Reminiscing the 90s! Board Games

This week on Going Off Topic we are going back to the greatest decade, the 90s. I reached out to a few friends and family members who grew up during that time to cover a few categories: Music, Movies, TV Shows, Athletes, Toys, Stores, Video Games/Board Games and Crushes from the 90s. I gave them the reins to discuss each topic whether that meant things they remember from each category, things they had or loved, things they didn’t have but wish they did. I enlisted a few returning people but most are making their blogging debut. Each day we will be covering a new category with each person’s opinion on that topic. The eighth and final category for the Going Off Topic 90s week is Boardgames so while you are with your family for the holidays pull some classic games out to play with everyone!



Kyle:
I was never really big into board games but I had a few as a kid that I remember, Battleship, Clue, Hi-Ho Cherry-O, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Guess Who, and KerPlunk. We had Mouse Trap but we never played it once or even set it up. I do remember going over to my grandparents as a young child and always bringing a game to play with them and my sister. It's funny to go to a store and see all the remakes of some classic games, "Scooby-Doo Clue" "Harry Potter Trivial Pursuit" there are 100's of them now.




Ellen:
Clue, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Guess Who?, Battleship, Candy Land, Chute and Ladders, the list goes on and on. We had some bitchen games in the 90s! Hungry Hungry Hippos was so fun, I remember loving that game and now people do it as “Hungry Hungry Humans”, no, “Human Hungry Hippos”? I’m not sure what they call it… whatever. Anyway, I’ve played it and it’s hilarious. If you have not heard of it you need to Google it because it’s awesome! Clue was also a great game and I will still play the shit out of Clue to this day. Such a challenge and so freaking sneaky! I’m all about that.

Shannon:

Pokemon. Enough said.

Becca:

As for Boardgames we played a lot of Monopoly...even though I never remember actually finishing a game. 

Reminiscing the 90s! Athletes and Crushes

This week on Going Off Topic we are going back to the greatest decade, the 90s. I reached out to a few friends and family members who grew up during that time to cover a few categories: Music, Movies, TV Shows, Athletes, Toys, Stores, Video Games/Board Games and Crushes from the 90s. I gave them the reins to discuss each topic whether that meant things they remember from each category, things they had or loved, things they didn’t have but wish they did. I enlisted a few returning people but most are making their blogging debut. Each day we will be covering a new category with each person’s opinion on that topic. The seventh category for the Going Off Topic 90s week is Athletes and Crushes so dig up all the posters that used to cover the walls of your bedroom!

Kyle: 
I am a huge sports nut and this obsession definitely started at birth, I remember watching games and going to Cardinals game with my parents as a kid. I always had a ball in my hand and remember playing wiffle ball with my parents and grandma at her house while my parents were at work. Some of my favorite athletes from this time were Sammy Sosa (before I knew he cheated then he broke my heart and I became a full time Cards fan, Mark McGwire, The Greatest Show on Turf, MJ of course, Ken Griffey Jr, Dennis Rodman, T-Mac and Vinsanity. One point of interest can you imagine how good the Raptors could have been if they kept T-Mac and Vince? My goodness talk about one of the greatest sports “what-ifs”. I was also huge in wrestling, Sting was the shit.

There was only one crush for me in the 90s, the one and only Christina Aguilera. She was amazing and I still love her to this day.

Ellen:

The Magnificent Seven. They made history by winning the team gold medal in the 1996 Olympics and it was a big deal. Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu, Dominique Dawes, Kerri Strug, Amy Chow, Jaycie Phelps and Amanda Borden. Kerri Strug’s sticking her second vault after literally destroying her ankle on her first vault! Iconic and so inspiring! It gets me every time when I watch that video. My mom used to yell “You can do it Kerri!” in a horrible Romanian accent whenever I was vaulting or doing any gymnastics at all. That moment is legendary.

My first big crushes that I can remember were Leonardo DiCaprio and Nick Carter. Oh my god, Nick Carter was swoon-worthy back in the 90s/early 2000s. My sister was also obsessed with BSB and Nick Carter so she told me that I had to like someone else and she literally said, “You can like Brian”. Now, I didn’t like Brian but I had to comply and pretend I did because I didn’t want to get on that chicks bad side. Looking back, Brian wasn’t bad looking and Nick Carter turned out to be trailer trash in an unfortunate turn of events. As for Leo… yeah I still have a mad celebrity crush on that man. His eyes are so beautiful and re-watching Titanic, Catch Me if You Can, or Romeo + Juliet is simply a treat. People say he isn’t aging well… maybe love has made me blind but I don’t see it. He’s still beautiful in my eyes.

Shannon:

I always had a crush on Lance Bass from NYSNC and then he came out as gay, and it broke my heart. 

Becca:

The only thing I really knew about sports back in the day I learned from movies, particularly Space Jam! I don’t think there is a person on earth who doesn’t know who Michael Jordan is... even though Lola Bunny clearly carried the Toon Squad to victory! My crushes were Jonathan Taylor Thomas or JTT and the other JT, Justin Timberlake. Weird they both have the same initials...

Reminiscing the 90s! Stores

This week on Going Off Topic we are going back to the greatest decade, the 90s. I reached out to a few friends and family members who grew up during that time to cover a few categories: Music, Movies, TV Shows, Athletes, Toys, Stores, Video Games/Board Games and Crushes from the 90s. I gave them the reins to discuss each topic whether that meant things they remember from each category, things they had or loved, things they didn’t have but wish they did. I enlisted a few returning people but most are making their blogging debut. Each day we will be covering a new category with each person’s opinion on that topic. The sixth category for the Going Off Topic 90s week is Stores!

Kyle:
Blockbuster is the big one I remember, we would go as a family and be there for quite a while as my Dad walked down every aisle looking at his options. It was like a family trip that had to be planned out. Another store I remember but I don’t think I ever went in was Grandpa Pidgeon’s, I have no idea what was in the store but there was one by my house. Circuit City and Radio Shack were also great stores that are no longer in business.

Ellen:

Blockbuster, dELiA*s and the Disney Store are three stores that come to mind when I think of the 90s. I remember frequenting Blockbuster (R.I.P.) back when you could still rent VHS tapes. It got so damned expensive towards the end of it’s life and Netflix and RedBox came around and Blockbuster slowly died. Netflix is so much better though. dELiA*s was one of my favorite clothing stores (I also got a nightstand from here… I guess they did furniture too?) and I’m pretty positive that every cool girl got her clothes from here. It was awesome, it closed but apparently, after doing a little research, it has re-launched but is online only. The Disney Store is still open, but there used to be one in the mall I shopped at with my Grandma and it was the greatest place. It closed and it was a dark time for a while. 

BONUS: Google was founded in '98 so that's kind of a big deal..

Shannon:

I remember the days of going to Blockbuster or Hollywood Video. It was like a family event, almost, with the whole family getting ready. What were you gonna get? The newest VHS (remember those? I kinda miss them) or the tried and true favorite? Who knew! You didn’t, not until you got there and strolled through the aisles upon aisles. To a kid, it was an amazing thing. How were there that many movies?? Typically, you’d get your favorite right? Something you’ve always watched and always loved. And hey, maybe this time the previous person that rented it would have rewound it. (But not likely). And then came the snacks! You’d get in line to rent all your stuff and there they are, popcorn and all kinds of candy and soda, just staring you down until you begged your mom enough to let you get some. Then, you went home and went to watch the video immediately. After rewinding it, of course. 

Becca:

Even though Toys R Us is still around I feel like kids today don’t appreciate it as much. It was always a treat to go there right before Christmas. We would get a catalog and we would circle everything we wanted from Santa!