Remember When...

Act 3:

“It’s never too late… To Have A Happy Childhood

Draw a line. Accept the past as a lesson for the future. Praise yourself for surviving. Use that strength. Look ahead and smile with anticipation.” – Patrick Lindsay

Quote in book: “You can’t change the past but you can change the way you view it.” ~ Anonymous

Thanks to my mom for sending me that picture. FYI - She emailed me this morning and sent me the answers to the trivia for the last blog. Hard To Say I’m Sorry & Chicago were correct (if you’re keeping score). She also said “You loved Chicago, since you were a baby.” Apparently, my dad would play their record and I would stop fussing. Haha. I’m so glad she shared that with me cause I didn’t know. Anyway, I still love Chicago to this day!

I did have an amazingly happy childhood. Today’s blog is about all the things that made that childhood a good one. For me, that meant family. I grew up 1 mile from my grandparent’s house and very close to my cousins. So much so that we are all now more like brothers and sisters instead of just cousins. I remember alternating between Foster City and LA for all the major holidays, so we could spend them together as a family. – Cousins, finish this “The Stars at night. Are big and bright (clap clap clap). Deep in the Heart of Texas…” (Remember what Mama always used to yell at us? Haha) Shout out to the cousins that made my childhood memorable - Ate, Yi Yi, Yo Yo, love you!

My grandparents not only lived 1 mile away, but they eventually lived in our house w/ us, so I was very close to them too. (Miss you!) I can’t go to Sizzler or eat a Filet-O-Fish sandwich without thinking of my grandma. I remember my grandfather waiting for me after class to walk me the 1 block to his house and all the time we spend together in the car, when he took me to Gymnastics practice.

I also remember going on a yearly summer vacation w/ my immediate family to places like Hawaii, Florida, Japan, but most of them were spent in our Timeshare in Lake Tahoe. I remember going to church every Saturday and then going out to dinner afterwards. Korean BBQ was our favorite place to go and my bro and I used to fight over the spinach and bean sprouts they brought to the table in those little white dishes. I remember music was always a big thing in our house and I spent countless hours listening to my personal 45 records in my very own record player. I remember playing Basketball in the backyard and my dog Tikoy who lived until he was 19.

Aaah, the memories. I was going to upload a video collection of clips of me a kid, but my internet is really slow, so I’m having a really hard time uploading the video. – Guess you guys are gonna miss out. =(

So, remember all those Chain emails that talked about… “you know you’re a child of the 80s/90s, if…”? Well, I’m a child of the 80s & 90s. I figured I’d write all the things I remember growing up (which may or may not be from the 80s & 90s. I’m sure there’s some 70s mixed in there somewhere). Feel free to add stuff that you remember from your childhood that made it a good one.

Pop Culture: LA Gear, Pogs, Slap Wrist Bands, Friendship Bracelets. Hulk Hogan. Nintendo (Super Mario Bros, Zelda, Tetris, Dr. Mario, Donkey Kong, Duck Hunt). Asteriods. Mrs. Pacman. Lee Press On Nails. The Clapper. “This is your brain on drugs”. “Only You can prevent forest Fires”. Mortal Kombat. Ring Pops. Trapper Keepers. Cabbage Patch Kids. Beanie Babies. Beta Max Tapes.

Books – I read constantly. I know I read ALL of the classics, but here’s what I remember right now. Anything from the Bronte Sisters. Sideway Stories from Wayside School. The entire Ramona series by Beverly Cleary. Sweet Valley Twins. Chronicles of Narnia. Where the Wild Things Are. The Bernstein Bears. Anything Dr. Seuss.

Bands/Artist –Anything Chicago. All Yacht Rock (Kenny Loggins, Christopher Cross, Micheal McDonald, Ambrosia, etc.) Kool In the Gang. Paula Abdoul. Whitney Houston. Michael Jackson. Wham. NKOTB. Tiffany. Debbie Gibson. Vanessa Williams. Bananarama. Gloria Estefan. Phil Colins. Cyndi Lauper. The Police. Heart. Carole King. Beach Boys. Culture Club. Club Nouveau. Pat Benatar. The Jets. Hall and Oats. Jefferson Starship. Mike and the Mechanics. Yes. Kenny Rodgers. Tina Turner. And of course anything Beatles…I used to listen to “Love Songs On the KOST” KOST 103.5, so any love ballads from the 80s/90s I prob know by heart.

Cartoons – Smurfs. Rainbow Brite. Strawberry Shortcake. He-Man. Care Bear Countdown – 5… 4... 3… 2… 1. Alvin and the Chipmunks. It’s The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show… Disney Afternoon. Tale Spin. The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the beast, Aladdin, An American Tail. Captain Planet. Where In the World Is Carmen San Diego? Anamanics. Pinky and The Brain. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

TV – Quantam Leap. The Cosby Show. A Different World. Small Wonders. Knight Rider. Out of this world. Empty Nest. Mr. Belvidere. Matlock. Murder She Wrote. Alf. Silver Spoons. The Brady Bunch. Boy Meets World. Power Rangers. Reading Rainbow. 7^th Heaven. Beverly Hills 90210. Party Of Five. Clarissa Explains it All. Double Dare.

Were there any TV Shows/Cartoons missing from my earlier lists? Umm… ya. That’s cause I’m gonna make it fun for everyone. Who’s ready for Theme Songs? I’ll put down the theme song… you name the show. How many can you name? (This was my favorite part of making this blog…)

1. What would you do, baby, without us? And there ain't no nothing we can't love each other through. What would we do baby, without us? Sha la la la
   
2. You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have…
3. Dashing and daring. Courageous and caring. Faithful and friendly. With stories to share. All through the forest. They sing out in chorus. Marching along. As their song fills the air. (this be might be my favorite of all theme songs ever!)
4. Life is like a hurricane. Here in Duckburg. Race cars, lasers, aeroplanes. It's a duck-blur. Might solve a mystery. Or rewrite history.
5. Sometimes some crimes. Go slipping through the cracks. But these two. Gumshoes. Are picking up the slack. There's no case too big. No case too small. When you need help just call…
6. Daring duck of mystery. Champion of right. Swoops out of the shadows. Darkwing owns the night. Somewhere some villain schemes. But his number's up..... (When's there's trouble you call DW)..... (Let's Get Dangerous)
   
7. Thunder… Thunder… Thunder …..
8. There were times when I lost a dream or two. Found the trail, and at the end was you. There’s a path you take and a path untaken. The choice is up to you my friend. Nights are long but you’re on your way. To a brand new life, Brand new life, Brand new life around the bend
9. Maybe the world is blind. Or just a little unkind. Don't know. Seems you can't be sure. Of anything anymore. Although. You maybe lonely and then. One day you're smiling again. Every time I turn around. I see the girl that turns my world around. Standing there... Everytime I turn around. Her spirit's lifting me right off the ground. What's gonna be ? Guess we'll just wait and see.
10. When I wake up in the morning. And the 'larm gives out a warning. I don't think I'll ever make it on time. By the time I grab my books. And I give myself a look. I'm at the corner just in time to see the bus fly by. It's alright. Cause I’m….
11. What would you do if I sang out tune? Would you stand up and walk out on me? Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song . I will try not to sing out of key . Oh, baby I get by with a little help from my friends.
12. Don't know about the future, that's anybody's guess. Ain't no good reason for getting all depressed. Buy up your pad and pencil, I'll give you a piece of my mind, In my opinionation, the sun is gonna surely shine.
13. Everywhere you look (Everywhere). Everywhere you look (everywhere). There's a heart (there's a heart). A hand to hold on to. Everywhere you look (everywhere). There's a face of somebody who needs you. When you're lost out there and your all alone. A light is waiting to carry you home. Everywhere you look
14. Now this is the story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down. And I'd like to take a minute just sit right there. I'll tell you how I became…
15. Show me that smile again. (Show me that smile). Don't waste another minute on your cryin'.
    We're nowhere near the end (nowhere near). The best is ready to begin. As long as we got each other. We got the world spinnin right in our hands. Baby you and me, we gotta be.
    The luckiest dreamers who never quit dreamin'. As long as we keep on givin'. We can take anything that comes our way. Baby, rain or shine, all the time. We got each other. Sharin' the laughter and love.
16. Thank you for being a friend. Traveled down the road and back again. Your heart is true you’re a pal and a confidant. And if you through a party. Invited everyone you ever knew. You would see the biggest gift would be from me. And the card attached would say thank you for being a friend.
17. New boy in the neighborhood. Lives downstairs and it is understood. He’s there just to take good care of me. Like he’s one of the family….
18. Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got. Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot. Wouldn't you like to get away? Sometimes you want to go. Where everybody knows your name. And they're always glad you came. You wanna be where you can see. Our troubles are all the same.You wanna be where everybody knows. Your name.
19. Here's the story of a lovely lady. Who was bringing up three very lovely girls. All of them had hair of gold, like their mother, The youngest one in curls.
20. Surf dudes with attitudes (Kinda groovy).Laid back moods. Sky above, sand below (Good vibrations). Feelin' mellow. Don't wake me up. Don't wanna stop (Don't wake me up). Don't wake me up if I'm dreaming…