I knew 1963 was an epic year

Of course 1963 was an important year in my life because, of course, it was the year I was born. But I had no idea that 1963 was such an influential year for the world as a whole. That is until I read this article by Jon Friedman at Market Watch. Apparently 1963 was way bigger than just the birth year of this kid. According to the author there are ten ways (besides my birth) that 1963 changed American life.

1. James Bond came to America. Dr. No was the first Bond flick to be shown in the United States in, you guessed it, 1963. It's quite an enduring movie franchise that continues to go strong even after the ultimate spy era (The Cold War) ended.
2. The Superhero phenomenon started in, obviously, 1963. The first X-Men comic book written by Stan Lee debuted in September of this auspicious year. Yes the same Stan Lee who makes cameo appearances in all Marvel Comic movies. We all need a good superhero in our lives. I'm partial to Thor but that just could be the actor.
3. Number three is my personal favorite of the year--the invention of the push-button phone--occurred, yes certainly, in 1963. Where would the Smart phone be without the invention of push buttons? Even though they were invented in 1963, it must have taken a while for my family to catch on to the idea because I remember rotary phones. I hated a phone number with nines and zeros--it took forever to dial. And forget about winning a radio contest with a rotary phone. 
4. Another momentous occurrence of 1963 was the invention of the instant replay. It debuted on December 7, 1963. The date (Dec. 7) makes me think that date might have some cosmic significance in the universe--at least not in a harmful way in terms of sports. Instant replay is as ubiquitous as the push button phone. Who can remember NOT having instant replay--I can't. Instant replay is the great pot stirrer of the sports world. We wouldn't even know how wrong some officials got the call if we didn't have instant replay. But what did we do without it?
5. Ok, this one I'm not familiar with--The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan was published in, undoubtedly, my birth year. Apparently this book ignited the feminist movement. I am not a feminist but I am grateful for more opportunities for women, equalization of pay and all the other benefits we women enjoy.
6. Bob Dylan's "Times, they are a-changin'" song came out in, undeniably, 1963. Evidently this anthem influenced Stormin Norman Schwarzkopf and inspired a generation to make their own way in life. I don't really remember this one but I am familiar with the song. 
7. David Halberstam's courageous and critical reporting from Vietnam in 1963 changed the way journalists approached their jobs and forever changed the way media report events. This one, I'm not sure, is always positive.
8. Beatlemania. The Fab Four. The British Invasion. Whatever you call the phenomenon of the four mop-tops from Britain, it all began in, of course, 1963. Where would we be without our Yellow Submarine or Paperback Writer? 
9. This one and the next one, I'm serious about the importance of. No sarcasm here. Martin Luther King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. Besides being a rallying cry for the Civil Rights Movement, that speech is one of the finest examples of oratory ever given. The written speech is magnificent, but to listen to MLK deliver it is to hear inspiration. What a fantastic contribution and I'm proud to share my birth year with such brilliance. 
10. This last one is somber and probably the most obvious contribution that 1963 had on America--the assassination of John F. Kennedy. I was 10 months old when it happened so of course I have no memory of it. But anyone born in the last 50 years cannot escape knowing of the event. Besides the almost obsessive wondering "what if" and the idealized longing for that Camelot time, we lost much of our innocence when that tragic event occurred. I think we have also shifted from service to our country to what can our government do for us. I see that as a sad shift.

So this year, as we all hear of the 50 year anniversary of this thing and that thing, please remember that there is someone in Missouri who shares her birth year with all these significant events.

Happy 1963!