Is there a recovery group for nostalgia? Do you know the high I’m talking about? It usually starts with a visual triggered memory, and then it develops into a long chain reaction of thoughts and feelings.
For instance, every time I meet a guy named Harvey I immediately start thinking about my all time favorite game show, Double Dare.
Then I’ll remember Mr. Gameshow, a toy that Josh Chinovsky had and I coveted.
Then I’ll start to feel the same excited/anxiousness I would get for an entire day if I knew I was going home with a friend after school.
Then my heart rate sky rockets because I’ll remember the time I accidentally pooped my pants at Marc Dwiggins’ house and how I tried covering it up by staging a bike accident that ended with me landing in a pile of dog doo.
Anyway, I thought I’d share the high by compiling a list of visual triggers for you. I aimed for the obscure in hopes that I would find something you thought you had forgotten. Please add to the list in my comments section. In fact, I need them quickly because I’m nearing withdrawal.
Eggo Waffles
Finders Keepers
Spuds McKenzie
WKRP in Cincinatti
Pert Plus
Mr Wizard
One to Grow On
The Shoe Phone
Teen Wolf
Skip it
Cartoon Express
Out of Control
Dic
Tags: Cartoon Express, Dic, double dare, eggo, findrers keepers, mr. gameshow, Mr. Wizrd, nostalgia, One to Grow on, Out of Control, Pert Plus, Shoe Phone, Skip it, spuds McKenzie, Teen Wolf, WKRP
Gak, Koosh Balls, Duck Hunt, Magic Nursery, Puppy Surprise, Water Babies, Popples, You Can’t Say That on Television… once you get started its hard to stop.
I have a Skip-It…..wanna borrow it??
For the record, Body Glove shirts did not change colors.
Generra Hypercolor shirts changed color.
I remember *New* Coke!
But for other nostalgia stuff, there’s: http://onceuponawin.com/
You have ruined my life with this link.
Big Wheels
After school specials
Nancy McKeon
Gloria Vanderbilt & Jordache jeans
Romper Room and Captain Kangaroo
Pulp Fiction
Book “satchels”
Walking to school
Full service gas stations
CB radios
Urban Cowboy
The Fixx
Preppies
The Walkman
Automatic Seat Belts
POGS
Body Glove (The shirts that changed color in heat)
Puff Paint
Cut. It. Out.
pixie stix
banana seat
converse
malakili
Zips: The shoes with the zippable pocket you could hide a dime in
Fraggle Rock
Jams shorts
T&C Surf Designs
I incorrectly listed ” crytsal pepsi” as pepsi clear. Please excuse my oversight as I was caught up in 1990.
Pepsi clear
Hit stixx
Skeletor
What would you do?( wa-wa-what. Wa-wa-what-wa-what
would you do) that’s hard to type on an iPhone.
otis nixon
sim city
mcdonalds song (big mac, mcblt, a quarter pounder with some cheese…)
big johnson shirts
“have mercy”
I cannot begin to descrbe the chain reaction this triggered in my brain. I’m hooked.
- 700 WLW
- Whiffle Ball
- Plastic toy armor
- Space shuttles
- The Encyclopedia Brittanica on (4) CD ROM
Garbage Pail Kids
Metroplex City
Sea Breeze (face wash)
The Side Winder (by “Big Wheels”)
Sunny D
You Can’t Do That On Television
Teen Spirit deodorant
Teddy Ruxpin
Big League Chew
Pinwheel made me think of “Today’s Special” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cxLfIs051c
Which took me to “Small Wonder” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukSvjqwJixw
Wow am I in a time machine (Flux Capacitor not included)
Two products that I remember being hawked during saturday morning cartoons in the late 80s / early 90s:
Slime Time Watches : http://www.retrojunk.com/details_commercial/6085/
“what’s the time? slime time! what’s the time? slime time!”
Fruit Bars: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROUc70GaU9Y
(though i remember a slightly different commercial with these lyrics and a faster pace)
Fruit Bars, so good and ugly!
Fruit Bars, so good…and ugly.
Made with real fruit so your taste buds shout!
Look so ugly gonna knock you out!
Fruit Bars!
So good. And Ugly!
Michael Jordan
Michael J. Fox
Michael Jackson
How about Turkey TV on Nickelodeon? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePgTVonCOOk
Popples: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzzHB-cQVO8
Pogo Ball: (Cant’ find an ad, but you know what it is.)
Here’s how my Nostalgia high just went:
watched Turkey TV – led me to Pinwheel
I thought, “I remember that mime!”
suddenly I could taste spaghetti-o’s
Here is my list:
Trapper Keepers.
Hey Dude (Nickelodeon show)
Cabbage Patch Kids (& Garbage Pail Kids)
Roller Racers
Lazer Tag
Crocodile Mile Slip n Slide
TV Show CHiPs
I actually got a “Mr. Gameshow” for Christmas but it was the year after it came out and the year after I asked for it for Christmas.
When do you ever meet guys named “Harvey”?
Every time I think about Mr. Wizard, I remember one episode where he took a needle and thread and sliced a bananna without peeling it. I tried it and it works. Then I remember I could only watch Mr. Wizard at the neighbor’s house because we didn’t have cable. Then I get sad. Thanks.
If you love nostalgia check this out. Thanksgiving card from three years ago:
http://www.matchstic.com/thanksgiving/