Thursday, July 3, 2008

Summer, Summer, Summertime, Just Sit Back and Unwind

It's summertime and everyone is feeling it. I was reading Io's blog, "Damn That Stork" today and it inspired me to blog about summertime when I was a teenager.

I grew up on the East Coast and summertime was a HUGE deal as it rolled around every year. Especially to me and my friends, cause it meant hanging out on the West Side, going to street festivals that happened only in the summer and seeing lots of cute Puerto Rican guys, cause they all lived on the West Side you know.

This was the late eighties, early nineties and some of the best times in my life. I remember as we got all decked out in our cute summer outfits, playing music as we got ready to get all psyched up for going out. We used to get so excited, i mean we were just going to hangout, but it was such a big deal AND it was summertime AND it was the best time for us.

I remember taking the bus and then the subway to the West Side, it seemed so far away. I remember when we got there the loud music blasting, people sitting on their porches, kids playing in the street, smell of BBQ's that was summertime.

Then walking across the bridge, to the water. The bridge was always packed wall to wall, or side to side, guys and girls leaning against the bridge rails. Hearing the ocassional "ayeeee mommy" and other spanish stuff I can't remember now. It was like entering a completely different atmosphere for me at that time... and I loved it!

You see, I lived in a more conservative, quiet neighborhood in the North part of town, so it was like another world to me when I ventured to the West Side. I always felt safe there, even though now I think about it, it probably wasn't the safest place to be. But it allowed me to escape my quiet, familiar, mostly Italian neighborhood and have fun. Even though I did go to high school in the city, which was right next to the West Side, hangin' out there was different.

I was lucky to not get into too much trouble while being on the West Side. There was the occasional girl "talk" with the local girls who were not found of us being in their hood, but other than that it was so much fun!

I was a die-hard rap fan back then. (LOL, aren't you just dying, but maybe thats why I like VMB so much, left over from this time, LOL!) I knew all the lyrics to all the rap songs popular at that time too. Some of my favorites were Big Daddy Kane, Eric B & Rakim, Salt n Peppa, Public Enemy, Wu Tang Clan, Brand Nubian, A Tribe Called Quest, Mary J. Blige, MC Lyte and I could on and on. I laugh when I think back to then, how different I have become.

Getting married was never a thought that entered my mind, let alone having kids, oh no. You know some girls grow up dreaming about their wedding day and having kids, not me. Isn't it funny how things turn out?

Anyway, my tastes sure have changed, but I will always remember the late 80's and early 90's, some good, good times for sure!So i leave with you a song that was 'my song' back in the day, its so funny to listen to it and see the video now, looking at the 90's styles and phrases/words and dancing in the song, too funny, but boy does it bring back sweet memories.

12 comments:

  1. LOL, I was never into rap, (I was a pit), but I love Will Smith and this song gives me some feel-good vibes!

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  2. That video brings back some great memories for me! I'm cracking up right now.

    Thanks for the laugh. Happy 4th!

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  3. I still watch Fresh Prince of Bel Air on Nick at Nite, LOL!

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  4. I love you, with all of your inner blackness.

    I LOVE Will Smith and that is one of my favorite all-time videos and songs. We just saw Will's new movie Hancock today. Do you get any American movies over there? If you do, how long does it take for them to get there?

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  5. Too funny. I miss the good old carefree days too. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. (:

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  6. Kym, we get alot of the current box office movies here the same time as you do, not all but many come. I want to see Hancock, was it good? I'll have to check and see if its here yet.

    Inner blackness, love, love, love it!!!

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  7. YO SISTAH, I just dig rap and I love love love Fresh Prince of Bel Air!!!!!!!!!!! And his sidekick, Carlton Banks!!!!!!!!! I may be all Eurasian on the outside, but I go all black inside with this song!

    fyi - it's still me. I've had to remove the other blog.

    Do I say LATER now?

    LATER GIRLFRIEND!

    LOL.

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  8. i totally remember this video

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  9. Great blog topic! Thanks for bringing back some distant memories!

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  10. I was backing up to get the ball, tripped, couldn't slow down, bumped into the pool and flipped backwards into it. It was a thing of grace and beauty. :)

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  11. You are so gangsta! Glad to hear somebody else appreciates the summer - it is mostly about everybody being out and alive. You just don't get that in winter.

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  12. This post totally miss the 80's and early 90's!! Everytime I hear that song "Summertime" I go into reminice mode :)

    And I can totally see you flirting with the cute Puerto Rican boys! :)

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