Pottsie's 80s Weblog

Thank You For This Opportunity To Condition My Mind and Body...

So the time had come to leave the reception station and move along to our basic training barracks. I have to admit I was excited to get my Army training in full swing...I had chosen to become a Military Policeman, so my training was called OSUT One Station Unit Training, that just meant I'd do BAsic Training and MP School in the same spot, not graduate basic and go to another place for training. So I was going to be at Good Ol' Ft. McClellan until February.

So in my enthusiasm top start my Army training I was one of the first people on the bus, which meant I was towards the back of the bus...ummm BIG mistake as I was soon to find out. The bus was PACKED with nervous recruits as we travelled the 10 minutes across base to Bravo Company, 11th Battallion....BRAVO 11 OOOOOO RAHHHHH!!! SOLID AS A ROCK!

The bus rolled up on a fairly nice modern building. Two stories, it almost looked like an apartment building.Hmmmm not bad, nice digs, SWEET!!!! The bus came to a stop and the door opened and in walked Sgt. Bell...imagine Louis Gossett Jr. only real, more intimidating, louder, meaner, nastier, taller and in much better shape. Sgt. Bell stepped on the bus, Smokey Bear HAt and all and rubbed his hands together smiled the ncest smile you could ever imagine and welcomed us to Ft. McClellan as only a Drill Sgt. can. There aren't many things said to you in life that you remember exactly as they were said, I have a few things I can recall verbatim, most have to do with Basic Training, and Sgt. Bell's welcome is no exception. "Good Morning, My name is Sgt. Bell, you had a good home but you left, I am now your Daddy and I own you...you privates have 30 seconds to get the F*** off my bus and form up on Sgt. Mims outside and 291/2 seconds have just gone by...NOW GET THE F*** OFF MY BUS!!!!!"

Didn't I tell you being on the back of the bus was a BIG MISTAKE!!??!! We had to have our Duffle BAgs strapped on our fronts to be able to sit on the bus, and I now used that Duffle BAg as a weapon, it was everyman for himself as I knocked everyone that stood in my way down or to the side just so I would NOT be the last one off that bus. I heard that a private was flattened on that bus, but I never saw proof of it. 

(Damn, gotta run I will continue this later...Shock Treatment is next!!!!)

Memories Continued

So there I was in Newark NJ about to embark on this journey...I got to talking to people there, everyone was off to a different location for Basic Training. Some were flying to California, some to Georgia, etc...everyone was FLYING some where, not me. No Sir, I was handed a train ticket to Anniston Alabama. Newark, NJ to Anniston, Alabama, a trip that was scheduled to take 23 hours...23 HOURS WTF is that Uncle Sam? At least I got a sleeping car. That train stopped at EVERY little podunk stop. I swear at some stops it was a tumble weed and a cow waiting on the platform (wood deck). It was a HELL of a ride but I made it. Beautiful downtown Anniston, Alabama. What the HELL is a Jersey boy doing in this place. It was culture shock to say the least, but I didn't get a chance to enjoy the sceanery because there was a Military Van there to pick me up along with the several other people we had picked up somewhere along the Long Long train ride.

I arrived at the reception station at Ft. McClellan, Alabama on Sept 29th, 1982. I picked a bunk next to Carl Stephens, who quickly became my best friend and would remain so for a very long time (we'll talk about that later). Our first day at the reception station was fairly uneventful. We were marched(if you can call it that) to get our haircuts...ohhh my precious hair. Gone all gone!!!!! We were taken to get our uniforms, they didn't have boots in my size (12 wide) so I had to wear my sneakers (this is signficant aqs I will explain later). Our first night in the reception station at about 2 am the Drill Sgt. comes in screaming and yelling for us to get the hell up. We had to go through our personal belongings to ensure we didn't have any Tylenol because someone had tampered with it and poisoined a bunch of people. The first case of product tampering. The next day was spent teaching us basics of things we'd need to know when we got to our Basic Training (Boot Camp) units. MAking a bed, proper wearing of uniform, etc...everyone at the reception station was so nice. Before I left for the Army I had seen Stripes, hell the Army was gonna be easy. No one yells or anything. My friends I didn't know what yelling was, I was about to find out what FEAR, EXHAUSTION, PANIC, TERROR, and down right EVIL were all about....(to be continued)

Memories

Today's post is going to be a little different, it's simply going to be about memories. I usually comment on stuff that happened on a date in the 80s, but today I feel nostalgic. I recently posted up some pictures in the Blog and in doing so opened up the doors to lots of memories, and one in particular, leaving home for the Army.

I'll be honest with you here, I didn't have the greatest relationship with my Father growing up. My parents divorced when I was 11, but had been sperated for years before that. My brother and I first lived with my Mother and later were sent to live with my Father. Making a long story short, my Father told me to be out of the house as soon as I turned 18...so I joined the Army when I was 17 and a Senior in High School. I was scheduled to leave 28 days after my 18th birthday.

I spent that summer of '82 running and getting into shape for basic training. I lived in a fairly rural area so getting together with friends was difficult at best, but I did manage to hang out with a few people. The girl that I had dated through High School had moved on, we had issues that I will touch on another time. So I pretty much hung out on my own and the closer it got to leaving the more nervous I became.

When I was looking at a branch of the Service I was heavily recruited by all of them, and seriously considered the Marines, however, because of the career path I was choosing (Military Police) the best chance I had at actually doing some law enforcement was in the Army. The Marines MPs are assigned to Embassy's all over the world and guard them. So the Army was my choice and when I enlisted I choose Europe as my initial assignment. I wanted desperately to travel.

I boxed all my stuff up and put it in the attic of my dad's house. It is still there today, unless my father threw it out. I'd love to get my hands on that stuff now, almost like my own little time capsule. I know I have some 8Track tapes in there and some personal writings. I was big into poetry back then, depressing love gone awry teenage poetry that I will share here in future posts, but I will share a little one with you now. This poem was written on September 22, 1982 seven days before I left for the Army and left home for good.

Leaving Home by EP

Leaving behind my childhood days

Leaving behind my child like ways

Stepping forth into the world

About to face a new life being unfurled

Walking on with my head held high

Looking back with a tear in my eye

Memories of friends I leave behind

Hopes of new ones I may find

I have the love of the family I'm leavin'

I feel strong because I know it's me they believe in

Time to start my new life on my own

Today's the day I'm leaving home

(ok I was young but I tried)

I packed my few belongings the night before I left, basically my life was in a Totes Carry All bag. I had to be up at 330 am to get to the recruiter's office where he in turn was going to drive me and several other people to the MEPS (I forget now what that stands for but it is the processing center). THe very last song I heard on the radio before shutting it off and leaving was Babe by Styx...Fitting...I remember being so damn nervous I couldn't eat. Very little conversation took place between my father and me and as he backed out of the driveway I could hear him crying. My thoughts were why the hell are you crying? You kicked me out, never the less, it showed me that he did care at some level, and I was happy to have known that.

A handshake and quick hug exchanged between a father and a son, symbolic to me of a child becoming a man, or at least at the beginning of a journey that would lead him to manhood. Mumbled Good Lucks, Good Bye, Write as often as possible, you'll do good son and off I went. I turned once to see my father but he was already back in the car and on his way home. I was on my way home too, only my journey was much longer....To Be Continued.

Lost Weekend

Geeeezzzz I said I was gonna keep up with this thing when I started, ha, I should've known better.  So I didn't post over the weekend, nothing exciting happened any way. I had a nice Father's Day. Kids gave me the cards and drawings they made for me at school, they brought me breakfast in my room and I got an IPOD..SWEET MAMMA!!! It's nice to do Yardwork with, I have a strap for my arm so it doesn't get in the way...that was nice!

ON with our 80s Stuff;

What happened today in the 80s???

1980 Roberto Duran takes WBC welterweight title from Sugar Ray
           Leonard at Olympic Stadium in Montreal by unanimous decision
1982 Israeli PM Menachem Begin arrives in Washington
1983 Yankee Bobby Murcer retires
1986 Drs at Bethesda Naval remove 2 small benign polyps from Reagan's colon
1987 Johnny Carson marries 4th wife Alexis Mass
1988 NYC WABC-AM becomes the flagship radio station of the NJ Devils
1988 Price is Right model Janice Pennington is knocked out by a TV camera

Ummmm..ok I know this is getting routine, but WHO FREAKING CARES about any of that...Damn if we were so starved for news in the 80s that if any of this was headline stuff no wonder I tuned out LOL...ok PERHAPS Begin arriving in Washington was of some importance...I'll have to see what successive days tell me he was doing in Washington at the time because damn if I can remember. The best thing on that list is Janice getting knocked out by a TV camera...OMG I would have LOVED to have seen that...you think Bob Barker paid off the camera man to do it, or was this before their lover's spat?? Speaking of Bob Barker...that guy is a FREAK of nature. I happend to see The Price is Right today, and God Damn it if that guy doesn't look better than me... if getting your Pets Spayed or Neutered can do that for ya, I'm headed to the pound!!!!

I think I'm going to set up a photo section here and really go through my 80s pics from the Army and the places I went to...I didn't have a camera, can you believe that, I didn't buy a camera, so I relied on others to take pics, so I'm missing pics from alot of cool places. But as I go through them I'm sure I will have a ton of stories to tell. I will start that this week...so if you're an avid reader of this blog (like anyone has even seen it) look for the pics in the next couple of days.

See Ya Next Time!

Pottsie

Today's 80s News

1982 Britain requests Argentina arrange for return of prisoners
1983 Charlos Vieira completes 191 hr "nonstop" cycling in Leiria Portugal
1983 European Space Agency launches European Comm Satellite 1, Oscar 10
1983 Ringo releases "Old Wave" album in West Germany
1984 Edwin Moses wins his 100th consecutive 400-meter hurdles race
1984 Matt de Waal finishes 14,290-mi round trip from Salt Lake City (106d)
1985 T C Chen, ahead by 4 strokes in final round of US Open
1985 Willie Banks of USA sets triple jump record (58'11«") in Indianapolis
           quadruple bogies the 5th hole & never recovers
1986 1 day general strike in South Africa
1987 Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, opens
1987 Subway gunman Bernhard Goetz acquitted on all but gun possession
           charges after shooting 4 black youths who tried to rob him
1988 Boston Red Sox Barrett steals home
1988 In Santa Barbara, CA, a team of 32 divers begin cycling underwater
           on a standard tricycle, to complete 116.66 mi in 75 hrs 20 mins
1989 "Ghostbusters II" premiers
1989 4 golfers shoot a hole-in-one on the same hole at the US Open
           are made all on the 6th hole (Weaver, Wiebe, Pate & Price)
           Only 17 hole-in-ones recorded since the US open began, today 4 more

What a sucky day in 80s history, nothing of significant importance happened, at least nothing of significant importance to me. If your into Golf that 4 hole-in-one story has got to be pretty amazing...to me blah blah blah.

I guess the most significant thing is 1987 Subway gunman Bernhard Goetz acquitted on all but gun possession charges after shooting 4 black youths who tried to rob him. This just seems like it was so much longer ago than 1987, if I didn't see it here I would have sworn if somebody asked my that this event happened in the 70s...I don't know if that's a sign of getting old or just not giving a crap. Geezzz...I say that alot, I certainly didn't care about much in the 80s LOL. Actually, I can say I was a bit out of touch having spent so much time over in Europe and with very limited influence of Television and News from home for the most part, alot of stuff I heard way after it happened. But trust me there are somethings we will get to in the 80s that meant something to me, that I actually felt something for. People, places and events and as these things come up I promise you I'll post them here. A certain memory will come to my head and I'll post it. If by some chance some of the people involved ever find this weblog, well they can chime in.

There are some people from the 80s I need to write about, only because I want to get these memories down in written form. Some of the stories will have no significance to you, other than you'll read some of my thoughts and feelings...but some of the stories are personal history, a history I really don't mind sharing. But these are for another time, when I am in the mindset and prepared to share, tonight I'm at work and a little busy so we will catch up.

In Music News;

1989, the first day of the UK three day Glastonbury Festival took place featuring Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, Throwing Muses, Pixies, All About Eve, Hot House Flowers, The Waterboys, Suzanne Vega and Fairground Attraction. Tickets cost £28 ($48).

1985, Appearing at The Apollo, Glasgow, The Style Council.

1984, Frankie Goes To Hollywood had their second UK No.1 single with 'Two Tribes.' It stayed at No.1 for nine weeks making F.G.T.H. the first band to have their first two singles go to the top of the UK chart.

1982, Donny Vanzant of 38 Special was arrested on stage in Tulsa, Oklahoma, (a dry town) for drinking alcohol in a public place.

1980, The Blues Brothers film starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd premiered in Chicago.

No comments on these today...feel free to post your own here. I love to read your comments and opinions, NDQT so far is the only brave soul, actually ND, you're probably the only one reading my dribble any way. Thanks for being such a special person...Hugs and Kisses to you...as to the rest of ya....come on get involved.

I'll see ya next time!

What the heck happened today?

1980 Jorge Orta of Cleveland gets 6 hits in a baseball game
1982 Riots in Argentina after Falklands/Malvinas defeat
1983 Supreme Court struck down state & local restrictions on abortion
1984 Thomas Hearns KOs Roberto Duran
1985 En route to Halley's Comet, USSR's Vega 2 drops lander on Venus
1986 Pravda announces high-level Chernobyl staff fired for stupidity
1988 NASA launches space vehicle S-213
1989 Balt Orioles pull their 9th triple play (vs Yankees)
1989 Ronald Reagan is knighted by Queen Elizabeth

Am I supposed to care about any of that LOL...I did forget all about Ronald reagan being knighted, hmmm would love to have seen him joust.

The Baltimore Orioles pulled off their 9th triple play, ok, thats kind of cool not something you see everyday...June 15th was a slow day in 1989 if these two things were the big stories. I was lucky enough to see the first triple play in Veterans Stadium (Philadelphia) home of the Phillies. It was a day game and it was started by a line drive hit to second baseman Randy Ready. I don't even remember the year, early 90s. Veterans Stadium is now gone.

Imagine that...Pravda fired the High-Level Chernobyl staff for stupidity...I can't imagine why LOL...this is still in my mind along with the December 1984 Bhopal India Gas Release from Union Carbide, two of the worst man made tradgedies ever. These are perfect examples of big Government and big corporations not caring about the publics safety, the all-mighty dollar, or Rubal in Russia and what ever they use in India, rules the mind. Safety be damned, tell that to all the people who were killed or maimed. Tell that to the thousands of children killed or left orphans by their Government.

The Supreme Court Struck down State and local Restrictions on abortion....this is such a touchy subject and one that tends to polarize the Country in one direction or another. I can never say I agree with abortion, I think it's wrong, HOWEVER, it is every person's RIGHT, in my opinion, to be able to choose...so I respect the right to choose. I won't get into the argument as to if the Zygote is a human life etc....I have my opinions I'll just keep them to myself.

I told you I'd be opinonated in this blog....damn I was hoping for some light hearted news.

ON to music news;

1989, Nirvana's debut album 'Bleach' was released in the US. The title for the album came from a poster 'Bleach Your Works' urging drug users to bleach their needles.

Tragic waste of a life Kurt Cobain, had talent but as with many very talented people, his demons got the best of him.

1988, During Bruce Springsteen's stay in Rome during a world tour a photographer took a shot of Bruce in his underpants sharing an intimate moment with his backing singer Patti Scialfa. The picture confirmed the rumours that Bruce and Patti are having an affair.

Bruce, Bruce, Bruce..my NJ homey...WTF were you thinking...you knew you wanted PAtti, why'd you get married in the first place...FOOL.

1986, U2 and Sting headlined a concert in New Jersey celebrating 25 years of Amnesty International.

Concert was in NJ, my home state, I was in Germany...Go Figure!

1985, Dire Straits started a nine-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with, 'Brothers In Arms'.

Good album, however, this is what most people remember Dire Straits for. No one remembers their first albums, well my buddy NDQT does, but I think she is the only one. The first Dire Straits album with Sultans of Swing is great and led up to my favorite Dire Straits album. Making Movies....OH MY God what a phenominal album. If you want to explore what Dire Straits is all about get this album (CD) now give it a listen, especially Romeo and Juliet and Tunnel of Love...classics! Check out the Love Over Gold Cd also, has one of my favorite Dire Straits songs Telegraph Road on it. The song is 14 minutes long!

1982, Pete Farndon bass player with The Pretenders was fired from the group, he went on to form a group with Topper Headon from The Clash. Farndon was found dead in his bath on 14th April 1983.

What more can you say...Drugs are bad, very bad!

See ya next time

My Thoughts on Michael Jackson

I can's say I'm too surprised, while I thought along with alot of other people that he was as guilty as sin, we weren't in the courtroom and we didn't hear the testimony or see the evidence to really determine guilt or innocence. Look I think its down right weird and sick that he spends the time he does with children, and sleeps in the same bed as them. I'm a Dad and I kicked my kids out of the bed LOOOOONNNNGGGG ago LOL.

I think it was Jay Leno that said it best...If you're rich and white in America you can get away with anything...ok of course MJ isn't white but he is Rich, and money can certainly buy your freedom. I'm a Police Officer and in court often, I see it all the time. The poor guy who can't afford an attorney gets stuck with the public defender and inevitably looses his case. Not because the attorney is incompetent, although many public defenders are, but because they don't have the money to put on a proper defense. To hire the investigators to dig into someones background in an effort to impeach them and their testimony. If you're rich you certainly can pay for what ever you need, so that even if you did it, your attorney can put a smidgen of reasonable doubt in the jury's mind and BAM your found not guilty.

So did MJ do it? Maybe maybe not...but Damn It if another freaking parent lets their kid go to MJ's Neverland ranch and "Hang Out" with MJ unsupervised, they deserve to be shot. I suppose I can go back to listening to MJ, but I don't know if I can. I loved the Thriller album, but I almost feel like I'm supporting MJ and frankly I'm not. Let's hope everyone, including MJ learned from this....so MJ was found Not Guilty that doesn't mean we Have to let our kids play with him.

Today in 80s History

Today is June 14, 2005 and it is the 230th Birthday of The United States Army.

 

The Army Goes Rolling Along"

Intro: March along, sing our song, with the Army of the free
Count the brave, count the true, who have fought to victory
We’re the Army and proud of our name
We’re the Army and proudly proclaim

Verse: First to fight for the right,
And to build the Nation’s might,
And The Army Goes Rolling Along
Proud of all we have done,
Fighting till the battle’s won,
And the Army Goes Rolling Along.

Refrain: Then it’s Hi! Hi! Hey!
The Army’s on its way.
Count off the cadence loud and strong (TWO! THREE!)
For where e’er we go,
You will always know
That The Army Goes Rolling Along.

Verse: Valley Forge, Custer’s ranks,
San Juan Hill and Patton’s tanks,
And the Army went rolling along
Minute men, from the start,
Always fighting from the heart,
And the Army keeps rolling along.
(refrain)

Verse: Men in rags, men who froze,
Still that Army met its foes,
And the Army went rolling along.
Faith in God, then we’re right,
And we’ll fight with all our might,
As the Army keeps rolling along.

God Bless our Soldiers, Marines, Seamen, Airmen and Coast Guarders...and Happy Birthday to the United States Army!!!!

Today in 80s History

 

In 1982, Argentine forces surrendered to British troops on the disputed Falkland Islands.

In 1985, the 17-day hijack ordeal of TWA Flight 847 began as a pair of Lebanese Shiite Muslim extremists seized the jetliner shortly after takeoff from Athens, Greece.

Can I comment on these two items? NO I can't honestly because in the grand scheme of things at that particular time in my life these were incidents that meant NOTHING to me and so I paid them little, if any, attention. How sad that in 1982 when I was 18 I had little concern over a war that we (America) weren't involved in, yet 1982 is the year I entered the Army (How Naive I was) and in 1985 when I was 21, I didn't care enough about other humans lives to even make a mental note that this was an event I should pay attention to.

I think this speaks volumes as to the mind set of us at that age. Most of us, not all, but most, at the ages of 18 thru I don't know lets say 25, really don't care about much but ourselves. Ok, maybe 25 is stretching it and I may need to back that age to 22 or 23 but what real concerns did I have at the time? Well sure I was in the Army and I was stationed in Europe far away from home, spent 3 years straight in Europe without coming back to the good old USA, so you'd think I'd be concerned about a war or I'd be homesick...no the only thing I concerned myself with is getting laid and having a good time with my friends. Shallow, sad...sure I agree with you NOW but not then.

Look I was stationed in Germany at a time that we were being protested there left and right and many European terrorist were running wild. In fact there was a bombing not too far from where I was stationed and I remember I was at work as a Military Police Officer when the news began to break of the Marine Barracks in Lebenon being car bombed and several hundred MArines were killed. Sure I remember feeling shock and disbelief, and if told "Boys, we're off to war!!" I would have gladly gone, but as I sit here now typing this and truely looking for what I felt about these incidents or even the Lebenon bombings, I can only tell you I didn't feel anything. Sure I was sorry for the people killed, but it didn't effect me, it didn't touch me and therefore as a 20 something year old my thoughts remained on my primary mission...getting laid. Of course as we get older these things change, but in the early to mid 80s...I was young, and selfish and self absorbed. It's a honest assesment of youth I think...now tell me what you think?

Welcome to the blog

Welcome, you're here. No matter how you found this blog your here and I hope you'll stick around. IF you came here from my site, we'll you know what this is all about so skip the next paragraph. If you've stumbled across this and have no idea who I am or what I'm about, allow me to briefly enlighten you.

I go by the name of Pottsie, that is my DJ name. I do a little Internet Radio Show called The Retro Lunch Show. Currently it is heard by about 30,000 listeners a day, and climbing. Basically I focus in on the GREAT music of the 80s, all genres, but I also delve into the 70s. I like to play the music I remember listening to as I was just getting into music in my youth...so I pretty much don't go further back than 1975 and even that far back is rare. I like to stay 1977 and forward...New Wave and punk were just coming on the scene and disco still held the Country in it's tight tight grip. I remember back in Junior High and even High School going around yelling Disco Sucks...but today I'm not so sure I don't like some Dsico, ok alot of disco. I like it...I enjoy it and it brings back some really good memories. I try to cover the whole of the time in each show, not focusing on one particular genre but breaking it down into the music that was the era. I have fun doing it and I hope everyone has fun listening.

So my plans for this Blog? We'll I hope to get people coming around and joining in. I plan on writing about my memories and experiences in the 80s as well as being an opinionated SOB on current issues. I'm sure I'll slowly reveal myself over time as to who I was, who I am now and who I'll probably be in the future.

So dear reader thanks for finding me, bookmark it, come on back again and again, visit our site at www.80sretrolunch.com and join in...I'd love to hear from YOU!