The 80s and 90s were crazy, dude!

Hello and welcome to the “I don’t know what to write about?” Corner.  I think you call it writer’s block.  Yeah, many writers get this annoying thing; you're not alone.  That’s why you are here. I bet you are sitting in your favorite spot, laptop open, staring at your screen, trying to figure out what the hell you should write about.

With so many things to write about, it isn’t just hard to pick something; it’s not just about writing something, you have to be sure it's interesting and that you will enjoy writing it.  It acts like a puzzle…well, in your head at least.

With so many Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube videos, you can get so much inspiration for what to write.

Here is an idea: imagine yourself growing up in the late 1980s and early 1990s, long before cellphones were a luxury for the rich and only seen in movies.  Social media probably meant going to a friend’s house for a get-together.  

• · Talking about the people you and your friends thought were hotter than the grill cooking hamburgers and hot dogs. Back then that was a hot spot.

• · Carrying a CD player with a mixed CD you made from your computer or a new CD from your favorite band. That was your playlist.

• · Pay Phones and Pagers. Normally, doctors would carry a pager, but soon teenagers did so that your parents knew where your ass was, and you hoped to God you had spare change in your pocket when you came across a payphone.

• · Oh, and get ready for this one: if you want to see your favorite show, you need to make time; you can not record it on your TV; you will need a VCR tape to record it.

So, there's one idea to help you write, and if you want to make it sound like a challenge, guess what, punk?  Every day was a test for survival. Hell, getting scrapes, bruises, or just falling off your bike or skateboard was a badge of honor.

Here are other survival things you had to endure: the playground and the Library.

First let’s talk about the playground:

• · Metal slides: Talk about toasted buns, and yes, I am talking about your butt. During the summer, that damn slide becomes a grill.

• · Dirt or concrete: Yes, you read that correctly; there was no astroturf. In those days, if your ass fell when running, or flying off the slide, get ready for a serious ouch!.

• · The roundabout here is where the faster you go, the more you can actually sing “I believe I can fly”. A smash hit. Because you would smash right into anything that was in the way.

Now, how about getting some of your homework done, or gathering information?  Sure, you could hop on your laptop or use your smartphone and maybe use ChatGPT to gather everything.  But guess what?  You can’t; there's a limit on available computers, and the internet arrived in the mid-1990s, but it’s not strong enough.  

So, what are you going to do?  Make yourself a sandwich, grab a cold beverage, and take all your books with you, because for the next couple of hours, your library will be your new study place.  That is if you can find the books you need.  If you need to locate a book, you need to access

• · A Card Catalog: Before the widespread use of computers. We had a wooden cabinet with small pull-out drawers. There wasn’t just one; there were multiple. Inside, index cards were filled with call numbers organized by author, title, or subject to find a book. FYI, sometimes the books weren’t there.

• · Sharing the books: Sometimes more than one student would use the book, and this was when reports were due in a couple of days. Fights would break out.

So there you have it: back then, that was tough. Yes, some things have gotten easier, but you learn to appreciate things like spending time with friends, family dinners, and quiet walks.