The Omnibus

Issue date: 3/9/07 Section: Forum

I remember when it was cool to wear only one book bag strap on your shoulder. In fact, wearing both straps pretty much meant you were a social outcast, or at least well on your way to becoming one. Wearing two straps basically meant you were either completely ignorant to the current day trends, sporting two straps only because you honestly didn't know any better, or you were trying ridiculously hard to be a non-conformist and felt two-strap-book-bag-wearing was the best way to go about the fast-approaching revolution.
Either way, I salute you brave souls who chose to be the non-conformists, because eventually your two-strap-wearing caught on. And, low and behold, we are currently witnessing an almost entirely two-strap-wearing campus.
I also remember pogs. I mean, really, who doesn't? They were practically the coolest thing ever invented. Whoever came up with collectable cardboard circles should most definitely be given some kind of prestigious award.
These were not just any cardboard circles. They came in every color, shape and size. No, just color. pogs could have cartoons, graphics, sports icons, the list goes on and on. They were neon colored, they were sparkly, and they could even be kept in one-of-a-kind plastic pog containers of every color, shape and size. Let's not forget the slammers. The thick, hard plastic-type pog used to "slam" stacks of pogs in order to obtain pogs from other collectors. Indeed, the world became a much happier place the day pogs came into the world, and a much sadder one the day the last child slammed the last pog.
Adidas jackets used to be cool. Not just any Adidas jackets, just one specific kind. You know the kind I'm talking about. The big, poofy, sporty Adidas jackets with three stripes down each sleeve and the Adidas trademark across the back. These jackets, much like pogs, came in every color. Just when you thought the last Adidas jacket color had been put on the shelf, here came bright neon yellow and forest green, checkered jacket staring you boldly in the face and blinding you in the mean time.
If I remember correctly, which I do, it was not just these jackets that were the big hit, but rather the "bling" that could be collected and worn on the jacket strings. You know, the beads that were collected and carefully placed on each string, making sure that that both sides were even and both sides had exactly the same number of beads. The number of beads on any kid's jacket was most certainly not insignificant. In fact, the number of beads actually symbolized how high up on the elementary school popularity ladder the kid stood. The more bling, the more popular the kid was.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools