Memories from childhood
I remember getting these Cherry Clan candies for 25 cents a box at the local skating rink when I was 9 or so. The racism was free.
Cherry Clan
Cherry Clan candy box design
We had a convenience store near our neighborhood, beyond the tennis courts and near the (to my family at least) infamous "Nature at your doorstep" billboard. Randy and I only ventured as far as the convenience store on a few occasions as far as I can remember. The only things I remember from their inventory: matches, lemonheads and other candy (including bubblegum cigarettes which were a scintillating taboo), and slap bracelets (99 cents). I remember trying to make a slap bracelet out of venetian blinds -- more of a scientific experiment than anything, because they were totally a fad and some lame homemade substitute was not fit for public display.
We spent a lot of time playing outside as kids. Inside, we spent 99% of the time playing one of three games: He-Man, LEGOS, or G.I. Joe. As the younger brother I usually had to play the villain (or, in the case of LEGOS, have my space craft be subject to summary destruction). I suppose I still carry this with me to some degree because, if you ask me, Cobra Commander was totally ftw and Skeletor had the coolest accessories. Skull Mountain had a spring-based microphone and the Slime Pit came with real slime!
When we moved to Memphis, we lost a lot of our old toys and moved on to new games. The main things that I remember are Super Soakers (we had a variety of models) and street hockey. Before we got the house, I remember spending a lot of time exploring the apartment complex including visits to a couple playgrounds (always been a fan of swingsets) and looking for cool things hidden in the gravel along the walking path that went by the lake / fountain. I found some nuts and washers to use as sinkers for a crude fishing pole -- never caught anything, although maybe they didn't have any fish in the lake.
Of course, we spent a lot of time playing video games on Commodore 64, Amiga, and Nintendo. Eventually we got into the BBS scene and finally the internet. I can get nostalgic about these tech things, but when I reminisce about my childhood the things that come to mind are the Cherry Clan, LEGOS, and war games in the woods.
I remember being a real brat to my 9-years older sister Melissa. Maybe if I had been older I would have recognized how much we were alike. It wasn't until after she married and moved out that I realized how much I missed her and I was filled with regret. I also remember one of the first times that I met Chuck, and parading a bunch of our best toys for him. I guess that's what you do when you are a kid and you want to express yourself. We visited their apartment a few times -- I remember in particular one time when we watched the then-new movie Clerks (and I didn't fully "get it") -- towards the beginning of my high school and I finally accepted that I still had a lot of growing up to do in order to really relate to them. It wasn't until college that I developed a more mature friendship with Melissa and Chuck.
I'm really looking forward to getting together with my family this Christmas. We've been through a lot, especially the past couple of years, and yet I have been somewhat isolated here in Nashville. The thing I like best about the holidays is that you get these fleeting moments where everything feels just like it did 10 or 20 years ago. I can't wait to see everyone again, not just to talk about the things that have happened this year but also to relive some of our cherished memories.
Cherry Clan
Cherry Clan candy box design
We had a convenience store near our neighborhood, beyond the tennis courts and near the (to my family at least) infamous "Nature at your doorstep" billboard. Randy and I only ventured as far as the convenience store on a few occasions as far as I can remember. The only things I remember from their inventory: matches, lemonheads and other candy (including bubblegum cigarettes which were a scintillating taboo), and slap bracelets (99 cents). I remember trying to make a slap bracelet out of venetian blinds -- more of a scientific experiment than anything, because they were totally a fad and some lame homemade substitute was not fit for public display.
We spent a lot of time playing outside as kids. Inside, we spent 99% of the time playing one of three games: He-Man, LEGOS, or G.I. Joe. As the younger brother I usually had to play the villain (or, in the case of LEGOS, have my space craft be subject to summary destruction). I suppose I still carry this with me to some degree because, if you ask me, Cobra Commander was totally ftw and Skeletor had the coolest accessories. Skull Mountain had a spring-based microphone and the Slime Pit came with real slime!
When we moved to Memphis, we lost a lot of our old toys and moved on to new games. The main things that I remember are Super Soakers (we had a variety of models) and street hockey. Before we got the house, I remember spending a lot of time exploring the apartment complex including visits to a couple playgrounds (always been a fan of swingsets) and looking for cool things hidden in the gravel along the walking path that went by the lake / fountain. I found some nuts and washers to use as sinkers for a crude fishing pole -- never caught anything, although maybe they didn't have any fish in the lake.
Of course, we spent a lot of time playing video games on Commodore 64, Amiga, and Nintendo. Eventually we got into the BBS scene and finally the internet. I can get nostalgic about these tech things, but when I reminisce about my childhood the things that come to mind are the Cherry Clan, LEGOS, and war games in the woods.
I remember being a real brat to my 9-years older sister Melissa. Maybe if I had been older I would have recognized how much we were alike. It wasn't until after she married and moved out that I realized how much I missed her and I was filled with regret. I also remember one of the first times that I met Chuck, and parading a bunch of our best toys for him. I guess that's what you do when you are a kid and you want to express yourself. We visited their apartment a few times -- I remember in particular one time when we watched the then-new movie Clerks (and I didn't fully "get it") -- towards the beginning of my high school and I finally accepted that I still had a lot of growing up to do in order to really relate to them. It wasn't until college that I developed a more mature friendship with Melissa and Chuck.
I'm really looking forward to getting together with my family this Christmas. We've been through a lot, especially the past couple of years, and yet I have been somewhat isolated here in Nashville. The thing I like best about the holidays is that you get these fleeting moments where everything feels just like it did 10 or 20 years ago. I can't wait to see everyone again, not just to talk about the things that have happened this year but also to relive some of our cherished memories.