Sibling Assignment #188: The Birth of MTV

I gave the third sibling assignment for February:

"Building playlists have become a part of our lives now because of the new ways we listen to music. If you could build a perfect playlist of ten songs, what would be the theme and what would on that list?  Explain the theme and why you chose those songs, or some of the songs. Sister Carol's is here and brother Bill's is here.

The summer of 1981 MTV was launched. I don't have a vivid memory of watching it right then. Maybe our cable company didn't get it in West Richland, Washington. I do remember when we moved to Kennewick in 1982 I began watching it. Twenty-four hours a day the station played music vidoes. The VJs were such a big part of MTV, especially Mark Goodman, Martha Quinn, Nina Blackwood, and Alan Hunter. Also, in 1984 MTV started Top 20 Video Countdown that was shown on week-ends. I loved finding time on Saturday to watch it..

The playlist I created is memorable songs that were launched on MTV during the eighties. The videos themselves really sold each song. I remember buying the cassettes often after I viewed the video. Of course, my list could be twice as long. If you want to reminisce and watch any of these videos, search them on MTV. You can also find the first Top Twenty Video Countdown here.

"Easy Woman"  Phil Collins and Phillip Bailey
"You Can Call Me Al " Paul Simon ( assisted by Chevy Chase)
"Walk This Way " RUN D.M.C. and Aerosmith
"Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" Wham
"How Will I Know" Whitney Houston
"Built This City on Rock and Roll" Starship
"Billie Jean" Michael Jackson
"Power of Love" Huey Lewis and the News
"The Way It Is" Bruce Hornsby and the Range
" We Are the World" various artists

Here is the video that launched MTV. What music videos do you remember from that time period?

Sibling Assignment #187: Sunnyside School Chili Feed

Bill also gave one of our sibling assignments for the month of February:

" Last night’s crab feed got me thinking about the different feeds held in Kellogg when we were youngsters. The first one that popped to mind was the Sunnyside Chili Feed and I’m trying to remember what kind of feed the PTA held in the downstairs lunch room at Silver King. Was it oyster soup/stew? I know we used to have an oyster soup/stew feed at the United Church. Write what you remember about any feeds or a particular feed that occurred in Kellogg."

When I began attending Sunnyside School is second grade I began hearing about The Chili Feed after Christmas vacation. I had never heard of a chili feed. ( If memory serves me right, I think Silver King School started theirs a few years later. ) The Chili Feed was a huge fundraiser  put on by the PTA. I think it was held in February because I remember after finding a parking place a block away, we had to walk through snow. When I attended my first one, these memories are clear in my mind. There was always a line that went down the hall and up the steps to the foyer by the principal's office. When you got closer to the serving line, you walked by the pie room. It was a small room close to the lunchroom  full of slices of homemade pies that all the moms donated. I can remember staring at all the different kinds of pie, wondering which kind I would choose. 

We went through the line just like during the week at hot lunch. The cooks were there serving the chili, this fresh, crisp salad, and the next part is fuzzy. I can't remember if they served cinnamon rolls like they did with chili during lunch or if it was crackers. The lunchroom was packed, families were squeezed into the tables enjoying their chili dinner. Then came the time when we got to choose our piece of pie. I always wanted cream pies then because we didn't have them at home as much. For some reason Dad didn't like going to the Chili Feed, so maybe Mom got food to go for him. 

The other best part of the Chili Feed was the poster contest held when you were a sixth grader. Each student made a poster that were hung around town to advertise the event. I planned and designed that for weeks. I really wanted to win. I made beans that were like people and filled in their bodies with coffee grounds to add more texture. Part of me thinks I may have won a prize, but I can't say for sure. All I know that between looking forward to the feed, waiting for the sixth grade year when I got to enter the poster contest. 

Every time I prepare chili and cinnamon rolls, my mind goes back to those feeds so many years ago. Great memories.