Living in the Past Podcast Samantha Kemp-Jackson

“Burn, baby burn!”
And boy, did we ever.
Burn.
On the metal slides.
Back in the day.
Yes - if you grew up in the 60s, 70s and even some of the 80s, you know of which I speak. Playground fare back then included all manner of dangerous “play” things, including slides made of metal and merry-go-round-type contraptions that were engineered to invoke the maximum amount of inner-ear turmoil as possible. Vomiting after spinning quickly in the hot sun wasn’t a thing…until it was.
It was fun, though, right?
In a time of extreme caution (not that that’s a bad thing) us Gen-Xers can look back at an era when slides burned and seat belts were optional.
The humble playground has experienced a metamorphosis in the past few decades. What was once considered standard fare for child’s play now elicits shock and horror at even the mere thought of a play structure that is not ISO 1000 certified.
Metal and sunshine.
Gawd, no!
We can’t have our kids burn on the way down, can we?
Well, we can, but we won’t - at least not in this hyper-aware, helicopter parenting world in which we live.
There was a general philosophy by parents of our generation that “kids will be kids” and, ironically, that a little pain wouldn’t hurt (it did). These experiences - falling off a playground carousel, burning our lower extremities on the way down a shiny metal slide that had been baking in the July sun; these experiences were meant to “toughen up” any kid that was worth her salt.
Pain?
No problem.
Vomiting?
“Just sit this one out for a bit, son - you’ll be fine!”
This vintage carousel looks worn now, but in its heyday, it contributed to many a child’s experiences of vertigo, nausea and general queasiness. It spun us with abandon, faster and faster as our friends accelerated its motion in an effort to, hopefully, make us sick.
Kids enjoy doing these kinds of things, you know?
Back in the day, vintage carousels contributed to many a child’s experiences of vertigo, nausea and general queasiness. Vomiting was a rite of passage.
Of course, there was the much-loved and equally frightening teeter-totter (or “see-saw,” depending on where you grew up).
Fear came in the form of anticipation: you never knew if your partner on the other end of the equipment was going to unexpectedly get off when you were up high, leaving you to crash to the ground, painfully. We all experienced being on the losing side of the equation and, while it hurt, it seared an indelible memory into our collective brains: fear was fun.
Anticipation….
Oh, my aching head!
And speaking of anticipation, one was certainly waiting for the good times to come to an abrupt end while climbing on the monkey bars. Back before “playground hygiene” was a thing, all climbing structures were made of metal - not plastic - and many of them were very, very high. In addition, there was no soft padding, foam or similar to break any potential fall. A fall from such structure could - and did - result in bruises, sometimes sprains and often head injuries. Concussions were probably more rampant than our parents knew during these times. Who talked about Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) back then? Kids did fall, did hurt themselves and did suffer the consequences. That is, many days, weeks or years after the incident occurred. Immediately following the fall, however, they’d often get back in the saddle for another dance with danger. If the child was dazed from the fall and hesitant, there was no shortage of friends encouraging them to ignore their symptoms and to keep climbing.
If - and I say if - the parent(s) were anywhere close by, they’d invariably encourage the kid to get back on the play structure as well.
“You’re fine!,” they’d shout from the sidelines. They may have even been smoking a cigarette. In public. In a playground. Unashamedly. How times have changed.
What all of this reminiscing makes me realize is that us Gen-Xers were strong and resilient. We st

What’s in a Name?
What’s in a name?
A lot.
So very much.
For instance, did you know that a certain name will guarantee an accurate guess about one’s age for those in the know?
If your name is Jennifer, Lisa or Tammy, hello my fellow Gen-Xer and child of the 70s!
If your name is Ashley, Tiffany or Megan, I bet your mom loved watching the Young and the Restless or, “Y &R” for the soap opera’s super-fans.
And it wasn’t only girls that had a recognizable moniker that screamed “I was born in the 70s/80s!,” either. Boys were subject to the trends of the time as well. The whims of the parents who wanted their sons to be popular resulted in a considerable cohort of kids named Daniel, Ryan and Brandon, to name a few.
In an era of Olivias, Avas and Sophias, being named “Lisa” is a surefire way of saying “I was born between 1968 and 1975” without saying “I was born between 1968 and 1975.” The impact of a name and everything it embodies cannot be ignored. Just ask Roxanne.

Generation Jen
The name “Jennifer” is quintessentially 70s. Those of us who grew up during this era can probably name at least three or four friends with this name. Similarly, “Lisa” was everywhere. I can personally think of six or seven people with this name that I went to grade school with. In high school, there seemed to be even more.
Jennifer, Lisa, Kim…these names evoke memories of elementary school recesses playing Red Rover or Mother May I, and later, high school hallways filled with fashionistas sporting neon leg-warmers and jelly bracelets.
The fact of the matter is that there is so much more that’s in a name than meets the eye - or ear.
For instance, when was the last time you met someone named Martha? Or Edwin? Or Horace?
I Got a Name - Jim Croce

A Cultural Touchstone
In addition to what they convey about the ages of the individuals who carry them, names can be seen as a cultural touchstone; a benchmarked foundation in time that remains with its host long after the trend of the day has passed. Decades, actually. Hence, there are one of many a grandma and grandpa named Millicent and Walter, respectively.
Names can be seen as a cultural touchstone; a benchmarked foundation in time that remains with its host long after the trend of the day has passed.
Remember Farrah Fawcett?
While the name “Farah” (which means “joy”) had been popular in Arabic cultures for centuries, it was only in 1976 that the name became a hit in the Western world. This, because the breakout star of one of the era’s leading TV shows was named Farrah - with two “r”s, no less.
As the object of many men’s dreams and possessing the desired look that millions of women wanted, it was no wonder that the name was one of the most popular in the latter years of the decade. Similarly, the names John, David and Robert led the charge in the same era, indicating parents’ desires that their sons replicated celebrity success as well.
**What are the most popular girls’ names from the 70s? Answer the poll at the end of this post**
The “Friends” Effect: Courtney Cox (Monica) /Jennifer Aniston (Rachel) /Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe). Photo credit: Getty Images
With the “Friends Effect,” both on-screen and real names of characters on the popular 90’s TV show were trending for much of the decade.
The Celebrity Factor
The draw of celebrity isn’t a new phenomenon, but it’s certainly more of a “thing” in an age where we can behave as if we know the rich and famous personally, thanks to the Internet and social media.
We’re caught up in celebrity goings-on more than ever before. It’s easy, right? We can watch our faves in real time, stalk them on their various social accounts and “like” any post, video or image that they decide to share with us. We feel that we know them and with familiarity comes not only contempt but on the positive side, emulation. We want to be like them however possible and if naming our kids after them might