the retro blog

So it's November 1st, it's fall, it's the beginning of the month that holds my birthday, and for the college bound, apps are due at the end of this month, and for recent grads, this is about the time that mom and dad decide that you've been sleeping on their couch for too long without a job, so you're desperately throwing your resume around everywhere in the hopes that you'll be employed by January. And so, with the finishing of Halloween 2008, I wanted to look back at what I was up to one year ago.

So last year at this time, I had just finished interviewing with a private sector urban planning firm in Orange County. I thought I had done pretty well, since I got along with everyone who I met at the office and they seemed pretty impressed with me. I later found out they didn't want me (damn them). But what I wrote last year was pretty insightful, if anything...

"...So it's reflections like these that really make me wonder whether I'm going about things correctly. Am I trying to grow up too damn quickly? Yeah, I know I need to plan for the future so come next June I'm not sitting on my ass at home spending my free time trying to beat my high score on Wii bowling. At the same time, I know I need to stop, slow down, and try and enjoy the freedom to partake in all the aforementioned activities (and oh so much more) while I still can."

-'I just received a reality check. it bounced.' 11/1/07

Okay, so I'm nowhere near improving my high score on Wii bowling, so that's a good sign that I'm doing well for myself. But the thing is, I'm still in Westwood college town, so walking around and watching all the 'kids' in their costumes playing makes me feel like grampa. I admit it, I find myself wanting to yell at my neighbors from across my window to keep it down cause I need to get some sleep before midnight.

I'm old.

So in celebration of all things retro, I would like to throwback to the golden years known as the 90s. Back then, the shows were funnier, the music was more real, the cartoons were amazing, the economy wasn't tanking, Spielberg didn't make shitty movies, jokes about the president didn't revolve around how stupid he was, but how he was a horndog, and everyone who's my age right now was alot more innocent. Good times, good times.

So, thanks to this site and the Chicago Tribune, I give you 'Revenge of the 90s.'

Social Media:

*Before YouTube... there was "America's Funniest Home Videos"
Hm, let's see here. Those few who owned video cameras filmed something funny happening and submitted the tape (VHS, mind you) to media outlet that would allow it to be viewed by millions. Back then, though, if it was funny enough to America, you'd get money.

*Before blogs... there were 'zines.
If you don't know what a 'zine is, you weren't into self-publishing. It's so easy to sign up for a free service nowadays that will provide an outlet for your random musings or political opinions you'd wish to share with the world. Back then, you used a computer program, wrote out your ideas, printed it out, and sent it to all your friends for their reading pleasure.

*Before blogrolls and comments... there were web rings and guest books.
Back in the day, websites with similar subjects linked each other to each other to create a sort of exclusive club for sites that you could only view if you were in those webrings. And guestbooks? Ha. Remember AsianAvenue? (that was technically 2000) But on that site, you got "points" whenever someone posted on your guestbook. It turned into an easy target for someone to just copy and paste something on hundreds of people's pages.

*Before MySpace Facebook... there was the 20th annual high school reunion.
You'd have to wait in 20 year increments – and buy a plane ticket – to catch up with many of your old friends or see their photo albums. Seriously.
there was also extended phone calls, social interactions in person, mail invitations, word of mouth...
I can go on and on.

The 90s comeback:

*Prime-time soap opera about teens with raging hormones in affluent Los Angeles-area communities
'90s: " Beverly Hills 90210"
2008: "90210"

*War
'90s: Iraq
2008: Iraq

*Oliver Stone movie about U.S. presidents using only initials in title
'90s: "JFK"
then:

2008: "W."
now:


*Election-cycle mantra
'90s: It's the economy, stupid.
2008: It's the economy, stupid.

*Jim Carrey as comedic star (and not serious actor)
'90s: "In Living Color," "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective"
2008: "Yes Man" (opens Dec. 19)

*Video game designed to look as though it came from the '90s
'90s: "Mega Man 3"
then:

2008: "Mega Man 9"
now:


*Toronto Blue Jays manager
'90s: Cito Gaston--won World Series in '92 and '93.
2008: Cito Gaston--rehired as manager June 20 this year, 11 years after he was fired.

*Plaid as fashion trend
'90s: Grunge
2008: Dolce & Gabbana fall collection, Marc Jacobs' spring runway show, the Olsen twins, Lindsay Lohan

*Guns N' Roses releasing an album
'90s: "Use Your Illusion I and II"
2008: "Chinese Democracy" (tentatively scheduled to be released Nov. 23, after 14 years of production delays)

*O.J. Simpson as criminal defendant
'90s: Murder (not guilty)
then:

2008: Armed robbery and kidnapping (guilty)
now:


I know there's so much more to write about on the 90s, but I suppose that will have to wait for another blog (and after I re-watch all the VH1 I Love the 90s specials).

"I feel like I should be dodging fireballs"
-KV