Remembering the year 1996

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Who remembers 1996? I do. This, 1995 and 1997 were probably the best years of my life.

I was absolutely obsessed with Oasis to start the year, coming close to completely wearing out my What's the Story Morning Glory and Definitely Maybe tapes. Then in July, the Spice Girls hit with Wannabe and I turned into a devotee almost overnight. I always dressed as Scary, leopard print trousers and all, and wanted my hair done like her. Other great music from the year: Bluetones with Slight Return, Babylon Zoo's Spaceman, Return of the Mack by Mark Morrison (gangsta rap made in Leicester)... probably one of the last good chart years IMO. Why can't music be more original and varied like it was just 21 years ago?

Euro 96 took place around the country and I remember sitting in my grandparents' living room watching England/Scotland from the old Wembley. The new Wembley (I'm not a fan of corporate names but just rename it the EE Arena so it doesn't sully the great name any further) just doesn't have that atmosphere. That supposedly "indigo" away kit... not one of Umbro's finest hours.

I also developed an intense love of 101 Dalmatians with the live action film coming out towards the end of the year. I remember literally wanting to collect 101 dalmatians! I think I managed about eight toys total.

And of course... Pokémon Red and Green were released in Japan on the 27th of February, causing a tidal wave that unfortunately took almost four years to reach UK shores... virtually no kids used the internet regularly back then so we weren't "down" on trends in other countries. Most likely in the modern era it wouldn't have taken until October three years later to come out here. Mind you, it did take Yokai Watch two years to come over here, tried-and-tested monster formula, word-of-mouth and all.

I was a senior in highschool. Still thought I was indestructible. According to yearbook comments I was a crazy as*hole that should stop wrecking bikes if I wanted to live and destined to smoke human bones like Marilyn Manson.

I don't have that many memories of 1996; I was in the 3rd/4th grade in that year.

I would have heard of Sailor Moon, though. And Carmen Sandiego on PBS.

I was 32 that year.

The Centennial Olympic Games took place that year in Atlanta, Georgia.

I was Area Governor between 1996-1997 in Toastmasters.

I did some freelance writing and editing.

I tried (and failed) to get my driver's license. (I finally got it in 2013, at the age of 48).

What I remember most about 1996 is my awful school teachers. It was sixth grade for me which was middle school. You were in a "cluster" which meant a class that is taught by 3 teachers who take different subjects. These women went on and on about how this was middle school and you are not babies anymore and school from now on is going to be hard. I had 4-5 hours of homework a day. More than I had in college it was ridiculous. Especially since new studies show homework is not really that beneficial at that level.

It was not long before I was getting D's and F's. My parents told the teachers this was not like me because I was smart and never had trouble with school before. They said I was "just lazy" and had fooled my parents then proceed to lecture my parents about all the tricks I must be pulling. So needless to say my parents did not like them either. They came to be on the same page as the teacher. Like ok how can we help our son? Instead they got rudeness and blame.

I also remember having a crush on the Spice Girls. Pubrity beginning and those videos on TV made me think.

I remember Donovan Bailey winning the gold medal for Canada in the 100 meter sprint during the 1996 Summer Olympics. I also remember working in one of my sketch books and being an avid Kinks Fan.

I remember Donovan Bailey, too. I also remember Noureddine Morceli winning the 1,500 meters and a Ukrainian gymnast, Lilia Podkopayeva, winning the all-around competition in gymnastics. I wasn't big into tennis at that time. That would come in the mid-2000s.

hahaha this made me choke

In 1996 I was 19, working in a factory, had just shaved my head, which was real dumb. I looked like a big plucked bird with a pierced beak.

However, that was also a fantastic year for me. I was spending my weekends getting tattooed. Listening to White Zombie. Driving a couple hours to rent obscure movies on VHS. Pringles were still real Pringles back then. Converses were still made in America and held together better, but had real short laces.

My step dad had a "personal computer" with something called "Microsoft" on it and "Internet access" which no one with any sense was interested in. :/

In 1996 I enrolled in a one-year school course in animal care, which I enjoyed immensely. Our first dog was diagnosed with diabetes in 1996 and also had liver problems (and died the following year).
This was also the year when France committed the last nuclear testing (which I had demonstrated against the year before; my first participation in a demonstration) at Moruroa.
I turned 19 in 1996 and it was the last year I spent writing a lot of stories and roughs for stories in my spare time. After that it was like a switch had been flipped, and I went from always writing and thinking of my stories to hardly ever.

I like these threads!

I was 18 that year. It wasn't a good year for me, but I really like the music of the 90. I remember being drunk and dancing to this tune in clubs

Ohh my god, Froya, do you remember when Firestarter came out and the world got our first look/listen of the Prodigy? I was just blown...a...way. I couldn't believe people this cool existed and made music that sounded this awesome.

Yes I remember. I must be honest I can't remember being a fan right away, it was as you say a new sound and it took me some time to get used to it. I had been a huge fan of dance music up to that point. I was to a sort of consert with them in Oslo. It was this huge dance party (indoors) that lasted all night. Oslo spektrum was filled up, so there where many thousends of people.

What if there is music now that we don't understand or like that much, but 10 or 20 years from now we'll reminisce about how great it was?

That probably is the case at least for some of the music being made today. Personally I like the older music better, which makes me wonder if there are a limit to how many new great songs there is possible to make. I feel the same about movies.

1997 was a good year for me. I finally left a bad relationship and found more independence. I moved 200 miles away, and struggled for a few years until I found my feet.

I still love Doc Martens.

I wonder what '96 me would've thought of 2017 me. 2nd half of 6th grade/1st half of 7th, and I remember being taken to special ed one-on-one with a teacher a few minutes each day. Can't remember if that stopped at the end of the year, or near the end of the school year for 7th.