashion and Design Colors of the 80s

2010-12-10T16:30:00.010-06:00

I still love lots of the color combinations used in interior design and fashion of the 1980s. Pink and gray (like this blog). Turquoise and yellow, or turquoise and mint green (aka "Miami Vice"). Blue, yellow and black (think Duran Duran's "Is There Something I Should Know" video).

But my very favorite, and the color combination I wore the most of, would have to be black, red, and silver. I loved these colors so much. I remember having a page from an interior design magazine that featured an ultra-modern kitchen in these colors. I cut it out and used it as a sort of bookmark for over ten years because I loved it so much (it eventually had to be trashed because it was in tatters). Are there colors of the 80s that you are still hooked on?

I recently made a few jewelry items that remind me, both in color as well as in style, of the 1980s. Although it is very different from my normal work, the photo pictured above is an example of one of these pieces. It features three handcrafted crochet wire balls strung on two wire chains, one black, one silver. This necklace has a fun, retro, and almost sculptural quality to it. Honestly, I don't get many hits on this item in my shop, probably because it is so different from much of what I make. But I bet the reason is that the 'right person' has not come along yet. I am fairly sure that the 'right person' will be someone with an affinity for my favorite decade. See more of this necklace, as well as my other work, at www.meditations.etsy.com

Tired of all the Holdiay 'Cheer'? Take in Some Morrissey!

2010-12-08T12:14:00.004-06:00

This will solve your problem of holiday cheer overload.

Here is the older, more distinguished, but no less irritable Morrissey singing one of my very favorite songs, if not THE favorite song, from the 80s. I used to take this so seriously, but now I watch him all suited up and starting to gray singing "I go home and I cry and I want to die" and there is something delightfully comical about it.

Put some balance back in your holidays. Morrissey: SCROOGE-A-RIFIC!

What did Santa Bring You in the 1980s?

2010-12-06T09:45:00.005-06:00

What did Santa bring you in the 1980s? I know there are some young 'uns out there who follow my blog that were still getting things in their stocking from Santa in the 80s. What were your favorite toys?

Since I was too old for most toys, I am pretty sure that through most of the 80s I was getting things like black rubber bracelets (aka Madonna)as stocking stuffers. I think once I may have gotten that white and black "CHOOSE LIFE" T-shirt inspired by WHAM. I got colored tights. I remember getting "Love's Baby Soft" and some "Jean Nate" after bath splash. There was lots of lipgloss. LOTS. I got a new marvel of technology one year - a disc camera. That was a very, very good Christmas. The camera, however, was not so good.

What did you get? Were you a teen, like me, or were you a little pipsqueak during our favorite decade? Were you playing with Smurf toys, or Rainbow Brite, or the 'real' original transformers?

Its funny how nostalgic the holidays make us. Is it just me, or do you run through all the past Christmases in your mind, recalling what you got, and how it made you feel? Tell me about your best 80s holiday memories.

Gene Loves Jezebel Goes 'Hair Band'

2010-12-02T10:19:00.005-06:00

I really loved the band Gene Loves Jezebel. I have always thought this song by them was very strange, as they take a step away from their normal sound (which would be called what? Gothic Rock? How WOULD you categorize it?) into the 80s 'Hair Band' sound and aesthetic. This was never one of my favorite songs by them (that honor goes, of course, to 'Desire'); but it is an interesting departure. If you knew Gene Loves Jezebel, you probably, like me, found it a little ... weird. Any GLJ fans out there?

Save Money on My Awesomeness!

2010-11-21T13:42:00.010-06:00

Okay. Those of you who are paying attention even a little bit to what goes on at this blog know that when I am not thinking about silly stuff, I am making jewelry. Some of it is 80s inspired, some of it is not.

Since it is the holiday season right now, I thought you should have an incentive to visit my shop. Here it is: a coupon code.

Just enter this code at checkout and you will receive 10% off of ANY purchase, regardless of amount and regardless of whether or not it is already on sale!

The code is:

80SMOMBLOG

I know you will find something that you like. Just take a peek by clicking here: www.meditations.etsy.com

Tron

2010-11-19T12:25:00.003-06:00

Frankly, I am stunned that anyone would invest in another Tron movie.

Roller Boogie: And There Were Satin Pants

2010-11-15T08:14:00.007-06:00

You may remember my post a few weeks ago on roller skating rinks of the late 70s and early 80s (to read it, click HERE). I can never get enough of things that remind of of the fun we had while on eight wheels.

Check out this video. I swear that this is not too far off from the way it really was at our local skating rink. There were people making splits, there were people wearing sequined tube tops. Hell, maybe I even had on a sequined tube top once or twice. There were, occasionally, satin pants.

Just watch it. This is from a movie that has been lost to the sands of time, "Roller Boogie". I can remember skating to this very song, "Boogie Wonderland" by Earth, Wind and Fire. I am sure you will agree that this is three minutes and thirty-one seconds of total awesomeness.

Magnum P.I.

2010-11-12T11:45:00.005-06:00

We were watching an old episode last week of Magnum P.I. (I have no reason why). I noticed a few strange things:

1) DAMN, I forgot how short men used to wear their shorts back then. That was a little weird. Can you imagine the men you know today going out in short shorts?

2) If you want to see the ugliest hairdos of the 1980s, this show is definitely the place.

3) There was a scene with a girl lying in a hospital bed smoking cigarettes. I almost died laughing at how much times have changed.

And those are just the charming items that I remember.

I am a NaNoWriMo Rebel!

2010-11-01T11:30:00.003-05:00

Okay, fellow bloggers. Are any of you participating in National Novel Writing Month (nanowrimo) this year? I am. It is interesting that I am breaking cardinal rule numero uno for the contest, which is that you have to actually produce a novel. I am not working on my novel (also known as 'that which will never be finished'), but am devoting this time (and these 50,000 words) to "creative non-fiction" essays, which is what I love to do most.

Are you writing something? What is it? If you are working on a nano product this month, make me your buddy. I am 80sMom.

The 1980s: Only $1 a Yard!

2010-10-24T11:23:00.006-05:00

The other day our local library was cleaning house and was offering old books and videos for '$1 a Yard'. Wow, thought my husband. For only one dollar, I can bring back three whole feet of 80s awesomeness. And he did. He brought me old kids' books, and silly books on tape. He brought me old VHS tapes of "Dirty Dancing" and "The Elephant Man" and "St. Elmo's Fire."

It was kind of sad to see all of this go for a dollar. I mean seriously, divided among all the items, the cost was probably no more than a nickle apiece. I would have thought SOMEONE would be willing to pay more than a nickle to have the pleasure of hearing Patrick Swayze say "Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner." But I guess I am clueless, taken to overestimating the value of things nostalgic.

John Cougar and I Both Wear Old People Shoes

2010-10-14T09:52:00.011-05:00

I recently checked out a book from the library on how to appear younger than I really am. Why I checked this out, I will never know. Of course there were little tidbits of genius in there, such as 'use lotion on dry skin.' And of course clever advice such as 'dye your hair when it turns gray.' But in this book there was also a list of the clothing items a woman should never wear unless she wants to appear very, very old.

Since every item I currently covet was on this list, it seems that I am not only a trapped in the 80s mom, but may be a trapped in the 80s old lady. I have been desperately wanting the one pair or shoes that is supposed to age me the fastest: penny loafers.

I want a pair just like I used to wear in the late eighties and early nineties. Black, worn with white bobby socks. I don't care how old or outdated I look. I don't care how they make my hips look wide or make me seem dorky. I don't care if its very uncool to wear coins in the little slots. I don't care if its even uncooler to wear in those slots two little aluminum Austrian Groschen, as has always been my custom. I'm gonna get these granny shoes.

I was recently watching a John Cougar video, for 'Crumblin' Down'. And I saw Mr. Cougar (he's 'Cougar' to me, none of this Mellencamp BS) in his skinny jeans and loafers with white socks and I felt like I was looking at the late 80s me for a second (only of course if I were male and could sing and were in a video). And I decided right then and there that I would get my loafers, despite the uncool. Despite the aging. I decided that I may be going down in an old lady blaze of glory, but I'll be damned if I don't do it in shoes that I adore.

Ole Grampa Cougar and I will be just happy and fine in our loafers and Depends Disposable Undergarments. Thank you very much Paris and Milan, but I respectfully decline.

More 80s Nostalgia, Hair Band Style

2010-10-08T11:15:00.003-05:00

Aw, what the hell. I'll post this.

My holiday season is starting to rev up with the jewelry shop so I do not have much time for more than a quick post here and there.

Since you obviously have nothing at all to do (or you would not be looking at this blog), you may as well waste some time on this.

The Beauty of Autumn Has Rendered Me Speechless

2010-10-01T10:10:00.003-05:00

When I have nothing at all to say, I just make you watch videos. So watch this video, okay?

Random Thought: Jessie Must Have Been SUPER FINE!

2010-09-26T11:34:00.002-05:00

I was just thinking: if Rick Springfield was too ugly to get Jessie's girl, then I would love to see a photo of what JESSIE looked like!

The General Suckage of Present-Day Roller Rinks

2010-09-24T11:02:00.010-05:00

You have read here before of my love of roller skating. Anyone who was a tween, teen, or young adult during the late 70s and early 80s recalls America's brief and curious fascination with the roller rink and its phenomenon of 'roller disco'.

I swear that I can still 'roller disco'. I can dance a little on skates, can smoothly round corners on one foot and make turns and skate backwards without thinking about it at all. I love to do this, even today. I also love my memories from this era more than any other from my teen years, which is what makes it so difficult to witness how roller skating has changed over the years.

This past weekend we took the kids to a local rink and I tried to explain what it was like to go skating way back when, when the big-city rinks bore a closer resemblance to nightclubs than to Chuck E. Cheeses. I tried to explain how nobody can roller disco on in-line roller blades. I tried to explain that, dammit, there MUST be a disco ball!

Last weekend it made me sad to glide among the awkward in-line skating kids. They fell down, they goofed, they had to listen to Miley Cyrus. The decor they had to look at was that of the preschool; when I went to the rink back in the early eighties, it looked more like standing in line at Disney's Space Mountain, or like an imitation Studio 54. It was dark, things were sexy, and there were framed Pink Floyd album covers on the walls. The girls all owned their skates, and the skates had big fluffy pom-poms on the laces. Some of the girls also has little stickers and medals of some sort affixed to their skates, from competitions they had won.

Whenever I take my kids to the rink these days, there will always be those one or two 40 or 45 year old parents who still have 'the moves'. You can sense their joy; the flow of memories they are having is almost palpable. You can tell from the songs they choose to skate to (hint: NOT Miley Cyrus) that they were part of the same subculture that I loved. They will usually wink at me, or will smile that knowing smile, the one that confirms, secretly between us strangers, that everything I have written here is absolutely correct.

Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner, by Adam Keeble

2010-09-24T07:11:00.007-05:00

If there is a man in your life who is addicted to 1980s pop culture, then you may want to consider getting him this collection of essays. Don't Put Baby In The Corner! A PG-Rated Guide To Parenting Advice Found In 1980s Movies, by Adam Keeble, is both a fun walk down memory lane as well as source of ... ahem ... parenting advice from the likes of Darth Vader.

I say that this would make a good holiday or father's day gift for dads. In my opinion, this book is written for dudes. And I mean DUDES. The writing style is very conversational and would appeal to men more than women, and the film selections seem to be closer to what my boyfrieds watched in high school than what I enjoyed. Keeble does include the standard Brat Pack favorites such as Pretty in Pink and Sixteen Candles, but more of the films he deals with catered to the male moviegoing tastebuds.

But isn't that as it should be? Shouldn't a book on parenting be written in the true voice of a man who is apparently an outstanding parent himself? All is as it should be.

Keeble divides the book into separate essays, each dealing with a different film that is easily identifiable to members of Generation X. He gives a lighthearted 'refresher course' in each movie and provides a tongue-in-cheek description of each in terms of parenting. What did our favorite movie parents do well? What did the bad parents do wrong? Why in the hell were Indiana Jones and his dad sleeping with the same woman?

I do not suspect that Keeble intends to give much actual advice - what he intends to give is a chuckle. So I would not dump your Dr. Spock or Brazelton books just yet. But if you are a dad looking for a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon (assuming you do not have kids jumping on you), pick up this lighthearted walk down movie memory lane.

Meat and Music

2010-09-23T09:53:00.003-05:00

Wow, I just now noticed that my last two posts were both about music and meat. What are the odds of that? WEIRD.

Why in the Hell was Menudo Named After Cow Intestines?

2010-09-23T09:38:00.004-05:00

Hey, I just noticed something.

There is 'Menudo', the boy band that at one time included Ricky Martin. There is also 'menudo', which is a Mexican soup that is made out of cow intestines.

Assuming that menudo soup was around many years before Ricky Martin was even a glimmer in his parents eye, we have to ask ourselves: who thought it was a great idea to name a boyband after tripe soup? And even if it wasn't named in honor of soup, did they not think that people in some parts of the world would make this connection?

Although, I did Wiki 'menudo soup' and found this interesting tidbit:

Menudo (from Latin minūtus) can mean "small, thin, worthless, vulgar, (money) change, tripe, and tithe from small orchards."

Hmmm, sounds like ... Menudo!

p.s. so sorry Ricky, you still da man.

Meat Dress Vs. Bridal Gown: Lady Gaga and Madonna

2010-09-20T16:35:00.004-05:00

Recently, my favorite libertarian-feminist-academic-intellectual wrote an interesting piece attacking Lady Gaga in a no-holds-barred fashion. For many years now I have enjoyed Camille Paglia's lit crit/social crit books and, in the past few years, her articles on Salon. I find her wildly entertaining and her biting no-holds-barred opinions on things related to pop-culture never cease to hold my interest.

Yet again, she has stirred the culture pot with a scathing critique of Lady Gaga. You may want to read a summary here: Lady Gaga and the Death of Sex.

Let me be the first to say that I love Gaga. Do not attack me, please. I LOVE GAGA. I love her catchy hooks, and her voice that sometimes sounds like a pirate (yes, she sounds like a fracking pirate!). I love that she writes such great pop stuff and that she can really play the piano. I appreciate her 80s vibe for showmanship that is so lacking in entertainment today. She obviously has talent (Google her performances as Stefani Germanotta if you are in doubt). It is a shame that Paglia didn't address any of this in her critique. Personally, I love putting Gaga's music on repeat. My kids love it. Even my husband loves it.

That being said...

...in my estimate (and I have blogged about this before), in terms of style, social impact and personality, Gaga really is a second-hand and inferior Madonna. Madonna did stuff in a big way. Yes, she marketed herself. Yes, she was a media creation that changed substance as often as the wind changed direction. But when you have charisma, this works. When you have real charisma, we will love you no matter what you do. We will love you when you succeed, or even when you fail. Just look at Michael Jackson.

We all know that Lady Gaga may be (is) a more talented vocalist than Madonna ever was. But I suspect that without the costumery, she would not hold our attentions. Madonna has always riveted us, no matter when, no matter where, no matter how sketchy the vocals, no matter the getup. There was something magnetic about Madonna that is required in the making of an icon. The force of her person is powerful enough to pull her over the rough spots, to distract attention and keep the spotlight aimed squarely. Does Lady Gaga have this ability? Does she have the charisma of a lasting icon? Only time will tell.

Madonna's bridal gown at the MTV awards was a special moment in time, much as Michael Jackson's moonwalk made waves at Motown. But the Gaga meat dress? No. Probably because what was UNDER the pile of raw meat wasn't as interesting as it should be.

I would like to hear your opinions.

Something For You to Fantasize About

2010-09-10T19:18:00.003-05:00

I know you have always wanted to see a photo of PeeWee Herman standing next to Lorenzo Lamas. So, here it is.

In Defense of Fonzie, "Jumping the Shark"

2010-09-07T12:14:00.007-05:00

I had never heard the phrase "Jumping the Shark." It is rare that something from popular culture escapes me, but this time it has. In a conversation last night, I was reminded of the Happy Days episode where Fonzie jumps over a shark on waterskis. Of course I remember the episode, but just learned last night that this phrase has come into popular usage.

Read this link to hear how the writer of this infamous episode feels about his work being considered the 'beginning of the end' for this popular series.

Yeah, jumping over sharks is stupid. But so is demolition derby. So is hitting on walls to make a jukebox start up. So is snapping, if women always come running.

The Eurythmics, Angelic as Usual

2010-09-05T11:47:00.008-05:00

Annie Lennox has the voice of an angel.

I have always loved the visuals here. The king looks totally radical. Annie is beautiful. The angel dude/gal(???) makes me laugh. Its all pretty and a little bit too much, just like the rest of our favorite decade.

This Blog Has Seen Better Days

2010-08-27T11:22:00.008-05:00

I am kind of losing my steam for it.

This is not to imply that I am losing my steam for the 1980s. There is no way I could go without "Come on Eileen" or other such artworks of the period. But the whole blogging thing ... I just don't know anymore.

When I started this blog several years ago, it was because I needed a project - BADLY. I was somewhat like the character of Julie in the film "Julie and Julia." I was in need of a project to mark my days, a project to lend me some kind of focus. My last child had just started kindergarten, and I had extra time on my hands. I had LOTS of extra time on my hands. Blogging filled it with a touch of nostalgia, a touch of something creative.

The thing is, as I have reported to you guys several times, I have gone in the past year and focused on what I should have been doing all along: writing. The real stuff, not half-baked and quickly pecked out memories about Rubik's Cubes and the Berlin Wall and Depeche Mode. And for the first time ever, all of this writing has been compiled into something that resembles a book.

I have been so productive in this past year that this blogging seems a bit ... uh ... pointless. Has it outlived its purpose? Was it a springboard, and I have already jumped off? Should I keep doing it?

Sometimes I think "Oh, but I am so needed in the world. This blog needs to be out there, simply for the edification of mankind! What will the world do without me to dissect important topics such as: what was up with Steve Perry's hairdo?" So, there is that concern. I have never considered myself to be an altruist, but do I really want to LET THE WORLD DOWN?

I know some of you bloggers have thought about these very questions. I know you wonder: "What the hell am I doing here?" So I am interested in your input. This blog is illin'.

Rappin Ronald Reagan

2010-08-23T19:38:00.003-05:00

Video courtesy of 80sMemories.

Totally Random Thought

2010-08-21T10:54:00.004-05:00

I think Joan Jett could totally kick my ass.

Billy Squire's Estrogenic Frenzy

2010-08-15T11:11:00.005-05:00

Wait. Wait. Wait. Hold on. What the hell am I looking at in the video below?

I didn't really care for this song, but remember watching this as a kid and thinking it was just fine. Now, I seriously have to wonder what was in Billy Squire's mind. Seriously, we all dance like Forrest Gump in the privacy of our own bedrooms, but we really should not do it while on camera. And we really REALLY should not do it in an effort to a) forward our careers b) get laid c) appear heterosexual.

It is August 10th - Happy Duran Duran Appreciation Day!!

2010-08-10T15:01:00.005-05:00

It has been brought to my attention that today, August 10th, is a very important Generation X holiday. Not on your calendar, you say? Well, you need to get a new calendar.

Today is Duran Duran Appreciation Day. Get our your fedoras, your 'jazz shoes', your 'Sun-In' hair bleach, and your eyeliners. CELEBRATE! Feel no shame.

To Get You Going on a Saturday Morn

2010-08-07T11:02:00.002-05:00

Wake up. This will help.

Get One of My OilSlick Necklaces and Help Gulf Coast Charities

2010-08-06T16:42:00.007-05:00

This post has nothing to do with the 1980s, but I wanted to share with you all something I am doing. I have made some special items that will hopefully raise funds for Gulf Coast charities while giving you guys something cool and meaningful to wear. Here is the description and photos from my Etsy shop. You can order and see other items from my shop by clicking HERE.

"Only a few miles from where I live, oil has affected the waters of our Gulf Coast, the myriad life forms that inhabit it, and the people who live on its shore. I think often of the balancing act we must maintain while trying to live as fully and as modernly as possible without unnecessarily disrupting the beauty that surrounds us.

Wear an OIL AND WATER pendant necklace as a daily reminder of that balancing act. It is a simple piece crafted of an iridiscent glass tile that has been wrapped freeform in a non-tarnish silver plated wire. It is suspended from a satin cord that can be adjusted for length by pulling on a slipknot. It would be beautiful worn long over a sweater this winter, or worn short, to highlight the collarbone.

This is a very special item. 25% of the proceeds from this item will be donated to charities that help communities in and around my home state of Louisiana and adopted state of Mississippi that have been affected by the BP oil spill.

Your pendant will measure approx. 3/4 inch in width, and 2 inches in length. The oil slick pattern on these tiles is beautiful, and you will recieve a unique pattern of your own. Each will also be wrapped slightly differently, in a way that best highlights the individual tile. Yours will be a one-of-a-kind.

The basic glass color is a deep cobalt blue, which reminds us of the sea. The opalescent slick seems to float on top of the tile, and includes a subtle rainbow of colors that may appear differently in different light conditions.

This is a simple and elegant reminder of the importance of our coast."

Was I 'Trapped in the 50's?'

2010-08-06T08:23:00.007-05:00

I am intrigued by the strong influence that the styles and motifs of the 1950's had on the 1980's.

We all know about the popularity of programs like Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, and what was no doubt their progenitor, the awesome Grease (which I watched this past week for the millionth time. Will I ever get sick of this movie??).

Something most people don't have so much awareness of is how the 1050's influenced our fashion in small ways. At least it definitely influenced mine.

Granted, most of my days were filled with Capezio jazz shoes, dyed bangs, fedoras, and the like. But occasionally I would sport skinny jeans rolled into cuffs, a large oversized white men's button-down shirt, folded-over bobbie socks, and penny loafers. What the hell was going on with this? Thinking back, some part of me must have wished to be one of the girls that came running when The Fonz snapped his fingers.

Seriously, I wonder now how much Happy Days and Grease influenced the trend towards preppy fashion that took off during the 80s. Honestly, 'preppiness' was really nothing but a reactionary fashion trend that mimicked what our parents wore.

Not saying I was 'preppy'. Nope. My New Wave inspired taste would have gotten a few double takes in Arnold's or at Rydell High. But the loafers ... the bobbie socks ... those were classic. I wore the loafers straight through college, sans socks, straight into the early 90s. I always had shiny aluminum Austrian Groschen coins in the penny slot because they really shined.

Were you inspired by the 1950's?

BACK TO SCHOOL!

2010-08-05T07:43:00.004-05:00

They are finally back to school. Now perhaps I will get back to the REALLY important things in life, like blogging about Duran Duran and Weird Al Yankovic.

I Knew Somebody Who Knew Somebody Who Was in Depeche Mode

2010-07-24T16:01:00.005-05:00

Here is yet another outstanding performance by one of my favorite dark wave bands, Depeche Mode. This was filmed in Milan in 2006. I have to say I totally dig those whole console thingamajigs surrounding the keyboards. Cool space pods for the synths.

This song is the first Depeche that I remember grabbing onto way back when. I also remember being so excited when I learned that one of my friends, whose family hails from England, has a cousin that apparently was IN Depeche Mode during its very early infancy. When I was a teenager, that connection seemed to give her some kind of celebrity status in my eyes. Its too funny to think back on that. I must have told a million people when I was fourteen that I 'Know somebody who knows somebody who was IN Depeche Mode!'

Ahhh... the memories.

Not Your Grandma's Crafts

2010-07-19T11:21:00.010-05:00

I love people who put an 80s twist to old craft hobbies, such as knitting, embroidery, crochet, etc. There is something just ... weird about seeing the types of crafts our grandmas and great aunts filled their days with modified to reflect my favorite era. There is something special about this kind of kitsch that rubs my funny bone. I like the idea of us all sitting in our rocking chairs embroidering tea towels with images of one glittery glove or with elaborate Rubik's Cube designs. Nice way to pass the time: rocking away, nursing our arthritis, embroidering Pac Man ghosts, and watching VH-1 Classic.

Last week I found a great example of this. I hope you enjoy these fun Mario and Space Invaders items by LostMitten. You can find out more about LostMitten at lostmitten.blogspot.com.

I Know You Still LOVE the Swatch Watch

2010-07-16T13:03:00.003-05:00

I sure do.

So does this person. I enjoyed this post and thought you would as well.

A Tribute to the Swatch Watch

Were you a FORENZA Girl, or an OUTBACK RED Girl?

2010-07-15T15:33:00.008-05:00

Many of you know I used to work at The Limited during its heyday in the 1980s.

I have been thinking lately (because I spend inordinate amounts of time thinking of 'important' issues such as this) that Gen X women can probably be divided down the middle into two camps: the gals who went to the FORENZA side of the store when they shopped at The Limited, and the gals who went to the OUTBACK RED side.

This notion reminds me of that saying I have always heard that people can be divided into two camps on any of these issues: ELVIS or THE BEATLES; CHOCOLATE or VANILLA; DOGS or CATS. Supposedly, which side you come down on on any of these topics says something significant about you. Does it?

Here is where I fall:
ELVIS
VANILLA
DOGS
FORENZA

Which side of the store attracted you first? Don't say you didn't shop there. I know that you did.

Live Aid, 25 Years On

2010-07-13T11:15:00.013-05:00

Apparently, this is the 25th anniversary of the Live Aid concert, which many our age consider to be the Woodstock of Generation X.

I have blogged several times in the past about Live Aid, and in honor of the anniversary I will repeat these posts today.

The ultimate lesson of Live Aid, at least for me: The Lesson of Christmas, 1984 (reprinted below)
Defining Live Aid: Five Days of Live Aid
About my personal Live Aid experience My Live Aid

The Lesson of Christmas, 1984

This song, 'Do They Know It's Christmas', is the one that really gets me every year.

This video is one of the great, almost iconic visuals of the 80's. The song actually affected me, a sarcastic and hard-nosed teenager, in the way it was supposed to. At the age of 14, I remember really 'getting' the sad political situation faced by much of the world that wasn't as fortunate as I.

I wasn't sophisticated enough, however, to know that it would take more than just sending money to Africa to change the plight of those in need. I didn't get that it wasn't about money, or, really, even about resources (think about the history of Hong Kong to see that lack of resources will not deter progress in an environment of freedom). I didn't get that it was the twin death chokes of totalitarianism and corruption that caused such misery.

This song by Band Aid, as well as the seminal Live Aid concert (which I will spend a full week blogging about in the near future), were, however, noble efforts that inspired many to look beyond the borders of their comfortable environments and at least try to have an awareness of the sufferings of those less fortunate.

Every Christmas this song is still the emotional high point for me. Not because it inspires pity, but because it inspires a tremendous gratitude that I seldom feel throughout the rest of the year.

Tremendous gratitude for having been product of that lucky sperm and egg that came together in a Western country instead of in a nation impoverished by a politics of tribalism.

Tremendous gratitude for not having been unfortunate enough to take my first breath under the dome of communism, or from within the walls of Dachau.

Tremendous gratitude for having been born into a mostly free country.

For those of you reading these words today from less fortunate circumstances, I am so sorry for you. I think of you a lot on days such as this.

So, everyone, when you are feeling bad tomorrow because your loved one chose a thoughtless gift for you, or when your turkey comes out too dry, or when you feel little for having bought every gift on sale ... take a moment and really consider how important those things are in the greater scheme.

Instead, look to the stars and say 'Damn, was I lucky!'

Last Night I Had a Boring Phone Conversation With Nick Rhodes

2010-07-12T10:16:00.006-05:00

Okay. Not really. Unless, of course, we count the ones that happen in our dreams.

For some unknown reason I dreamt that Nick Rhodes, the synth player for Duran Duran, called me. I was not at all shocked or weirded out by the fact that he was phoning me out of the blue. I told him point blank that I totally loved Duran Duran when I was a kid, but that now the music felt a little shallow for my taste. He seemed okay with me saying this to him.

I wonder why I said that. Is it true? Is this true for any of you?

Well, At Least I Posted SOMETHING Today

2010-07-11T20:28:00.004-05:00

Who cares if it is nothing creative, meaningful, or particularly inventive?

It is what it is: Dead or Alive.

Listen to it. Don't listen to it. See if I care one whit.

I Am Jewelry Designer to the Stars - Bow Down to My Awesomeness!

2010-07-09T10:35:00.009-05:00

You need to let me brag. This has nothing to do with the 1980s at all, I am just happy about something and wanted to share it with you.

I found out this week that a celebrity has been given a piece of my jewelry and that they LOVE it. I will not mention this person's name because I truly enjoy them and do not want to profit from their name. Afterall, its not as if they are endorsing something of mine or have even been caught wearing it in videos or photos (although it will be totally tubular if I do see this some day).

I will tell you that this person has appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine and that they are often recognized for their iconic style. When this person was given the necklace, they supposedly said 'THAT is COOL!' 'They' also said that it would be hung in a special place where 'favorite things that make me happy' are kept. The piece was a slight variation on the Tree Sculpture Pendant you can see Here.

DAMN, that feels good. I am so awesome - JEWELRY DESIGNER TO THE STARS! Or ... uh ... STAR.

Although I do have a busy schedule (what with blogging, walking around Wal-Mart, and watching Jerry Springer re-runs), rest assured that I occasionally find the time to shape the fashion industry.

Pseudo Echo - Aussie New Wave

2010-07-08T12:00:00.005-05:00

I just thought of this band for the first time in maybe fifteen years.

How many of you remember Pseudo Echo? They were an Australian New Wave band who for some reason never made it very big here in the states. But they made it big with ME, and this first vinyl of theirs got some serious turntable facetime. I just LOVED this song, 'Listening'. No doubt I was influenced by the fact that the lead singer had some sort of Bowie-esque look and demeanor (not to mention that parts of this video bear a striking stylistic resemblance to Bowie's 'Ashes to Ashes').

If their clothes are any indication, I am guessing this video was from around 1983 or 1984. Enjoy!

To Be Completely Honest, I was a Total Dud in the 80s

2010-07-05T20:16:00.005-05:00

I was.

I just stayed to myself and looked at the ground and believed that nothing had a point. I didn't believe I was cool or depressed enough to wear black, so I usually wore gray. I never learned to flirt. I thought a lot, sometimes about philosophy, sometimes about music, mostly about myself. I saw the world through a pallor of sadness and over the cracked spine of some book that served as my duck and cover.

I didn't like many people and mocked them mercilessly. I didn't like to shower (no doubt one reason for my lack of flirt episodes). I listened to Morrissey, and it usually cheered me up (that there was a little joke, folks).

In the spirit of full disclosure, this was also a part of my 1980s.

So there, MY 80s, without those rose colored glasses.

Glad that teenage crap is over!

I Never Get Sick of This Freaking Commercial!

2010-07-03T11:21:00.006-05:00

If you have been reading this blog since the beginning, you know that I have posted this video before. Sorry to be repetitive, but its my blog and I will do whatever the hell I want. So there. If you want original ideas, go elsewhere. I just repeat myself over and over (ask my husband). Since this blog is about nostalgia, it is BY NATURE as repetitive as all getout.

So I will repeat here one of my favorite commercials of all time, the Wendy's Soviet Fashion Show. There is little funnier to me than the notion that this bit of propaganda (for Wendy's, as well as for the U.S.) was aired during the Cold War years. Even as a kid I thought that Wendy's had gone out on a limb ... an AWESOME limb.

I have laughed at this every damn time I have seen it for the past twenty years. You would think that at some point it would get old, but not for me. I guess I AM that SIMPLE.

Rose Colored Memory Glasses - Yes, YOU are Wearing A Pair, Too!

2010-07-01T12:14:00.005-05:00

I am mid-way through a book called The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain: The Surprising Talents of the Middle-Aged Mind by Barbara Strauch. I began to read this because the book of essays I penned earlier this year deal heavily with the notion of the 'Mid-Life Crisis'. I was curious to see what I could learn about the science behind this phenomenon.

The issue that I think you readers would be interested in applies to nostalgia. Strauch does not specifically address nostalgia (and things like being obsessed with old photos of Pee Wee Herman). What she does address is the tendency for the middle-aged brain to begin minimizing the negativity in memories and emphasizing the positivity. In other words, as we age we have a tendency to make the past seem better than it was--to make hardships seem less burdensome, and to make fruitful occurrences seem more joyful and profitable than they really were. To clarify this further: it makes us remember Depeche Mode and forget about Billy Ocean. I mean, seriously, if I remembered Billy Ocean on a daily basis, could I really call myself 80sMom? Methinks not.

I would guess that the take home message is that whatever we are going through now, whatever YOU are going through that makes you look at my blog, is probably not a phase. It is not a mid-life crisis. It is nothing to be ashamed of at all. It is probably something that is a healthy symptom of the maturing brain--and it will probably get worse.

Your grandma sat in her rocking chair and waxed nostalgic about the Glen Miller Band and going to Knights of Columbus dances at the local church hall. Likewise, we will sit in the rocking chairs and remember when we could still Safety Dance, and recall the moment we got our first Trapper Keeper, and tell our grand kids about those almost mythical bygone days when MTV actually showed music videos.

And our brains will be doing exactly what they are supposed to do.

My Husband Makes Me Wanna Throw My MomPanties

2010-06-29T12:06:00.009-05:00

My husband is playing Van Halen's 'Jump' on his synthesizer right now. I don't know why I am telling you this. But I do know that I love him, and I love it that he always digs back musically into stuff that makes me feel like a kid.

The other day he was composing something that was the spitting image of Book of Love circa 1986. He didn't know how cool he seemed to me at that moment. If he had been sitting on a stage, I would have delightfully thrown my MomPanties onto it.

It would be a real misfortune if I had this same husband (piano and guitar obsessed) who wanted instead to play crap by people like Nickelback or Justin Timberlake. That would not be good. I would probably need to take off said MomPanties and insert them into my ear canals instead.

Pee Wee and Cyndi - Delicious Retro Fashion!

2010-06-28T12:25:00.004-05:00

How LOVELY! I just wanna do a group hug with them.

I snagged this from Pee Wee's Facebook page - not sure who to credit for it. But whoever you are, thanks for making us smile!

The New Karate Kid Looks Fairly Bogus If You Ask Me

2010-06-25T15:25:00.004-05:00

Dear Makers of the Upcoming Karate Kid Movie:

Jackie Chan aint no Mr. Miyagi. What kind of blasphemy are you up to?

Sincerely,
80sMom

Skanky 80s Costumery, Part 2

2010-06-21T09:52:00.007-05:00

To answer your question: Did I win the costume contest? No.

The winner was a guy who looked a little like a cross between David Lee Roth and Kip Winger. He wore leopardskin, rhinestones, lots of bracelets and scarves, long blond hair. He was there hitting on women with a sidekick who looked a little like John Goodman wearing a sleeveless T-shirt that said 'Blow Me' on the back.

My friends thought I was robbed. They thought the result was unfair, because reputedly that guy was not in costume at all - apparently he has dressed that way for the past twenty years.

I disagree with my friends. I say, if you have the guts to do that for twenty years, you deserve to win. You also deserve to hang around with guys wearing 'Blow Me' T-shirts in an effort to seduce the ladies.

Last Week I Became a Skanky 80s Metal Chick

2010-06-18T12:56:00.008-05:00

I really did. It was only for one night, but it did indeed happen.

A friend of mine is in an 80s metal cover band. Last week, there was an 80s metal costume contest that I decided to dress for. I had never actually sported that look back in the day, as I had always been a New Wave fiend.

It was weird. We went out to eat beforehand and people in the restaurant laughed at me. And I just thought - you don't know who you are laughing at. I am 80sMom. Didn't you get the memo? Anyone named 80sMom is allowed to dress like this from time to time. I am allowed to wear leopard print spandex, lacy bra, and a big shoulder pad jacket that looks like something Sheila E., or someone in Prince's Revolution, would wear. So what if everyone around me is wearing shorts and a shirt that says 'Aero'???

So I asked my husband if he thought I should post the photos here, and he felt that me as a skanky rocker chick may not be palatable for public consumption. He probably said this because I did not really resemble Tawny Kitaen, or anyone of the sort. I did bear a striking resemblance, however, to Delta Burke had she shopped at a Dollar General in 1985 and thrown back a six-pack. Or a little like Appolonia, had she gained fifty pounds.

I have decided to go ahead and post a closeup on my eye makeup. This was the only part of the getup that I am allowing you to see, probably because this is the only part that seemed New Wave inspired. No matter how hard I tried, I could not resist the urge to do some green and pink upswept eyeshadow. It wasn't too metal chick, but it WAS 80sMom.

An Open Letter to Gary Coleman's Ex-Wife

2010-06-14T16:41:00.010-05:00

Dear Whatever The Heck Your Name Is:
You are despicable. How can you sell the images of your ex-husband on his deathbed to a tabloid magazine? It is even more amazing that you did this right after you got him to rewrite his will, leaving everything to you. You can pretend you did not sell those photos, but nobody will believe this. You are posing next to his dying body, afterall. Who would even agree to take such a picture?

What kind of person are you?

Granted, Gary Coleman was not one of the world's greatest actors, but he DID leave us one of the most memorable and cute and stupid quotes of 80s pop culture. For this reason alone he deserves more respect. He also deserves it because he is a human being.

I wish he had left his money to Willis to buy drugs. That would have been better.

Sincerely,

80sMom

Wax On, F*ck Off with Ralph Macchio

2010-06-11T10:23:00.005-05:00

Speaking of childlike teen idols...this dropped out of the cybersphere today just as we were discussing this very topic. How handy.

Make your kids leave the room.

Watch this.

Wax On, F*ck Off with Ralph Macchio from Ralph Macchio

You've gotta love "I'm Not Chachi, Mother F*&ker!"

Tiger Beat: a Treat for the Pedophile's Newsstand

2010-06-10T18:37:00.011-05:00

My niece is here today spending the afternoon with my kids, and I took a quick gander at a few Tiger Beat magazines she brought with her.

I used to love Tiger Beat. But I swear, something has changed dramatically. Tiger Beat used to be for the teen market. Now, it is apparently targeting the 'tween' market of kids aged 8 to 12. Now, I know kids are growing up quicker these days. I get that. But I can't wrap my head around the notion that idol ogling is now the stuff of 8 and 9 year olds.

This Tiger Beat actually contained an article with booger jokes. There were letters from readers featuring 'gross-out' stories and the word 'boogers' appeared several times on the page. If I remember correctly, this word 'boogers' appeared once in a fancy font, so as to glam it up. Mind you, I am not saying that nose debris can't be funny, but sincerely believe such things belong within a certain context. And that context should be NOWHERE near photos of teen idols (unless, of course, they want to feature boogers on the pinups themselves, which I could heartily get behind as quality entertainment for people of all ages. I would subscribe myself to Tiger Beat if they had pinups of the Jonas Brothers all 'boogerized').

Can you imagine, Trapped in the 80s Moms, opening your Tiger Beat in 1982 to find out what Rick Springfield has been up to, and reading about boogers? I mean, how glamorous is THAT?

Every single page of this magazine featured boys who looked too young to shave and girls who had barely reached puberty, but were dressed to resemble world-weary fashion plates.

YES, I do admit that when we were kids, in every issue we had to look at something silly for a page or two, such Menudo, or Ralph Macchio, or Ricky Schroeder. But most of our pinup guys were old enough to shave. We had Rick, and Duran Duran, and Rob Lowe, and Michael Damien, and John Stamos, and Billy Idol, and Prince, and Michael Jackson, and Adam Ant. These were men.

I only make these criticisms because I loved the teen mags so much. Back when they were TEEN mags.

I Love Commie Movies

2010-06-09T18:54:00.007-05:00

The other night we watched the old 80s movie with Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines, White Nights. Since I always dig dancing and singing movies of any kind, I again enjoyed this film despite the fact that the soundtrack featured Phil Collins. Sorry, apparently a lot of you out there were fans. 80sMom, not so much.

I love watching Baryshnikov dance. I also love movies that feature our favorite 80s nemeses, 'the commies'. This was a good time for my kids as well, mostly due to their excitement over foul language. They freaked out a little when a character dropped the 'F' bomb. Apparently it sounds more dirty and forbidden when they hear it on film then when it accidently slips out of my mouth after stubbing a toe or losing the car keys.

I loved the hokey 80s synth music the two guys used in their practice sessions. It was so silly. In fact, I remember thinking it was silly back when I saw this movie in our local theater.

This is a worthy film from our era if you like stuff about the soviets. Or if you like crappy synth music. Or if you like exceptional dancing. Or if you just like to look at the immaculately beautiful Isabella Rossellini, who I grew up wanting to look like.

Pavlovian New Wave Fishsticks Dance Party

2010-06-07T16:05:00.010-05:00

How can I feel blue on this Monday when I have this to listen to?

This is undeniably one of the very best dance songs of the 1980s. Before heading out for the evening in the very late 80's and early 90's, I would always pop in a cassette or spin some vinyl with something that got me in the mood to dance. This song always did the trick.

I still enjoy listening to it. But when I listen now, I am rarely putting mousse in my hair while drinking a beer. It is more than likely that I am instead putting the kids' fishsticks into the oven or folding laundry. But the positive association is still there: the laundry feels, in a teeny tiny way, somehow like a party.

Which 80s music creates this Pavlovian response in you? What song makes you salivate for the dance floor?

Postcards: R.I.P.?

2010-06-04T10:29:00.005-05:00

The other day I got a postcard from my brother who is vacationing in Spain. It was a weird sensation, receiving a piece of paper about someone's vacation instead of reading it in a one line tweet or Facebook status update.

Back in the 80s, I used to get lots of postcards. Even as a young teen, I would get them as friends spent a week in Disney World or some other family-friendly vacation place. I got them from friends, from pen pals, from relatives. It seems that in 1989, my first year of college, I wrote and received more postcards than at any other time in my life--and I still have many of them today, packed away in a shoebox.

Has the Internet rendered the postcard a thing of the past? Has the immediacy and ease of the Internet taken away one of life's simple, unexpected pleasures? I am thinking: yes.

My brother is the only person who ever sends me postcards anymore. I appreciate that. For most people, it is much easier to type a few words in a status line than to buy a card, find postage, and bring it to a post office. Yes, the Internet makes life easier for us all. But: does it make it more fun? What, exactly, will we have to look at in our shoebox of memories when we are old--a box full of tweets???

By the way, Dre, hope y'all are having a great time in Mallorca!

What Do Boy George and the A-Team Have in Common?

2010-06-02T11:01:00.005-05:00

Why this ... of course!

"I don't want no English glitter prince!"

Follow 80sMom on Twitter

2010-05-30T15:32:00.006-05:00

Okay. I exited the world of Twitter some time ago and have now decided to return. Why, I do not know, but it is indeed happening.

My account has been closed for so long now that the 300 or so followers I had are long gone. As of ten minutes ago, my new account had exactly zero followers.

Go ahead and follow me. Help me make it seem as if someone actually cares what I have to say. Do it to make me happy. I will follow you back and pretend to read your tweets. Honestly, I will.

I am too trapped in the 80s to figure out yet how to get a Twitter link on here. So for now just search for me the old fashioned way: 80sMomKara.

Treat Yourself to Something

2010-05-29T10:32:00.009-05:00

I just wanted to thank those of you who have checked out my Meditations shop recently for the crazy AT COST Clearance sale. I just wanted to let you know that it is still going on - there are still some great items to be had basically AT COST. One example would be these Rock N Roll Red Earrings. They are made with semiprecious Obsidian and glass and have sterling earwires. Where else can you get fun and colorful gemstone earrings like this for just $7? Seriously, I am working for free here!

These colors remind me of the 80s. I used to LOVE wearing black, red, and white together. See more at Meditations.

RIP Gary Coleman

2010-05-28T18:48:00.001-05:00

RIP Gary.

Alison Moyet - She's Still Got It!

2010-05-27T08:00:00.005-05:00

Honestly, Upstairs At Eric's, the synthpop album by Yaz (or, if you are British, Yazoo), has got to be one of the very best albums of the 1980s. It really and truly blows my mind that so few people in the U.S. remember Yaz.

I dug up this video from 2008. All these years later, Alison Moyet has still got it going on.

This is Spinal Tap - Stupid, or Clever?

2010-05-25T08:54:00.005-05:00

I have finally seen the movie This is Spinal Tap twenty years after everyone else has.

I have a mixed review, but do have a favorite line from this film:

"There is a thin line between stupid and clever."

So true, and of course the best stuff in the world straddles this line constantly, sometimes wobbling to one side, sometimes wobbling to the other.

Glee - The Perfect Show for Gen X Parents

2010-05-22T11:36:00.007-05:00

As I mentioned in my last post, there was a television program in the late 1970s and early 1980s that was, in my estimate, the perfect formula for family entertainment. This show was Happy Days.

It was perfect because the characters were teens (or at least were supposed to be!), but the music and setting hearkened back to a nostalgic time that our parents could relate to and enjoy. In this way, the subject matter appealed to the younger generation, yet the aesthetic appealed to the older. If I were a TV studio executive, this is the winning formula I would employ with many programs, as everyone in the family can simultaneously enjoy what is on the set.

I think Glee works in exactly this way. Although it is a simple show about issues of interest to tweens and teens, it is filled with nostalgia that appeals to Generation X. Honestly, that is the main feature that captures my interest. If there were no hope that I would catch a bit of some 80s music or some 80s notion or other, I would probably have not jumped on the bandwagon.

So, there we have it. The turmoil and emotion of high school, mixed with a loving, tongue-in-cheek nostalgia for OUR generation. I will be glued to it Tuesday when the kids pay tribute to Lady Gaga. Her music is not from the 80s, but you'd be hard pressed to tell me that her spirit isn't ;-)

Glee - Damn, Now THAT'S Entertainment!

2010-05-19T09:02:00.012-05:00

I am late to the game with the Fox television show Glee. I missed all of last season but thank goodness have finally jumped on the train.

I find Glee to be an amazing program. Seriously. It is crazy over-the-top, melodramatic, comedic, campy, meaningful, meaningless, and just about everything we could ever want in entertainment.

Really, in my mind Glee breaks new ground. It has totally created its own genre, and it is one that I predict will be copied by imitators in upcoming seasons on competing networks. What they have done is made a program that reminds me of the old fashioned musicals of the 1940's and 1950's that I love so much.

Yes, there have been shows over the years that are musical - things like the 80s hit Fame come to mind. But there has never been one that does it in quite this way. I don't remember one that mimics so closely the format and style of the big budget Hollywood musical. And it somehow at once embraces this style as well as mocks it. And what makes it fresh is that at every second you are trying to figure out whether they mean to be serious, or tongue-in-cheek, or WHAT. And most of the time you come to the conclusion that the goal is actually to do BOTH.

How could this ever get boring?

My next blog will also be about Glee, and how it is THE perfect show for Generation X parents and their kids to watch together. Does anyone out there remember another show from our childhood that was also perfect in this way? I do. I'll tell you next time.

Joanie Loves Chachi Sucked!

2010-05-17T10:39:00.005-05:00

You all know that I am usually in a position to cheer for the totally tubular 80s, but in this case some jeers are in order.

There were some things that were downright awful about the 80s, #1 being parachute pants, #2 being Billy Ocean, and #3 being Joanie Loves Chachi.

Seriously, wasn't this show just awful? I really loved Happy Days (who didn't?), but the notion that we wanted to watch the two weakest characters of the show in a spinoff sitcom was absurd. They would have had more success with any number of spinoffs that could have proven more entertaining. Here are just a few ideas that I totally would have wasted time watching:

1) The Fonz, Apologetic - The Fonz is forced into weird situations that make him apologize or face consequences (a weird haircut, wearing ladies clothes, facing a firing squad, attaching clothespins to his niples, etc.). He struggles with "I'm sorrrrr.... I sorrr...." and usually eeks out the word 'sorry' just before the timer goes off, but not always. This would work well as a parody of a reality show.

2) The Donny Most Comedy Hour - This would be as stupid as anything you have ever seen, but would still be funnier than Joanie Loves Chachi.

3) The Richie Cunningham Gosh Golly Gee Smackdown - Richie Cunningham comes face to face every week with his arch nemesis, Andrew Dice Clay. They have a showdown of words. Sitcom hilarity ensues.

I know you can all think of a sitcom that would be better than watching Scott Baio and Erin Moran making out while a lame studio audience cheers. List your ideas in the comments. Do not be ashamed. If the makers of Joanie Loves Chachi were not ashamed, why should you be?

The Cure - Acoustic

2010-05-15T13:24:00.003-05:00

Here The Cure has acoustic fun with one of their best songs from the 80s. I loved these stripped down acoustic versions they did some years ago.

I never get sick of this song.

Get Great Gemstone Jewelry From MY Shop - AT COST!

2010-05-12T13:40:00.006-05:00

I have not blogged this week because I have been very busy, as I am sure you all have, with the activities that often occur near the end of the school year. One of the things I have also been doing is working on my jewelry shop. I am trying to clear out some things and make room for all the new styles I have been making lately.

So, it turns out that my loss will be your gain. I am basically selling off a large amount of gemstone jewelry AT COST or slightly above cost (some items, such as earrings, starting as low as FOUR DOLLARS!). I have created a section in my shop, called AT COST CLEARANCE, where you can find a variety of bracelets, necklaces, rings, earrings and hair accessories at deeply discounted prices. In addition, if you purchase two or more of these AT COST items, you will automatically be sent a free adjustable genuine copper ring.

And no, there is nothing wrong with these items. They are all delightful. They are made of quality materials. Much of this uses semiprecious gems, genuine copper, sterling silver, etc. It is just that I personally have grown tired of having so much jewelry stored in my workshop.

Help me out. At least take a look at Meditations Jewelry. If you enjoy this blog, at least do me the favor of considering some of my work. Just click this link to get there: Meditations Jewelry. THANKS!

Grody To The Max

2010-05-05T16:49:00.006-05:00

The other day it came to my attention that I am the only person I know who still uses the word 'grody'. There must be words or phrases that you guys use that give away your own 'trapped in the 80s' status. What are they?

At least I don't say 'grody to the max'. Now THAT would have been taking it entirely too far.

Why I Aim to Have a Crappy Blog

2010-05-03T10:25:00.005-05:00

I am not technically inclined. Hell, half the time I can't even figure out how to use the remote controls for our TV and DVD payer. I sit there randomly pressing remote buttons and hoping to chance upon something that works. I am like someone old as Methuselah, halfway yearning for the days when watching TV involved nothing more than getting up from the chair and pushing a single button through the four available channels. Sometimes the luddite in me yearns for simplicity.

You can see this technology phobia everywhere in the Trapped in the 80s Moms blog. I have no interest in adding doo-dads or widgets. Yes, it could be more vibrant and do more stuff and have features of all kinds. But what is the fun in that? I did not start a blog to become a computer programmer.

I am aware that some of you come here and think: why doesn't she do something more with this blog? But what I say to you is this: do bells and whistles make what is written on the page better? Do fancy widgets make you feel something, or conjure up memories, or make you think? Do pretty colors make the words somehow ring true?

Would a bunch of widgets that show the time and temperature and the top news headlines have made the words of Shakespeare or Mark Twain or Homer somehow more meaningful? I am not implying that what is written here, concerning proms and Weird Al and Safety Dance, compares with something like Hamlet or King Lear. At least most of the time it does not (come on, you have to admit that my Ralph Macchio poetry is pretty tubular). But shouldn't our words, however foolish or badly written, stand or fall on their own merit, without the gloss of technology?

I cling to primitivism as a matter of principle. I cling to it in defense of something all the so-called 'writers' of the blogosphere have forgotten. I cling to primitivism in defense of: WORDS.

Spandau Ballet: Prom Music Masters.

2010-05-01T12:15:00.004-05:00

At this time of the year, hearing about junior and senior prom always reminds me of my own high school dances.

Surely there are quite a few of you out there who danced a very 'romantic' slow dance to Spandau Ballet's True at your junior or senior prom in 1983-84-85. I can recall dancing to this iconic 80s slowdance song at several homecoming and Christmas formals.

I also danced to it in the backyard of my first boyfriend in 1984. His mother served us steak as if their home were a restaurant, and she a waitress. He had flowers delivered that arrived just as we finished dinner. He took me out under the stars in a wooden rowboat in a small lake in his backyard, and put his jacket over my shoulders when I felt chilled. We danced by the edge of the water to True as it blared from a boombox. It is so much fun to think back on how innocent that all was. Every time I hear True, I think of that night.

For my junior and senior proms in 1987 and 1988, there were live bands. I am pretty sure the bands played the normal 80s cover stuff. It always seemed that they played stuff by The Romantics and The Producers. What was up with that? Why did all cover bands play those songs?

Tell me what memories you have of prom. I am especially interested in hearing of your romantic dances to True. I know you must have a True story - don't pretend that you don't!

Now, Spandau Ballet performing this iconic song at Live Aid:

Does Your Hair Need a Hot Oil Treatment? Jump into the Gulf of Mexico!

2010-04-30T10:21:00.012-05:00

If your hair is a bit frazzled and you need a hot oil treatment, head on over here to the beaches of the Gulf Coast and go for a dive. Courtesy of the folks at BP oil, you will get a killer hair moisturizing treatment, as well as smooth skin. Just make sure not to light a match.

While you are out there, you may want to save a few birds that are also taking the same petroleum bath. There is nothing that can be done for the devastated fisheries of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, but maybe after toweling off from your frolics you can grab a few living organisms and breathe into them some new life.

The last major oil spill, from the Exxon Valdez in 1989, happened at a time when I was more interested in just being nineteen than worrying about something like the livelihoods of fishermen, the protection of wildlife, etc. But now, I am concerned.

I have been a supporter of offshore drilling for some time. I am not saying that this event causes me to change that opinion, but it is a sad reminder that our current lifestyle comes with costs. All methods come with their own risks, but it seems that we could be doing better. Granted, drilling in our own territory helps to release us from the grips of oil-rich nations to whom we are presently tied. This is a good thing. But the question remains - is there something that works even better? It is time to reconsider other options, such as natural gas drilling or clean nuclear power.

Thirty percent of America's oil comes from rigs on the Gulf of Mexico. I am no expert on knowing whether the value of this production outweighs the importance of having intact fisheries in south Louisiana, the state that produces the majority of the shrimp, oysters and crawfish enjoyed by most of the United States. But it is clear that this is a messy, ugly business for the fisherman of my home state of Louisiana. These men and women are the people who make living down here worthwhile. They heroically rebuilt their lives after their homes were wiped clean to the slab and their fisheries were devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Now they will go through it all over again.

Ugh, I hate having to consider all of this. It was so much easier when I was nineteen and Exxon Valdez was nothing more than a blip on the radar for my young psyche.

For one, I am heading out today to fill our freezers before my favorite food, shrimp, skyrockets in cost. There is literally a smell of oil in the air where I live, a handful of miles from the beach and less than a mile as the crow flies from the marshes.

I will not go for a swim, despite the dry, overwintered skin. I wish that the gorgeous pelicans of the Louisiana marshes and Mississippi Sound could opt out as well.

Gen X Examiner Interview With 80sMom

2010-04-26T15:06:00.006-05:00

I have been meaning to post this for awhile now and keep forgetting. I always like to brag about cool stuff that happens to me.

Today's brag is about an interview I did with Generation X Examiner Sherri Thornhill. Check it out here: Gen X Examiner 80sMom interview.

After reading the interview, I realized that some of what I said about Generation X does not make much sense. I tried to clarify it in the comments that follow the interview. See what happens, Sherri, when you choose to interview crazy people who don't know what the heck they are talking about?

Check out the Examiner site - it is a nice catch-all for Gen X items.

Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence

2010-04-23T12:24:00.005-05:00

Okay. I know that this song was not released in the 80s (I think it was 1990 or 1991). But we don't need to be sticklers about this.

Here is Enjoy The Silence. Go ahead and enjoy it. You can listen to it while you get ready to do whatever you do on a Friday evening. Listen to it while you drink a margarita, or fool around on facebook, or put your kids' fishsticks in the oven. It is one of many near-perfect songs by Depeche Mode, one of the best bands of the 80's ... or of the 90's ... or of 2010.

Holy Hell, I Turned 40 Today!

2010-04-17T14:26:00.010-05:00

For some reason, when you are young you never imagine that you will actually get old. You imagine instead that you will always have smooth skin and be slim and that The Eurythmics will always be playing on the radio. But these things change.

When you are young, you also imagine that when a person is forty, they are just ... old. You cannot imagine that when a person is forty, there is one thing that does not change: they will still be looking out at things through basically the same eyes. These eyes may need reading glasses, or bifocals, or large amounts of Renova underneath them. These eyes may begin to have have fine lines spreading out at the sides, fanning out towards the temples.

But the person behind the eyes: still the same.

Re-Living the 1980's Via Facebook

2010-04-16T15:39:00.005-05:00

Today, a friend that I have not seen in about twenty years posted this photo of me in the late 1980's to her Facebook page. This photo was taken on Canal Street in New Orleans.

This photo sharing is probably one of the best features of Facebook. We can often see photos of ourselves that have been in our friends' albums for many years, but that we, ourselves, have never laid eyes on. It is always so much fun when one of these pictures pops up out of nowhere.

It is strange when this happens. It is almost as if for a few moments this weird little rabbit hole opens up, where we can see times past through a new prism. Suddenly, our memory of an era or phase of our life becomes more complete.

Thanks, Facebook!

The Oldest Duran Duran Interview You Have Ever Seen!

2010-04-13T09:58:00.011-05:00

If you were a fan of Duran Duran in the 1980s (who wasn't?), then you will get a kick out of this chance interview that happened before they were known at all. This has got to be the oldest D2 interview footage I have ever seen.

They are like a group of comical and photogenic little babies! I am sure at this point they had no idea how their lives would change forever.

I can never get enough of the dry, yet over-the-top personality of the driving force behind their music, Nick Rhodes. And Simon LeBon's charms are obvious. How could these guys fail?

I love when Simon talks about how music does not need to be educational or be about anything meaningful at all. Sometimes it can just be fun. Surely he was considering exactly that when he wrote "The Reflex". I love how they adopt this anti-intellectual stance and consciously embrace the emptiness, embrace the fun.

This post-punk style over substance attitude may be one of the lasting legacies of the 1980's, and of Duran Duran. For once it was okay to simply say: this isn't about anything at all.

As long as the music makes us dance, what exactly is wrong with that?

If I Were a Performer, I Would Be Weird Al Yankovic

2010-04-11T19:06:00.017-05:00

I am learning to play the ukulele.

I know this isn't an instrument commonly associated with the 1980s or with much of anything outside of Hawaii. But damn if it isn't the funniest thing on the planet to play your favorite 80s tunes on a uke!

I already play the harp, and continually amuse myself with attempts to jam to (yes, that IS a joke)songs by The Cure and Duran Duran. If you want an 80s freakshow, come to my house some day when I am grooving to Spandau Ballet on a folk harp.

When I do this, play 80s favorites or junk by lady Gaga on the harp, I feel like the soulmate of Weird Al Yankovic. It is clear that if I had any talent whatsoever and decided to pursue performing as a career, it would have to be as the female version of Weird Al. I could do nothing less.

Honestly, the ukulele has to be one of the easiest instruments in the world to play. You can go from knowing absolutely nothing to playing "Mad World" by Tears For Fears in an hour. My husband has played for some time now and I just decided to pick it up. I am fortunate that he has a quality instrument and not one of those cheap ukes that seem to be made of cardboard. This is NOT to imply that the sounds coming out of this instrument are quality - at least not YET.