1986 – a big year in my life

Ah, the year 1986.  A big year that became very influential in my life.  I hope to write an entry for each one (I already wrote about how I got introduced to Sherlock Holmes), but here’s a summary (in no real order):

Disney’s Dreamers and Doers

The Disney company here in Florida (for a few years) picked someone from each county in the state from elementary, junior high, and high school as someone showing the “4 Cs” – curiosity, confidence, constancy, and courage. And somehow I was picked for the junior high level for Volusia county!  It was one of the most exciting days of my life!  And I still have my medal, hangs in my living room. May 2 is the anniversary 🙂

Sherlock Holmes

Thanks to reading the classic Hound of the Baskervilles story in my 8th grade English class, I got hooked on the adventures of Sir Author Conan Doyle’s famous detective.  Not because of the mystery genre, but in the characters of Holmes and Watson and how the stories were written.  I found, and still find, that endlessly fascinating!  And for the last few years I have basked in the glow of it being a big thing with the help of the Robert Downey Jr movies, and BBC’s Sherlock and CBS’s Elementary tv shows.

The Smothers Brothers

Fate has a wicked sense of humor, and so it introduced me to these guys, by accident. And, boy, I had no idea what I landed myself into.  My poor family somehow put up with me either listening to or watching this harmless looking comedic brother duo – a lot. I also got really interested in classic comedy due to these guys (Thanks Tom and Dick!), along with history (particularly the 1960s), folk music, and being politically involved.

Doctor Who

A guy that traveled in time and space in a spaceship disguised as a British Police Box. And he’s not always able to control where or when his ship ends up.

That’s how the show was described to me by a couple classmates in school.  And I was curious.  And the first episode I watched was the very first episode from 1963, An Unearthly Child.  And I have stayed curious for the last 30 years.  And I still haven’t used to the idea that Doctor Who is a big thing now.  I love it, it’s just weird.

 

Highway to Heaven

The Summer of ’86 introduced me to this show.  I have had a long interest in the nature of God and religions in general, it did not really take off until I happened upon this show by accident. Starred the late Michael Landon as an angel, and Victor French as a former Oakland cop (hence the Oakland A’s baseball cap), driving around the country on assignments from “The Boss”.  Had a lot of heart and some laughs.

March 30th, 2016 by