TGIF

"It's Friday night/And the mood is right/Gonna have some fun/Show you how it's done, TGIF.."

Ahhh childhood nostalgia. It was a time long ago...before reality television. Fridays remind me of the good old days. When TGIF meant more than a saying it was an event for children in the late 80s-90s.

If you didn't recognize the quote it's the theme song from the TGIF "Family Friendly" sitcom television lineup on ABC. The lineup consisted of 4 sitcoms 8pm-10pm. 20/20 aired following TGIF. This block ran 1988 - 2005. TGIF had its own branding of graphics and a theme song. The family friendly shows lineup was an ABC staple reminiscent from the 1950s (The Donna Reed Show, The Brady Bunch, Leave it to Beaver). The shows were wholesome, they brought the family together and just made you feel good. Over the years TGIF shows included: Full House, Family Matters, Step by Step, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Perfect Strangers, Dinosaurs, Baby Talk, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Boy Meets World, and Clueless.

Thinking about TGIF reminds me of hanging out in the basement of my old house, writing on the chalkboard, playing hangman, making forts out of pillows, playing dress up with my cat, sharing air popped popcorn and ginger ale with my grandma, grandpa, mom, dad, and brother. It was more than television. It was about enjoying the simple things in your life - FAMILY. These are the things we need to focus on now more than ever during this recession. I admit even to this day...I sometimes sneak and watch old Full House reruns. It calms me like a glass of milk or a cup of chicken noodle soup. For 30 minutes I can escape to another time...a calmer time. So tonight find a way to calm down, relax, and have fun the way we did during the TGIF days. Enjoy! KR