Several years ago, while a teaching assistant at a mid-major university, I made the grievous mistake of asking my class to perform a daily writing assignment that revolved around what each student thought I should get for Christmas. Obviously, such an invitation did not result in gushing wishes for health, happiness or even a few decent gifts. Instead, many students scarcely camouflaged their glee in making veiled, joking (?) threats of harm or peppering me with rather personal attacks.

Somehow, I failed to learn my lesson from those pleasantries, as I'm now opening a similar Pandora's box by daring to identify my choices for the top American music scenes of the '80s. It's inevitable that limitations of preference and knowledge will render my selections fodder for online flaming, but I guess I'm just that dedicated to free discourse. So, feel free to chime in with your opinions on this engaging subject, a topic fraught with possibilities. Just don't make a Christmas wish list for me.