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1988 - Memories and Music

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Austin Texas Homes, LLC 453249

I am approaching my 15-year college reunion, which means I have been out of high school nearly 20 years now.  I graduated in 1988, which sometimes seems like a long time ago, and other times seems very near in my memory. 

My final semester of high school, we went on a ski trip and one of my  fondest memories was of re-enacting "Hanz and Franz" Pump You Up from SNL with my friends.  We all had nicknames for this - Hanz, Franz, Mueller, LeManz, etc.  Good, clean, goofy fun.

During that trip, I played the most successful practical joke that I have ever enacted.  There was a guy we didn't like because he was rich and rude and he had a super-expensive car and the girls loved him.  What, me jealous?  Never.  His girlfriend was the snotty head cheerleader (not making this up), which I realize sounds an awful lot like the premise for a John Hughes movie now that I write it. 

Well, here's the thing - I have a knack for doing impressions, and I could do this guy's voice PERFECTLY.  So, one night, after a few too many beers, I called his girlfriend (as him) and told her that I wanted to break up with  her, because I (he) wanted to date another girl.  The amazing thing was that she believed me.  Mission accomplished!  They worked it out and we actually got to watch him stutter as he tried to explain what must have happened.  Was this juvenile?  You betcha.  I was 17.  Gimme a break - that is funny stuff.  We celebrated our "victory" by listening to R.E.M.'s "The End of the World as We Know It" at top volume.  This is a memorable and fun song, but I think my all-time favorite song by them is "Nightswimming".

In the summer of that year, I took a trip to New Orleans with my best friend Jeff (a trip that we repeated the following summer), and we spent pretty much the entire trip talking, laughing, and listening to Steve Miller's Greatest Hits and Bob Seger's "Against the Wind".  Interestingly enough, many years later, this CD was my son's favorite when he was a toddler, and he used to dance "like no one was watching".  Like father, like son, right? 

During that summer, my friends and I attended a couple of terrific concerts, mainly just to see two specific songs performed live.  Yes, it was that important to us.  We saw Def Leppard with Great White (I don't really  remember this second-tier band very well, but I know they opened).  "Pour Some Sugar on Me" was one of the defining songs of my late teens.  This was kind of the top party song for me and my group of friends, and we probably did significant damage to our hearing by listening to it so loudly in my car. 

The show was really a great one, and Rick Allen is the finest one-armed drummer to have ever lived. One of my closest friends Robert aspired to be....a beer truck driver.  Can you guess what he ended up doing?  In an effort to make this post related on a tangent to real estate, I would like to point out that Robert set an achievable, measurable goal and made it happen!

 

The other concert from that summer remains one of the best that I have seen to date, with the possible exception of the Eagles' "Hell Freezes Over" tour (which sounded like a CD, though it was live).  In July, we went  to see Guns 'n' Roses OPEN for Aerosmith.  I think the show was about four hours long.  As a 17-year old, "Sweet Child O' Mine" held a certain amount of power over me.  Even today, if I happen to be out somewhere and hear this song, or perhaps if I catch it on the radio, I want it to be far louder and I want be on stage singing it while Slash is playing guitar next to me.   

I spent August preparing for my foray into collegiate life, and I remember this as a highly adrenalized and exciting time.  There was a girl I met during a preview weekend (CLEP tests) and I kept in touch with her over the summer.  When school actually started, I got to spend time with her (do you like my gentle euphemism?) alone in her room.  She played a CD for me that a friend had given to her.  I had never heard the band before, but I cannot hear any of the songs on 10,000 Maniacs "In My Tribe" without being transported to that autumn.  I think "Like the Weather" is the most evocative for me.

Thanks for letting me share a little bit more with you guys, and thanks for reading about a couple of my memories.  Oh, yeah - real estate.

If you enjoyed this post, please check out the new AR group I founded today with Adam Waldman and Paul Slaybaugh called "INSPIRED BY SONG!".  This is a group for music-related posts, and we are planning to have monthly contests with 1000 points to the winner.  Should be a lot of fun!

Copyright 2007   Austin Real Estate     Jason Crouch   All rights reserved

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If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can also visit my primary website at www.austintexashomes.com.  Thanks!

Comments (122)

Jason Crouch
Austin Texas Homes, LLC - Austin, TX
Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653)
SAL - I must agree with you.  That is a bad feeling you described.  Yes, our music is now "classic" status, and fast approaching oldie.  I can't believe she had never heard of the Police!  I don't know if that would qualify as youth or ignorance. 
Nov 03, 2007 05:11 PM
Lisa Bender
Brighton, Mi - Keller Williams - Howell, MI
Livingston County Realtor, (Brighton, Howell, Hartland)

Oh yeah, Class of '88 right here with ya! I saw Def Leopard that year too!

OK, the 20 year thing is now finally hitting me ... YIKES! :-(

Nov 04, 2007 12:48 PM
Prudential Preferred Realty Butler PA
Prudential Preferred Realty - Butler, PA

I graduated in '88, also.

I went to the GnR and Aerosmith show, too!  I still love Aerosmith, even though they are all a million years old.

I have some friends from a previous job, younger than me (obviously), who had never heard of Bruce Springsteen.  I hate being old!!

 

Nov 04, 2007 01:59 PM
Jason Crouch
Austin Texas Homes, LLC - Austin, TX
Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653)

LISA - That is awesome!  Quite a show, huh?  Yep, 20 years is right around the corner now.  Thanks for stopping by - this one may have brought back some memories for you.  Have a great week!

Nov 04, 2007 02:19 PM
Timothy Schwartz
Century 21 Mack Morris Iris Lurie - Marlboro Twp, NJ

Jason:  Keep on rockin in a free world.....Neil Young  BTW, sell some of those vinyl records in the new active rain group http://activerain.com/groups/selljunk

 

Nov 04, 2007 02:22 PM
Jason Crouch
Austin Texas Homes, LLC - Austin, TX
Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653)
JAYNE - That's funny - two comments in a row from '88 graduates!  The GnR/Aerosmith show was terrific in Dallas.  I have to admit that it makes me a little angry to hear about someone not knowing who Springsteen is, unless it was a child.  I saw Springsteen in the "Born in the USA" tour in Dallas as well.  I also feel pretty old sometimes.  Have a good week!
Nov 04, 2007 02:25 PM
Timothy Schwartz
Century 21 Mack Morris Iris Lurie - Marlboro Twp, NJ
This post is coming from the town Bruce has his farm house in.  It breaks my heart to think that someone does not know who the "Boss" is.
Nov 04, 2007 02:32 PM
Jason Crouch
Austin Texas Homes, LLC - Austin, TX
Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653)
TIM - It makes me angry and sad at the same time.  I think I might break out a Springsteen album and listen to it tonight (yes, album).
Nov 04, 2007 03:21 PM
Jason Crouch
Austin Texas Homes, LLC - Austin, TX
Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653)
TIM - I will check out the new group soon.
Nov 04, 2007 03:22 PM
Joyce Heffner-Williams
Keller Williams Clients' Choice Realty - Monument, CO
Owner/Broker/EcoBroker - Monument Real Estate
Loved the 80's!  Such innocence in those times...
Nov 05, 2007 03:59 AM
Jason Crouch
Austin Texas Homes, LLC - Austin, TX
Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653)
TROY - I also loved the 80's (clearly).  Thanks for commenting on this post.  It seems as though the 80's are making a bit of a comeback now.
Nov 05, 2007 04:02 AM
Prudential Preferred Realty Butler PA
Prudential Preferred Realty - Butler, PA

Hey!  My kids are 4 and 6, and they probably know more Springsteen songs than I do.  (My husband is a HUGE fan.  He has EVERY album (yes album) and all the cds, too.

 

Nov 05, 2007 05:17 AM
Jason Crouch
Austin Texas Homes, LLC - Austin, TX
Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653)
JAYNE - You are good parents.  I need to teach my kids more classic tunes.  Keep it up!
Nov 05, 2007 05:42 AM
Shannon Lefevre
John R. Wood Properties - Naples, FL
Shannon Lefevre, PA Your Naples Smart Girl
Jason,  How can you be approaching your 15 year reunion if you graduated in 1988???  Did you go back?  Is this kinda like what old ladies do when they start hiding their age by having anniversaries of the 30th birthday?  :)
Nov 05, 2007 05:56 AM
Jason Crouch
Austin Texas Homes, LLC - Austin, TX
Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653)
SHANNON - It was a 15-year COLLEGE reunion, 20 years for high school (next year).  I have nothing to hide (at least not yet).  Good to see you here in my comments!!!
Nov 05, 2007 06:17 AM
Valerie Osterhoudt
Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - Cromwell, CT
ABR, Cromwell, CT Real Estate ~ 860.883.8889

Jason.... You brought back some good memories of the 80's.  Thanks for sharing... and reposting, you will get more points for this.. good thinking.

Jul 09, 2008 02:51 PM
Jason Crouch
Austin Texas Homes, LLC - Austin, TX
Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653)

VALERIE - It's been awhile since I looked at this post.  I need to write some more like this soon.  Thanks for stopping by!  Glad you enjoyed it -

Jul 09, 2008 02:52 PM
Hope Goss
Ventura Property Shoppe - Ventura, CA
Ventura Real Estate

Brings back some memories - Pour Some Sugar was definitely a party song in teh 80's - I was a little older (teensy, weensy bit older), but it was the song brought everyone in the bar out to the dance floor.

Jul 25, 2008 02:20 AM
Jimmy McCall
JimmyMcCall.com - Cunningham, TN
The Ex-Mortgage Consultant

Jason,  I will be celebrating my 20th this year as well.  Class of 88.  I remember having a heads up on Guns and Roses.   I actually saw them open for Skid Row, who opened for Bon Jovi in the summer of 87.  Now that was a great show.  I saw Def Leppard at least 5 times in the 80's but my favorite group was Whitesnake.  Thought I would share a few of my memories of the 80's.

Jul 31, 2008 06:08 AM
Jason Crouch
Austin Texas Homes, LLC - Austin, TX
Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653)

HOPE - Agreed.  This song was classic.

JIMMY - Welcome, fellow Class of '88 grad!  I just wrote another music post you might like reading.

Sep 02, 2008 05:31 AM