Month: February 2024

World Start Turning on My Depression

Could the same man who gave us Jessie’s Girl and Doctor Noah Drake make a difference? Is depression an affair of the heart? And have I sometimes been Walking on the Edge of a Suicide Manifesto like a Working Class Dog? Yes. An Unlikely Hero If you do not know who Rick Springfield is, here…
Read more...

February 27, 2024
Let’s Go Back to the Mall for a Better World!

Do Gen X and Gen Z long to return to the mall? Does the mall give a sense of space that is important to a civil society, democracy and engagement? Was I a mallrat? Hell yes! Fox Valley Mall Though I live near quite a few indoor malls, Fox Valley mall was my home away…
Read more...

February 26, 2024
When Material Girls Make a Rule

Is Madonna a gay icon? Did she express sexuality on her terms? Do these things matter? And did a young man find himself on the Borderline of allyship as he made a new friend? Yes. The Queen of Pop Pushing The Lines Madonna does not need an introduction. She came into the 80s with a…
Read more...

February 23, 2024
Launching Now! Gen X Magazine is Here!

The First Issue of Gen X Watch’s Quarterly Magazine is Live and it is totally awesome! What’s Inside the First Issue? Feature Story! Cyndi Lauper Movie Review! Benny and Joon Then and Now! Gay edition (Then we thought gay jokes were okay, now we know better) Album Review! When the Rain Drops by Shiny to…
Read more...

February 22, 2024
Holding on to Hope in Cold War Games

Were we on the eve of destruction? Was it a land of confusion fueled by the politics of dancing? When two tribes go to war is the beat and the box office epic? Yes! After a decade of detent thawing the cold war, the 80’s would begin with President Carter halting the SALT II nuclear…
Read more...

February 21, 2024
Joan Jett’s Bad Reputation for a New Generation

Can a Sears Christmas Catalog guitar make history? Is a 16 year old Runaway an icon? Is a bad reputation a female anthem? Did a fan of godmother of pop-punk change my life? If we are talking about Joan Fucking Jett, the answer is hell yes! The Sears Wish List That Changed History On a…
Read more...

February 16, 2024
Was It The Decade of Greed?

Photo By Kieran White of Manchester, England: Some Rights Reserved The 1980’s are often referred to as the “Decade of Greed”. Do you know what people spent more money on than cars? More than what they spent on gold watches? What opulent purchase exceeded what they spent on dining, travel, clubs and even consumer debt…
Read more...

February 15, 2024
Grammys on the Gridiron! The Super Bowl Shuffle!

Were Grammy Nominated rap artists on the gridiron? Were Super bowl Champions also a one hit wonder? Is it still 1985 in Chicago? The answer to all these questions is yes! With swagger and beats and bars they claimed the Superbowl victory in a rap. They won Superbowl XX! This effort helped a lot of…
Read more...

February 11, 2024
Tina Turner: A Survivor’s Inspiration

Was she simply the best? Can someone survive abuse and rise against racism in a music industry that would not exist without black artists? Do we need another hero? In regard to Tina Turner, the answer to all these questions is yes. Miami Vice And Tina Turner In the 80’s Miami Vice was my favorite…
Read more...

February 9, 2024
Hitchhiking Thief and Pizza Hut

Photo Credit: Jumbledpile/flikr Some rights reserved How does attempted shoplifting lead to free pizza? Is a diary evidence? How can we inspire others by understanding motivation instead of actions? Banned From the Library Nostalgia is amazing. We get to remember the beauty. But sometimes the good things we remember happened to escape the bad. My…
Read more...

February 6, 2024