My Side of the Story...Editorial Column by Angie Johannsen
Milestones and memories
My dad turned 60 Friday...and the world didn't end.
He thought it might. I think he imagined he would wake up that day and his back would finally give out one last time, he would sit down for lunch and struggle to get back out of the chair, or he would settle in for his afternoon power nap and sleep for a week.
He was worried about entering this decade. We could see it in him over the last week. He was a little grouchier and more stressed. I think he was missing “home” more. It's hard when you move to a new area and leave all your family and lifelong friends behind.
My dad had a dozen brothers and sisters, and he was just about the youngest. When you are just turning 60 and you have siblings in their 80s or nearing it, every mile apart seems like 100. So we cut him some slack on being moody.
But by the time the big day came, he was better. Too many exciting things were happening to be downcast. My brother got married and closed on his first house in the same afternoon last week and was leaving for his Hawaiian honeymoon, some of my dad's family was going to meet him at Tama for their own weekend of paradise and he began to realize how much he might be taking for granted.
This year marks 10 years for my dad as a cancer survivor. He didn't even think he'd make it to his 60th birthday. He made it through his treatment, made some changes in how he was living...and the world shook, but didn't end.
He made it through another flood this summer that they said wouldn't happen again for another 100 years. It took his home; the place they plan to retire back to when Joe graduates...but the world didn't end.
My dad has a lot to be thankful for and some days he just needs reminding. He has four children who are all doing well and he has his health (it's his birthday, I am not going to harass him again about the smoker's cough).
Sometimes I have to remind myself I have the same good fortune. My 20th high school reunion is in just three weeks, and I have been feeling like the world is going to end.
There is so much to do: a new hair style to take at least 10 of those years off me, new outfits to pick out for the events that day and, of course, I have about 50 lbs to lose by then. I'm sure I can do it but if any readers find me passed out in the street, grab a camera. We might need it for the front page if I don't make it up again.
It's been fun making contact with some of my old classmates as we get ready for the reunion. My husband and I will also celebrate our 11th anniversary on the day of the reunion, while some of my old friends have been married nearly 20 years and have kids in college. It just doesn't seem possible. I don't feel that much older and I am expecting to go back and see everyone looking the same.
My high school years were great years of experimentation for kids. It was the 80s. That meant big hair, lots of blue and pink eyeshadow, and bright colors. We wore jeans with the cuffs rolled up. We carefully rolled two layers of color-coordinated socks up over leggings pants. I'm ashamed to say some of us even made stir-up pants with big baggy sweatshirts the height of fashion.
We listened to “hair bands” like Poison and Motley Crue who made us girls swoon with their tight leggings, long bleached hair and screaming love ballads.
Madonna was another of our idols and we played cassettes of her songs as we cruised past the DX on Friday nights.
Our teen years also saw milestones in the entertainment industry. We thrilled when Ferris Bueller took the day off, when Tom Hanks got “Big” and when Dustin Hoffman became the “Rain Man”. We can also take credit for the popularity of “Dirty Dancing” (I knew someone who went and saw this over a dozen times), “Good Morning Vietnam” (OK, I went and saw this one myself almost a dozen times!) and who can ever forget “Top Gun”?
But the darling of the teen girl world was Molly Ringwald. I remember dancing my heart out to “Bananarama” while watching “Sixteen Candles” for the 15th time. Of course, we had to wait for movies to come out on Beta.
So for all of you who cheered on such shows as “Alf”, “Wonder Years”, “Cheers” and the “Cosby Show” I plan to take a big can of Aqua Net and jelly shoes to Columbus Junction October 11 and I'll think of my fellow 80s fanatics as my old friends and I jam to “Duran Duran”.
I can't wait to rekindle old friendships that I let slip through my fingers. I guess going won't be the end of the world, but maybe the beginning of a new one.
Story created Sep 23, 2008 - 09:17:28 CDT.
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