Back Down Memory Lane

July is great! This is my birthday month. I like to celebrate for the whole month instead of just one day. I call it "BIRTHDAY MONTH". I can pretty much give myself permission to indulge in certain things that I normally wouldn't do......and then I blame it on "BIRTHDAY MONTH". For example, "I really shouldn't have eaten that whole Triple Dipped Banana Split, but what the heck it is Birthday Month!!!!! Today I have decided to indulge myself in a little trip down Memory Lane...because what the heck it is Birthday Month!!!!!

I am not a person who chooses to live my life in the past, however; I am a very nostalgic and sentimental person. People who were my true blue friends way back when, I still hold dear to my heart today. I will not make a list of names because if you have been one of my "true blue" you are probably reading this right now.

In this busy and hectic world we live in today, we rarely have the time or luxury to sit and reminisce of past days we've had that make us smile. But you know, we need those moments to reflect on now and again.....to remind us of how good God has been to us. All of our memories of course are not pleasant or sweet but if we are breathing today then that means that we have triumphed....we have made it through some bad times and God is still holding our hands. If a bad time happens to be right now, then it is a good time to reflect on sweet days in the past. Stress is not good for the body. Thinking about good memories or funny things that have happened in your life in the past will bring a smile to your face. Smiling is healing for the body.....and it is very contagious. Try smiling at people today and see if you don't get a bunch of smiles back!

Have you ever noticed how awesome God is? He made our brains and all of our five senses to act like little memory tape recorders. We may smell a certain perfume or cologne and it reminds us of a particular person. We may taste certain types of foods that were cooked in our homes during childhood and we are now thinking about MAMA's Kitchen. We may see a certain tv show that we may not have viewed since childhood or see a certain photograph taken "back in the day" that brings back a sense of nostalgia. You may touch a certain type of material that reminds you of a comforting blanket that you once had....and then that memory could lead to thinking about how Mama brought you soup in bed when you were sick. But of all the senses, I think hearing (sound) is the biggest memory trigger. All it takes is to hear a certain song...and you are suddenly transported back to a different place in time. A blast from the past! You can usually remember where you were and the people you were hanging out with at the time. Some songs make you feel happy and some songs will have you almost in tears...but the songs that were important to you can make a movie screen of past events across your mind. Some songs make instant scrapbooks that only you can see.

I refuse to actually write my age on this blog. But just know this.....I may be celebrating ANOTHER birthday but I am young at heart.....so that is all that counts....RIGHT?????? If you are reading my accounts of things that jog my memory and you can remember them too, then WELCOME to my OLDIES but definitely GOODIES club. Below, I will be writing a few memory joggers. I won't be able to name everything of course because I am just doing this off the top of my head...but maybe looking at a few of my memories will bring back some of your own. If you are too young to remember any of this stuff, then I feel sorry for you because you REALLY MISSED OUT! Oh yeah, and NO CHEATING.....watching old tv programs recently and for the first time on TV Land doesn't count. You had to have experienced them when they were actually ON THE AIR!

Saturday Morning and Weekday Cartoons or Kidshows

Winky Dink, Wonderama, The Banana Splits, Flintstones, Jetsons, Kimba the White Lion, Speed Racer, The Little Rascals, Zoom, The Electric Company, Sesame Street, The New Zoo Revue, The 3 Stooges, Bugs Bunny (and all of his crew), The Afterschool Specials, Gigantor, Hercules, Aquaman, Giant Robot, Penelope Pit-stop, George of the Jungle, Popeye, Fractured Fairy Tales, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Huckleberry Hound, Oggie Doggy, Yogi and Boo Boo, Magilla Gorilla, Thunderbirds Are Go, The Groovy Ghoulies, Johnny Quest, Josie and the Pussycats, Captain Caveman, H.R. Puff N Stuff, Liddsville, Land of the Lost, Electra Woman and Dyna Girl, Shazzam, Bugaloos, Schmoo, Jabber Jaw, Run Joe Run, Pink Panther, Atom Ant, Underdog, Touche' Turtle, The Superfriends, Scooby Doo, Sherriff John, Bozo the Clown, Romper Room, Mickey Mouse Club (the black & white reruns and the show from my Jr. High era with POP and Lisa Welchel),....What were your favorites?

TV SHOWS

Family Affair, The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, The Facts of Life, The Donny and Marie Show, The Jackson 5 Cartoon, Don't Eat the Daisies, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, That Girl, The Flying Nun, Mary Tyler Moore, Dick Van Dyke, The Beverly Hillbillies, Andy Griffith, The Flip Wilson Show, Little People, I Love Lucy, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, Charlie's Angels, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Happy Days, LaVerne and Shirley, Welcome Back Kotter, Love American Style, Starsky and Hutch, Baretta, The Waltons, Laugh In, The Smothers Brothers, Dukes of Hazzard, All in the Family, Sanford and Son, Good Times, The Jeffersons....What were your favorites?

Variety Shows/Game Shows

There was always a variety show or game show on. They were usually pretty entertaining. When you couldn't find anything else to watch, you knew there would always be the good old variety or game show available. Variety shows have now been replaced with REALITY TV.

Do you remember The Gong Show, Password, Match Game, The Newlywed Game, The Dating Game, What's My Line, Name That Tune, Pyramid, Beat the Clock, Let's Make a Deal .......or how about Merv Griffin, Ed Sullivan, Johnny Carson, .......Arsenio Hall (Tee Hee)? There are really tooooooo many variety and game shows to list. Moving ON!

A Riveting Viewing Experience

Watching Alex Haley's Roots. Need I say more.

Candy, Goodies, Desserts and Such

Mother's Cookies, Animal Cookies (in the circus cage box), Chips Ahoy, Oreo, Those powdery lemon cookies, Chick O Stix, Slap Stix, Blow Pops, Chocolite, Marathon Bar, Chunky, Fruit Stripe Gum, Bottle Caps, Bazooka Gum, Pez, Razzles, Pixy Stix, Ice cream gum, Koogles P Nut Butter, Spoon Candy (it was a pudding with a candy shell on top), 123 Jello, Abba Zabba, Now N Later, Sherbert Push Ups, Eskimo Pie, Ice Cream Sandwhich, Drumstick, Bomb Pop, Snow Cone (and every other thing the ice cream man had) Bubble Yum, Good N Plenty, Pop Rocks, Fun Dip, Mike and Ikes, Zots, Sweet Tarts, Candy Cigars, Sugar Daddy, Sugar Babies, Lemon Heads, Dum Dums, Tootsie Roll, Boston Baked Beans, Cinnamon Toothpicks, Jaw Breakers, Wonka Candy, Every variety of Chocolate Candy bar from Hershey, Nestle, Mars, Cadbury etc......the list goes on and on with this one. What were some of your faves?

Drink Mixes

Tang, Nestle's Quick, Kool aid, Country Time, Carnation Instant Breakfast, and who could forget the list of Funny Face drink mixes? Here goes the list of ones I can remember....Choo Choo Cherry, Jolly Olly Orange, Goofy Grape, Rootin Tootin Raspberry, Loud Mouth Lime, Lefty Lemon, Ruddi Tutti Frutti, Captain Black Cherry, Freckle Face Strawberry, With It Watermelon, Rah Rah Rootbeer and Chug a lug Chocolate....I think the Cherry and Orange flavors were at one time called Chinese Cherry and Injun Orange but they probably changed the names so as not to offend anyone. I am thinking back to when I was a kid, and I am wondering if , I as an afro american child would have noticed or been offended if the the chocolate flavored mix would have been called something similar like Chug a Zulu Chocolate . Anyway, I think it's best that they quickly changed the names. Now I must pay homage to the best drink (soda) that was ever known to mankind. Aspen Soda can never be replaced. It was simply the best, light, refreshing, crisp, apple tasting soda ever. In my house we used to go to the bulk items store (like the Costo or Sam's of today) and we would buy this soda by the cases. The only thing that even came close to tasting as delicious would have probably been an ice cold Nehi Peach soda (and you have to eat chili cheese flavored fritos with it). Am I alone when I say I wish the Pepsi company still made Aspen? I don't think so!!! Let's have a moment of silence in rememberance of this great soda........Now, take action and write the Pepsi company. Tell them that you want your Aspen soda back on the store shelves A.S.A.P!

Toys and Games

Now here is a subject that could go on endlessly. I will name just a few and that should get you started on your own list of favorites.

Baby Tenderlove, Mrs. Beasly, Baby Thataway, HuggaBunch, Baby Alive, Chrissy, Barbie, Ken, Skipper, Holly Hobbie, Smurfs, GI Joe with the Kung Fu Grip, Hot Wheels, Whirlie Bird, Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle, Wheel-O, See and Say, Weebles, Big Wheel, Green Machine, Kick and Go, Lite Bright, Play Dough, Click Clacks (don't put your eye out), Battleship, Monopoly, Life, Trouble, Twister, Perquacky, Scrabble, Mystery Date, Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, and so on, and so on, and so on..............

Video Games

ATARI, Pong, Pac Man, Centipede, Mario Bros., Galaga, Frogger, Donkey Kong, Dig Dug, Burger Time, Asteroids, Pole Position, Qbert, Pinball, Paperboy......and my all time favorite....drum roll please.......TEMPEST

Commercials

Commercials can either be annoying and irritating, or funny, catchy and entertaining. Do you remember a few of these?

"How'd ya like a nice Hawaiian Punch"?

"Have it your way"

"The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup"

"Take the Nestea plunge"

"Strong enough for a man but made for a woman"

"It's not nice to fool with Mother Nature"

"Trix are for Kids"

"I am the Frito Bandito"

"Hey, Mikey...He likes it"

"I hanker for a hunk of cheese"

"It's the REAL thing"

"You got chocolate in my peanut butter"

"Manly yes, but i like it too"

"Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickle, onion on a sesame seed bun".

"Flick your Bic"

"Gentlemen prefer Hanes"

"Ring around the Collar"

Songs - Movies- Stuff

Songs to do THE BUMP to: Fire, RollerCoaster, Tear the Roof off The Sucker, Anything by....... KC and the Sunshine Band ,The Bee Gees, The Jacksons,

Songs to make you say AHEmmmm: Reunited by Peaches and Herb, Too Hot and Always and Forever by Heat Wave, Through the Fire by Chaka Khan, We Both Deserve Each Other's Love by LTD, There Will Never Be and I Call Your Name by Switch, Any song that Howard Hewitt ever chooses to sing from the past, present or the future....I just love his voice!

Fast Forward a bit:The Commodores, The Police, The B52's, Cameo, The Sugar Hill Gang, Parliament, Bootsy Collins, Prince

The Big Movies: Jaws, Star Wars, Grease, Saturday Night Fever

Stuff to think about and giggle: Blue Chip Stamps, Mood Rings, Pet Rocks, Chia Pets, Wham Tshirts, KFC used to be served in a bucket, Garanimals mix and match clothing, Cheryl Tiegs was "The Super Model", Roller Derby, Bruce Lee Movies (where the talking was out of sync), Godzilla Movies (same thing), Flash Dance, Boy George, Pickles with a sweet and sour pushed into the middle.

Christian Music Blast from the Past

Andre Crouch, The Clark Sisters, Leon Patillo, Amy Grant, BJ Thomas,

Well I hope you enjoyed this miniature walk down memory lane...i know that I did. There was soooo much more that I could've and wanted to put on this page but as usual time and duties of the present and future would not permit. If you would like to explore a little bit more, here are some sites you can look at.

Oh yeah, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY MONTH TO ME!

http://prohosting.com/70's/adulttv/adulttv.html

http://prohosting.com/70's/childtv.html

http://www.feelingretro.com/listitems.cfm?id=1