1980's - All The Cool Stuff

I am not that old but I do remember in the mid 1970's that my life was completely different from today's society. I know to some of you, you will laugh and think I am crazy but really, this is how it was when I grew up and I loved it. So many different things happening in my life but it was fun and very different then it is today. Below are times that I remember and I can tell you, most of these things I did, I would never let me son do!

Ride Your Bike with No Helmet

• I could ride my bike across town with no helmet to the city pool. I could ride to my grandparent’s house, over the friend’s house or anywhere, it didn’t matter, I could just go. During that time, we didn’t worry about sex offenders or someone kidnapping us, it was just fun to go. Best part about it, I didn’t wear a helmet, back then, helmet’s weren’t even invented (not sure about that) but my point is we didn’t wear them and our parents didn’t worry about it either. Of course now, my son HAS to wear his helmet when riding a bike.

City Pool

• My sister and I would ride to the city pool almost every day during the summer, I was probably 8-10 years old and it was a blast. We would spend all day at the pool. Yes, there were lifeguards (and they were cute too) and we could order food and charge to our parents account but as young kids, that was so cool. The city pool was right beside the main golf course so I saw my dad and brother a lot and my parent’s friends and we would talk through the fence, but seriously, all day, everyday I would ride across town to the city pool at 8 years of age. I would stay all day, never put on sunscreen, swim and layout, talk to everyone I could, eat more then ride home on my bike. It was a total blast but would you let your child do that now?

Hang out All Day

• I remember when it was summer and I could go to the pool most days but I would ride up to my best friend’s house, Rodney and I would play “Charlie’s Angel’s” with our siblings. We had so much fun; we would play for hours and into the dark. We hang out all day together, playing Red Rover or Dodge Ball or Charlie’s Angels. I don't even think I ever ate, I just played and played. If on rainy days we would play whereever we could. To this day Rodney and I are still friends, even though I moved to another state later on, we stay in touch. Those days were some of the best days of my life.

Original Coke

• I loved the old fashion coke bottles, gosh, the pop and fizz when you opened it, the taste was unbelievable and my mouth watered every time I was lucky enough to get one. We would ride down to the old pharmacy and have a coke every so often. It was a great treat and I still find the old coke bottles and get them for my son; they are still so cool to me.

No Seat Belts

• Every year my parents would take us to Florida for the family vacation. I use to love those long drives, my sister and I would climb in the back seat and talk, read, write, tell stories or just sleep but we loved riding in that old car for hours. We never, ever wore a seat belt! Every trip I go on now, my son has his booster seat and seat belt on…DVDs help but I like him to play and draw just to be more creative. Rode trips aren’t like the use to be, realizing the seat belts are a benefit but I loved that time!

Rotary Phones

• My parents and grandparents only had rotary phones back then, now they are “antiques” but I used it most of my childhood. I remember my grandparents got their first wall mount phone and I wanted to call all my friends on it. It was the coolest thing, wall mount phone and push buttons instead of dialing. Funny, huh? I bet most of the young people reading this hub will have no idea what a rotary phone is.

8 Track Tapes

• I grow up on 8 track tapes, my mother had every tape with Barbara Streisand, and she would put that in our “stereo” and play that 8 track tape every Saturday morning as we cleaned the house. We would laugh and sing to each tape until the house was clean. I remember we would bake all day with these 8 track tapes playing. We would bake cookies, cakes and pies and sing at the top of our lungs. It was so much fun. Do you remember 8 track tapes? Are they considered antiques now?

45 Vinyl Records

• Yes, we had the 45 vinyl records, in fact, I remember trading all my ABBA 45’s for my girlfriend’s purses, gosh, now they are worth a fortune probably but I didn’t know back then. I would babysit and save all my money to go buy a new 45 record. I would play that record until I knew every word to the song. It was the best music in my life, because I paid for the songs, well for the records.

No Remote Control

• Our television had three stations, if I think really hard I might be able to think of each channel but we had to get up and change the channel. I use to watch “Laverne & Shirley” "Wonder Woman" and “Happy Days” every day after school! Whatever happened to shows like that? Gosh, I miss those old shows episodes.

Root Beer Float

• I hope in your lifetime you have a true, original and increditably awesome Root Beer Float. I use to ride my bike down to local pharmacy and have a float, sitting up on that counter was heaven. I felt like a princess eating this magical float that lead me into a dream world.

I am sure there are many more things I could think of or you could think of, but in 1970 this was my live, all the things I loved and all the good stuff that I remember so many years ago. As I mentioned before, it is different today then it was then but I loved all that stuff and cherish it so much. Find the stuff you love and cherish it, because it goes by way to fast.