In the 80s, it was all about MTV. When it first started, MTV was all about playing music videos and it changed the face of music, literally – now we could see all of our fave musicians prancing around in wacky clips!

When I was growing up in the 80s, my sister and I were obsessed with music and music videos in particular. We used to get up early on weekends to watch Video Hits and RAGE (Aussie music programs) and we’d tape all of our favourite clips and play them back all day. That was just what you did then!

We were so obsessed, and just crazy enough, that when my Grandparents bought a video camera (not everyone had one back then!) and let us use it (well, my Dad had to use it – we weren’t allowed to touch it!), we naturally made our very own MTV.

Yes, there were costumes, there was singing and there was dancing. We did a countdown of parodies of popular songs with stupid replacement lyrics. We did an interview with our little sister as a Ninja Turtle. We even had our own MTV theme song.

Yes folks, this is all on tape. And a couple of years ago, my Grandma had them all transferred to DVD! Oh, the horror!

My older sister and I used to love going to blue light discos and dances when we were growing up in the 80s. We both loved music and were up on all the current pop-tastic stars! One night we got all dressed up and went out to a dance held by a school in the neighbourhood. Boy, did we ever let loose on the dancefloor! We pulled out all the 80s moves, the Running Man, the Side-To-Side and our signature move, the Back Nod.

I don’t know if the back nod has a real name, but here is how it’s done: you and your friend both stand facing the same direction, one in front of the other. Now, with the beat, the person at the back bends left and right, giving it a lot of funky shoulder. The person in front bends in the opposite direction on each beat and looks back at the other person – the Back Nod!! If only I could find a video of it… if you know the move I’m talking about, let me know!

By the way, it was such a hit that we won the prize for best dancers! Go us!!

If you look in the About section you will see a photo of me circa 1988 with a red ghetto blaster (my sister’s) and a bear-shaped toy next to me (property of some other girl in the picture). That bear-shaped toy is a Teddy Ruxpin and here is how it relates to my childhood.

Teddy Ruxpin was a talking teddy bear. You put a tape in his back and he read stories to you and moved his mouth and eyes. This was VERY COOL back in the mid-80s and of course everyone wanted one, including me! Unfortunately they were pretty expensive and way out of price range for us.

During the years after its release, a lot of my friends owned one and I was uber jealous! Friends of the family who were my age were able to save up for one using their pocket money – but back then I was hopeless at saving and couldn’t even fathom putting my money away for so long. I remember being absolutely green with envy whenever someone got one!

I never did end up getting a Teddy Ruxpin. Looking back, it seems stupid to want a talking bear so badly, but those were the 80s! Did anyone else have one or want one?

I think the 80s really were the last of the simpler times. Case in point – one of my very fave games to play back then was the boo game, a game of family bonding… of sorts! Here are the rules:

1. This is played by the entire family upon returning home after dark, ususally after time away on holidays

2. When said family arrives home, no one is allowed to turn on any lights / TV etc.

3. Family members then proceed to run around the house, jumping out of corners, screaming BOOOO! and scaring the crap out of other family members

4. This continues until everyone is shaken and hoarse from screaming

No computers and no iPods necessary – this was the height of fun when I was a kid (and possibly when I was in my teens too!). Helps to have a family who have a genuine love of riling each other up! Do people still do this, or are these sort of games totally passe?