Of helicopters and long-haired singers

[birdienl]

A few months ago, I rediscovered two 'loves' of my early teenage years. First, I was wandering aimlessly over YouTube, hopping from video to video, as you sometimes do when you're very tired ;-) Then, my eye caught a recommended vid in the sideline of a Dutch/Belgian series that I used to love: Windkracht 10 (freely translated: gale force 10)

I clicked on the vid and the rest, as they say, is history! For weeks I was immersed evening upon evening in the adventures of this Search-and-Rescue unit: their dangerous work, their friendships and romances. I laughed at the Belgian humor (Belgians really are very funny!), squeed at what was once my very first OTP (way before I knew that abbreviation existed!) and just thoroughly enjoyed myself.

The crew of Windkracht 10

Anne and Dirk, my very first OTP

Secondly, as I was rummaging through my CD collection, looking for some to give away for a charity sale, I happened upon my three Kelly Family CDs. The Kelly Family was a American/German group consisting of 9 brothers and sisters who were quite popular in Europe in the early '90s. I decided to put the CD in my player and was instantly transported 15 years back. I still knew most of the lyrics and still really enjoyed their music!

All the Kelly Family members had very long hair, even the men. All the teenage girls I knew had a crush on Paddy (front right)

So, it left me wondering, what is it that made me enjoy Windkracht 10 and the music of The Kelly Family so much? Were they really so good that 15 years have not diminished their appeal?
Well, yes, I think Windkracht 10 is a good series, one of the most expensive ever made for Dutch/Belgian TV, so it has great action scenes. And still the best theme music ever IMHO. But it's also soapy and over the top sometimes and if I would watch it for the first time now I would probably cringe.
And The Kelly Family has made some pretty great music and what I love most about it was that not every song was about romance, but about so many other important things in live. But their music is dated and does start to sound all the same if you listen to it a lot.

I think what I enjoyed most in rediscovering these things was the chance to see the world once again through the eyes of my 14/15 year old self. When I would sit in front of the television with my family and shush them, because my favourite series was on. When we would exchange cassette tapes with friends at school and write 'I love Paddy' in my diary. Thank you, Windkracht 10 and The Kelly Family, for letting me be part of this time-gone-by for a little while!

What entertainment did you love in your teens? Do you ever 'go back' to watch or listen?

Comments

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

I was big into musical theater when I was in my teens. Still am. So I still listen to a lot of the same stuff. :-) But in other ways I feel like I was such a different person back then. Sometimes when I read or watch something that I haven't read or watched since those days, it reminds me of my old self and makes me think, "Who WAS that girl?" :-)

[richyl88.livejournal.com]

It's always fun to look back.

As a teen I loved many of those "teen flicks" like Clueless and Mean Girls. I still fins them fun movies. I've always been into Star Wars so that was big and of course I'm still into it.

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I recognize that feeling also. A lot of the fiction which I used to read as a late teenager, makes me cringe now: I overdosed on Amish fiction....

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I still like those movies as well now and then. Just right for a relaxing evening!
I never got into SciFi in my teens, my mom was (and is) very much against SciFi. It wasn't until somewhere in my 20s that I got into it by watching Doctor Who. I have never watched Star Wars though...

[msantimacassar.livejournal.com]

Aww, that is so lovely to rediscover old favs! I had never heard of these before but they sound like a great addition to your childhood! :) I love it when childhood favorites stand the test of time! I feel like that with The Chronicles of Narnia, Star Wars, Little House on the Prairie, and many others. But some seem rather cheesy now! I tried to watch Dinotopia again recently which was a huge middle school obsession of mine but the bad special effects made me cringe, so I stopped in order to not ruin my perfect memory of it.

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

Yes, time isn't always kind on our beloved shows or movies... I actually read a blog article last week about Dr Quinn which I looooved as a teenager, but I'm a bit apprehensive to rewatch now for that specific reason!

[ever-maedhros.livejournal.com]

Reading about you reliving precious memories just made me smile. It's great to be transported so vividly back to another time, another you. And the bit about your first ever OTP is so adorable! :)

Almost everything I got into during my teens with movies and music is something I'm still more or less obsessed with now. Jane Austen, Tolkien, symphonic rock. One thing that I did grow out of was a crazy passion for 30's and 40's westerns, Roy Rogers especially.

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you enjoyed the post!

I still love many things which I started enjoying in my teens as well. I developed my love for period drama then and some of the contemporary authors I read my first books of in my teens, I still follow (Luanne Rice, Kristin Hannah). But music wise I went through more 'phases' being really into Christian music for a few years and then discovering classical music.

[ever-maedhros.livejournal.com]

Oh, now I'm curious about those authors. Off I go to Google!