Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Back Then

I love Sitemeter. This is a recent discovery for me. I've read several blog entries over the last year, people talking about the search terms used to find their blog. How do they do that? Answer: digging around in Sitemeter. How cool.

Back on October of '05, I wrote a couple posts about pledging the Fiji fraternity. I broke several rules by doing so. They fancy themselves as being super duper trifecta top secret, but it's all a bunch of bull, even to those who eventually come to embrace it. But now my blog, having been around for so long I suppose, gets top billing sometimes for Google searches, Yahoo and Ask.com too. Two days ago, I got an email from a young man thinking about pledging Fiji as WSU. He was concerned about joining. To him, the guys at the fraternity today seem like a bunch of cool guys, but my stories were unflattering. How long ago did you attend, he asked me.

Back when I was at WSU, David Lee Roth was still the lead singer of Van Halen. Jump was number one. I know, Van who? It's embarrassing to admit, but we danced in basements to Karma Chameleon Time after Time. I was the Owner of a Lonely Heart, but What's Love Got To Do With It anyway? But Let's Hear it for the Boy, because Against All Odds I made it through.

An unknown actor called Kevin Bacon starred in his first role called Footloose. Ever even heard of it? Eddie Murphy was actually funny back then. I know, I know, but it's true. He could do no wrong after his smash success that year with Beverly Hills Cop. Harrison Ford was in his prime in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. And who could forget Dr. Venkman who never studied in Ghostbusters? Ralph Machio was a household name, as was Mr. Miagi. Back then Police Academy needed no suffix.

People were watching Dynasty and Dallas, The Cosby Show and Family Ties. A lot of shooting and explosions rocked the world of A-Team, but nobody got killed. The shows we watched can only be found in obscure DVD collections and Nick at Nite.

What am I trying to say? Things change. Like I told him, these are the best years of your life. Live them to the fullest.

14 comments:

Flood said...

I was 8 or 9 during this time and you were out wreaking havoc and cutting your teeth on the world.

And here we are! Life sure is strange. And great.

Toni Anderson said...

The 80s was a beautiful time to grow up :)

Scott said...

Flood - I'm an old fart with a young mind. And it is a wonderful life.

Toni - I'll drink to that!

Anonymous said...

Now the soundtrack to Beverly Hills Cop is in my head for the rest of the day. I saw that movie seven times on its opening weekend. These days, I just wait for the DVD. Did times change or did I?

You were very kind to take the time to answer the student's question. I love it when that happens.

Kathleen said...

Footloose was on the other day.

And since Flood just did her best to make you feel old ;-), I'll tell you that I'm right there with you. All those things you mentioned didn't just ring a bell, it struck a chord and a huge gong like The Gong Show! ;-)

Like Toni Anderson, I loved the 80s!

Scott said...

Erica - Movies have lost their fangs, taking pains not to offend. Times did change. Yeah, I wrote him a long email.

Kat - The Gong what? Ha. Just joking. Chuck Barris of course. There as a movie about him in the last couple years. I'll bet you've seen it!

Anonymous said...

Ah the 80's.... Thanks for the trip down memory lane. :)

Bailey Stewart said...

Okay, I'll make you feel young - I was a teenager in the 70s - I was in my 20s in the 80s. I think I'll go crawl under the bed now. *gg*

Kathleen said...

I actually haven't seen the movie yet, but I think it's on my Netflix list. I hear it was a bit disturbing and I'm not big on disturbing.

Moni said...

Ah ha! I loved the song montage. I watched every episode of I Love the 80's and I remember everything! A few years from now I won't be able to remember squat! :)

Jaye Wells said...

Thanks for laugh. I love everything eighties.

I have fond memories of a couple of FIJIs. Sorry your experience wasn't more positive.

Anonymous said...

Yes 80s top it for me
Thanks for memory lane,
all the best
tony,
http://zingtrial.wordpress.com/

mr. schprock said...

When I was in college this guy named Columbus claimed he just found a new route to the West Indies. I was an alchemy major at the time. We were all singing the Gregorian Chant and joining in on a new craze called "witch burning."

Tee/Tracy said...

It is pretty cool the connections that are made and information/ideas that are communicated - all made possible by the Internet. I wonder when we'll start taking it for granted?

As for all the pop culture references - I have determined that when you were in college I was about 5 years old. Ha ha ha! Love it ;) Hee hee ;)