The Baby Boomer Radio, TV, Movies, Magazines, Music, Comics, Fads, Toys, Fun, and More Show!

It's all about railroading on this episode of Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, on the Galaxy Nostalgia Network! We are joined by two very good friends who have been on our program before: "Shotgun Tom" Kelly and Mike Curran. Both of their dads worked on the railroads many years ago and on our program they share their memories of growing up as a railroader's kid, what that life was like back then, as well as many interesting anecdotes about their fathers' careers. Also fun and interesting facts about the railroads and trains back in the day, from history to modern day, all about the train routes of old as well as today, how things were done and how things worked. Listen to stories about hobos as well as encounters with the President of the United States! Lots of great information in a fun one-hour program. Our Retro-Commercials are for Tyco and Marx trains. Hop on and all aboard this episode of Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, on the Galaxy Nostalgia Network! Pictured: Mr. J. G Irwin, "Shotgun Tom's" dad, aboard a railroad engine; and an Adlake side marker lantern utilized on the caboose of the train from Mike Curran's collection. https://bit.ly/446CSVh

Its dinnertime on this episode of Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site. We look back to earlier times when going out to dinner was a rare occurrence. The standard practice for most middle-class American families was to have dinner at home every night during the week. Occasionally on a given weekend, the treat of dinner at a sit-down restaurant or a drive-in might happen. We recall how many moms were stay-at-home moms who would cook for the family each night, and how families gathered around the dining table to eat and interact. Sometimes dinner was a meal brought home from our favorite burger, pizza, or chicken place, and that was a treat in itself! A few years later when we had our drivers licenses and some money in our pockets, we could go to our favorite fast-food place and order anything we wanted. No longer were we limited to favorite fast food items on rare occasions, it was available to us whenever we wanted! Join us for fond food memories from a time gone by. Our Retro-Commercial is for Miller Beer. So grab a knife and fork and join us on Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, on the Galaxy Nostalgia Network! Click here: https://bit.ly/43sOwto

"Who died?" is the title of this episode of Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, on the Galaxy Nostalgia Network. Mike and Smitty look back to their early days and talk about death; what it meant through a child's perspective, and how children have coped with the question "where did they go?" and "why can't I see them anymore?". As we grow older the concept of losing someone and understanding our cultural and faith-based beliefs in the afterlife help to answer or at least place these questions in perspective. However for the youngest among us, often it becomes the duty of parents or other family members to guide them past these confusing times. We recall the roles of adults among us dealing with these crises, the reunions with family and friends at memorial services, and how often in the midst of sadness comes a closer relationship with other family members. Additionally, we talk about remembering where we were and what we were doing when we learned not only the sad news of a close passing, but also through history as we learned about tragic events in years past. This is a reflective look back at something we have all gone through, not in a morbid or sad tone, but looking back at those days with the hindsight of time and experience behind us. Our Retro-Commercial is for Royal Crown Cola. Join us on Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, on the Galaxy Nostalgia Network! https://bit.ly/3Ow8q1Z

Listening to record albums or cassette tapes was how we enjoyed music back in the day. On this episode of Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, on the Galaxy Nostalgia Network, we look back to the excitement of bringing home a new record album, opening it up while taking in the smell of fresh vinyl, then placing the album carefully on the turntable to enjoy a favorite singer or musical group. We also remember audio cassette tapes, and the mobility offered as "go anywhere" listening became popular in portable units and car players. (Ah, the joy of taking our favorite music with us!) We discuss the immediate availability of online music today, as compared to yesteryear when we relied on the radio or our record collection to give us pre-recorded music. We talk about the first 78 rpm records and earlier vintage cylinder phonographs, as well as recall early experiences with our parent's High Fidelity (Hi-Fi) or stereo systems, and the technology evolution which has led to CDs, flash drives, and audio streaming. Our Retro-Commercial is for Motorola portable radios from the 1950s. Grab your stack of 45s or a handful of cassette tapes and join us on Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, on the Galaxy Nostalgia Network! Click here: https://bit.ly/VinylandAudioCassetteNostalgia

Saving money when you were a kid to buy something you wanted; the effort, getting ideas for earning money, the joy of finally having enough money saved, and the elation of buying something you really "needed" so that your young life could move forward...these are the memories we talk about on this episode of Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, on the Galaxy Nostalgia Network. Join us as we recall the great effort and dedication of saving up for something special we wanted. It was also a great learning experience: To save up that money, we collected pop bottles for deposit refunds, saved stacks of old newspapers, mowed lawns, pulled weeds, helped neighbors, and depended on birthday and Christmas windfalls to help us save. It was a time of learning patience and discipline, while keeping the goal in mind of finally being able to purchase whatever it was that we wanted so badly. It could be a toy, a game, bicycle accessories, a record album, or anything else that we felt we needed in our lives. The topic is sure to bring back memories of your young years. Our Retro-Commercial is an unusual pitch for Ella Fitzgerald's latest record album, and for Schlitz Beer. Join us as we count up our dollar bills and coins on Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, on the Galaxy Nostalgia Network! Click here: https://bit.ly/BabyBoomerEarningMoney

On this episode of Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, we look back at childhood experiences of creating our own thrills, chills, spills, experiments, adventures, and sometimes death-defying experiences involving bicycles, toys, playgrounds, electricity, household tools and the related unsafe or unsound antics our young minds could dream up as children. Join us as we recall stitches, broken bones, cuts, abrasions and other "boo-boos" that sometimes occurred as the result of "just being a kid". Click here: https://bit.ly/BabyBoomerKids

Do you remember taking snapshots with a film camera, while being careful to take each shot so as not to waste film? Remember taking the film to be developed, and waiting a few days to get 12, 24, or 36 prints or slides back? On this episode of Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, we remember those times, along with a few of our favorite Kodak moments. It was a lengthy process in which we had to be careful because of the limited number of pictures available on a roll of film. Today we look back at taking pictures, crossing our fingers when taking the film to the drug store or Fotomat, then waiting to get it developed and returned to us. Finally, we share the thrill and relief of seeing our finished pictures, clear and in focus! We also recall movie cameras and movie film, and watching home movies or color slides on home projectors with a captive audience of family and friends. We compare those memories to how it is today with palm-sized camcorders and instant digital photos from Smartphones. Look in to your mental viewfinder to another time and place...Join us on Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, on the Galaxy Nostalgia Network! Our Retro Commercial is for Sinclair Gasoline. (Photo caption: Mike Bragg, with cameras and a Kodak Brownie Fun Saver movie camera from his childhood.) https://bit.ly/vintagecamerasandfilm

Remember a time before automation, when most things we did were muscle powered? On this episode of Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, we look back to a time when most of the laborious things we did, whether in the yard, the kitchen, or the workshop, were done manually, without the aid of machines. From mowing the lawn to mixing food, from changing TV channels to sweeping floors, these activities were performed manually unlike today where we might use an electric lawn mower, electric mixer, remote controls, and automation. It was a time where these chores were part of everyday life, yet we didn't stop to think of how our lives might be easier if we didn't have to do them, we just did them! Join us as we look back to those days and compare the changes from then to now. Our Retro-Commercial is for Golden Esso Extra Gasoline. Put down that mop or hedge clipper for a bit and join us on Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, on the Galaxy Nostalgia Network!

Remember a time before technology muscled its way into our lives? We sure do! In this episode of Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, Smitty and Mike recall back when they were kids and what they did before there was Internet, smart phones, video games and computers. Much of the fun revolved around reading, playing outside, getting together with friends for bike riding, or just exploring the neighborhood. Reading might involve our favorite comic books or whatever might be sitting on the living room table or family bookshelf. All in all we kept busy and entertained back when the only technology in most homes was the TV set, radio, and the telephone. Our Retro-Commercial is for delicious Dr. Pepper (The Friendly Pepper-Upper). Grab something to read after joining us on Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, on the Galaxy Nostalgia Network! Click here: https://bit.ly/3En99wK

On this episode of Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, Mike and Smitty remember their elementary school days and some of the sensations and smells of that time. In particular, we recall lunch time, and the aroma of cafeteria food as well as what was in our lunch boxes or bags. We remember the smell of mimeographed paper, sweeping compound, playground rubber balls, and the blacktop after a rainstorm. We recall the joy of walking into our classrooms after lunch to find the movie projector all set up and a big reel of film loaded on! A lot of fun and vivid memories from a simpler time. Our Retro-Commercial is for Eskimo Pie ice cream treats. Grab your lunch box and join us on Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, on the Galaxy Nostalgia Network! Click here: https://bit.ly/3kCWy1k

On this episode of Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, we remember Radio Shack, the friendly neighborhood electronics store. From the 1960s up through the 90s, Radio Shack was the place where you would go if you had any kind of an interest or need for any kind of electronic equipment or component. You could get radios, stereos, CBs, test equipment, parts, telephones, computers and everything in between. Smitty and Mike recall their memories of going to Radio Shack and how fun it was to simply look around. We also remember the catalogs that would come out each fall that would headline a new year of exciting items we could buy. Our Retro-Commercial is for the Studebaker Lark. Join us as we venture to Radio Shack on Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, on the Galaxy Nostalgia Network! #radioshack https://bit.ly/RadioShackRemembered

Do you remember looking into the bathroom medicine cabinet and the kitchen junk drawer when you were a kid and wondering what all that stuff in there was? On this episode of Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, Mike and Smitty remember their days as kids and wondering what all that stuff was in the medicine cabinet. Bottles, tins, and jars of mysterious potions and lotions that piqued our curiosity. Looking in the kitchen junk drawer there was an interest to rummage around the many items such as tools, rubber bands, flashlight batteries, and old pens that seemed to always be there. It was a time when our curiosity was fed by the wide array of items we saw. This was a simple time we all recall from years ago. Our Retro-Commercial is for Coca Cola. Join us on Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, on the Galaxy Nostalgia Network!

Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site is back! After a long hiatus, the Galaxy Gang is back with more shows as we begin the 2022-23 season. On this episode, we chat a bit about our return to the air and we thank all of our listeners for their messages and concerns while we were gone. Next we remember the life of Tony Dow, who played the role of Wally Cleaver in the classic sitcom "Leave it to Beaver". The Galaxy Guys recall not only his television career, but also his sculpting work in which he was involved with for many years, becoming a recognized artist in this venue as well as his acting work. Our Retro-Commercial is a swinging one for Pepsi Cola. Join us as we return to the air on Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, on the Galaxy Nostalgia Network!

It's clear, cool, crisp weather as we present this episode of Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site. We remember the fall and Halloween seasons of years past. The anticipation of Halloween Night, and the preparation in the weeks prior; stores would feature candies that were not normally seen throughout the year, boxes of costumes stacked on store shelves, school parties, Jack-O-Lanterns and scary lawn decorations, and the cool weather signaling the evening of Trick or Treating was near. Look back with us to those fun and exciting days. Next we remember Olivia Newton-John, who we lost in August of 2022. We look back to her singing and acting career and her appearances in movies such as Grease and Xanadu and some of her hits such as Hopelessly Devoted To You, Magic, and Physical. She was another iconic artist of the late 70s and early 80s, that brought back memories from another era. Our Retro-Commercial is a fun musical commercial for Budweiser Beer. Join us on Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, on the Galaxy Nostalgia Network!

Remember such things as Slip and Slides, Label Makers, Sno Cone Machines, Paper Kites, and Cap Guns? On this edition of Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, we talk about these Gizmos, Gadgets, and Fun Toys from the past. When we were kids we would have fun with some of these things that weren't necessarily toys, but we would find ways to have fun and keep busy with them sometimes for a little while, and sometimes much longer. The items ranged from edibles such as ice cream and sodas, to utilitarian objects like label makers and hammers. We recall all of these things and more from our childhoods, and you're sure to come up with memories of your own. So grab a soda or ice cream and join us on Galaxy Moonbeam Night Site, on the Galaxy Nostalgia Network! Click to Download: https://bit.ly/BabyBoomerToys