1986
Tonight is my last graveyard shift, and I'm happy to report that the next 11 days will be MINE to have off from work! In the meantime, tonight is one of my "nostalgic" moments... a time to reflect back on better times. Perhaps in looking back, I can make a feeble attempt at tucking a slice of good memories into my pocket -- and dragging them into my future.
The year in mind is 1986. That means every blogger and reader can instantly deduct a whopping 23 years off of their age. I was a young tyke... caught in between peace and turmoil. A handful of my own co-workers weren't even alive yet, and history tells of a year chocked full of not-so-good events around the world.
I remember sitting in class when I heard about the Challenger disaster. My mother was thrilled about an African-American crew member going into space again. I had moved out of urban Dallas into a much smaller, majority Caucasian town to the southwest just two years earlier. Therefore, I was still adjusting to a new environment, new friends, and a new stepfather. It was the beginning of two years of abuse by a man only 9 years older than me... a man who knew who I was before I did.
It was the first time that I hated someone. It was the first time that I prayed to God that someone would be deleted out of my life... however the Almighty saw fit. It was a feeling that I swore not to embrace ever again -- for life is too short for such dark emotions to consume one's soul. It's a lesson in the value of life... a lesson that I still remember and adhere to to this day.
Tell the "Black Man Next Door" what you were up to in 1986? Where were you in the world? Did 1986 teach you any lessons, or provide any memories?
The year in mind is 1986. That means every blogger and reader can instantly deduct a whopping 23 years off of their age. I was a young tyke... caught in between peace and turmoil. A handful of my own co-workers weren't even alive yet, and history tells of a year chocked full of not-so-good events around the world.
I remember sitting in class when I heard about the Challenger disaster. My mother was thrilled about an African-American crew member going into space again. I had moved out of urban Dallas into a much smaller, majority Caucasian town to the southwest just two years earlier. Therefore, I was still adjusting to a new environment, new friends, and a new stepfather. It was the beginning of two years of abuse by a man only 9 years older than me... a man who knew who I was before I did.
It was the first time that I hated someone. It was the first time that I prayed to God that someone would be deleted out of my life... however the Almighty saw fit. It was a feeling that I swore not to embrace ever again -- for life is too short for such dark emotions to consume one's soul. It's a lesson in the value of life... a lesson that I still remember and adhere to to this day.
Tell the "Black Man Next Door" what you were up to in 1986? Where were you in the world? Did 1986 teach you any lessons, or provide any memories?
1986 TIDBITS
- FOX Network was born.
- The Oprah Winfrey Show hit U.S. national airwaves.
- U.S. Supreme Court bars racial bias in trial jury selection.
- U.S.S.R. (Soviet Union) suffers a major nuclear incident at Chernobyl.
- The constitutionality of Bowers v. Hardwick, a Georgia sodomy law, was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.
- Austin, TX, USA passes an ordinance prohibiting discrimination against people with HIV or AIDS.
Oh, come on... what about all the warm fuzzies from 1986? Like "We are the World," Hands Across America and Nintendo?!?
ReplyDeleteThis was also the first year we celebrated MLK Day... can you BELIEVE that?
lets see...in 1986 I living in dneton and I was in first grade...i dont think much was going on in my world outside of paste and elbow macaroni pictures(I reayy cant remember)....i do rember having shrinky dinks,simon says, swatch watches, and garbage pail kids as far as memories go...I remember my cousin Sky crimping her hair...and i thought she was the most beautiful girl i had ever seen...and my older brother David perming his..and i thought that was the dumbest thing i had ever seen...and "Concrete Blonde"...and that has been my favorite band ever since!!
ReplyDeleteTrue, Kelly. Lots of things were positive, too... and I would have crushed you in Super Mario Brothers.
ReplyDeleteAllan, that was one of the 'cool' things about the 80s -- some of the fads. 1986 was the first year I moved into a new school district, and we were trading garbage pail kids like currency. I also wore a pair of JAMS that had watermelon slices all over them every Friday in gym class.
I'm glad I don't have any personal pictures from 1986. LOL
11 days huh? So ... you can pencil some time in there for a long-since seen friend, right? Yes? No? Maybe?
ReplyDeleteOh and as for 1986, I had just graduated from High School and was looking at which college to attend. I do remember the Challenger disaster while in school and how much it affected those of us who wondered what might happen to the space program afterwards. I cannot recall hating anyone but I do remember an episode with my best friend that caused much turmoil down the road and long story short, we haven't spoken in over 20 years.
ReplyDeleteOh God Jams...i so forgot about those...i have a class picture of me in Jams....im glad that will never see the light of day....speaking of Jams...does any body rember Jellies?...those horrible plastic shoes the chicks wore....my sister had a different color for every outfit!!!
ReplyDeleteI had quite a stash of jellies, myself. I even had ribbons to weave into them when I wanted to be fancy!
ReplyDeleteListen, as hideous as they were, they were pretty functional... Let's see how people see their Crocs in 20 years...
Well, no jellies in my closet back then. LOL. But, that was the year I stopped wearing the "shag" hairstyle for black guys. My stepfather insisted on cutting the sides close and putting a part or two in my hair. HIDEOUS... at first.
ReplyDeleteLOL well i guess the bottom line is...there were some crazy fads and styles in the 80`s....enjoyed as they were at the time....im sure there is somthing that we all wore or did, that we now look back on and say 'MY GOD...what was i thinking?"(Like my long black hair in the 90`s...:(..)i guess its just a sighn of the times and growing up...and on a side note...its funny how things come back into fashion years later..LOL
ReplyDelete