70s-child

Does anyone else remember...

2012-01-30T11:35:00.002-05:00

... the episode of The Partridge Family, when Laurie had gotten braces, and one day the family was rehearsing in the garage and Laurie was "off" while playing the keyboard. And when they asked her about it she said she was "hearing music in her head", and it turns out her braces were picking up radio signals from somewhere else??? When I was a teenager I had to get braces, and I had remembered that episode hoping it would happen to me. And I used to hold my head near the radio hoping I could pick something up, but it never happened. Talk about a major let-down..

Sunday Comic:

2012-01-29T04:01:00.002-05:00

Interjections show excitement or emotion...

2012-01-28T10:22:00.003-05:00

.. they're generally set apart from a sentence by an exclamation point or by a comma when the feeling's not as strong.

So when you're happy (Hooray!)

Or sad (Aw!)

Or frightened (Eeeeeek!)

Or mad (Rats!)

Or excited (Wow!)

Or glad (Hey!)

An interjection starts a sentence right.

Connect Four:

2012-01-27T15:17:00.002-05:00

This was one of the few games that my folks and I could agree on. Nobody in our house didn't like playing it. Once in awhile you'd play with a poor loser and just as you're about to drop the winning checker the loser would move the trap bar so all the checkers would fall out so you couldn't actually claim victory. Of course, I never did that...

Goodbye Robert Hegyes:

2012-01-27T05:34:00.004-05:00

Marco just emailed me to let me know he passed away.

Random find:

2012-01-25T16:57:00.002-05:00

I like the hood ornament.. and basically that's all I like about it... ..

Question:

2012-01-25T15:19:00.004-05:00

Does anyone remember the episode of Gilligan's Island when Gilligan suggests a beauty contest to decide which of the three female castaways will become "Ms. Castaway"? And Mr. Howell really wants his wife to win, so he spreads glue on the stage before mary Ann's dance routine, and shot spit-wads at Ginger while she performed?? Then the Professor distorted the music when it was Mrs. Howell's turn??? Then when all three competed Gilligan had to decide the winner???? And I believe he chose a chimpanzee instead????? Well, neither did I. I cheated for this post (although, in my defense I did remember Gilligan choosing the chimp). I found it all HERE.

Did you know:

2012-01-24T10:26:00.005-05:00

The Carpenters weren't the first to record "Top Of The World". Lynn Anderson recorded it a year or two before. I heard it for the first time a few days ago on a country oldies station. It was just as good as The Carpenters' version - I almost like it a little better. Lynn's an old favorite of mine. I loved her voice and a few of her old hits. I wonder what she's been up to lately.

Gnip Gnop:

2012-01-19T07:11:00.002-05:00

I had this game but I didn't like it because I wasn't any good at it and I always lost. I've always been somewhat of a poor loser.. okay an incredibly poor loser. I'm surprised anybody played anything with me back in the day.....

Misc. Remembrance:

2012-01-18T15:33:00.004-05:00

I really hate shopping, especially clothes shopping. Even more so when I was a kid and mom would take me clothes shopping for back to school, etc. I couldn't wait to get out of those stores. Basically the conversation would go something like the following:

Mom: "How about this shirt? It'd look great on you."

Me: "Fine. I'll take it. Let's go."

Mom: "And how about these pants??? They'd go great with that shirt."

Me: "Fine. Great. Let's go."

Mom: "Oh and look at these great shoes, they're just perfect for that outfit."

Me: "Okay already. Let's go."

Mom: "Oh and look at this rack over here, I didn't see that before. Here honey, take these 4 shirts into the dressing room and try them all on."

Me: "I like 'em all. Let's go"...

Random observance:

2012-01-17T17:03:00.001-05:00

Women say they'd like men to be comfortable enough to be able to cry once in a while, but I don't think they really mean it...

Random Find:

2012-01-17T03:11:00.004-05:00

Remember these? I've posted about Herbal Essence and Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific, but I'd forgotten about the others. I can still hear the Faberge commercial: "You'll tell your friends and they'll tell their friends and they'll tell their friends too". That's gonna be stuck in my head all day now..

If you liked Wacky Packs:

2012-01-17T02:34:00.003-05:00

http://lostwackys.com

Three is a magic number, Yes it is, it's a magic number. Somewhere in the ancient, mystic trinity You get three as a magic number.

2012-01-14T16:42:00.003-05:00

A man and a woman had a little baby,

Yes they did.

They had three in the family,

And that's a magic number.

So how many of you out there had...

2012-01-14T11:58:00.003-05:00

... Spirograph? I did but it was never really my "thing". Alot of kids loved it, though. Sometimes friends would come over and we'd use it but mostly it just sat in the box. I much preferred Lite Brite than Spirograph, but that's just me. I never had the multi-color pen, btw, but then again you can't have everything...

Random fact:

2012-01-14T04:53:00.002-05:00

I never really cared for Chef Boyardee, but I always loved ravioli.

Did you know...

2012-01-13T06:41:00.004-05:00

... that the set of the Brady's house was used in an episode of Mannix?? You can find it here.

Random find:

2012-01-12T16:37:00.001-05:00

Mego Corporation's 1975 game: Ball Buster. I'm not making this up, people..

Question:

2012-01-12T16:28:00.003-05:00

So did anyone out there actually enter the sweepstakes? And did anyone out there actually win anything?? And was anyone out there who entered naive enough to actually think you were going to win anything???

Um, okay...

2012-01-11T16:29:00.004-05:00

I found the above pic when I did a Google image search for "Mr. Green Jeans" from the old Kaptain Kangaroo show. I must say I had no idea he was that popular..

Back in 1974 (or was it '73???)..

2012-01-10T16:16:00.003-05:00

.. I used to watch Villa Alegre on PBS. I was fascinated by the model village they showed at the opening and closing of the show. And how the word "Villa Alegre" would light up over the village like fireworks. I wanted to live there. I didn't learn any Spanish, but still I liked the show.

A little "creative marketing" from Madison Avenue:

2012-01-09T16:28:00.004-05:00

What was advertised:

What you got:

Random find:

2012-01-09T16:23:00.002-05:00

While the summer of '67 was "The Summer Of Love", apparantly the summer of '76 was "The Summer Of Fun". Somehow I missed out on both; not to say that I didn't have a great summer in '76, it just wasn't Kool-Aid-themed.

Question:

2012-01-07T11:16:00.003-05:00

Does Tony Orlando look like he's totally wasted, or is it just me???

For the record:

2012-01-07T11:09:00.005-05:00

While I admit that I loved Tony Orlando and Dawn, 30 million people might've watched The Tony Orlando And Dawn Show back in July of 1974 but our family wasn't one of them. I loved them, but my folks didn't. And since it was their house and we only had one TV at the time, I was over-ruled 2 to 1.

Non - '70s Post:

2012-01-06T03:27:00.005-05:00

I'm not sure if I posted this before, but I'm rather short on ideas lately so if I did, you're gonna hear it again anyway: I have this re-ocurring dream where I show up at a restaurant with my date really late, like just before closing time. The waiter begrudgingly seats us, and my date excuses herself to go to the ladies' room. As I'm waiting for her to return, I fall asleep at the table. The waiter comes over and shakes my shoulder to wake me up and says "I'm sorry sir, we're closing now." My date has ditched me, and when I go out into the parking lot my car is gone.

"Santa Maria" by Trooper:

2012-01-03T04:04:00.004-05:00

With only fear and good judgement holding us back, we sailed out on the Northern Sea with a boatload of crazy people (including the shotgun and me). "Does anybody know how to drive this thing?", yelled the Captain as he fell to his knees, "I think I mighta had a little too much today, take me to my cabin please". Cruisin' on a sardine boat loaded with crazy people. And we shall be the Santa Maria looking for a brave new world. The First Mate shouted from the crow's nest: "I think I might see land out there". Nobody moved from where they were laying, 'cause nobody really cared. Cruisin' on a sardine boat loaded with crazy people. And we shall be the Santa Maria looking for a brave new world.

"That's funny, Frank never has a second cup at home..."

2012-01-02T04:21:00.004-05:00

Does anyone remember the coffee commercials (I think it was Folgers) where a married couple is having coffee with Mrs. Olsen and the husband asks for a second cup of coffee while the wife looks on in disbelief that her husband actually wants a second cup because he doesn't ask for a second cup at home. And she seems to get a sort of inferiority complex because she can't seem to make a decent cup of coffee to satisfy her man?? Then she asks Mrs. Olsen what her secret is, and I believe it's the "flavor crystals" that makes Mrs. Olsen's coffee better than the wife's. So Mrs. Olsen tells the wife her secret and probably saves their marriage??? It was an ad campaign that ran pretty much throughout the decade. I'm guessing Mrs. Olsen isn't with us anymore; it's been almost 30 years.

It's a new day and a new year:

2012-01-01T04:01:00.000-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL.

The Lincoln Park Round-Up:

2011-12-30T07:49:00.003-05:00

I went to the Lincoln Park amusement park in North Dartmouth Massachusettes quite a few times in the mid to late '70s. One time I went, I rode The Round-Up. 8 times in a row. I got SO sick...

Misc. Remembrance:

2011-12-29T16:08:00.003-05:00

In the late '70s we had a neighbor named Dick Q. In the summertime he used to get drunk on beer on Sunday mornings then mow his lawn while playing loud Irish music. I don't know why that was his "thing", but whatever..

Irene Goodnight, Irene goodnight. Goodnight Irene, goodnight Irene, we'll see you in our dreams:

2011-12-28T08:15:00.006-05:00

Sometimes she sleeps in pajamas
Sometimes she sleeps in a gown;
But when they're both in the laundry,
Irene is the talk of the town.
Irene never goes off to Dreamland
'Til she's combed every hair on her head;
She puts it in neat little curlers,
Then she hangs it on the post of the bed.
A burglar broke in Irene's bedroom,
The dear girl was sleeping in peace.
Then Irene she fought like a tiger,
'til the burglar called the police..
Irene goodnight,
Irene goodnight.
Goodnight Irene,
Goodnight Irene,
Well see you in our dreams.

I remember an episode of Little House On The Prairie...

2011-12-28T05:02:00.003-05:00

... when Nellie Olsen fell in love with the son of a pig farmer. Mrs. Olsen was less than thrilled. So Nellie invites the boy over to the house for dinner and he shows up wearing no shoes. Then they decide to elope and get married by a justice of the peace, and as they're in the town's only hotel in their room about to consumate the marriage, Mrs. Olsen barges into the room with a shotgun and starts shooting and the kid runs out of the room in his longjohns. I'm not sure if the marriage got annulled or how it dissolved, but needless to say it didn't last..

Misc.:

2011-12-27T16:02:00.002-05:00

This was Mary's step-up kitchen. I always liked the stained-glass roll-up window/partition and the brick wall. Of course, if someone shut me in there I'd panic from claustrophobia, but still it wasn't a bad setup.

Misc. Remembrance:

2011-12-27T08:28:00.003-05:00

When I was around 4 years old, one of the rooms in our house was my playroom where all my toys were kept and that's where I'd hang out. I found a plastic spoon, and since I didn't have anything else to do I decided to see what would happen if I stuck it into one of the electrical outlets. I ended up on my ass. If you're tempted to try it I'd advise against it..

The good scissors:

2011-12-26T00:03:00.002-05:00

In our house we always had an "everything drawer". That's where my folks kept the note pads, pens, pencils, tape, playing cards, etc. Also there were 2 pairs of scissors: the regular scissors, and "the good scissors". I was not allowed to use "the good scissors". Only mom could use "the good scissors", dad wasn't even allowed to use "the good scissors". If I had to use scissors, mom would always remind me not to use "the good scissors". Then as I was in the process of cutting, she'd call out: "You're not using the good scissors, are you???!!!?!". Then she'd find an excuse to come into the room just to make sure I wasn't using "the good scissors". I think she's past that stage now..

A 1969 Christmas:

2011-12-25T01:00:00.002-05:00

So did anyone else get Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots that year? And were any of you an only child like me?? Receiving a game that was meant for two??? Does anyone else see the irony in this????

Merry Christmas to all:

2011-12-25T00:01:00.004-05:00

"For God so loved the world he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:16,17

Their favorite foods:

2011-12-21T10:57:00.002-05:00

Walter Findlay liked Gatorade because "it made him feel like a jock". Jan Brady liked peanut butter and pickle sandwiches. Marcia Brady liked spaghetti. JJ Evans liked his mom's sweet potato pie. Gilligan liked Mary Ann's coconut cream pie. Fred Flintstone liked brontosaurus burgers. Archie Bunker liked having a Twinkie in his lunch bucket and a beer when he came home from work. Alice Hyatt liked anything with chocolate. Laverne Defazio liked milk and Pepsi. Shirley Feeney liked Fudgesicles (pronounced fudge sicles, not fudgicles. She was very particular about that...)

Random:

2011-12-20T14:41:00.002-05:00

I've been wondering what Peter Billingsley looked like now.

1974:

2011-12-19T13:49:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure what you were doing on December 19th 1974, but I'm pretty sure I was probably reading the Sears Wishbook. Over and over. And over. And over. And over....

Misc. remembrance:

2011-12-17T05:00:00.006-05:00

When I was a kid, my birthday was always celebrated a week before the actual day, because our family would host Christmas Eve for the whole extended family and a birthday party just would've been too much. My friends were rather jealous that I got to open my birthday gifts a week before. Above is, I believe, either 1970 or 1971.

2011-12-12T11:12:00.006-05:00

Back in the day, my Great Grandmother (Bachi) loved The Bobby Vinton Show. She was a huge fan because he spoke and sang fluent Polish. My Great Grandmother came to the United States from Poland back in '39, and lived in Taunton Massachusetts 'til her passing. I'm sure she missed her homeland terribly, and Bobby sort of "eased the pain", so to speak. She and my Grandmother lived in a 2-apartment house on Meadow Street down by the Reed & Barton factory. My Great Grandmother lived in the second story apartment, and my Grandmother lived on the first floor apartment. My grandmother also spoke fluent Polish, and every now and then they'd argue together in Polish because nobody could understand them, and it used to drive me crazy not knowing what they were saying. How rude..

Back in the day:

2011-12-08T12:05:00.002-05:00

Seems like everyone liked hanging out at Mr. Hooper's.

Random:

2011-12-07T11:38:00.003-05:00

When I was a kid we did things as a family, but we never went on a picnic. I also didn't grow up near a nuclear plant, either..

Random fact:

2011-12-03T12:51:00.001-05:00

When I was a kid I never was never in the habit of playing with my food.

Aunt Jenny turned 100 this year:

2011-12-03T12:43:00.004-05:00

My grandmother's sister Jenny turned 100 years old this year (I don't know her exact birthday). My grandmother passed away in '86, and everyone else from that generation passed on, but Jenny's still going strong. She apparantly took after her mother, because my great grandmother lived to be 92 (she probably would've lived longer if she hadn't broken her hip). Jenny lives in Raynham Massachusetts with her daughter, and was just awarded with an "Oldest Person In Raynham" award, but between you and me that doesn't seem to be an award I'd wanna brag about. Or show people...

I was just thinking about...

2011-12-01T16:12:00.004-05:00

... Fannie Flagg. She was a regular on various game shows back in the day. She was also on Candid Camera. Once they set her up as a lady working in an information booth in a mall, and she didn't know anything. It was hillarious watching people get exasperated with her, she was funny as hell. I think she's an author now. She's one classy lady.

Sha Na Na:

2011-12-01T10:52:00.004-05:00

So does anyone remember the Sha Na Na tv show from sometime around 1977? I watched it, although I only remember Bowzer. The guy next to the long-haired guy wearing glasses looks like Billy Crystal, but I don't think it's him. I don't remember any of their songs except for the last line of the song they always used to sing at the end of the show (goodnight sweetheart goodnight). I could only watch it my folks weren't in the room because they couldn't stand the show... well what did they know. This was quality programming. For a 9-year old ....

Question:

2011-11-30T06:05:00.004-05:00

So did any of you make it to the Sid and Marty Krofft amusement park during its, like, 2 month run? In a mall?? I saw something about it on a tv show documentary about the '70s. It looked very disturbing. I'm not surprised it didn't last.

Post-'70s remembrance:

2011-11-29T04:36:00.003-05:00

One of my top five '80s movies is The Breakfast Club. I know their characters were supposed to represent one of every kind of teenager, but I didn't fit in to one particular character. My favorite character was Judd Nelson's. I wanted to be a Judd Nelson, but I didn't have quite the chip on my shoulder. I wasn't a jock like Emilio, and I wasn't popular like Molly. I was kind of a cross between a Judd and an Anthony Michael Hall. I could sort of relate to Ally Sheedy's character, because back then I was kind of a misfit and for the most part I just didn't fit in with any crowd. I could watch that movie over and over.

Sunday Comic:

2011-11-27T06:02:00.001-05:00

I do this too.

When it's least expected, you're elected, you're the star today; smile! You're on Candid Camera:

2011-11-25T17:46:00.008-05:00

It's fun to laugh at yourself, you're a comic tried and true. It's fu-un to look at yourself like o-ther people dooo. Have a sense of humor, there's a rumor: laughter's on it's waa-a-ay; smile! You're on Can-did Cam-eraaa.

Happy Thanksgiving:

2011-11-24T03:00:00.001-05:00

I'm thankful for my God, my country, my freedom that allows me to blog about whatever I want to, and the fact that this week marks the 19th anniversary that I quit smoking cigarettes. A very Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

2011-11-23T06:33:00.002-05:00

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary; When troubles come and my heart burdened be; Then, I am still and wait here in the silence, Until you come and sit awhile with me. You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas; I am strong, when I am on your shoulders; You raise me up... To more than I can be.

I wouldn't hang around either..

2011-11-23T03:21:00.002-05:00

You enter a very dark room

And sitting there in the gloom

Is Dracula! Now how do you say goodbye?

Immediately ... immediately ... immediate ... L-Y

Bye Bye!

So do any of you remember..

2011-11-20T16:58:00.003-05:00

... Kaptain Kool & The Kongs? You don't? Well neither do I..

Sunday comic:

2011-11-20T03:41:00.002-05:00

I know it's an old one, but I've had this pic for a while, and I didn't want to just throw it away.

Random:

2011-11-19T05:15:00.004-05:00

In the '70s my aunt Pat used to cut hair. She had 6 kids so it would've broke the bank to pay for 6 haircuts every month. She'd often say "The difference between a good haircut and a bad haircut is 2 weeks", but I think for the above it's going to take a little longer than that..

So how many of you had...

2011-11-17T17:13:00.003-05:00

... a Hasbro gumball machine back in the day?? I had a couple. They were never sold with enough gumballs to fill up the head, and my folks wouldn't get me replacement gumballs once they were gone (it only took a day to finish them all. Like how long does it take to go through 15 little gumballs). And instead of constantly using new coins to get a new gumball, I'd just remove the bottom of the base and get the same coin and use it over and over again. These things were much better on the commercials..

Happy mother's day, honey:

2011-11-16T03:50:00.003-05:00

In 1973, dad came home at the end of the workday with mom's Mother's Day gift: a blue umbrella. She was less than thrilled.

Random observance:

2011-11-15T04:11:00.004-05:00

I guess every boy back in the day had those color-striped knee-high socks. And a 10-speed. And a skateboard. And basically the same haircut. I had everything but the 10-speed. Oh well, you can't have everything....

Maybe it's just me...

2011-11-11T17:42:00.005-05:00

... but I'm not sure I'd have wanted to be left alone with Mr. McFeely..

It's Veteran's Day:

2011-11-11T06:55:00.006-05:00

To all veterans everywhere: I thank you for your service. You're the best.

Basic true-ism:

2011-11-10T17:12:00.002-05:00

If you've got beer, you don't need dinner...

Zim Zam:

2011-11-10T17:06:00.003-05:00

We got a set sometime around '79. I'd forgotten the name of it until I did an ebay search, which is where I get quite a few pics for this site. I played it at a relative's house so I asked for it, but once we got it I didn't care for it too much. My folks liked it, though.

Random find:

2011-11-09T17:42:00.002-05:00

I found the above pic when I did an image search for '70s ads. Between you and me, he looks a little old to be running away from home..

Big Wheel:

2011-11-07T16:38:00.002-05:00

I don't know many boys who didn't have one of these back in the day. It must've been a boy toy, because I didn't know any girls who had one. I had a friend named David, and mom brought me over to his house one day sometime around '73 so she could have coffee with David's mom. I was in the kitchen with mom and David's mom, asking mom about something, and David called out: "Hey mom! Look at this!". We went into a different room and saw David at the top of the stairs on his Big Wheel. Just as his mom started to open her mouth to say "Don't do it", David took off down the stairs on his Big Wheel. And crashed right into the front door. He never did it after that. I'm surprised he didn't crack a rib or two...

So did any of you have ...

2011-11-06T15:15:00.004-05:00

... Hee Haw overalls?? One girl in my class did. I always thought they were just for girls, but I saw a catalog page on the image search results page that apparantly the blogger "Plaid Stallions" posted on his or her blog, with a boy wearing them too. The above is dated 1971.

Random:

2011-11-05T10:16:00.001-04:00

Yesterday we had our first snow. I'm not really happy about it...

The Frosty Sno-Man Sno-Cone Machine:

2011-11-03T17:23:00.003-04:00

Had it. I think eventually it fell off the table and broke, so my folks got me the Snoopy one after. Had a little trouble crushing the ice so I just opened the flavor packets and drank the syrup. While mom yelled at me..

Between you and me:

2011-11-02T04:31:00.002-04:00

I always liked Barney's car better than Fred's. Barney's was more of a compact sport's car while Fred's was more of a family sedan/suv, although I don't think I'd really like to own either one.

Annual ritual:

2011-10-31T18:00:00.003-04:00

I always looked forward to the seasonal Peanuts Specials. I don't know who I felt the most sorry for: Charlie Brown for getting rocks in his bag, or Sally wasting her whole night in the pumpkin patch with Linus. One of the things I liked about the stories were the fact that the parents were never around. Unlike mine.....

Random:

2011-10-30T16:50:00.003-04:00

All afternoon I've been in a bad mood. It's just been "one of those days"...

I was going to wait 'til Halloween to post this, but I really didn't have anything else to post today...

2011-10-29T16:02:00.006-04:00

Dynamite Magazine had several deluxe editions. I've only since learned about them by doing image searches for pics to post here on my site. I had two: The Dynamite Club Handbook and The Year-Round Catalog Of Hot Stuff. There were about a half-dozen more that I hadn't heard about (like the above). Maybe they were only sold in book stores because I don't ever remember seeing them on the Scholastic order forms in school. I guess back in the day these only cost $1.50, but I'm sure if you found a complete unused edition on ebay you'd end up paying at least 20 bucks. Then again you don't often find them on today's secondary market, either they were used extensively and didn't survive, or nobody knew about them (like me) and therefore not many were sold. Who knows.

MAS*H:

2011-10-27T17:31:00.007-04:00

Mash was always a favorite of mine. But back in the day, my folks hated it so I couldn't watch it (the days when every house had only one television set). When I was around 13, I finally got a TV in my room, so I watched it then. I'd love to watch the re-runs, but I don't have a television (haven't had one for years), and whenever I'm at a place that has one I can't watch it either because no matter who I'm with, they can't stand the show. Maybe someday I'll see it again. BTW, red never was very complimentary on Klinger. Lavender really would've accentuated his complexion much better.

She's blood, flesh and bone No tucks or silicone She's touch, smell, sight, taste and sound..

2011-10-27T05:46:00.003-04:00

... But somehow I can't believe That anything should happen (I know where I belong And nothing's gonna happen) Yeah, yeah 'Cause she's so high - High above me, she's so lovely. She's so high Like Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, or Aphrodite; She's so high, high above me. First class and fancy free, She's high society, She's got the best of everything. What could a guy like me Ever really offer? She's perfect as she can be, Why should I even bother? 'Cause she's so high, High above me, she's so lovely. She's so high, Like Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, or Aphrodite She's so high, high above me. She comes to speak to me I freeze immediately 'Cause what she says sounds so unreal, But somehow I can't believe That anything should happen (I know where I belong And nothing's gonna happen) Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah 'Cause she's so high - High above me, she's so lovely She's so high Like Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, or Aphrodite; She's so high, high above me.

What a difference 20 years makes:

2011-10-26T17:48:00.005-04:00

In my early 20's I used to fantasize about just living in a VW camper and bouncing around aimlessly from place to place. Now when I think about just living in a VW camper and bouncing around aimlessly from place to place, it all seems kind of depressing....

Mel's Char Palace:

2011-10-25T04:19:00.003-04:00

Mel.....Dan Aykroyd

Mrs. Mel.....Gilda Radner
Mel: Hi! I'm Mel, for Mel's Char Palace! Where you find your own cow! You cut your own steaks! You select your cow from over 200 head! You stun it! You cut it! You charbroil it! You.. cut.. your own steaks! We give you the saw! You cut your own sirloins, tips, blades, and roasts! You find it! You stun it! You cut it! As big and as thick as you want it! Only at Mel's Char Palace! Our saws are light! Here's Mrs. Mel! [ Mrs. Mel walks up gripping a chainsaw ] Show 'em how to work the saw! [ Mrs. Mel lets the chainsaw rip ] Yeah, she does it, you can, too, at Mel's Char Palace, 217 Paramus!

Sunday comic:

2011-10-23T04:40:00.002-04:00

I love Fall, but I can't tolerate winter. And know-it-alls...

In my opinion:

2011-10-22T16:00:00.004-04:00

Of all of Jaws' victim's, I think the greatest loss was Charlie's wife's holiday roast. Between having to get "the missus" a replacement roast, plus the cost of re-building the dock, I'm sure in hindsight Charlie would've passed on the whole thing that night.

Goodbye Chrissy Snow, helloooo Lana Shields:

2011-10-21T17:11:00.003-04:00

On Three's Company, a year or two after Chrissy was eliminated from the cast, Lana was introduced. Lana was probably my favorite character. When Chrissy left I was extremely bummed out, but after Lana came on the scene I totally forgot about what's-her-name...

My how things change:

2011-10-20T16:58:00.002-04:00

The Pioneer M6500. Back in '77, this was so high-tech, nobody ever could have imagined that one day it would be obsolete. It was probably rather pricey in its day, but if any still exist I bet you could pick one up at a yard sale for a couple of bucks.

Bizarre '70s toys:

2011-10-20T03:45:00.004-04:00

The 1978 Marla Gibbs doll. Complete with disco evening wear. I don't know how many children wanted to role play as a sarcastic, insubordinate black maid / disco queen, but I'm guessing not many.

Back in the day:

2011-10-17T16:30:00.003-04:00

Circa 1973, dad used to drink Schlitz beer. But unlike the above ad, if he wanted a beer he'd have to get it himself (my mom wasn't no at-home waitress). I'm not sure if they sell it any more. I never drank the stuff myself (being 5 years old at the time), but I've heard it was pretty bad.

Post-'70s remembrance:

2011-10-16T15:20:00.005-04:00

I used to manage a motel with 2 other people. It was The Ridgevale Motor Inn in West Chatham, Massachusetts, on the corner of Ridgevale Road and Route 28. We all lived in a 4 bedroom house that was attached to the office. I woke up early one morning and couldn't seem to get back to sleep. My co-worker sensed I was awake so he called out and asked me what the time was. I had a clock next to my bed but it wasn't a digital clock. I could sort of read the clock because the street light was shining through my window on to the clock so I told him it was 5:05. He asked if I was going to get up and I said I was going to try to get an hour's sleep. So he got up and I fell back asleep. I got up later and went downstairs, and when I got into the kitchen he was there and he said "You @$$*#%*". I asked him what his problem was. Apparantly when I told him the time, it wasn't 5:05 a.m, but it was really 1:25 a.m.. In the dark, I guess I got the hands confused. So he got up, took his shower, made coffee and then looked at the kitchen clock and it was only 2:30. And the office didn't open until 8:00. Sucked to be him.

Between you and me:

2011-10-15T16:54:00.002-04:00

I would love to have that blue car.

Random:

2011-10-15T16:41:00.003-04:00

Christmas 1974 my folks gave me a Howdy Doodie ventriloquist dummy. It was the ugliest thing I'd ever seen. I never tried ventriloquism with it, instead I used to throw him down the stairs. Finally I threw him a little hard and his head came off. He got thrown out that day. There's not really much more to tell..

"And I would've made it too if it weren't for you meddling kids"

2011-10-15T04:23:00.003-04:00

Every episode ended the same way, with the guy pretending to be a ghost getting caught then saying the above. In fact, all the story lines were virtually unchanged - the only thing that changed were the settings and the villians (they didn't think I'd notice, but I did). I have to say my least fave was Shaggy, and actually I never cared for the show that much. But yet I watched it every week.. even after they introduced that more-annoying-than-Shaggy Scrappy Doo. I hated that dog..

Bubblegum pop:

2011-10-14T16:46:00.003-04:00

Bubblegum pop (also known as bubblegum rock, bubblegum music, or simply bubblegum) is a genre of pop music with an upbeat sound contrived and marketed to appeal to pre-teens and teenagers, produced in an assembly-line process, driven by producers, often using unknown singers. Bubblegum's classic period ran from 1967 to 1972. The second wave of bubblegum started two years later and ran until 1977 when disco took over and punk rock emerged (some critics have claimed bubblegum influenced punk). The genre was predominantly a singles phenomenon rather than an album-oriented one, the presumption being that teenagers and pre-teens had less money to spend on records and were thus more likely to buy singles than albums. Also, because many acts were manufactured in the studio using session musicians, a large number of bubblegum songs were by one-hit wonders. Among the best-known acts of bubblegum's golden era are 1910 Fruitgum Company, The Ohio Express and The Archies, an animated group which had the most successful bubblegum song with Sugar, Sugar, Billboard Magazine's #1 single for 1969. Singer Tommy Roe, arguably, had the most bubblegum hits of any artist during this period. The previous wordage was copied from Wikipedia. You can read the rest of the article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubblegum_pop

Random:

2011-10-13T17:53:00.004-04:00

Back in the day, I never missed an episode of Fat Albert And The Cosby Kids, although in retrospect I find their band to be a little disturbing...

The wind is in from Africa, last night I couldn't sleep..

2011-10-13T09:03:00.002-04:00

... Oh you know it sure is hard to leave here Carey,

but it's really not my home.

My fingernails are filthy,

I've got beach tar on my feet,

and I miss my clean white linen

and my fancy French cologne.

Come on Carey get out your cane,

and I'll put on some silver.

Oh you're a mean old daddy but I like you

Come on down to the Mermaid Cafe

and I will buy you a bottle of wine

and we'll laugh and toast to nothing and toss our empty glasses down.

Let's have a round for these freaks

and these soldiers,

a round for these friends of mine.

Let's have another round for the bright red devil

that keeps me in this tourist town.

Come on Carey get out your cane,

And I'll put on some silver.

Oh you're a mean old daddy

but I like you.

I usually try to avoid politics on this site, but I'm a sucker for Mike Luckovich:

2011-10-13T09:00:00.003-04:00

Sorry Mitt, but no matter how eloquently you try to explain it, it's still your baby.

The Bermuda Triangle game:

2011-10-11T17:06:00.004-04:00

In the mid '70s, The Bermuda Triangle was a hot topic. There were several TV specials on the subject. "In Search Of" did an episode on the subject. I really didn't know what it was at the time, and quite frankly I'm still a little vague on the whole thing, but whatever. In '75 they even came out with a game about it. A neighbor had it and I played it once, but mostly we'd just set up the ships on the board and have the cloud devour them. Sometimes I found board games are the most fun when you make up your own rules...

I was just thinking about..

2011-10-10T16:55:00.003-04:00

... Buck Owens (pictured above with Roy Clark). I only remember him from Hee Haw. My folks watched that show but I don't really remember it too well. I liked Buck more than Roy for some reason, although I can't really say why - they were both great. I remember watching Hee Haw on Saturday nights (or was it Friday nights) while mom and dad got ready to go out for the night and get together and play cards with some friends of theirs. I saw some old clips of Hee Haw a couple of years ago and it was still funny. I wish I'd been older at the time to remember it more than I do now. I don't think you could re-create the show again, though. Maybe they'll come up with another show like it one of these days, but I doubt it. There'll never be another Hee Haw. I think Buck passed away a few years ago, I'm not sure about Roy. All the good ones that had their heyday back then are leaving us. It's sad to see them go.

I tumble out of bed and I stumble to the kitchen...

2011-10-09T17:37:00.003-04:00

... pour myself a cup of ambition and yawn and stretch and try to come to life. Jump in the shower and the blood starts pumpin', out on the street the traffic starts jumpin' with folks like me on the job from 9 to 5. Workin' nine to five What a way to make a livin' - Barely gettin' by, It's all takin' and no givin'. They just use your mind, And they never give you credit, It's enough to drive you Crazy if you let it. Nine to five, for service and devotion You would think that I Would deserve a fair promotion. Want to move ahead But the boss won't seem to let me, I swear sometimes that man is out to get me. They let your dream Just a' watch 'em shatter, You're just a step On the boss man's ladder But you got dreams he'll never take away. In the same boat with a lot of your friends, Waitin' for the day your ship'll come in, And the tide's gonna turn And it's all gonna roll your way.

Stuff I didn't have:

2011-10-08T04:03:00.003-04:00

I got tons of stuff when I was a kid, and there wasn't much I didn't have, but the above was one of them. Well 4 of them. Whatever. I kind of wanted to get a set, but I wasn't really into Kiss except for "Beth", and quite frankly Gene Simmons scared the hell out of me, and I found their stage personas to be a little on the disturbing side. Plus, I was 10 and a little old for, well, dolls... These sell for quite a bit of money on ebay. A few years ago I considered purchasing a set, but personally I can think of a few better ways to spend a thousand bucks.

Fisher Price little people:

2011-10-04T17:25:00.004-04:00

I had a few dozen back in the day, as well as the schoolhouse, the castle, the airplane, and the farmhouse. I didn't have the garage, even though my folks keep telling me I did. Well they're wrong, I didn't. Most of the little people I had were wood, until around '74 when they switched to plastic. They often ended up in my mouth, and for some reason I had a habit of chewing the little girls' pigtails off. None of my girls managed to keep their pigtails. I don't know why. Just one of those habits, I guess..

Erma Bombeck:

2011-10-02T14:35:00.006-04:00

I'm not sure when the above came out but I'm guessing mid '70s. My folks had the above. I liked the cover because of the cherries, and the fact that the dog looked like the woman. I never read any of Erma's books back in the day because I was too young to appreciate her humor. In the mid '90s I read her book "When You Start To Look Like Your Passport Photo It's Time To Go Home" and I loved it. I remember one passage where she wrote something like: "Before one of our trips to Africa, I spent a month shopping for the right blouse to wear to church, only to end up in a village where women attend topless". I think Erma passed away a few years ago, which is a shame. Seems the good ones are always taken from us too soon.

Spend all your time waiting For that second chance, For a break that would make it okay....

2011-10-02T03:30:00.000-04:00

.... there's always some reason To feel not good enough, And it's hard at the end of the day. I need some distraction, Oh beautiful release, Memories seep from my veins - Let me be empty (Oh and weightless) and maybe I'll find some peace tonight. In the arms of the angel Fly away from here. From this dark cold hotel room, And the endlessness that you fear. You are pulled from the wreckage Of your silent reverie; You're in the arms of the angel, May you find some comfort here. So tired of the straight line, And everywhere you turn There's vultures and thieves at your back. The storm keeps on twisting, Keep on building the lies That you make up for all that you lack. It don't make no difference Escaping one last time, It's easier to believe In this sweet madness (Oh this glorious sadness) That brings me to my knees. In the arms of the angel Fly away from here. From this dark cold hotel room, And the endlessness that you fear. You are pulled from the wreckage Of your silent reverie; You're in the arms of the angel, May you find some comfort here. You're in the arms of the angel, May you find some comfort here.

70s-child

Does anyone else remember...

Sunday Comic:

Interjections show excitement or emotion...

Connect Four:

Goodbye Robert Hegyes:

Random find:

Question:

Did you know:

Gnip Gnop:

Misc. Remembrance:

Random observance:

Random Find:

If you liked Wacky Packs:

Three is a magic number, Yes it is, it's a magic number. Somewhere in the ancient, mystic trinity You get three as a magic number.

So how many of you out there had...

Random fact:

Did you know...

Random find:

Question:

Um, okay...

Back in 1974 (or was it '73???)..

A little "creative marketing" from Madison Avenue:

Random find:

Question:

For the record:

Non - '70s Post:

"Santa Maria" by Trooper:

"That's funny, Frank never has a second cup at home..."

It's a new day and a new year:

The Lincoln Park Round-Up:

Misc. Remembrance:

Irene Goodnight, Irene goodnight. Goodnight Irene, goodnight Irene, we'll see you in our dreams:

I remember an episode of Little House On The Prairie...

Misc.:

Misc. Remembrance:

The good scissors:

A 1969 Christmas:

Merry Christmas to all:

Their favorite foods:

Random:

1974:

Misc. remembrance:

Back in the day:

Random:

Random fact:

Aunt Jenny turned 100 this year:

I was just thinking about...

Sha Na Na:

Question:

Post-'70s remembrance:

Sunday Comic:

When it's least expected, you're elected, you're the star today; smile! You're on Candid Camera:

Happy Thanksgiving:

I wouldn't hang around either..

So do any of you remember..

Sunday comic:

Random:

So how many of you had...

Happy mother's day, honey:

Random observance:

Maybe it's just me...

It's Veteran's Day:

Basic true-ism:

Zim Zam:

Random find:

Big Wheel:

So did any of you have ...

Random:

The Frosty Sno-Man Sno-Cone Machine:

Between you and me:

Annual ritual:

Random:

I was going to wait 'til Halloween to post this, but I really didn't have anything else to post today...

M*A*S*H:

She's blood, flesh and bone No tucks or silicone She's touch, smell, sight, taste and sound..

What a difference 20 years makes:

Mel's Char Palace:

Sunday comic:

In my opinion:

MAS*H: