Memories

This has been quite a week for the entertainment community. I’ve heard my friends on Twitter and Facebook say that their childhood had died or that they are feeling old as childhood icons are passing away. I have never been one immersed in pop culture, but I did feel sadness this week and very reminiscent of my own childhood.

Ed McMahon (1923-2009) – My father was a big Johnny Carson fan, always quipping from the show. I think many of the jokes Dad told during my teens year were from Johnny. Watching the clips from the show bring back my own plethora of memory clips.

Farrah Fawcett (1947-2009) – Best known for her single season on Charlie’s Angels, Farrah Fawcett also received praise for her performances off-Broadway and television movies. I will always remember Charlie’s Angels for another reason. Growing up on Kwajalein in the 70’s was very culturally isolating. This was before satellite television, cell phones, etc. Towards the end of our stay on the island, we began to have three hours of television a day, three one-hour shows that are forever imprinted on my memories… Sesame Street, Starsky & Hutch, and Charlie’s Angels.

Michael Jackson (1958-2009) – What a sensation his passing has created in the media! What I remember most about Michael Jackson is my junior year boyfriend Levi who had just transferred to Dugway High School in Utah. It had to be tough for him. Not only was it his senior year but he was a black teenager moving to 1980’s Utah from Miami, FL. But he made a splash as a talented athlete in football, basketball and track. Plus he brought pop culture to our tiny little base. Levi had a walkman, a relatively new fad in 1982, and loved music. We would walk around the base listening to Michael Jackson’s Thriller album and discuss the Jackson family. Good times!

So, Ed, Farrah and Michael, thank you for the memories! Rest in peace. ¡Hasta pronto, mis amigos!

~N