I gave him a hug, the young 22-year-old who was graduating from college. Arnold (not his real name) had worked for me at the University since he was an 18-year-old freshman. And here he was. Going out into the real world.
He told me about his new job in Milwaukee.
“Ooo,” I said excitedly. “Did you know that Milwaukee has a statue of Fonzie?”
“Who?” he replied.
“You know, The Fonz?”
Blank stare.
“From Happy Days?”
Blank stare. Followed by a polite smile.
Milwaukee’s Fonz statue picture courtesy of daniel.baker, Flickr Creative Commons.
What is it with young people today? How can they NOT know who Fonzie is?
But they don’t. And as my kids, ages 10 and 7, have proven over the years, there’s a lot more Generation X references that today’s young people don’t get. Here are my Top 10 (11, if you include the Fonz: Ehhhhhhhh!):
1. Da plane, da plane.
I say this pretty much anytime I hear or see a low-flying plane.
2. Children of the Corn.
Whenever my kids get unruly, I call them Children of the Corn. I think my son believes I’m talking about candy corn. But I’m not.
3. Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.
Every time my kids complain I say this. In a whiny voice.
4. The Sanford and Son theme song.
If I walk into my kids’ rooms and they are a disaster area, then I automatically sing the Sanford and Son theme song. You know the words, too:
Bum bum bana, bum bum bana bana ban, bum bum bana!
5. Calgon, Take me away!
When life gets to me, I’ve been known to look up and say, “Calgon, take me away!”
“Who’s Calgon?” my son asked.
6. Just Say No.
This one is still useful, especially as my oldest heads to middle school next year. So what if he doesn’t know who the heck is Nancy Reagan?
7. He likes it! Hey Mikey!
I say this whenever one of my kids tries a new food and likes it. “My name is NOT Mikey,” my daughter has told me indignantly on several occasions.
8. Wouldn’t you like to be a Pepper, too?
C’mon sing with me. I’m a Pepper, he’s a Pepper, she’s a Pepper, we’re a Pepper, wouldn’t you like to be a Pepper, too? Be a Pepper, Drink Dr. Pepper!
9. I’m just a bill and I’m sitting here on Capitol Hill.
When I get the mail, I sing this. And yes, I fully realize that the bill the song refers to is NOT the same as the electric bill or credit card bill. But I’ll still sing it, thank you very much.
10. Time to Make the Donuts.
“What time is it?” my kids ask.
“Time to make the donuts!” I reply with glee, laughing at my cleverness.
Blank stares followed by eye rolls, folks. Blank stares followed by eye rolls!
Now it’s your turn. Any Generation X references that you know, love, and your kids don’t get?
70’s wallpaper image courtesy Chris Sharp/Freedigitalphotos.net.
This post made me laugh because I remember all of those references.
My addition would be – “What’s up, Willis?”
Kim recently posted…The Truth about Blogging
And as wise little Arnold would say, “What you talkin’ bout?” Thanks for playing along. 🙂
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…Generation X References That My Kids Don’t Get
Lmaoo I totally get all this!! ?? my 29 yo daughter had hippies for parents. Therefore, she could sing along with any given School House Rock song, or Hendrix, didn’t matter!!
Is is live or is it memorex?
Gen X’ers might not even know this one. I’m at the tail end of the baby boomer generation.
Hahahaha! Of course. I get the blank stares from my 18 and 20 year olds on the majority of my momisms. Love yours. Although I’m (Shame Kelly Shame) drawing blanks on two. Possibly because I’m Canadian? #2 – children of the corn and #9 I’m just a bill and I’m sitting here on Capitol Hill.
So I feel I must give you two back. How about “It’s Joe Albertson’s supermarket but the meat department is mine’ (happily American) and “Where’s the beef?” As an extra special bonus – this one is tricky: “Grab a bucket and mop, from the floor to the top…” Oh my I just thought of another! “They’re so flexible you can pick up a dime…”
Ok I’ll stop.
Kelly L Mckenzie recently posted…Full Disclosure
Kelly!! Awesome job playing along. Just to share, “Children of the Corn” was a low-budget, highly stupid horror flick in the 80s with scary teens who lived in the corn field. I’m not sure I even saw it, but one of the scary teens was named “Malachi” and THAT name I remember! Some parent was cheering for the son, Malachi, on the baseball field the other night and I just couldn’t stop giggling!
As for “I’m just a bill”, why that’s Schoolhouse Rock on Saturday morning cartoons. Must have been banned in Canada due to lack of Canadian content! 🙂
Love Where’s the beef? I’m going to have to use that one the next time we cook burgers. For me. The kids will look at me blankly of course.
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…Generation X References That My Kids Don’t Get
This post could also be titled “How To Tell If You’re Old”! I loved it and, sadly, got all the references! 🙂
Justin knight recently posted…Date With Vasectomy
How to tell if you’re old…honey, please!
Wait.
That’s actually really true.
But 40 is the new 30. I think. I’m not sure. The memory is starting to go.
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…Generation X References That My Kids Don’t Get
“Where’s the beef?”
Favorite one of all.
😉
Chris Carter recently posted…I Welcome Yvonne, Proud Author of Drawings in Sand
“Laugh it up Fuzzball”
🙂
Oh no, my kid doesn’t know The Fonz either! Now that is a sad realization.
Stephanie recently posted…Last post for now, hope to come back someday
Oh you brought back so many old memories! How about “Where’s the Beef?” My kids wouldn’t get any of them either!
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life recently posted…Sideline Parents, Take it Easy on our Youth Referees!
Those are some good ones! I also love Ferris Bueller – “Bueller? Bueller?”
Kerry recently posted…Giving
Now when the kids say “What time is it?” I say, “It’s time for lunch!” from teh Bubble Guppies. I am ashamed of myself each and every time!
Rabia @TheLiebers recently posted…Mary & Martha with Julie {Review and Giveaway}
My boys know a few of these! Including Fonzi however even I didn’t know there was a Fonzi statue!
Susie (The Esthetic Goddess) recently posted…My Upper Eyelid Surgery Adventure! (Scary Pictures Included!)
Oh…my….GOODNESS!!! I want to either break down in tears or just start throwing things!! They don’t know The Fonz or Happy Days at all! Of course they don’t, but still. BUT STILL!! *sob*
All of the things you listed are CRITICAL KNOWLEDGE kind of things. My kids don’t know them either. That is just the most depressing thing EVER. I’m going to go sit over here and feel old now. *sigh* –Lisa
The Dose of Reality recently posted…Old Granny Is Still Dirty
LOVE this!! I often annoy my kids with “….. “And they’ll tell two friends, and so on, and so on….”
From the Herbal Essence commercials. Or when I tickle them, I will go “Nanoo Nanoo” in my best Mork voice ” from Mork & Mindy
And they’ll tell two friends – AWESOME! It made me remember “Gee your hair smells terrific!”
1. Hammer time!
2. Roll up the windows? What, dad? There’s a switch.
3. This one is very sports specific. A kid down the street dribbled the ball between his legs in front of us. “The killer cross-over!” I said. “Just like Tim Hardaway.” (He was a star for the Golden State Warriors in the 1990s. The kid said, “Who?” (Bonus: What’s worse is, Tim Hardaway Jr. is now in college. So there was a chance he could have known the SON of the player I was talking about.)
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1. Can’t touch this!
2. Roll up the windows – ha ha ha. That’s similar to “dialing” a phone number isn’t it?
3. I’m a Michigan fan so I’m well-versed on the Hardaways! Go Blue!
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…Generation X References That My Kids Don’t Get
And I would add..taping a show….not recording
These are hilarious. My seven year old gets the “time to make the donuts” is I say it in a strange Despicable Me type voice. Then again, he’s probably just laughing at the strange voice!
JEnny @ express bus mama recently posted…Memorializing Memorial Day
Laughed so much! I am so old I can’t even remember all I have said to my kids that they don’t get. I’m racking my brain….Nope, I’ve got nothin’. Thanks for the laughs!
Jaime recently posted…Praying for my Enemies
This list is awesome. But, at the same time, makes me feel OLD! I swear I don’t even want to know what references my kids won’t get. And what they will be involved in that I won’t get! Thanks for linking up…and for the tip about the linky.
Meredith recently posted…The Magic Is Right There. We Just Have to Open Our Eyes and See It.
“Momma made chicken and I helped!”
Except, no one would ever say that around here. Not a lot of help, you know.
Thanks for the memories!
Manicmom recently posted…By the way, Namaste
I loved #9! I don’t think my childhood would have been complete without School House Rocks! I have a five year old and a three year old and my Mother-in-Law still has some old VHS tapes. They stare at them blankly and go, “What’s a VCR?”
Kelly recently posted…Free: ABC’s of Marriage Bridal Shower Game
This is hilarious! It does make me feel old though. My son would have no idea what any of these meant. But I remember all of them!
Erica Loop recently posted…Fairy Princess Wings: Make Your Own Doll Accessories
This is so awesome! I use “Calgon Take Me Away” all of the time! My husband recently brought up an old International Coffee commercial (“I love this coffee. I love that waiter….Jean Luc!) and I laughed so hard. I love those old sayings.
Thank you for sharing on #smallvictoriessundaylinky. Pinned to the Pinterest board. Hope you link up next week!
Jessica recently posted…Small Victories Sunday Linkup {22}
Ha! This is awesome! I use so many of these too! Ohhh, “Da plane, da plane”. Classic! I always say “Calgon take me away.” funny thing is, I don’t think I’ve ever purchased Calgon.
Thanks for sharing (and for linking up to the Shine Blog Hop).
xoxo
Jennifer | The Deliberate Mom recently posted…The Big Change
I have been told many times “my name’s not Willis/Mikey! ” great list. Though I’m so nostalgic, my 4 yo has seen dozens of old Disney movies, and cartoons. Thank you you tube for helping me introduce my kids to my favorite childhood clips!
Yup, got almost all of those references. It’s funny, I was just explaining the origin of “Ehhhhh!!” (the sound the Fonz made) to my 16 year old son. I would also add, although they are not from my youth, but instead my early adult life, any and all Seinfeld references (man hands, close talker, spare a square…) -Jenn
My husband and I quote Seinfeld often. The kids have no idea!!
Ehhhhhh!
We do too….not that there is anything wrong with that.
I was so proud of my son. We were almost done with his homework and in an effort to help him get it done I said, “We are almost there…” and he replied “……take my hand, we’ll make it I swear….ummmmm mmm living on a prayer.” I was so surprised I fell off my chair… laughing.
Two all beef patties special sauce lettuce cheese pickles onions on a sesame seed bun! LOL
Thanks for the memories! ?❤️
Good one!! 🙂
I got a few,
“Takes a licking and keeps on ticking”
“I am Astar the robot, I can put my arm back on but you can’t so play safe”
“Jeepers, creepers, where’d you get those eyes”
“Smooth move exlax”
“Get out the royal chinet ma,”
“Gimme a break, gimme a break, break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar”