When I was a kid, one of my big cultural influences was Mad magazine. What were some of the books, TV shows, movies, or bands that helped shape the young you?
10 thoughts on “Reader Friday: Kid Influences”
Yep, Mad Magazine for me too. “What? Me worry?” But now I’ve matured into The Onion. #NeverGrowUp
I remember that my father had to go about once a month to one of the larger cities in North Texas, and he always brought me back (at my request) a copy of the Sporting News. I devoured that newspaper–knew the stats for every major baseball player, knew the standings, knew everything about the sport. I fully intended to be a pitcher in the big leagues someday. Then I discovered that, although I could throw a curve ball, I couldn’t hit one. Since these were the days before the designated hitter, I never made it to “the show.” Maybe I should have read Mad Magazine instead.
It would have to be Star Trek, Nancy Drew, and The Beatles. aka To boldly solve mysteries as a Paperback Writer.
Substitute Trixie Belden for Nancy Drew, and that was me. 🙂
I almost hate to admit this, because it sounds so square, but my biggest influence was probably the Boy Scouts. Other than the knots – which I never really caught on to, I probably set a record for “took longest to reach tenderfoot – I learned a lot about friendship and team work and leadership. It didn’t hurt that my dad was assistant scoutmaster, and the scoutmaster was one of those good ol’ farm boys who could do anything, including whittling and splitting logs in a single swing of the ax. How I went from there to Talk Like a Pirate Day is kind of hard to figure. Something to do with the ’70s, I guess.
I also have a vivid memory of cheering and horn honking along with every other car on the San Diego Freeway when the announcement of Agnew’s resignation came over the radio, I’ve never had a shared experience quite like that, almost a transient community linked by glee.
Many and varied, but, like you, the Gospel According to Alfred E.~ along with the Patron Saints Larry, More, Curly, and Shemp…
Andy Griffith, Beverly Hillbillies; and music, music, music~ Peter, Paul & Mary, the Beatles, the Dead, (early) Chicago, Harry Chapin…
And I read a bunch ~ various things, but as a mid-teen I was introduced to John D. MacDonald and In Flemming ~
Perhaps this says more than I care to admit in public~ but better you hear from me than the tabloida~
Enjoy your respective weekends, and Happy Easter ~
I loved Mad Magazine and Nancy Drew, too. Also, my father used to buy those True Detective magazines, filled with dreadful (for the time period) content. I had to sneak-read them and they scared me to death, but I did it anyway.
Nancy Drew gave me my love of mysteries. Judy Bolton made me realize how a character needed to grow and change throughout a series. And Cherry Ames inspired me to become a registered nurse.
I love you and your work, would follow you to the end of the earth and back. How do I joined your blog here though?
Please let me know where you have moved it. Thanks, Angela
Yep, Mad Magazine for me too. “What? Me worry?” But now I’ve matured into The Onion. #NeverGrowUp
I remember that my father had to go about once a month to one of the larger cities in North Texas, and he always brought me back (at my request) a copy of the Sporting News. I devoured that newspaper–knew the stats for every major baseball player, knew the standings, knew everything about the sport. I fully intended to be a pitcher in the big leagues someday. Then I discovered that, although I could throw a curve ball, I couldn’t hit one. Since these were the days before the designated hitter, I never made it to “the show.” Maybe I should have read Mad Magazine instead.
It would have to be Star Trek, Nancy Drew, and The Beatles. aka To boldly solve mysteries as a Paperback Writer.
Substitute Trixie Belden for Nancy Drew, and that was me. 🙂
I almost hate to admit this, because it sounds so square, but my biggest influence was probably the Boy Scouts. Other than the knots – which I never really caught on to, I probably set a record for “took longest to reach tenderfoot – I learned a lot about friendship and team work and leadership. It didn’t hurt that my dad was assistant scoutmaster, and the scoutmaster was one of those good ol’ farm boys who could do anything, including whittling and splitting logs in a single swing of the ax. How I went from there to Talk Like a Pirate Day is kind of hard to figure. Something to do with the ’70s, I guess.
I also have a vivid memory of cheering and horn honking along with every other car on the San Diego Freeway when the announcement of Agnew’s resignation came over the radio, I’ve never had a shared experience quite like that, almost a transient community linked by glee.
Many and varied, but, like you, the Gospel According to Alfred E.~ along with the Patron Saints Larry, More, Curly, and Shemp…
Andy Griffith, Beverly Hillbillies; and music, music, music~ Peter, Paul & Mary, the Beatles, the Dead, (early) Chicago, Harry Chapin…
And I read a bunch ~ various things, but as a mid-teen I was introduced to John D. MacDonald and In Flemming ~
Perhaps this says more than I care to admit in public~ but better you hear from me than the tabloida~
Enjoy your respective weekends, and Happy Easter ~
I loved Mad Magazine and Nancy Drew, too. Also, my father used to buy those True Detective magazines, filled with dreadful (for the time period) content. I had to sneak-read them and they scared me to death, but I did it anyway.
Nancy Drew gave me my love of mysteries. Judy Bolton made me realize how a character needed to grow and change throughout a series. And Cherry Ames inspired me to become a registered nurse.
I love you and your work, would follow you to the end of the earth and back. How do I joined your blog here though?
Please let me know where you have moved it. Thanks, Angela
Did this already.