If you’ve ever taken a writing class, you will have likely come across selections of the late Joe Brainard’s 1975 book, “I Remember,” a series of personal reminiscences of his life, the events of which seem like another world these days.
In celebration of my 45th birthday today, I would like to do an Xennial version of this book. (I have a MAJOR bone to pick about the definition of the years for an Xennial, especially the fact 1976 isn’t included, but that’s another post for another day.)
In any case, here’s my version, one for every year of my life in no particular order.
I Remember
Version Xennial
I remember shuffling into the kitchen to get a bowl of cereal, and then plop in front of the TV on the living room floor for the better part of two hours every Saturday morning for my weekly dose of Saturday morning cartoons. He-Man, She-Ra, Inspector Gadget, The Smurfs, etc. made Saturday mornings special. I had, and still have, a special place in my heart for She-Ra.
I remember switching to watching professional wrestling on Saturdays. From 10 A.M. until 2 P.M. It was continuous wrestling between the then-NWA (later WCW) and the then-WWF (now WWE). (Although I only watched the NWA.) When my house got cable two years later, it was another dose of wrestling for two glorious hours, starting at 6:05 on TBS.
I remember when network TV had so many good shows you didn’t know what to watch: Cheers, Family Ties, Miami Vice, Hill Street Blues, Facts of Life, Silver Spoons. I even remember a very weird show called Small Wonder. (Although I never did like Kids, Incorporated.)
I remember the last days of penny candy.
I remember the dominance and demise of vinyl records.
I remember the resurgence of vinyl records (thank you, Gen Z!).
I remember looking at cassette tapes and feeling cheated because the album cover art just didn’t have the majesty of a record.
I remember cassette singles/maxi-singles.
I remember the dominance and demise of compact discs.
I remember both VHS and Betamax (Beta) video tapes, but, for whatever reason, I only ever saw VHS machines (VCRs) and tapes for sale/rent.
I remember Sunday afternoon movies on network TV. They were nearly all black and white and were beyond boring. Today they’re called “classics.”
I remember when Nirvana’s “Nevermind” changed the pop music landscape, killing off heavy metal. Grunge itself would come and go in a short amount of time. Years later, I learned of the original Nirvana from England.
I remember just sitting in class in grade school and, all of a sudden, someone would turn slightly to the side and throw up on the floor, in between the rows of desks. This just happened out of nowhere. The nuns would always clean it up with sand.
I remember thinking we’re only in high school for four short years, yet what happened in that short amount of time stays with us for the rest of our lives.
I remember when the Berlin Wall fell and feeling like democracy won the war.
I remember when the Soviet Union ended, and I was confused having to relearn the real names of the former Soviet bloc all over again.
I remember the Challenger explosion (January 28th, 1986). I returned for the afternoon session in grade school (no school lunch in the days of Ronald Raygun), and there was a heavy feeling in the air in the coatroom as I hung up my coat. After settling in our desks, the nun informed us of what happened and strongly suggested we not watch the images on the nightly news alongside our parents as the footage was traumatic.
I remember the LONG time it took to conduct the Congressional hearings into the Challenger explosion. It’s only now that I learned the hearings lasted for the majority of 1986.
I remember the suspension of the space shuttle program, which I believed would be permanent after what I saw happen to Challenger. But, on September 29th, 1988, space shuttle Discovery was launched. If memory serves me correctly, the older kids in my Catholic school – grades 5-8 – were brought to the school hall and watched the launch … on a regular TV (not even a pull-down screen for which the program could be projected. Yeah, my school was real poor.) I was nervous the thing would explode like Challenger did, as I would be with every shuttle launch. When the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated upon re-entry on February 1st, 2003, I got nervous all over again for a different reason.
I remember the Iran-Contra hearings and thinking, “I will never be a Republican.” I’ve kept that promise to myself with pride.
I remember the O.J. Simpson brouhaha in 1995, and wished everyday Judge Lance Ito would have never allowed cameras into that courtroom.
I remember my first boyfriend and how good he made me feel about myself at a young age.
I remember watching the MOVE bombing live (May 13th, 1985).
I remember watching a good portion of Live Aid (July 13th, 1985). I was tasked by my older sister to let her know when Ozzy Osbourne would be on. When the announcer said he was up next (in the Black Sabbath reunion), I went upstairs and dutifully told her. She didn’t stir, so I went back downstairs. She got up, came downstairs, and plopped in front of the TV just as Ozzy came on. You couldn’t have planned that any better.
I remember not realizing until much later in life how close the dates of major news events were.
I remember hearing on the local news events that were held at JFK Stadium, The Spectrum, and Veterans Stadium (the Vet) on the same night at the same time – meaning there were over 200,000 people crammed into one little area of South Philly. It would take hours for that area to clear out.
I remember 1980s exercise shows such as the :20 Minute Workout, and how I couldn’t keep up with it. I didn’t think at the time, nor did anyone tell me, that I was all of 6 or 7 years old when that show aired, so why the fuck did I feel like a failure for not being able to physically keep up with adult women on an exercise show?
I remember when Hollywood could make good, original movies, and not just a series of shitty sequels, remakes, and multiple versions of movies of comic book characters.
I remember so-called “chick flicks” (rom-coms/romantic comedies).
I remember the string of women singers in the 1990s who topped the charts seemingly every week: Annie Lennox, Donna Lewis, Alanis Morrissette, Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow, etc.
I remember the Sunday mornings when my mom would make roast beef stew. The smell of the onions and carrots would permeate the house and linger long after dinner was done.
I remember the full, fluffy Christmas trees that would adorn the living room every year. Christmas was mom’s favorite time of the year.
I remember realizing Halloween is my favorite time of the year.
I remember when I could eat McDonald’s like candy. The last time I ate a Bic Mac, I felt on the precipice of death.
I remember the horror and confusion of my first panic attack.
I remember thinking 40 was ancient. I got there quicker than I wanted to, and now realize it wasn’t so bad. (Take note, kiddies. Lol.)
I remember seeing celebrities in person and thinking their pictures do them no justice.
I remember Headbanger’s Ball on MTV every Saturday night for three hours when it was hosted by Adam Curry. I never did manage to watch to entire show, but, then again, I was all of 11 when it first aired. (And I never watched the show in its entirety when it was reduced to two hours in later years.)
I remember jumping out of bed at 5:30 A.M. unable to take a deep breath. My brain wasn’t fully awake, but it knew something was wrong. It took me almost a full minute to realize it was becoming increasingly harder to breathe – and then it hurt to breathe. In the hospital, I learned I had pleurisy – a complication of the untreated pneumonia I had the week before.
I remember the Y2K hype and subsequent bust.
I remember Bush v. Gore and how the guy who lost the popular vote was appointed president by the Supreme Court (you’re always Governor Bush to me, Dubya).
I remember hearing “A Day in the Life” on the radio before I knew either the song title or group. When I got into The Beatles in 1995 (took me a while. Lol), I thought, “I don’t need to listen to anything else.” I do … barely.
I remember 78 records and 33 1/3 LPs that played at 45 and even 78 RPM speed.
I remember the popularity of AquaNet in the 80s and how teenagers would spray on the stuff while running the hair dryer, producing a look that a Category 5 hurricane couldn’t budge.
I remember thinking, “I’m halfway through my 40s. Where did the time go?”
donnad1976 