I didn't.
But, I do remember when I was a little girl, as soon as I heard that soft, soothing, manly voice say "and those were the days of our lives", I knew the first half of my day was over. It was time to lay down and take a nap. I wasn't allowed to come out of my room for one whole hour! Later on in my years, when I heard those words coming from the TV I would suddenly become very sleepy. No, not really. But it would seem a bit depressing to me for some reason.
To be honest, I don't know when I started watching All My Children. Must have been my teen years. I do remember Erica Cain in her early years though. She was taking birth control pills so she wouldn't have husband Charlie's baby. When he found out, he was so mad at her he divorced her. I think. Can't remember. It's been that long ago.
I used to be so hooked on On My Children and One Life to Live. I remember in my early momma days that I would plan lunch and my kiddos nap time around the soaps. Like mother, like daughter right? It was in my blood. Couldn't help it. I would turn on ABC and watch the soaps from noon to 3 p.m...unless the little ones woke up. Then I'd just turn off the TV and tend to them. That would explain why I never knew what was going on with General Hospital after the Luke and Laura phase. But, once that big ol' ice machine froze the whole town of Port Charles I was pretty much done with it anyway.
When we were stationed in Okinawa, Japan we were limited with TV viewing. We only had one channel...the Armed Forces Network, better known as AFN. So, a friend of mine, who lived stateside, would record the shows all week on a VHS tape, then mail it to me. I intended to just watch one episode each day, but I couldn't do it. I would sit down after the kids went to bed...yep, with the hubby sitting next to me (he was hooked too!)... and watch the entire 5 hours! When I finished that tape I would mail it back to her. It would pass the new video tape in the mail on it's way to me. I spent so much money on postage just to get my AMC fix.
Then one day, we got real cable! I surprised myself when I found better things to watch or do. I rarely turned the TV on during the day. Watching AMC wasn't that important to me anymore. Whatever was I thinking before? Just think of all the time that I could have been doing something else more meaningful...something more productive! I didn't seem to care that Erica Kane was getting a divorce so she could marry this new man, or that Tad Martin and Dixie were in an on again-off again relationship..even while she was married to Adam Chandler. And I became pretty bored with all the long lost twins popping in anyway. I couldn't keep up with who was who anymore. I was through with my soap opera days. Done. No more drama. No more sinful, adulterous, lying, pill popping, 'look at me-look at me', ways of Erica Kane.
Today the world learned the 'heart-breaking' news that All My Children and One Life to Live are being canceled! Wow...never thought that would happen. But, I'm totally OK with that.
On tonight's news, the anchor-man read some of the responses from viewers about AMC and OLTL being canceled. "What will I do now?" "This is the end of my world!" "What will I do without Eric Kane in my life?"
Really people! Are you serious? It's time to come back down to reality. Clean your house. Go for a walk. Mow your lawn. Plant a tree. Read a book to your child. Get a job. The list of things to do is so long.
"Replacing "All My Children" will be a food-oriented talk show called "The Chew," with Mario Batali and Michael Symon of "Iron Chef" fame. They'll be joined by "Top Chef" favorite Carla Hall, "What Not to Wear's" Clinton Kelly, and nutrition expert Daphne Oz (daughter of Dr. Oz)", so says People Magazine.com.
Yep, I looked it up on the internet. You know, just in case I find the time to sit down and watch daytime TV... I'd like to know what my options are. That's a good replacement ABC!
11 comments:
Hi Tina, I have you entered :)
I used to watch it too - years ago. I got "unhooked" when I started working day shift and wasn't at home to see it anymore. I never went back to watching and now I could care less about soap operas. It still surprises me that they are going off the air.
I've never been a soap opera watcher but have always thought she is one pretty lady!
I recently saw her on one of the talk shows and she did look great. I watched All of my Children when I was a stay at home mom before I went back to work then lost track of it completely. I guess with so many people working now there is not the audience there once was for soaps. It's a changing world. There are so many food shows on that now there is a channel dedicated to it, but still they say we all should eat less. It doesn't make since to me. TV isn't watched much here but I do love the Home and garden channel. Even that has changed a lot.
Rae...It actually surprises me too! It's been on for so many years now. The reactions of the viewers is what got to me...like their life was ending because the show was.
Cindy..she is definitely one pretty lady! She aged very well!
MA...I guess they figured since the food network is doing so well, they'd try it too! It will be something different from soaps, game shows, or talk shows though.
Wow - it really is an end of an era, isn't it? Loved reading about all your memories with these shows though. I suppose life just keeps marching on to a new chapter...
It is a shock they are being canceled.
I use to watch it all the time and general Hospital. then one day I stopped.
Hard to see Erica go.All those years she was on. She is a good actress I will give her that, and she SO deserved so many more awards.
I never did watch this soap! I am surprised that they are taking it off the air though.
I am one of those crazy people. I have taped All My Children for as long as I can remember, have watched every show. Same with Oprah. Those are the only two daytime TV shows I watch. They will be missed by me and I'm not afraid to admit that!
I might miss them if I was still watching them. I hope my post wasn't too harsh and didn't hurt anyone's feelings. I certainly didn't mean to do that. I just thought it funny that some folks think it's the end of the world when AMC gets canceled.
I've honestly never much been a fan of daytime television or soap operas, though I do have some slim memories of my Mom having the soaps on when I was a little girl in the late 1960s to early 1970s. She liked Guiding Light. When Sarah was first born, that's the only time I ever watched soaps for a little bit - when I would sit in the rocker for hours with her (because that's literally how long it took for her to drink a bottle, lol) and there would be nothing else on, so I would turn on Guiding Light. That time was very momentary though because then all of my time was taken up with her and then I returned to work and I didn't ever watch the soaps again.
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