Finding Ninee » Sharing our parenting and special needs stories with heart and humor.

The Best Decade

Which was the best decade? For me, each one that I’ve experienced holds powerful memories and life-changing moments. So, I say all of them are the best decades.

2010’s: Netflix Original Series (new to me so it counts), and me pretty much having no clue what any of the trends are other than that the word retarded is out, and sharing what special needs and autism moms want you to know. It’s been during the 2010’s that I’ve been able to watch my amazing little boy grow, learn, begin school, play, and to find friendship. He now says “bwess you” when we sneeze. Pretty awesome stuff.

2000’s: The world didn’t blow up from Y2K, but did from 9/11. The iPod was invented, Facebook was launched, Hurricane Katrina devastated the lives of too many people in New Orleans, the iPhone came out, and Michael Phelps beat a bunch of world records. I met my husband Robert, got married, and, near the end of the decade, we were blessed with the birth of Tucker. Obviously the last item was the most life changing for me.

Home with Baby

The 90s: Communism fell, and the Cold War ended. I got married and divorced to hubs one, got laid off from the first job I ever loved, and had sex. I traveled to Turks & Caicos with my friend Sara, and considered moving there.

The 80’s: Shit. Let’s do the 70’s first, okay?

The 70’s: Pet rocks, disco, waterbeds, continued conflict over the Vietnam war, Are You There God, it’s Me, Margaret, camping trips, summer camp, and the angst I experienced in 1979, when my mom embarrassed me by announcing at breakfast that we’d be buying my first bra one morning. In front of my younger brother. Also, nub-boobs. Shudder.

This is what happens when you go to horse camp and don’t have access to hair products. Oh, and braces. See my jacket? Yup, that’s my name sewn above the horse. In all caps. I rocked awkward.
I’m sure my mother made me wear that hideous puke of a dress, and, even with access to hair products, I reeked of dweeb.The 80’s: Party-On Excellent memories, Garth. “Where’s the Beef?” Michael Jackson, jelly bracelets, sex in cars (and closets?), huge boom boxes, and well. Life. The 80’s were long, friends.  They were there when I went to middle school, loaded up with homemade suckers, hopeful that I’d come home wealthy from my lucrative business venture. In reality, I gave them away for free to pretty much anybody I deemed as cooler than I was.  Which was anybody with a penis, and girls who were prettier, smarter, or more athletic than I was. Needless to say, I had to fund my sucker habit with babysitting money and never turned a profit.

The 80’s also encompassed my high school years.  They include the year I lost my virginity. The 80’s were there for my awkward freshman year, when my parents got divorced. They were there for braces and puberty and boys. It was 1985 when I went to Mexico for the first time.

#1 My roommate got pissed at me – this photo was on my bulletin board (do you remember bulletin boards???) and took a thumbtack and scratched my photographed face with it. Bitch.

# 2.  I had a rat-tail.  For real. That is, until Bob C cut if off at a party and hung it from the rear-view of his yellow Camaro, which was considered a sweet ride back then.

#3 Check out dude’s pants!  And they were cool!

I feel like I’ve written a lot about the 80’s actually. In fact, it was pretty recently that I told you about the walk of shame, right? Once, I even wrote almost a whole post on 80’s answering machines and the messages I used to put on them.

80

The 80’s were when my friend Julie and I peed in a graveyard in New Orleans, and lived to tell about it. It was still cool to have sunburned cheeks, a perm, and a shaved “step thang” going on on the side of your head (and eyeliner, dudes):

Do you have a favorite decade? Memory? 

Little parts of this post were taken from one I wrote last summer.  This has been a Finish the Sentence Friday post. The sentence is “My favorite decade is…” given to us by the lovely Kelly at Just Typikel. Show here some extra love, yeah?
Your hosts: Janine: Janine’s Confessions of a Mommyaholic
Kate: Can I get another bottle of whine?
Stephanie: Mommy, for Real
Me (Kristi): Finding Ninee




by Kristi Campbell

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  • Janine Huldie - It was the 80s for me all the way too and seriously still can’t get over how much I still love thinking back fondly on those days good and bad. So, totally shake you hand on this and looks like we have this in common, too 🙂March 13, 2014 – 10:04 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - We so have this in common and while you were much younger than I was in the 80’s, it was SUCH a good decade!!! Love too, that all of us hosts chose the same one (although technically, I said all of them are my favs). 😀March 15, 2014 – 12:12 amReplyCancel

  • Kerri - I love your decades. Tuckers is obviously my favorite decade. Though David tried to wear those 80 pants the other day. I had no idea you knew one another 🙂 I remember Y2K fear and the worse 9/11 terror. TO make you feel better this is my horrific memory of the 80’s. My mom having friends over for a dance party, younger brother having a sleep over with a bunch of heathens and what does my mom announce, “Kerri’s friend just arrived”. Yeah, I hated that monthly friend from that moment onMarch 13, 2014 – 10:13 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Tucker’s my favorite decade too, because he’s really the only one that actually matters. With that said, I sure had some fun before he got here, and I’ll never forget it!!!

      No way that your mom did that. OMG. Ouch. I still hate that monthly friend.March 15, 2014 – 12:14 amReplyCancel

  • Dana - I wish I had known you in the eighties. You seemed much cooler than the kids I hung out with. And yes, that seventies dress is hideous – and poor Holly Hobby is running around naked somewhere.March 13, 2014 – 10:23 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - I wish I knew YOU in the 80’s. HHAHAH to poor Holly Hobby!! I had forgotten all about her. I had a lamp that was her that my mom made. She probably made my dress to match. I’m going to have to ask her. She likely thought she was doing me a favor.March 15, 2014 – 12:17 amReplyCancel

  • MJM - Totally rad piece of awesomeness playa…rat tail and all.The 80s were freaking great, oh how I miss them.March 13, 2014 – 10:28 pmReplyCancel

  • Sarah | LeftBrainBuddha - Oh, I’m loving all these pics of everyone from the 80s! You rocked that decade, lady! I posted a pic of my hideous 1986 perm … and sadly the smile in the pic clearly indicates I thought it was awesome. And I agree with you… all the decades have been amazing!March 13, 2014 – 10:44 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Yay for all of the decades being amazing. I didn’t really like this prompt much, or maybe it was that I was out of time, but I did end up enjoying it much more than I thought I would because seeing all of the poodle perms has been awesome!March 15, 2014 – 12:26 amReplyCancel

  • Kelly L McKenzie - The answering machine! Yes! Have had long conversations attempting to explain the importance of them to my kids. “You’d come home and hope against hope that the light was blinking. Then you’d hope against hope that the message was for you. You’d hope against hope that there were more than one message for you!”
    Amazed at the photos you were able to produce – damned impressive.March 13, 2014 – 10:47 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Really? I love that you’ve explained the answering machine to your kids. I feel like that whole era, and the ideas and hopes behind it are so forgotten. Not knowing if somebody called us when we were out? GONE. And in some ways, I think it was better then which is maybe weird.March 15, 2014 – 12:28 amReplyCancel

  • Nicole @ Work in Sweats Mama - I was born in ’81, so I guess that makes me a late 90s/early 00s chick. Kurt Cobain died when I was in middle school. There was a lot of flannel & grunge back then. Of course, I was way too dorky for all that!March 13, 2014 – 10:49 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - I’ve figured out that dorky then is not dorky now, which means you were beyond awesome, and wow, I’m old.March 15, 2014 – 12:34 amReplyCancel

  • Bianca @ Rant Rave Crave - I do like that you shared a bit of each decade. You drew my aunt’s answering machine to a T. I’m teetering between the 80s & 90s as my favorites.March 13, 2014 – 11:06 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - HAHA to your aunt’s answering machine. They were both pretty awesome, as is now…and the future (hopefully).March 15, 2014 – 12:38 amReplyCancel

  • Mike - Holy wow factor this is an eerie and ironic post. Eerie in that 90 minutes ago I was driving home on the freeway from the north and an entire panoramic view of the city is revealed as the sun was setting to the West. Thoughts went flying through my noggin’ as to where 30 years disappeared to since I had made that same drive when life was so much easier, filled with fun times and not some current worries weighing on my heart. Ironic, in that I would not trade what I have in my life right now to go back unless Phoenix could come with me. I loved this retro flashback, Kristi. Geezus, you’ve always been a hottie from then to now! The 80’s will likely always remain my favorite decade. I loved this post 🙂March 13, 2014 – 11:14 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Wow, cool and weird and awesome that it was so perfectly timed for your life. I know that feeling well, driving in a city that brings you so far back, but also reminds you of today.
      I hope Phoenix is okay…been thinking about him, and you.March 15, 2014 – 12:44 amReplyCancel

  • linda Atwell - Out One Ear - silly me, every decade is my favorite at the time. It’s the same for travel for me too. When I’m on my trip, it is my favorite place. But back to you. I can’t believe you can remember all this stuff from high school. But then again, you are much younger, yet 15 years ago, I don’t think I could remember the stuff you remember when I was your age. Did that make any sense at all??? I love all your pics! p.s. am headed to Mexico (a charming little town north of Puerto Vallarta called San Pancho) on Saturday. I will have access to internet and will try to check in often. I don’t like missing out on your posts. 🙂 Have a great Friday.March 14, 2014 – 12:18 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - I think it’s the same for travel, for me, too. And experiences. I so often think “Why have I waited so long to do this/visit this place?” each time I’m in the “new.” Love how you put this and yes, that makes perfect sense. I can’t remember my next IEP meeting date but remember moments from my past with too much clarity. Of course, i don’t remember those dates, either, mostly. I’m so jealous about your trip!! My first hubs and I got married in Puerto Vallarta and ugh I LOVE Mexico, so much. Haven’t been in years. Enjoy – big enjoy I hope.March 15, 2014 – 12:47 amReplyCancel

  • April G - So sex in a closet? That’s one “I never” drunk I won’t be having. Reading the way you describe it, the 80s
    seem pretty cool.March 14, 2014 – 12:55 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - The 80’s were awesome. 😀

      and that’s all I’m gonna say about that!March 15, 2014 – 12:49 amReplyCancel

  • clark - oh! favorite decade! damn… been a while doin this here bloghop here, so I think I got the theme wrong

    (yeah, I coulda come and read your post, but we both know what happens when one clark reads another clark’s post (when an open-ended theme)… one of us ends up looking like Kirk when he got stuck in the Tholian web and he was totally checking out Uhura in her room and all and….)

    yeah, better stop now.

    two words for the 1980s: ‘damn!’March 14, 2014 – 8:54 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - HAAHAH to the whole Kirk getting stuck in the Tholian web!!! OMG!!!
      And yeah, we Clarks need to not read (or talk to, or mind melt – AH HEM) each other for these Posts!!! And yeah, the 80’s. LMAO!!March 15, 2014 – 12:51 amReplyCancel

  • Sandy Ramsey - I would have done this post the exact same way. There were so many good things in every one of the decades I’ve lived through. Some crap, too. Lots of it, actually. But how can I complain when it brought me here. I love this post, Kristi. You and I have so very much in common (have I said that before?). Probably even the sex in the closet. Maybe.March 14, 2014 – 9:16 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Um, hello? I think we’ve both said that we have so much in common and I love that we’d have done it the same way. Lots of crap here, too. Too much maybe, or just maybe the regular amount. Who knows. HAHAHA to sex in the closet (maybe) being one of them!!March 15, 2014 – 12:53 amReplyCancel

  • don - Yay, sex in closets!!!

    So much going on here my head is spinning. All of the decades really are the best for sure. You win at picking the best decade.March 14, 2014 – 9:26 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - YAAY to sex in closets, for sure. All of them are awesome, indeed. It’s hard to choose one single decade when all of them were their own bests, whether debauchery, or having Tucker, or just the closets. They all rocked. March 15, 2014 – 12:55 amReplyCancel

  • Lisa @ Golden Spoons - I had forgotten about rat tails!! Why did we do that? Who was the first person that decided having the same appendage as a disgusting rodent was “cool?” Ahhhh – th 80’s!March 14, 2014 – 10:49 amReplyCancel

    • Lisa @ Golden Spoons - Oh, and “Bwess you” is absolutely adorable!!March 14, 2014 – 10:52 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - HAHAH to rat tails and them being cool! With that said, I look at mine, in that photo and still (dumbly) think “yeah, that was cool.” 😀March 15, 2014 – 12:58 amReplyCancel

  • jamie@southmainmuse - I’d have to say just running around with my girlfriends in the 70s. Just being goofy. It was great.March 14, 2014 – 10:54 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - I miss the freedom of running around with girlfriends. because you’re right – it was great, indeed. Sigh.March 15, 2014 – 12:59 amReplyCancel

  • Sarah - Love the pics! Such memories. I am impressed you can recall the details of each decade. Those fade for me.March 14, 2014 – 11:27 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - They fade for me in some ways too, but are so clear in others. Weird, I suppose.March 15, 2014 – 1:16 amReplyCancel

  • Natalie D - NO WAY. You had a rat tail? I’m having a hard time picturing it.March 14, 2014 – 11:38 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Natalie, it’s in the photo with the numbers, although it’s hard to see. And it was awesome. Maybe.March 15, 2014 – 1:17 amReplyCancel

  • Emily - Although I’m not participating in FTSF this week, I probably would have picked the 80s…I completely forgot about that shaved side of your head haircut thing – I had that one for years! I love how you highlighted each decade but I gotta say, the rat tail and bulletin board photo/description was my favorite! 🙂March 14, 2014 – 12:54 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - You did? That’s so awesome we had the same haircut!!! Such fun. I miss the 80’s sometimes. Talk about fashion excellence in yuck!!!March 15, 2014 – 1:18 amReplyCancel

  • Tamara - Your roommate scratched your beautiful face!
    I don’t have a favorite decade. I was born in the 1980’s so probably clueless for most of them. So the 90’s were my “coming of age” decade. Everything else was pretty sweet too. The 80’s weren’t my favorite, though, I do miss so much of the later parts of it.March 14, 2014 – 2:35 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - I know – she was mean right? And yeah, I think for a lot of us, our favorite (or at least most memorable) decade has to do with which one we “came to age” in so it makes sense that the 90’s stick out for you there.March 15, 2014 – 12:42 pmReplyCancel

  • Jhanis - I had a rat-tail too! They were so cool back then! Until my mom made me cut it. Pffft I swear you look like Britney Spears on that Mexico photo! If you don’t like Britney Spears, let’s just blame it on my eyes. I cannot find my eye-glasses! LOLMarch 14, 2014 – 2:43 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - You did? That’s so awesome and you’re right – they were SO cool back then. Bummer your mom made you cut yours. Mine was cut at a party and hahah to Britney Spears. LOL.March 15, 2014 – 12:50 pmReplyCancel

  • Jean - Um, I totally thought you looked amazing in all those pictures. I wish I was as 80’s cool as you during that decade.March 14, 2014 – 3:06 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Trust me that there are tons of photos from the 80’s that are far more dorky. I probably destroyed most of them, back in the 80’s. Dumb, because they’d be fun to laugh at now!March 15, 2014 – 12:51 pmReplyCancel

  • Lanaya | Raising Reagan - I absolutely adore that picture of you, your hubby and Tucker! It’s so precious. And wow … hotty! Look at you! You are a true beauty love! 🙂
    I’ve missed you and it was so fun getting a chance to come catch up a bit!

    xoxo
    LanayaMarch 14, 2014 – 4:01 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - I’ve missed you too! Hi! And any hottie in my was aged out a while back. Maybe that’s why I like those photos. Fun to remember younger, less wrinkled days!! And I like that photo of us with Tucker, too. It’s so weird that he’s already 4 1/2 – time flies….March 15, 2014 – 12:54 pmReplyCancel

  • Tarana - This was a fun read because it really painted a perfect picture of the 80s! You look lovely in all the pics 🙂March 14, 2014 – 4:12 pmReplyCancel

  • Menopausal Mother - What a FUN POST! I have to say, I think the 80’s were some of my favorite times. LOVED all the old pictures!March 14, 2014 – 9:05 pmReplyCancel

  • Jennifer Steck - I love your summary of all the decades, Kristi. There are so many fond memories of all of them, but the 80’s were my favorite.March 14, 2014 – 10:23 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - I think the 80’s were most of our favorite – well, for those of us who were alive back then anyway! I mean bad perms, peg jeans and jellys? What’s not to love?March 15, 2014 – 12:59 pmReplyCancel

  • Kenya G. Johnson - The 80’s are by far my favorite. It’s was the beginning of kinda being grown up without all the responsibility. Love the pics!March 15, 2014 – 11:50 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Yeah, maybe that’s what it is – being kinda grown up but not having the responsibilities. Sigh. And thanks!March 15, 2014 – 1:04 pmReplyCancel

  • Rachel - You are just so beautiful, Kristi. I see where Tucker gets his warm, infectious smile. I hope to get to see both of them IRL someday. And, no, you did not need hair products in the horse pic. You look adorable. Regards the post, you have coined a new phrase: “hideous puke of a dress.” I love that you couldn’t pick a decade, so we all got to rewind with you. And, holy shit, I went to St. John in the 90’s and never wanted to come back too!! I think we had a few more things in common in there. Probably something to do with losing virginity. And, yes, I remember bulletin boards.March 16, 2014 – 9:03 pmReplyCancel

  • christine - I hope you thanked Bob C. He did you a big favor. 🙂
    Picking a favorite decade is too hard, unless we take music into account. Then, the 80s win, hands down.
    You, dear, were the epitome of cool compared to my awkward days. Many a remark have been made about my younger years, and none of them good. As my siblings have pointed out, it’s a darn good thing I could run fast, as that is what saved me from being the biggest loser nerd.
    Yay for Tucker saying bwess you. That shows progress in many areas, don’t you think?March 17, 2014 – 7:36 amReplyCancel

  • karen - Tucker’s decade is the best, hands down. It’s just amazing how much a child can make life worth living, right?

    Oh the craziness of being young, and the stories we have for later years. Love trip down memory lane babe.March 17, 2014 – 12:31 pmReplyCancel

  • Katia - That answering machine illustration is sheer brilliance! I love your photos and the witty commentary. I completely agree with the sentiment that every decade’s a favourite one. I think that this is why I struggled with writing this post. Each decade for me is covered in warm nostalgia and they all have their defining moments and it was just impossible for me to choose. Great way tackling this!March 17, 2014 – 9:12 pmReplyCancel

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