Never Surrender

I heard this 1985 song being played at a public place a few days ago. It brought me back. The present time has sometimes been difficult for many people, with the economy and other problems. It sometimes causes you to look back at more positive times. 

This song is for anyone going through tough times now, of any type. As Churchill said, "Never, never, never give up!"

Chuck E. Cheese's

Here's a memory from my '80s childhood. I remember when I was growing up, Chuck E. Cheese's was all the rage. It was combination pizza place and video arcade which featured an auto-animatronic show aimed primarily at kids. Commercials such as this one were frequent, beckoning kids to Chuck E's world of games, fun and kid-centered entertainment. 

Finally, after seeing all the commercials, my family took me to the place. I remember enjoying the arcade, because as a typical '80s kid I was obsessed with video games. The auto-animatronic show was OK, and amusing for small kids, but paled in comparison with what you would find at Disney. I don't even remember the pizza, so I'll defer judgment. 

Recently, I read that Chuck E. Cheese's is having financial difficulties, the product of changing tastes. It really was a product of its time, I guess.

Ferris Bueller

Although my fave John Hughes movies growing up have always been the ones that dealt directly with teen issues, like The Breakfast Club (1985) and Pretty in Pink (1986), lately I've been enjoying a Hughes classic with a bit of a lighter style: 1986's Ferris Bueller's Day Off.  The title character was a jack of all trades who could get away with everything, and his day off involved sneaking his girlfriend and best friend out of school for a day of playing hookie while enjoying the sites and sounds of '80s Chicago.

Their trip includes visits to a such Chicago landmarks as Wrigley Field, the Mercatile Exchange and Sears Tower.

My favorite scene in the whole movie involved the trio's visit to a Chicago museum, a smooth and contemplative foray into the world of art amidst an otherwise hectic day. I love this scene.

But probably the most memorable scene came near the end of the visit, as Bueller crashes the Von Steuben Day parade, with a musical sequence containing tunes from Wayne Newton and the Beatles.

Altogether, a pleasant and light reminder of what I love about the '80s.

Happy New Year!!!

I wasn't sure what to put on the blog to start 2014. Here's something that isn't from too long ago, but just from this past year: Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield singing the 1969 David Bowie classic "Space Oddity" from the International Space Station.

I figured its hopeful, positive, and optimistic. And it involves space, which is always cool for me.

I wish all of you a hopeful and positive 2014!!!