I was in the third grade when I got my very first, brand new, by request, album. Yes, I am from back in the day when music came on big shiney black vinyl disks called ‘records’ or ‘albums.’ My first two albums were ABBA’s self named album and the AirSupply album with that popular ballad…something about arms or love or something. Napoleon Dynamite did a sign language version of it in the movie. Fun fact: I also did a sign language skit to that same song when I was in Junior High. That movie really does speak for the dork in all of us, doesn’t it? Genius.

I played my albums over and over til they were scratched and skippy (not peanut butter…) and I knew every word. The cool thing about records was that you could pick up the needle and move it to the song you wanted. You didn’t have to wait for it to come on. Now, we just tell our phone to play us a song and it happens. Very hands off…..I miss some things about the good old days….

I’ve become very addicted to iTunes and the instant gratification of hearing a song, loving it, wanting, buying it, and having it at my fingertips  all within minutes. Its a beautiful thing. Now that I have Shazam on my phone, it is even easier! My kids and I like to play the ‘guess who this band is’ game when we are in the car. I am determined to make them 80’s music authorities. They have gotten pretty good….as long as it is Sting, U2, or the Police. Lucky for them….those are very commonly right guesses. I did throw them for a big time loop the other day with Duran Duran. The sad thing was, it also threw my sister for a loop. She is only 7 years younger than me, but she was definitely exposed to all my favorite music while we shared a room as youngsters. There is really no excuse for not knowing that band. It was ‘the band’ for a while. Perhaps the Beatles of the 80’s? (lol nobody shoot me for that one…)

It is a bit surprising (not) how much 80’s music is on the radio these days. I guess it is a bit like when 50’s music was on in the 80’s. It annoys my kids that I can sing along to almost any song on the radio. What can I say? It’s my unprofitable talent.

My daughters and I were in a nail salon the other day get pedicures when a real blast from the past came on the radio. ABBA is not a common band to hear on the radio. I thought it was kind of cool and hoped the radio station would name itself so I could find it on the car stereo. I waited for several songs, with no luck, til I realized that all the songs I had heard were from the same ABBA album. (I’m blaming the polish fumes for my stupidity) I took a look around the salon and…I had to laugh. The entire staff was made up of cute oriental men and women. Obviously, they had put on the ABBA album. (or cd now….) Usually, in a salon like that, they have on some oriental music or just zen sounding music(noise). I almost felt like I had stepped into an alternate universe…one where ABBA was an oriental sensation…well into the year 2012! I wonder what other wonders that universe would hold? Maybe Shaq was a ballet dancer….or Chuck Norris was known for his sensitive side. Who knows? I guess anything would be possible….cause I said so.

Source of photo unknown…I saved it to my computer a while ago before I started keeping track. so sorry….