No Adventures, But Babysitting

During our episode about 1980s reboots, remakes, and sequels, Will suggested that we record a show in which we discover what the heck I was doing during my 80s adolescence while everyone else was watching lots of television and movies. While I’m not certain that topic would make for interesting discussion, his suggestion did make me wonder: What was I doing instead of faithfully following the adventures of “T.J. Hooker” or “The Kids In The Hall”? Herein lies the answer.

• Babysitting

• Visiting local arcade to play Skee-Ball and earn goofy prizes

• Attending jazz and ballet classes

• Watching MTV

• Playing board games with or having a catch with cousins

• Talking on the phone with a friend for hours

• Watching and/or attending WWF wrestling matches

• Doodling pictures of Simon LeBon and other Duran Duran related images

• Playing with BASIC programming on an old computer that ended up in our house

• Dubbing my vinyl LPs & 45s onto cassette tapes with my beloved stereo

• Listening to above mentioned tapes on my beloved knockoff Walkman

• Anxiously waiting by my stereo with my fingers on the play and record buttons in the hopes of catching favorite songs without the DJ’s voice over the intros and outros

• Anxiously waiting by the VCR with my finger on the record button for favorite MTV videos

• As patiently as possible watching my little brother play video games on his NES when he asked me to

• Working the clock and scoreboard at boys’ basketball games

• More babysitting

• Watching old, syndicated shows on Nick at Nite (Mr. Ed!) after babysitting charges were asleep

• Recording ”Monkees” episodes off of MTV onto VHS tapes

• Watching that VHS tape of Duran Duran videos that couldn’t be played on MTV

• Even more babysitting

• Working my first non-babysitting job of scooping ice cream

• Riding my bike to and from ice cream parlor job

• Teaching myself to ride my bike hands-free

• Teaching friends how to drive standard shift transmission on my uncle’s car

• Cruising Ocean Ave. and the general shore area near my home with my older sister and a buddy

• Unsuccessfully scheming dates with boys I had crushes on

• Occasionally going to or renting a movie with friends

• Eating with friends at a variety of the best local places for pizza

• Dubbing music for my friends

• Yet more babysitting

Did I even have time to watch TV? How did you spend your time in your youth? Email us at will@1980snow.com and let us know.