If you fell for the Columbia House Records scam and got collection notices… you’re in the right place. You remember the one… “10 CDs for 99 cents!” A deal that felt too good to be true because well, it was. (Penn jokes that he probably made his mom put 99 cents on a credit card only to later discover the fine print required him to buy a stack of terrible albums at wildly inflated prices.) It was a rite of passage for Gen Xers who learned financial responsibility the hard way.
Even though I am sure it wasn’t funny back then, it’s something we can laugh about now. Sometimes the best therapy is laughing, especially with people who truly get it. People like our new friends, comedian Dustin Nickerson and his wife, Melissa, of the podcast Don’t Make Me Come Back There. This week, we sit down with them on our podcast to compare notes on our parallel lives – everything from ADHD, parenting, perimenopause, travel sports, and sending kids off to college.
Should We Bring It Back or Pass?
We also played a fun game of “Bring It Back or Pass” where we decided what nostalgic gems deserve a comeback. This conversation even led to a story about when Penn and I first started dating. He actually wrote me a love song, but made it sound a little creepy (more on that in the show.) Here is what we would bring back or pass:
MTV Playing Actual Music
Penn & Melissa: Bring it back!Remember those world premiere videos and everyone gathering around the TV?
Kim & Dustin: Pass.We’ve got YouTube now!
Double Denim
Kim: Why not? Who doesn’t love a Double D.
Dustin: I tried to pull off a jean jacket once… it did not end well.
Airline Magazines & SkyMall Catalogs
Dustin: Bring them back! Sometimes the Wi-Fi fails and you need something weird to read about.
Everyone else: Agreed. It’s not a flight without a half-done crossword from the stranger before you.
Tell Us What You Think
Here are more throwbacks, some that didn’t make it to air. What do you think? Does MTV need more music or just re-runs of Ridiculousness? Should we go back to landlines so kids can call their friends? Tell us in the comments:
Frosted tips
Mix Tapes/CDs
The Clapper
Airbrushed t-shirts
Reading a paper map
Landline phones
Chain letters
Montgomery Ward
This podcast reminded us that laughter is the best survival skill for midlife. Whether it’s losing a bag in an airport or losing your cool during youth sports season, Dustin and Melissa’s humor and honesty make you feel like you’re not the only one figuring it out as you go. Catch the full episode wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube!
