The Chicken McNugget Turns 30 This Year, And So Do These 29 Other Nostalgic Things

As if we didn’t feel our age already, it’s time to feel just a little bit older! Some of the things on the Top 30 list have gone the way of the dinosaur but they still live in our memory, but most are still here and maybe the nostalgic memories this list creates for you will abate the sickening feeling that these were all born 3 decades ago this year! Happy Birthday to the Chicken McNugget and 29 more things that we can’t live without and some we can!

Chicken McNuggets

The McNugget was invented in 1979 but didn’t hit your fave Golden Arches until 1983 because of a shortage of processed chicken. Somebody tell me where that honey dipping sauce went?? Besides, what would all of our kids eat were it not for these little goodies?

D.A.R.E.

The “Just say NO” group was started to educate kids on drugs and it def worked on me!

The Swatch Watch

I had one, or like 5 that you could mix and match. I don’t even know if these are still around but I’m not looking for ‘em anymore. However, where my Nike Pumps at??

The Internet / A.O.L.

The internet was invented 30 years ago although it didn’t turn into what we now know as the Worldwide Web until 6 years later… A.O.L. was known by a different name back then and was writing games for the Atari before becoming what it’s now known for.

The debut albums from both “Weird Al” and R.E.M.

These two albums are flirting with being classified as classics soon but they both were released back in 1983

The Moonwalk

My eyeballs literally fell out of my head watching this as a 5-year-old and everybody including me tried it and obviously fell short of the awesomeness that the King of Pop possessed! I can sorta do it now, but nobody really cares to see a 34 y/o do it!

Plinko on “The Price is Right”

My personal favorite game besides the falling cliff guy. As a young school kid I couldn’t WAIT to watch those little discs fall while my mom watched a still old looking Bob Barker back then do his thing.

Mama’s Family

I used to watch episodes of The Carol Burnett show with Harvey Corman and Tim Conway and this show of course spun off of that… Unlike it’s predecessor it only lasted a year.

“Star Wars VI:  Return of the Jedi” and “A Christmas Story”

My second favorite Star Wars movie was born this year, back when people didn’t give a second thought to cheering loudly and giving Luke a standing ovation as he took down Vader. Also, the leg lamp and the tongue-to-pole images are stick in our heads since 30 years ago.

The American minivan.  The Dodge Caravan

I rode in these plenty and even owned my own once I started my family in my twenties. I traded my long line of mini-vans for the SUV’s since then but those sliding doors will never be forgotten!

Nintendo / Mario Brothers

I loved my Atari 2600 and played it for hours on end, but when I saw the Nintendo, I was in LOVE. I would go over to friend’s houses JUST to play their game consoles and long after they passed out at the sleepover, I was still wide-eyed in front of the TV stomping Goombas and trying to beat King Koopa!

The StairMaster

Never had a use one of these, but prior to the Stairmaster, heading to a really tall building or climbing your own stairs was the only way to tone up like mad. Now we can sweat to the Oldiez at home but it didn’t always used to be that way!

The Camcorder

This invention originally started in space but made it’s way to planet Earth 30 years ago and now has many (much smaller) offspring and also led to all manner of hand-held video recording including that 1080HP recorder in your iPhones. I don’t miss hauling that huge camcorder around on my shoulder, but now what to do about holding my hand up forever?

Apple iiE Computer

Before the Apple iiE all computers only displayed text in all CAPS. This computer was the first to offer lowercase characters too and had a 10 year run (much longer than most of today’s newer whizz-bang computers).

Pet Sematary

Of all of the Stephen King novels, this one hit close to home and almost never made it to shelves because much of it was inspired be real events in his family’s life. Thankfully his wife talked him out of it and we all still suffer from the nightmares he started 30 years ago.

Cabbage Patch Kids

In the third grade I couldn’t WAIT to get to the corner store and grab packs of these sticker-cards and trade them with my friends and decorate my lunch box and anything else with a flat surface with these crude images. No wait, I’m talking about GARBAGE PAIL kids!! Who cares about Cabbage Patch Kids??

The Disney Channel, “The A-Team”, and “Reading Rainbow”

The Disney Channel wasn’t always in existence although we watched those movies like crazy on our TV’s so it SEEMED like there was a channel dedicated to our favorite musical animated flicks! And speaking of music, who can’t sing or hum the themes from Reading Rainbow and the A-Team now?

Microsoft Word

This post comes to you courtesy of Microsoft Word and word processing became an every man’s application a whole three decades ago and is one of the things that thankfully lasted this long!

Care Bears / My Little Pony

Who would my G.I. Joes and Transformers have played with if it wasn’t for my sister’s Care Bears and My Little Pony’s, and if you’re wondering of course I played with them too (when she wasn’t looking!) Kristi, are you reading this?

Hooters

No, those weren’t invented 30 years ago, but the company that put them right in front of you at your dinner table was! This hugely successful restaurant chain was started by half a dozen businessmen who actually knew nothing about running or owning restaurants!! Hmmmm… Guess if you’ve got a good angle, you’re in! welcome to the billionaire’s club boys!

Trump Tower

And speaking of billionaires, this rich guy’s famous office real estate didn’t complete construction until 30 years ago. Famous tennants since then include Bruce Willis, Beyonce and Jay-Z, Janet Jackson, and of course, Donald Trump.

The Ongoing Eruption of Kilauea

This volcano has been erupting since 1983 and literally hasn’t stopped since then!

Diversity in Space