Thanks to Erin for these...I can totally relate to most of them! 

You might be a child of the 80's if...

 

You won't walk into the place where you once knew every bartender on a first name basis because "there's too many kids there"

 

Schoolhouse Rock played a HUGE part in how you actually learned the English language

 

Kids that work in restaurants and supermarkets are starting to piss you off by calling you "sir" or "ma'am"

 

You know, by heart, the words to any "Weird" Al Yankovic song

 

You have begun to lust after women (or men) that it would be socially inappropriate for you to date due to their age

 

Songs by Debbie Gibson still haunt you to this day

 

Going to keg parties no longer involves hiding out in the woods when the cops show up

 

When someone mentions two consecutive days of the week, the Happy Days theme is stuck in your head for hours on end

 

You remember trying to guess the episode of the Brady Bunch from the first scene.

 

Three words: "Atari"  "IntelliVision" and "Coleco".  Sound familiar?

 

You remember the days when "safe sex" meant "my parents are gone for the weekend"

 

You remember "Friday Night Videos" before the days of MTV

 

A predominant color in your childhood photos is "plaid"

 

You took family trips BEFORE the invention of the mini-van.  You rode in the back of the station wagon and you faced the cars behind you.

 

You've recently horrified yourself by using any one of the following phases:

 

        - "When I was younger"

        - "You know, back when..."

        - "Because I SAID so, that's why"

        - "I just can't (fill in the blank) like I used to"

 

You can't remember a time when "going out for coffee" DIDN'T involve 49,000 selections to choose from

 

You're starting to view getting carded to buy alcohol as a GOOD thing, and you're ready to marry the next person who cards you when you want to buy cigarettes.

 

"Celebration" by Kool & the Gang was one of the hot new songs when you first heard it at a school dance

 

The first time you ever kissed someone at a dance fell during "Crazy for You" by Madonna

 

You ever owned one of those embarrassing crimping irons

 

Your hair, at some point in time in the 80's, became something which can only be described by the phrase "I was experimenting"

 

You're starting to believe (now that it wouldn't affect YOU) that maybe having the kids go to school year-round wouldn't be such a bad idea after all

 

You're doing absolutely nothing with anything pertaining to your major degree

 

You're finding that you just don't understand more than half the lingo used on MTV any more

 

Sex is still as much fun as it used to be, and you're still really interested in it, but you just want to make sure there's nothing really good on cable that you'd be missing first

 

You ever wanted to be gagged with a spoon

Your committee working hard for YOU!

Well, we had our meeting at Deer Trail to go over last minute details and as always, we accomplished a few things, had a few laughs and Ron and John got some golf in. 

I had not been to Shelbyville since the fall and I was able to get around and take some pictures. I'll share a few of those with you.  

I want to tell Erica Firnhaber-Kaiser that Deer Trail looks amazing. The upstairs is BEAUTIFUL!!! I can't wait for you all to see it. 

Here is the view from the upper balcony: 



How awesome is that??? There is also a lower walk-out patio area on the lower level. Here is a view of both the upper and lower areas. We will have a speaker out on the lower level so people can dance out there or just sit and listen to the music if it's too crowded inside for them. 

 

Also, I was able to take some random shots around town: The beach is still closed. This is looking down the road towards the beach area. You can see the road is underwater: 

 

Yikes. Another shot, you can see the pavilion top in the water. There is actually a road that runs by there. Well, used to be. 

 

Then I drove over to the park. Here is what the Senior Building looks like: 

 

Now you know. And here are a couple of shots of the Aquatic Center: 

 

How nice is THAT? And here are a couple of shots of the Dam and of the lake. How lucky were we to have been able to grow up there? 

 

And finally...here is the gas station where Rhonda made her first and hopefully last theft. Poor Rhonda, no one will let you forget that!

 

Well, that's it for now. I would also like to thank Bryce Gaunt's parents who actually moved their 40th anniversary dinner to the weekend of our reunion so that Bryce could attend both. How sweet are they? 

Congratulations to my cousin and our classmate Deana Kimmel who was married to David Gipson this weekend. Congrats! 

Happy Birthday (Saturday) to John Warner! Hope you had a great one!


See you all real soon! 
Tiff

C'mon People!

First of all, we have a new mini poll and mini quiz on the front page. Second, I deleted all the old poll questions and added new ones, so be sure to check those out!! 

Ok everyone! Tonight I am stuffing envelopes. For everyone who has sent in their registration forms, I will be sending out a letter, your itinerary and a map. If you send in your information after I send out this mailing, I will mail yours at a later time. Just don't wait too long or it may not get to you before the reunion. We are only a few weeks away now. 

The meeting that the committee was supposed to have 2 weeks ago was rescheduled for this Saturday (the 28th) at the Country Club in Shelbyville. We will be there at noon. If you want to drop off your form and money at that time, come on out. (I'm waiting for you Dena and Becky!!) 

See you in 23 days!! 

Baby Bryden

Chris and Lisa Tinsman of Shelbyville announce the birth of their son, Bryden Lee Tinsman, who was born on Jan. 6, 2008. He was born in Decatur Memorial Hospital, and weighed six pounds, 10 ounces, and was 21.5-inches long. He was welcomed home by Ashley, 15; Matt, 11; and Caleb, 3. His grandparents include Terry and Pat Tinsman of Shelbyville, and Monte and Linda Mars of Strasburg.

Honorable Mention - The Karate Kid (June 1984) - I made this movie an honorable mention because it is one of my favorite teen movies, but I would not quite classify it as a comedy.  It is the same reason that Say Anything is not on this list either.  The Karate Kid featured Ralph Macchio as Daniel Larusso and Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi.  Who can forget "Wax on, wax off"?  It was the very first film role for Elisabeth Shue.  It also featured Billy Zabka as the bully Johnny Lawrence (Zabka would play that jerk role well in the 80's also appearing as the bully in Just One of the Guys and Back to School too)  This film did not feature many classic 80's tunes, but it did have "Cruel Summer" by Bananarama. 

10. - Revenge of the Nerds (July 1984) - This movie makes the list because it has all of the elements of a great teen comedy, but it could just as easily swap places with any of the other top 5-6 movies on this list.  This was a rated R movie which allowed it to get away with some things that other teen comedies could not.  It is the story of Louis (Robert Carradine) and Gilbert (Anthony Edwards) as they go off for their freshman year of college.  If you have not seen this one in a while, I encourage you to watch it again (and not the edited television version).  Some interesting cast members include Timothy Busfield who played Poindexter, Ted McGinley who played head jock Stan Gable and a young John Goodman who played the football coach.  Classic quote:  "Those nerds area threat to our way of life."  Classic 80's tune:  "Burning Down the House" by Talking Heads

9. -  Real Genius (August 1985) - Came out the same month as Weird Science and is just as funny.  This film stars Val Kilmer as Chris Knight who is one of the brightest minds in the country, but he doesn't act like it most of the time.  I find the dialogue/banter in this movie to be outstanding.  If you have not seen it in a while, go watch Real Genius and pay special attention to the dialogue.  William Atherton plays the perfect jerk as Professor Jerry Hathaway and Robert Prescott plays the perfect dork as Kent.  Classic quote:  Lots of great banter to choose, but my fav is when Chris says to Kent "What about that time I found you naked with that bowl of Jell-o?" and Kent replies "Look, I was hot and I was hungry, okay?"  Classic 80's tune:  "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears

8. - Weird Science (August 1985) - A film written by John Hughes, starring Anthony Michael Hall.  This is a funny movie that I still thoroughly enjoy.  This is a tale of Gary (Hall) and Wyatt who are two dorks who somehow create Lisa, a beautiful woman played by Kelly LeBrock, with their computer.  Obviously far fetched, but makes for a great storyline.  The film also featured actors Robert Downey Jr. and Bill Paxton early in their careers.  Paxton plays Wyatt's older brother Chet and is involved in many of the funniest scenes in the movie.  Classic quote:  "Well, my nuts are halfway up my ass, but other than that, I'm perfect!"  Classic 80's tune:  "Weird Science" by Oingo Boingo

7. - Just One of the Guys (April 1985) -  This is one that not everybody has seen.  It did not have any young stars, but still delivers in great 80's style.  A high school girl feels she is being discriminated against because she is a girl, so she decides to transfer to a different school and pretend to be a boy.  She helps give a makeover to another guy, falls for him and hilarity ensues.  Classic quote:  "Of course you're confused.  You're wearing my underwear."  Classic 80's tune: (Not a lot of great options) "Trouble" by Lindsey Buckingham.

6. - Can't Buy Me Love (August 1987) - A very under-rated film that I still find funny and entertaining to this day.  It stars Patrick Dempsey (now more known for his role on Grey's Anatomy) as geeky Ronald Miller who desperately wants to be part of the "cool" crowd during his senior year of high school.  He convinces the gorgeous head cheerleader, Cindy Mancini played by Amanda Peterson, to pretend to date him.  His plan works for a while and then there is a moral at the end of the story.  A couple interesting members of the cast include Seth Green as Ronald's little brother Chuckie and Gerardo (Rico Suave himself) as Ricky one of the jocks in the cool crowd.  Classic quote:  "Nerds, jocks.  My side, your side.  It's all bullshit.  It's hard enough just trying to be yourself."  Classic 80's tune:  "Dancing With Myself" by Billy Idol

5 - Better Off Dead (October 1985) -   The main reason this movie makes the list is because it stars one of my all-time favorite actors, John Cusack.  Cusack plays Lane Meyer who is dumped by his girlfriend and challenges a guy to ski a dangerous slope in an attempt to get her back.  Favorite Classic quote:  "I want my two dollars!"  Classic 80's song featured in the film:  "Like to Get to Know You Well" by Howard Jones.

4. - Fast Times at Ridgemont High (August 1982) - A great movie, especially for its time, this one ranks a little lower for me because it actually deals with some serious issues and does not make me laugh as much as some of the others do.  This movie was written by Cameron Crowe (Say Anything, Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous) and featured such future stars as Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold and Forest Whitaker.  It is hard to believe that someone as serious as Sean Penn was once known for playing surfer dude Jeff Spicoli.  Fast Times contains a scene that most guys growing up at that time remember in which Phoebe Cates exits a swimming pool topless.  Classic quote:  Many to choose from, but my favorite is Spicoli saying "Having a little food, learning about Cuba” in response to Mr. Hand asking why he had a pizza delivered to class.  Classic 80's tune:  "Somebody's Baby" by Jackson Browne.

3. - The Breakfast Club (February 1985) - This is one of 4 movies written by John Hughes on this list.  Again a great movie, but didn’t score higher because it deals with some serious issues and does not have as many "laugh out loud" scenes in it.  This is the the second of three movies that feature Anthony Michael Hall in its cast.  He and the rest of this cast (including Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy) brought a lot to these fantastic characters/stereotypes that they played.  Classic quote:  Principal Vernon says "Don't mess with the bull, young man.  You'll get the horns."  Classic 80's tune:  "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds

2. - Sixteen Candles (May 1984) - Another film written by the great John Hughes and another film featuring Anthony Michael Hall (as Farmer Ted, the Geek).  The film revolves around Samantha, played by Molly Ringwald, with her family forgetting her 16th birthday and her crush on Jake Ryan.  There is a foreign exchange student, Long Duk Dong, who steals every scene that he appears in getting big laughs each time.  Also John Cusack has a small role in this film as Bryce, one of Farmer Ted's geeky friends.  Classic quote:  Anything from Long Duk Dong like "What's happenin' hot stuff?" or "No more yanky my wanky.  The Donger need food."  Classic 80's tune:  "If You Were Here" by The Thompson Twins

1. - Ferris Bueller's Day Off (June 1986) - This is the last of the John Hughes films on my list and this one does not star Anthony Michael Hall.  It of course stars Matthew Broderick as the classic title character.  This movie takes the place over one day when Ferris decides to skip school and show his buddy a good time.  Very funny and charming movie from start to end.  Many great performances include Jeffrey Jones as Principal Rooney, Alan Ruck as Ferris' buddy Cameron, Jennifer Grey as Ferris' sister, Ben Stein has the monotone economics teacher and Charlie Sheen in an early role as simply "Boy in police station."  Classic quote:  "Life goes by pretty fast.  If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."  Classic 80's tune:  "Oh Yeah" by Yello

Feel free to throw out some of your favorite 80's teen comedies!

Hope to see you in 46 days!

You don't have to actually answer these questions. Just read them straight through, and you'll get the point!

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners. 

Well, how did you do? 

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners. 

Here. Let's try another quiz. 

1. List a few teachers who impacted you on your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with. 

Easier? 

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care. 

Hope to see you all this summer!

6th Grade Scholastic Squad

Compliments of Kirk Considine. How awesome is this picture. In case you can't read the small print: 

"Members of the champion scholastic bowl squad which won the sixth-grade tournament at Moulton School include: 

(front, left) Don Colbert, Brandi Hammond and Erin Schneider
(back, left) Kirk Considine, Brian Hall, Tyler Pierce and Wes Milby

"The team posted wins of 186-169 and 236-148 in the championship battle after drawing a first round bye."

You guys rocked!!!!!

*Don't bother clicking on the photo, it only makes it REALLY huge and REALLY grainy*