This morning we stopped at a car boot sale to have a look and I spotted some PS2 games for my daughter to look at and what should be right next to them - a Space Invaders game for the PC!
My hubby wanted to buy it straight away, until I told him that actually I did still play Space Invaders on the computer. You can do at this free site - Play Space Invaders for Free
I've found that playing it with the sound turned off allows me to get some amazing scores that I couldn't even dream of getting during the 80s - I'm sure the sound makes you panic as the aliens get lower, especially when there's just one of them zipping along the screen evading your bullets!
I think that having Space Invaders available for people to play would be awesome at an 80s party, in fact you could have a few of the old style games available like Pac Man and Donkey Kong. May I also mention that you could carry on the theme with the food, yes I'm talking about Space Invaders Baking - delicious and so retro!
If you do decide to have a Space Invaders themed party....or even just an 80s video game themed party drop us a line and tell us how it went.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
80s Television - ALF | Sledgehammer | LA Law
This morning we heard on the news that Charlie Sheen had been rushed to hospital, the first words out of my dd's mouth were - will Two and a Half Men still be on tonight? It got me thinking about the first time my hubby came over to my house, we were all gathered in the family room and I saw his eyes roaming and suddenly realized he was looking for the television. We didn't have a television set in the family room (my parents still don't), but we do have one in the formal lounge.
In 1988 I emigrated to New Zealand where my parents and brother had been living for nine months and so began a new chapter in all of our lives. Having two living spaces made me feel like we were incredibly rich! It also made our tv watching very special because we made a night of it. Dad would light the fire in the front room and we'd either have fish and chips or a 'quick to make' meal like beans on toast and then it was television night.
Thursday night was the night we used to watch our television starting off with everyone's favorite alien - ALF. As anyone who watched ALF would know his real name was Gordon, but the Tanners called him ALF because it was an acronym for Alien Life Force (do you remember all of the 80s acronyms?). I absolutely loved this little fellow, although how he managed to resist eating the cat I have no idea!
After ALF came a program that I hadn't heard about until I moved to NZ and it was called Sledgehammer. Starring David Rasche my dad used to laugh himself silly during every episode and quickly adopted the saying 'Trust me, I know what I'm doing'.
Our Thursday night was rounded out by LA Law, because let's face it you didn't live through the 80s without watching LA Law. I was quite relieved to find in on television in NZ and happy that my parents watched it because I had started to watch it while living with my grandmother and enjoyed it.
I loved Arnie and Roxanne, Leland and Stuart, Benny and Abby. Unlike other people I wasn't so keen on Grace and Victor, but I still can't wait for this television series to become available on DVD - what's taking the studio so long to release it?
What were your favorite 80s television shows?
In 1988 I emigrated to New Zealand where my parents and brother had been living for nine months and so began a new chapter in all of our lives. Having two living spaces made me feel like we were incredibly rich! It also made our tv watching very special because we made a night of it. Dad would light the fire in the front room and we'd either have fish and chips or a 'quick to make' meal like beans on toast and then it was television night.
Thursday night was the night we used to watch our television starting off with everyone's favorite alien - ALF. As anyone who watched ALF would know his real name was Gordon, but the Tanners called him ALF because it was an acronym for Alien Life Force (do you remember all of the 80s acronyms?). I absolutely loved this little fellow, although how he managed to resist eating the cat I have no idea!
After ALF came a program that I hadn't heard about until I moved to NZ and it was called Sledgehammer. Starring David Rasche my dad used to laugh himself silly during every episode and quickly adopted the saying 'Trust me, I know what I'm doing'.
Our Thursday night was rounded out by LA Law, because let's face it you didn't live through the 80s without watching LA Law. I was quite relieved to find in on television in NZ and happy that my parents watched it because I had started to watch it while living with my grandmother and enjoyed it.
I loved Arnie and Roxanne, Leland and Stuart, Benny and Abby. Unlike other people I wasn't so keen on Grace and Victor, but I still can't wait for this television series to become available on DVD - what's taking the studio so long to release it?
What were your favorite 80s television shows?
Monday, January 10, 2011
The Electronic Trike - 1985
Do you remember Clive Sinclair's Electronic Trike? I was recently watching a program on Foxtel about inventions that didn't make it and the Electronic Trike was definately a commercial failure, but it was surreal when they showed on and I said to my hubby I remember them!
Now I never actually saw one in real life, but I remember them being shown on television, it looked fantastic and best of all (as I couldn't yet get my drivers licence) you didn't need a licence to drive one!
Essentially it was a milk float crossed with a trike. This picture is brought to you thanks to the BBC archives and on there it even reports that these electronic trike's have managed to acquire something of a cult status. This has meant that if you ended up buying one in 1985 and it was still in mint condition you could triple your money or more in todays market.
Now why didn't I keep more things from the 80s? Oh that's right, I was too busy enjoying the decade and having fun LOL.
Now I never actually saw one in real life, but I remember them being shown on television, it looked fantastic and best of all (as I couldn't yet get my drivers licence) you didn't need a licence to drive one!
Essentially it was a milk float crossed with a trike. This picture is brought to you thanks to the BBC archives and on there it even reports that these electronic trike's have managed to acquire something of a cult status. This has meant that if you ended up buying one in 1985 and it was still in mint condition you could triple your money or more in todays market.
Now why didn't I keep more things from the 80s? Oh that's right, I was too busy enjoying the decade and having fun LOL.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
The Hoff - Still Going Strong!
I first heard of David Hasselhoff when I watched Knight Rider, but this week he's been visiting Australia promoting an ice cream bar. He's been dressed straight from the wardrobe of his other famous show - Baywatch - and still seems to pull the fans.
Personally I'd have been more interested in KITT - KITT's voice was that of William Daniels - I wonder what happened to him? I so wanted to own a car just like KITT when I grew up as did many other friends of mine at the time!
Who can remember the opening narrative? Give up? Okay here it is -
You can now buy the complete series of Knight Rider on DVD which could turn into a fun night of 80s reminiscing.......actually with a run time of over 70 hours it would be a little more than your average movie marathon!
This DVD collection contains all four seasons and 84 action-packed episodes of Knight Rider - the action packed crime fighting duo of Michael Knight and Knight Industries Two Thousand that wowed you during the 80s, can still take you right back. Unfortunately (as with alot of the 80s classics) you do spot a lot of goofs when you watch it and some of the scenes aren't as breathtaking as they seemed back then, but then we've come along way with film since then.
I haven't been able to get this particular set yet, but it contains a small button that when pressed lights up little red led lights so that you get the effect of KITT's grill - totally awesome!
I'm the first to admit that Knight Rider probably wouldn't have been the same without David Hasselhoff, but for me it was all about the car, oh and let's not forget Devon!
Personally I'd have been more interested in KITT - KITT's voice was that of William Daniels - I wonder what happened to him? I so wanted to own a car just like KITT when I grew up as did many other friends of mine at the time!
Who can remember the opening narrative? Give up? Okay here it is -
Knight Rider, a shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a man who does not exist. Michael Knight, a young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the helpless, the powerless, in a world of criminals who operate above the law.
You can now buy the complete series of Knight Rider on DVD which could turn into a fun night of 80s reminiscing.......actually with a run time of over 70 hours it would be a little more than your average movie marathon!
This DVD collection contains all four seasons and 84 action-packed episodes of Knight Rider - the action packed crime fighting duo of Michael Knight and Knight Industries Two Thousand that wowed you during the 80s, can still take you right back. Unfortunately (as with alot of the 80s classics) you do spot a lot of goofs when you watch it and some of the scenes aren't as breathtaking as they seemed back then, but then we've come along way with film since then.
I haven't been able to get this particular set yet, but it contains a small button that when pressed lights up little red led lights so that you get the effect of KITT's grill - totally awesome!
I'm the first to admit that Knight Rider probably wouldn't have been the same without David Hasselhoff, but for me it was all about the car, oh and let's not forget Devon!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
80s T-Shirts
Is it just me or are people who aren't old enough to remember the 80s falling in love with the decade as well??? It seems as though everywhere I look people are wearing 80s t-shirts. During my last shift (5 hours in a shop)I saw 6, six, different types of 80s tees being worn by different people!
Don't get me wrong I am not complaining, I thought they were all very cool and wished I'd owned them myself! Soooo - do you have an 80s t-shirt? If you don't there are some great ones available all over the internet - you just have to think about what type of 80s shirt you want to wear in public!
Do you go for an 80s t-shirt of a favorite movie such as Sixteen Candles or Red Dawn? There are some great 80s movie tees available and I've even compiled a list of them so if you think 80s movies are the type of t-shirt you'd like to wear you'll have to check this site out -
Gamer t-shirt by Foozyo
Create a customized t-shirt at zazzle
Radio 365-24-7 by globitron
Don't get me wrong I am not complaining, I thought they were all very cool and wished I'd owned them myself! Soooo - do you have an 80s t-shirt? If you don't there are some great ones available all over the internet - you just have to think about what type of 80s shirt you want to wear in public!
Do you go for an 80s t-shirt of a favorite movie such as Sixteen Candles or Red Dawn? There are some great 80s movie tees available and I've even compiled a list of them so if you think 80s movies are the type of t-shirt you'd like to wear you'll have to check this site out -
This site offers 80s t-shirts from a wide collection of 80s movies from A Nightmare on Elm Street right through to War Games! I have a lot of trouble trying to think of my favorite 80s movies because there were so many great ones around - hubby always picks Ferris Bueller though so he would be happy to please!
Maybe when it comes to 80s t-shirts you'd rather celebrate your favorite 80s band?? There are soooo many of these 80s t-shirts around from the classic Frankie Say Relax to Bon Jovi, Duran Duran, Tears for Fears etc band tees.
With lots of bands reforming and doing tours they're finding more and more money is made on the merchandising side of the concert. I know this is certainly the case with me and from reading interviews I know I'm not alone. As you'll know if you've been reading my blog regularly I was lucky enough to see Spandau Ballet perform their Reformation Tour in Australia. Tears for Fears joined them for their Australian leg of the tour so I got to see two favorite 80s bands for the price of one!
I last saw Spandau Ballet during their Through the Barricades Tour and that time I was a teenage who had spent her money attending the concert, I certainly couldn't afford a lot of merchandise. This time around I was in my 40s and alot more affluent so I stocked up on t-shirts, guitar picks, mugs.......I was the ultimate consumer!!
Every time I wear my Spandau Ballet t-shirt or Tears for Fears t-shirt it gets commented on from the 'oh did you get to see them' to the 'you do realize you're showing your age' type of comments!
Maybe you'd prefer your 80s t-shirt to remind people of your favorite 80s television show? Luckily you can also find plenty of tees to remind us of what we were watching on the small box - I miss ALF he was cool!
I also really wanted to own a car just like KITT when I grew up, but that never happened!!!
Those were the days back when the Hoff was still cool, although not as cool as the Knight Industries Two Thousand he drove around in.
The Dukes of Hazzard is probably one of my hubby's favorite television shows of the 80s, although we also both loved the A-Team. As a brief aside to this discussion of 80s t-shirts, we saw the latest A Team movie the other week and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I always worry when they try and remake old favorites, but I recommend it if you're looking for an action packed movie to watch over the holiday season.
Of course there are just so many other ideas for 80s t-shirts that you can use, I saw a child who must've been about 5 wearing an awesome Space Invaders t-shirt - I so wanted that.....not that it would've fitted me mind you!
Anyway I'm going to leave you now to ponder on what 80s t-shirt you'd most like to wear and let you see a selection of 80s t-shirts from Zazzle.
Gamer t-shirt by Foozyo
Create a customized t-shirt at zazzle
Radio 365-24-7 by globitron
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Blondie and The Pretenders
The countdown is on and I'm not talking about Christmas even if dd has started her advent calendar! In ten days I am going to see Blondie and the Pretenders at an open air concert otherwise billed as the Day on the Green. I went to a Day on the Green concert earlier in the year and thoroughly enjoyed it, this time the bands are even more significant to me!
Blondie's Parallel Lines was the first cassette tape I ever brought, I can still remember going into WH Smiths with my gift certificate and buying it and then absolutely thrashing it to death. I know purists are all shouting that wasn't the 80s it was the late 70s. I think it was 1979, but I don't care because Blondie continued to produce some great singles in the 80s - The Tide is High being one of the biggest that I can think of and of course we can't forget Atomic and Island of Lost Souls.
When my hubby found out about this event he didn't even bother to contact me (I was overseas) instead he confirmed it for both of us and held his breath while he asked me! He was pretty confident that I'd want to see Blondie and he knew he wanted to see The Pretenders.....our dd will just have to enjoy it! Mind you she loves any live music so that shouldn't be a problem.
My hubby always seems to forget that I like the Pretenders as well (he always thinks it's his band!!) but from the sassy Brass in Pocket to the absolutely beautiful Hymn to Her I think The Pretenders (and Chrissy Hynde's voice in particular) are fantastic as well.
I will of course report back to you about how good they are, I must admit I'm getting quite excited. The only downside is that the weather has turned to custard a little bit and the long range forcast is for rain. I might go shopping for a raincoat just in case, one thing is for certain - me, hubby, daughter and four other friends will be there with bells on....we'll all (the adults that is)also forget that we're no longer teenagers :)
Blondie's Parallel Lines was the first cassette tape I ever brought, I can still remember going into WH Smiths with my gift certificate and buying it and then absolutely thrashing it to death. I know purists are all shouting that wasn't the 80s it was the late 70s. I think it was 1979, but I don't care because Blondie continued to produce some great singles in the 80s - The Tide is High being one of the biggest that I can think of and of course we can't forget Atomic and Island of Lost Souls.
When my hubby found out about this event he didn't even bother to contact me (I was overseas) instead he confirmed it for both of us and held his breath while he asked me! He was pretty confident that I'd want to see Blondie and he knew he wanted to see The Pretenders.....our dd will just have to enjoy it! Mind you she loves any live music so that shouldn't be a problem.
My hubby always seems to forget that I like the Pretenders as well (he always thinks it's his band!!) but from the sassy Brass in Pocket to the absolutely beautiful Hymn to Her I think The Pretenders (and Chrissy Hynde's voice in particular) are fantastic as well.
I will of course report back to you about how good they are, I must admit I'm getting quite excited. The only downside is that the weather has turned to custard a little bit and the long range forcast is for rain. I might go shopping for a raincoat just in case, one thing is for certain - me, hubby, daughter and four other friends will be there with bells on....we'll all (the adults that is)also forget that we're no longer teenagers :)
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Gift Ideas | 80s Technology | Reminising
Are you looking for some gift ideas for someone who's 'stuck in the 80s'? I have come across some great 80s inspired iphone cases.
The one pictured is quite ironic with 'the brick' it reminds me of Gordon Gecko. Everyone wanted a brick, the real symbol of success. I can remember the first mobile phone my hubby brought.....not quite as bad as a brick as it was the 90s, but the weight would cause one of his pairs of shorts to fall down! Not so with the light iphones! Let's face it without the brick we would never have evolved to the iphone.
The 80s really do seem to have been at the forefront of bringing cyber-technology into everyday homes. Personal Computers.....even if the early ones ran on tapes and you had to learn BBC Basic to operate them! Gaming Consoles.....the evolution from pong to pacman and now Wii system is amazing.
Cassette tapes and vinyl were on their way out as the 80s entered it's dying years and cds started to outsell vinyl? Now we can combine our favorite 80s music with our iphone ringing tone....you've gotta love progress!
As we progress it's great to look back at a great time in our life - the 80s - in all it's glory and you can do that in a number of ways from the 80s iphone collection, listening to the best 80s music or re-living the 80s through reminising. Talking of reminising I read Gary Kemp's autobiography recently andit really is like he's sat there reminiscing with you.....mind you Boy George was never making snide comments at me and Johnny Rotten never came running into the toilets at any club I was at, but you know what I mean! If you're interested in a great read or just looking for a gift for someone who loved the New Romantic movement then check out my review of Gary Kemp's Autobiography - I Know This Much: From Soho to Spandau.
The one pictured is quite ironic with 'the brick' it reminds me of Gordon Gecko. Everyone wanted a brick, the real symbol of success. I can remember the first mobile phone my hubby brought.....not quite as bad as a brick as it was the 90s, but the weight would cause one of his pairs of shorts to fall down! Not so with the light iphones! Let's face it without the brick we would never have evolved to the iphone.
The 80s really do seem to have been at the forefront of bringing cyber-technology into everyday homes. Personal Computers.....even if the early ones ran on tapes and you had to learn BBC Basic to operate them! Gaming Consoles.....the evolution from pong to pacman and now Wii system is amazing.
Cassette tapes and vinyl were on their way out as the 80s entered it's dying years and cds started to outsell vinyl? Now we can combine our favorite 80s music with our iphone ringing tone....you've gotta love progress!
As we progress it's great to look back at a great time in our life - the 80s - in all it's glory and you can do that in a number of ways from the 80s iphone collection, listening to the best 80s music or re-living the 80s through reminising. Talking of reminising I read Gary Kemp's autobiography recently andit really is like he's sat there reminiscing with you.....mind you Boy George was never making snide comments at me and Johnny Rotten never came running into the toilets at any club I was at, but you know what I mean! If you're interested in a great read or just looking for a gift for someone who loved the New Romantic movement then check out my review of Gary Kemp's Autobiography - I Know This Much: From Soho to Spandau.
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