MTV used to be good

After church today we had a picnic in our basement. G spread out the open sleeping bag, and I brought down a tray of sandwiches and a bowl of chips. Since the drawing contest between Jon and Jer was a draw, G was the tie breaker, and he got to choose the video. G pulled out an old Beta tape he recorded about fifteen years ago, and put it in the mint condition Sony Beta VCR he found for $5 at the US Vets thrift store downtown. It was Kevin Seal hosting a show about the history of MTV. As Video Killed the Radio Star played, I realized how bizarre it was that we were watching it with our six year old boys. How did we get to be old? G is 37, and I'll be 37 in two months. How can it be that we're pushing 40? We'll need reading glasses soon.

G and I both nodded our heads rhythmically to the Greg Kihn Band's Breakup Song (I couldn't help myself), and then argued about whether the Dire Straits song Skateaway was good or not (it wasn't). We both agreed that Under Pressure was a classic, and then we discussed Tom Petty and decided that he had some good songs. About that time the boys began hitting around a ball with their hockey sticks and then started shooting baskets in their little hoop. In another year they'll be too big to do that, so we let them. After several close calls, I convinced them that air hockey would be fun, so we turned on their table and they had a ball. I love it when they are engrossed in something because then G and I don't have to entertain. Since the baby (he's fifteen months old) was napping we could just relax.

That didn't last long. The baby woke up, and the boys got bored. I was bored too. G pulled his snare drum out from his set, and the baby and I beat on that for a while. Jon pulled out the guitar from it's case, and we had a little jam session while eighties videos played on the TV.

Whenever I think about that time in my life when MTV started out, I realize how little we had. My dad made some bad choices in life, but some of them were sensible. We didn't have cable. Unlike the working class poor of today's world, my dad realized we should do without some things (I'll never get over how people who barely make minimum wage drive better cars than I do and all have large screen TVs with satellite or cable). Anyhow, the only MTV I saw was when I was hanging out at Melinda Hickman's house. My sister and I would stay up late on Friday nights to video tape En Vivo so we'd have videos to watch during the week.

I specifically remember the first time I read the words "Duran Duran". It was at the beginning of the year in sixth grade band at H.E. Charles Junior High. Theresa Kondick (a flute player) had it written on her grocery sack book cover. If Theresa Kondick wrote it down, this must be something cool. What was Duran Duran? I wondered.

Then I saw them. I was instantly in love with them all, but especially Roger Taylor (who sadly quit the band after a few years). He was the drummer (I guess I've always had a thing for drummers). Thankfully my taste in music has evolved, but I loved Duran Duran all through junior high. I remember in Mrs. Cavasos science class at the end of ninth grade she let us watch a collection of Duran Duran videos that someone brought during our end of the year party. I still remember the look on Mrs. Cavasos face as she ran towards the VCR when the video for The Chauffeur came on (she had been talking with another teacher and didn't know that the un-edited version of Girls on Film had already played).

Ahh, those junior high days. I remember playing D&D at Tony Furth's house with Donna Ellis and Dean Milburn. I loved our little D&D sessions (and no, we weren't Satanists, and in OUR case it did not corrupt us or make us evil- the way we played it, it was simply good, clean fun). They were all really great people and nerds in a good way. I hope they're all doing well. Last I heard from Tony he was a teacher in San Diego. Donna was married and in the military. Dean moved away before high school, and no one ever heard from him. I hope he's doing okay.

I haven't watched MTV in years. The last time I watched it, it was terrible. There were hardly any videos, and the shows were all stupid. What videos they did show were just awful. It's not just because I'm old. I can still appreciate good music. This was not good music.

Well, the boys need some supervision, and I better start thinking about dinner. I'm way too busy to maintain an active blog, but from time to time I may type out some thoughts. It's writing under no pressure because I know there are about two people who will read this (Hi Chris. Hi G). That's all for now. There's some mischief going on...