The Soaps

Daytime soap operas seem to be on their way out. But Joan and I are watchin' TY&TR tonight on some cable re-run channel. My God the plot is weak - even weaker than regular TV! But oh- back in the day we did love our soaps.

Our first love, in college, was General Hospital. Jane, Sal, Vic and I would perch around Jane's 13 inch black and white TV. Luke and Laura were the stars of the day. We even stretched an extension cord out to the deck in front of our apartment so we could lay out and watch the show.

Then when I joined the working world I began watching All My Children (aka All My Kids) because I could see it over my lunch hour. And face it, with Soaps, you can watch 15 minutes and pickup an hour of action. Lots of actors and actresses have gotten their starts on soaps. I remember when Kelly Ripa got her star on AMC. And her husband Mark.

Night time soaps caught on back then too - Dallas, Falcon Crest, Knots Landing, Dynasty. We watched all of 'em. The drama! Was there ever a more evil character than JR? Okay that guy on Dynasty was close - John Forsyth? And the cliffhanger - what tension. Who shot JR? I don't even remember.

Soaps/Daytime TV

Does anyone watch Soap Operas anymore? When I was in college, my roomies Sal, Jane, Vic and I got hooked on GH – General Hospital. I think it was on around 2 PM – right before the Floppy Show (AKA Duane and Friend). We were into the whole Luke and Laura thing. The plot was set at a snail’s pace. I could miss it for a week (if perhaps I had a paper due, or big test) and not have missed a thing!

We lived in a new apartment complex at 230 Campus Avenue in Ames. Our only TV was Jane’s 13 inch black and white. In the spring, we ran an extension cord out our fire exit so we could put the TV out where we could layout in the sun. Oh yeah, I’m sure glad I did that. NOT! Seeing the sun damage on my face and body makes me regret wanting to look like a sun goddess. With this lilly white skin - what was I thinking?

When I grew up (translate – graduated and moved by myself to Sioux Falls, SD to work at a grocery wholesaling firm), I had lunch at noon so I had to switch to watching All My Children (AKA All My Kids). Again – the very slowly moving story line. During lunch I hung with my homies, Palmer, Erika, Tad, Phoebe and more. I didn’t have any real friends in Sioux Falls, so these TV peeps had to suffice. I know, sad. Then I got Bucko the cat and he kept me company. Paul visited on weekends.

When I was not working this past October and November I became very familiar with daytime TV. The soaps didn’t appeal to me at all! I got hooked on HGTV – House Hunter and If These Walls Could Talk. I liked seeing homes for sale around the world, and hearing about the historical aspect of each home in the “Walls” show.

I enjoyed Jon and Kate Plus 8. Kate is very no-nonsense, which I appreciate. You have to be with that many kids! My mother Pat Bullock was known (by us, her children) as the Y(MCA) Director. She barked out rules and had a pretty strict regimen her four daughters. That was back when we only had 2 bathrooms for 6 people. We (gasp) only had one shower. Susi and Cindy had long hair which required use of juice cans for curlers, and large dryers. Yikes! So timing on bathroom use was very important!

You’d never know it by seeing me, but I really enjoy What Not to Wear. Okay maybe I'm a walking billboard for the show. Sometimes I think Clinton and Stacy are a little too brutal, but their comments are pretty funny! I also think that they need to recognize that not everyone needs to dress just alike. Not all of us women need/want to wear stilettos. But I do like how they find the best fashions to fit each body type. I’m amazed by how many women are so against cutting their hair! Of course you CAN tell by looking at me that clothes/hair/makeup isn’t my thing. Trash is.