For yesterday’s Scott’s Daily Prompt, Scott asked us to “Dig through your couch cushions, your purse, or the floor of your car, and look at the year printed on the first coin you find. What were you doing that year?”
Upon seeing Scott’s prompt, I immediately went to a jar on my chest of drawers in my bedroom in which I keep loose change. I opened up the lid of my loose change jar and pulled out one of the coins sitting on top. It was a 1984 quarter.
Before I begin, let me point out that I live a rather unremarkable life, so looking back to a particular year, I’d say there’s not much that is either particularly interesting or exciting. If you choose to read on, be prepared to be bored.
In 1984 I was 37 and living in a northern New Jersey suburb with my wife and two young children. I was working in Midtown Manhattan for a small software development firm where I designed health benefits administration software solutions. I commuted to my job each day by driving to, and parking my car at, a staging area for a commuter bus that took me to New York City’s Port Authority bus terminal. Then I would take the D-train (subway) to the office building at 57th and Broadway. I liked my job, but I hated the commute. And that pretty much sums up what I was doing in 1984.
In early 1985, I was recruited by a Los Angeles-based company that made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. So I didn’t. I moved my family completely across the country, where we bought a house, got the kids enrolled in new schools, and I started my new job. Hence, 1985 was a much more interesting year for all of us than was 1984. But, as they say, you play with the cards you’re dealt. Or in the case, the date on the coin I selected.
This, That, and the Other 
This is the sort of post though that will fascinate and excite far future archeologists when it is dug up 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
No doubt! 😂
LikeLike
You should have just said that the quarter you found was from 1985.
LikeLiked by 1 person
But the photo I took clearly shows a 1984 quarter!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such a big change 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I moved to California in ‘83, left in ‘88. First coin I pulled out is a 2010; I was getting ready to take a college government course after years of certainly not continuing college due to deciding on starting a family. I enjoyed your approach to this mission of illustrating what was up for you in a certain year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As a kid I used to go through the couch for loose change that had fallen from my sisters boyfriends or my brothers pockets.
I bought my place on the 24th Feb 1984 so it was a full on year for me
LikeLiked by 1 person
Certainly more interesting than mine was! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
But the universe had you able to understand that you were unhappy with the commute, making your job not so great. When the offer came in 85 you knew you were ready for a new adventure. Good for you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
On, man, ’84 was a big year for me. Sixteen, first summer job, big competitive exams, in which I surprised myself by doing very well.
Also, Everton won the FA Cup, and were well on the way to, next year, assembling a championship-winning team. But I guess you had to be on the right side of the pond to appreciate that 🤣
Funnily enough I was also active in politics back then. Probably between then and age twenty, my politics did a complete about-turn, from right to left. Which is why I have time for people who do and say dumb things when they’re young.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, what a brave thing to do for you and your family. Looks like you needed 84 to prep you to take the leap in 85. 🙂. KL ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
On Friday before I read your post, I picked up a shiny penny in the street, something nobody does anymore. I dug it out of my pocket, feeling like it was an omen, but predictably it was a 2021. Way back then, I was living through a Pandemic.😎
LikeLiked by 1 person
Way back then, huh? 😏
LikeLiked by 1 person