Issa is three weeks into her third-grade year and today is — drum roll, please — picture day! Thanks to Facebook and my former third-grade classmate, Maribeth (third row on the right), I have my class composite from my 1979-1980 school year.
During my third-grade year, the following notable events took place. Isn’t Wikipedia great? Minus, the Iranian hostage crisis and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, do you really think I remembered this stuff?
- The U.S. Pioneer 11 became the first spacecraft to visit Saturn.
- ESPN (Entertainment Sports Programming Network) broadcast for the first time.
- The Iranian hostage crisis began.
- Eleven fans died during a crowd crush for unreserved seats before The Who concert at the Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati, Ohio.
- The former Soviet Union invades Afghanistan.
- U.S. President Jimmy Carter signs legislation approving $1.5 billion in loan guarantees to bail out the Chrysler Corporation.
- 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. The U.S. Olympic Hockey Team defeats the Soviet Union in the semifinals, in the Miracle on Ice.
- Iron Maiden’s debut self-titled album Iron Maiden is released.
Again, thanks to Wikipedia, I now recall the year some of my favorite films and songs premiered. Favorite films included Rocky II, Apocalypse Now, Alien, The Muppet Movie, The Black Stallion and The Black Hole, Meatballs, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, 9 to 5, Stir Crazy, Airplane!, and The Blues Brothers.
My Top 12 playlist from these two years includes
- Heart of Glass – Blondie
- Call Me – Blondie
- Hot Stuff – Donna Summer
- Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2) – Pink Floyd
- It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me – Billy Joel
- Another One Bites the Dust – Queen
- Back in Black – AC/DC
- Fame – Irene Cara
- Xanadu – Olivia Newton-John
- Brass in Pocket – Pretenders
- Heartbreaker – Pat Benatar
- Crazy Train – Ozzy Osbourne
Kate Parish 