For the first time in their lives, 18-year-olds will have a chance to vote for our leaders this year.
Who are these newcomers to the polls?
While they are more technically savvy than most in my generation, it's interesting to note what those in that age group have never experienced. Warning, this could either cause you to reminisce or feel aged -- or maybe both.
Those 18 years of age have never experienced:
--Life without the Internet. They entered this world about the time the World Wide Web was taking off. A search engine has probably replaced the card catalog during research paper time. They've always had access to a vast amount of information with the click of a mouse.
-- A time when calls were made on a rotary phone. Most of their time on earth, cell phones have been readily available. As much as we rely on cell phones today, there was a time we got by just fine without them.
-- A bustling Eaker Air Force Base. The Air Base closed in 1992 -- and the town changed dramatically, overnight, it seems. My family moved to town just as the military left, so I can only go by what I've heard Blytheville used to be like.
-- Michael Jordan in his prime. Boy, did they miss a special athlete, the best of all-time, in my opinion.
-- The '80s. The movies, the hairstyles, the music, jean jackets, they all made the 1980s unforgettable. Some of the fashions seem to be coming back in style, but you can't beat the original.
-- M.C. Hammer before he was Hammer. "Two Legit to Quit" and/or "U Can't Touch This" is probably playing in your head right now, along with images of parachute pants. Sorry. Come to think of it, they might be fortunate to have missed Hammer, as entertaining as he was. I know they're glad they missed Vanila Ice and "Ice, Ice, Baby." They did have to endure Justin Bieber.
-- Profound questions like: "Where's the Beef?, "Who Let the Dogs Out?" "Who'll Stop the Rain?" "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" and "Who's the Boss?"
-- When MTV played music videos.
-- Being a mall rat. Growing up, the mall was the place to hang out. There was a busy arcade and we fed those machines plenty of quarters. The mall and skating rink were the gathering spots back in the day, at least in Jackson, Tennessee, where I spent the first 14 years of my life.
-- E.T. Phone Home. It's hard to believe that it has been 32 years since E.T. was released. Let that sink in.
-- Being perplexed by the Rubik's Cube. I'm not sure I ever solved that little toy.
-- The height of video stores. Before Netflix, Redbox and on demand movies, one had to go to a video store to rent the latest film or game. You just had to hope there were available copies of that new release. And be kind, rewind. VCRs have been obsolete for a few years now.
-- An Arkansas national championship in a major sport. The last Razorback team to win a national title was the 1994 basketball club coached by Hall of Famer Nolan Richardson.
-- A Blytheville football playoff win. The Chickasaws last won a playoff game in 1994.
-- Seinfeld. Since they were 2 when the show ended, mostly likely they didn't get the humor until the show went into syndication.
-- The debut of a Michael Jackson No. 1 hit.
-- O.J. Simpson as a beloved figure.
-- Memories of Bill Clinton as president.
-- Having to choose the film speed for your camera. Digital cameras have been available for a while now, as have smartphones with cameras. One year for Christmas, ol' St. Nick brought me a Polaroid camera that produced a photo within minutes, though the quality left a lot to be desired. Obviously, that technology pales in comparison to today's.
-- A time when there weren't terrorist organizations. It goes without saying, the world has changed since Sept. 11, 2001. Sadly, most of their lives there has been the threat of terrorism in some form.
-- Finally, a time when politicians kept their word. Never mind, I'm not sure any of us have experienced that.
mbrasfield@blythevillecourier.com