A half century, man. Five decades. I hit the big 5-0 a few days ago. There was no blinding flash of realization or wisdom, no sudden descent into oldness, no onslaught of depression. Just another year going by.
That doesn't mean it's not significant, of course. The strange part for me is how quickly the years have gone by. Seems like I just celebrated my 40th. Now I've got two teenagers and a few more gray hairs. In five short years, I'll have two kids in college and life will be really weird.
It's odd to think of myself as being this age. When my dad turned 50, it was 1990, I was 23 and he seemed much older than he actually was. It didn't help that he was both an alcoholic and a diabetic, both of which had ravaged his body and made him look like he was 70. I know I'm in much better shape than he ever was, so I don't feel like an old man. Of course, I'm definitely dealing with some old guy stuff, like a sore back and various aches and pains, but that's part of the price I pay for staying physically active. I'll take that over being a flabby blob any damn day.
Unlike my 40th, which came and went with little fanfare, we did things up big for the 50th celebration. We had a big gathering at the Notch taproom last night, with about 50 friends showing up to toast to my geezerdom. It was a great time, reminiscent of the big parties we routinely threw in the days before kids. And yeah, I was a little hung over this morning, but it was nothing compared to some of those old party days.
So here I am, into a new decade of existence. The future is unwritten, as Joe Strummer once said. It's hard to know what to expect, but I've got some good role models in terms of friends who have already traversed this territory, so I think I'll be okay.
Showing posts with label parties. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parties. Show all posts
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Through the Past Dorkily: Spellbound
Editor's note: Through the Past Dorkily is a recurring feature that looks back at the embarrassingly dorky diary I kept as a 16-year-old in 1984.
Saturday, November 3, 1984
Song of the day: Night of the Blade - Tokyo Blade
Whew! What a day! Mom woke me up at 9:30, which sucked. Then we were cleaning the house, so we didn't leave till 12. Then at 1, at Montgomery Ward, we had to wait there an hour while they were making credit card checks. I went to the Musicsmith and found that live Ozzy EP with Randy Rhoads on it. I bought it right away. We finally left at 3:15 and got home at 4:30.
Later, I found out from Jeremy that there was a big accident in front of our house just after we left. Two or three people died. They had the road blocked off till 4. Geez.
[Ex-gf]'s party was pretty good. First a bunch of us played Trivial Pursuit. [Female classmate] was my partner. What a babe! I flirted with her all night. She was even sitting on my lap. After that we played charades and before I knew it, it was 11. Everybody left then. It was almost a massive pile-up in the driveway. Somehow, everybody got out unscathed.
I had to put my TV in Mom's room.
- The Barbarian
Sunday, November 4, 1984
Song of the day: Mean Streak - Deep Purple
I got up at 8:30. We went to church. [A buddy] was there. I agreed to go to the youth group next Sunday. Wednesday the 14th is when we get confirmed.
I dumped the garbage. When I got back, I found out [ex-gf] called me. She wanted me to get her bumper sticker back from [guitar dude]'s house. I told her I couldn't go today. She's pissed at him because he never called her. Good.
The rest of the day I worked on the computer. Cool!
- The Barbarian
Monday, November 5, 1984
Song of the day: Our Love - Krokus
Top 5 at Five
1. Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2
2. Girls With Guns - Tommy Shaw
3. I Can't Hold Back - Survivor
4. Jailbreak - AC/DC
5. The Boys of Summer - Don Henley
Not a bad day. We left on our Journalism field trip right after homeroom. Me and [buddy] got stuck with [four female classmates] in his car. You can imagine how much fun that was. It rained all day.
On the radio we heard that U2 tickets sold out in 35 minutes. Wow!
The offices of Teenage are located in a dump! The place is an old warehouse. It's all beat up and there's trash all around it. Then we talked with the magazine's editorial staff on how to improve the mag, etc. Nancy Rutter is a babe! We were there till 12, and then we went to Methuen Mall for lunch. [A buddy] got Kinks tickets at Midland. I bought a couple of rock mags. We got back to the school at 1:30. After school I took $500 out of the bank and gave it to Dad.
Later, I called [ex-gf]. I don't really know why, I just did. Just to talk. Hmm.
- The Barbarian
Tuesday, November 6, 1984
Song of the day: I Do' Wanna Know- REO Speedwagon
Top 5 at Five
1. Elected - Alice Cooper
2. Baba O'Reilly (live) - The Who
3. Girls With Guns - Tommy Shaw
4. Understanding - Bob Seger
5. Perfect Strangers - Deep Purple
Not a bad day at all. I got a 90 on the Field Bio test. We had a sub in Adv Math. I had a nice nap in Psych. And I finally, with [a buddy]'s help, have my program about done. Good thing, too, 'cause it's due tomorrow. I just have to go in first period and iron out all the bugs and then I'm done! Finally! Thank God.
I got those 3 assignments done for Adv Math. Bargain!
I saw the new Purple album at Midland yesterday. Gotta get it.
Reagan's winning by a landslide. I coulda toldja that.
- The Barbarian
Wednesday, November 7, 1984
Song of the day: The Boys of Summer - Don Henley
Top 5 at Five
1. Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers
2. Understanding - Bob Seger
3. Jailbreak (live) - AC/DC
4. We Belong - Pat Benatar
5. Missed it
What a day! I finally picked up an Achievement test booklet. I did the Adv Math chapter test done in class, so now I did all my assignments.
Big Adv Math and Psychology tests tomorrow. I need A's on both.
I had to stay after a few minutes to get my program done. [Buddy] did the last part. But it works! I left it on [teacher's] desk. I got outta there at 2:15. Jeremy waited and looked for me and then left. I was stranded. I tried to bum a ride off someone but couldn't. I walked to the pharmacy and got a new Kingstonian. We're still in it.
I walked back to the school, bummed a dime off [French teacher] and called first Jeremy's house, then [his girlfriend's]. He just pulled in. I talked him into picking me up. Phew!
Dad got a cake at work and then went out and got sloshed. When he got home, we gave him his presents and cake, he was all happy, he fell asleep.
So much for that day.
- The Barbarian
Thursday, November 8, 1984
Song of the day: Stranger in Town - Toto
Top 5 at Five
1. Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers
2. Valotte - Julian Lennon
3. Run to You - Bryan Adams
4. The Boys of Summer - Don Henley
5. Break Down the Walls - Stone Fury
Weird day. The Adv Math test sucked! I didn't get the last question (which I knew) done before the bell rang. I also skipped no. 2 and was gonna come back to it. So much for that. Damn!
On the Psychology test, I managed to do all the questions on it. About 50% of it is BS! I hope I get an A.
I got an A- on the program. Tomorrow we have a quiz in which we have to explain the entire program. That'll be fun.
I stayed after school to meet with the Journalism kids from Raymond, but they postponed it till next Tuesday. [Buddy] gave me a ride home.
Dad said we're gonna drive to Toronto for Thanksgiving. We're leaving on the 21st. Cool.
- The Barbarian
Friday, November 9, 1984
Song of the day: Jailbreak - AC/DC
Top 5 at Five
1. Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers
2. Jailbreak - AC/DC
3. Girls With Guns - Tommy Shaw
4. Perfect Strangers - Deep Purple
5. Run to You - Bryan Adams
Today was so-so. I got a 90 on the mouse care and a 78 on the log book. I got a 94 on the Psych test. Now the bad news: I got a 52 on the Adv Math test! I can't believe it! Everybody did bad. I brought it up to a 72 (I hope) with some extra credit questions.
As editor of the Sanborn Supplement this week, I managed to get all the stories together and off to Exeter. Man, [two classmates] don't do anything! It took them two days to type five papers! Now that's ridiculous!
Long weekend, here I come! No homework. Bargain.
I went to the mall with Jeremy [and his girlfriend] at 5:45. I got back at 7.
- The Barbarian
Saturday, November 10, 1984
Song of the day: How Many More Times - Led Zeppelin
So-so day. We went to get the storm windows and then went to Shaw's. That was fun.
That was it.
- The Barbarian
Sunday, November 11, 1984
Song of the day: Crazy Doctor - Loudness
We all slept in this morning. After I dumped the garbage, we all went to Newington to return the printer. I got a new pair of shoes: gray Nikes. Cool.
It rained like crazy all day.
At 7, we went to the youth group. It was alright. I came just in time for a humdingo fundraiser. We all took a big case of light bulbs home to sell. Great. Who am I gonna sell 'em to?
That girl [redacted] is pretty nice. I think she likes me. Then again, you never know.
I hope Rainbow Records is open tomorrow.
- The Barbarian
Monday, November 12, 1984
Song of the day: King of Twilight - Iron Maiden
Top 5 at Five
1. Perfect Strangers - Deep Purple
2. Run to You - Bryan Adams
3. Still in Saigon - Charlie Daniels Band
4. Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers
5. Concealed Weapons - J. Geils Band
I got up at 5:45 and took Mom to work. I came back and went to bed. I got up again at 10:30. The stores opened at 1, so at 1:50, me and JP went to Rainbow Records. When we left, it was sunny, when we got there it was raining. I got the new "Aces High" 12-inch. It's got an unreleased track "King of Twilight" and a live version of "Number of the Beast" on the B-side. Good Maiden metal. I got the latest Kerrang.
We got lost on the way home, but we backtracked and made it back alright.
I got 4 applications finished.
- The Barbarian
Tuesday, November 13, 1984
Song of the day: If I Had a Rocket Launcher - Bruce Cockburn
Top 5 at Five
1. Missed it
2. I Can't Hold Back - Survivor
3. Concealed Weapons - J. Geils Band
4. The Boys of Summer - Don Henley
5. Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers
Today wasn't that great. I found out some grades. 85 in Field Biology, 80 in Adv Math, an A in Psychology. I hope I have an A in Journalism and I hope I pulled a B in Comp Sci. So much for my number one ranking.
Captain Howdy died over the weekend. We found her dead in a can outside the cage this morning. Weird. We're starting photography now.
I was talking with [yet another cute girl] today. I asked her if she went out with [a classmate] Friday. She said no. I'm toying with the possibility. I don't know.
The Sanborn Supplement is going to be an insert in the Carriage Town News in 3 weeks.
- The Barbarian
Wednesday, November 14, 1984
Song of the day: Diamond Field - Pat Benatar
Top 5 at Five
1. Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers
2. Run to You - Bryan Adams
3. We Belong - Pat Benatar
4. The Boys of Summer - Don Henley
5. Stranger in Town - Toto
Today was a bit better. I got a 90 in Psychology and a 92 in Journalism. I got an 82 on that Computers quiz.
After school, me and JP went to that confirmation meeting. [Some dude] was there, too. We talked about confirmation, Mormons and Tolkien. I couldn't believe [the reverend] knew so much about Tolkien. That was cool.
I need a woman.
- The Barbarian
Thursday, November 15, 1984
Song of the day: Spellbound - Triumph
Top 5 at Five
1. Run to You - Bryan Adams
2. Too Late for Goodbyes - Julian Lennon
3. I Can't Hold Back - Survivor
4. Jailbreak - AC/DC
5. Call to the Heart - Giuffria
You heard me right! I heard a new Triumph song on WAAF today, "Spellbound." It kicks, man! Great solo! Gil Moore sings lead on it. I can't wait for the album! It's supposed to be called Thunder 7, at least that's what Rob Barnett said. Awesome!
[Female classmate] is gonna give me a ride to the surprise party for [another female classmate] tomorrow. I got permission from Mom and Dad.
I'm almost done my fifth program. Bargain.
Mom's patient today was [a buddy]'s mom. Wow.
I still need a woman.
- The Barbarian
Friday, November 16, 1984
Song of the day: Word of Mouth - The Kinks
Another mixed-bag day. I got my program finished and I got an A on it. Bad news: I got my report card. I got a 74 in Computers. That gave me an 84 average, just barely making honors. That sucks!
Jeremy and me gave [three female classmates, including a super-hot one] a ride home today. When I was helping [the super-hot one] with her 3 zillion books, I saw one that had "I love Jay Kumar" scrawled on it. Could it be? Nah...
I got [birthday girl] a card from the pharmacy. She got a kick out of it. All I'll say is that it had something to do with a blimp and it had a balloon inside.
[Female classmate] picked me up at 7:15. When we got there, [birthday girl] still wasn't there. There was a bunch of people I knew. They had a humungo keg and some punch which had some lethal ingredients (champagne,vodka, tequila). I had 2 cups. [Birthday girl] was surprised. [Her boyfriend] was being a goof. I met this wicked nice girl, [redacted], a friend of [a classmate]. What a babe! I think she liked me. She's hot!
[The birthday girl's boyfriend's] house is a mess! There's cake and beer and champagne and M+Ms and God knows what else all over the place. I'm glad I don't live there!
- The Barbarian
Saturday, November 17, 1984
Song of the day: Ride the Lightning - Metallica
I got up at 11:30. Bummed around the house till 2. Then I got my hair cut. It's short but it looks cool. [Female classmate] was there.
After that, I didn't do a helluva lot.
- The Barbarian
Postscript: Man, I remember struggling with the programs we had to write in that stupid Computer Science class. If only we knew then that 30 years later nobody would even think about that basic-ass shit. But yeah, that 74 did indeed screw up my shot at valedictorian. I would end up as the salutatorian, which is the #2 student in the class by only two points. Not that it's had much of an impact on my life since then. At the time, it was a bummer, though.
Also 29 years later, I'm still editing articles and getting publications ready on deadline, so that was a glimpse into the future, I suppose.
I couldn't find any information about Teenage magazine, but I'm pretty sure that editor I mentioned as being hot went on to a pretty good career as a reporter for Forbes and later landed $125 million in a divorce from her billionaire husband. Not too shabby.
That surprise party was probably the first real drinking party I ever went to. I'm amazed I didn't puke after drinking that death punch; it must have been pretty watered down. About 18 months later, I was getting sick from booze on the regular at UNH.
And yeah, I loved me some Triumph in those days. Stemming back to my Canadian youth and the killer guitar skills of Rik Emmett, they were one of my favorite bands. Never saw this video back in the day, but it's got all the classic '80s hard rock video tropes:
Saturday, November 3, 1984
Song of the day: Night of the Blade - Tokyo Blade
Whew! What a day! Mom woke me up at 9:30, which sucked. Then we were cleaning the house, so we didn't leave till 12. Then at 1, at Montgomery Ward, we had to wait there an hour while they were making credit card checks. I went to the Musicsmith and found that live Ozzy EP with Randy Rhoads on it. I bought it right away. We finally left at 3:15 and got home at 4:30.
Later, I found out from Jeremy that there was a big accident in front of our house just after we left. Two or three people died. They had the road blocked off till 4. Geez.
[Ex-gf]'s party was pretty good. First a bunch of us played Trivial Pursuit. [Female classmate] was my partner. What a babe! I flirted with her all night. She was even sitting on my lap. After that we played charades and before I knew it, it was 11. Everybody left then. It was almost a massive pile-up in the driveway. Somehow, everybody got out unscathed.
I had to put my TV in Mom's room.
- The Barbarian
Sunday, November 4, 1984
Song of the day: Mean Streak - Deep Purple
I got up at 8:30. We went to church. [A buddy] was there. I agreed to go to the youth group next Sunday. Wednesday the 14th is when we get confirmed.
I dumped the garbage. When I got back, I found out [ex-gf] called me. She wanted me to get her bumper sticker back from [guitar dude]'s house. I told her I couldn't go today. She's pissed at him because he never called her. Good.
The rest of the day I worked on the computer. Cool!
- The Barbarian
Monday, November 5, 1984
Song of the day: Our Love - Krokus
Top 5 at Five
1. Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2
2. Girls With Guns - Tommy Shaw
3. I Can't Hold Back - Survivor
4. Jailbreak - AC/DC
5. The Boys of Summer - Don Henley
Not a bad day. We left on our Journalism field trip right after homeroom. Me and [buddy] got stuck with [four female classmates] in his car. You can imagine how much fun that was. It rained all day.
On the radio we heard that U2 tickets sold out in 35 minutes. Wow!
The offices of Teenage are located in a dump! The place is an old warehouse. It's all beat up and there's trash all around it. Then we talked with the magazine's editorial staff on how to improve the mag, etc. Nancy Rutter is a babe! We were there till 12, and then we went to Methuen Mall for lunch. [A buddy] got Kinks tickets at Midland. I bought a couple of rock mags. We got back to the school at 1:30. After school I took $500 out of the bank and gave it to Dad.
Later, I called [ex-gf]. I don't really know why, I just did. Just to talk. Hmm.
- The Barbarian
Tuesday, November 6, 1984
Song of the day: I Do' Wanna Know- REO Speedwagon
Top 5 at Five
1. Elected - Alice Cooper
2. Baba O'Reilly (live) - The Who
3. Girls With Guns - Tommy Shaw
4. Understanding - Bob Seger
5. Perfect Strangers - Deep Purple
Not a bad day at all. I got a 90 on the Field Bio test. We had a sub in Adv Math. I had a nice nap in Psych. And I finally, with [a buddy]'s help, have my program about done. Good thing, too, 'cause it's due tomorrow. I just have to go in first period and iron out all the bugs and then I'm done! Finally! Thank God.
I got those 3 assignments done for Adv Math. Bargain!
I saw the new Purple album at Midland yesterday. Gotta get it.
Reagan's winning by a landslide. I coulda toldja that.
- The Barbarian
Wednesday, November 7, 1984
Song of the day: The Boys of Summer - Don Henley
Top 5 at Five
1. Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers
2. Understanding - Bob Seger
3. Jailbreak (live) - AC/DC
4. We Belong - Pat Benatar
5. Missed it
What a day! I finally picked up an Achievement test booklet. I did the Adv Math chapter test done in class, so now I did all my assignments.
Big Adv Math and Psychology tests tomorrow. I need A's on both.
I had to stay after a few minutes to get my program done. [Buddy] did the last part. But it works! I left it on [teacher's] desk. I got outta there at 2:15. Jeremy waited and looked for me and then left. I was stranded. I tried to bum a ride off someone but couldn't. I walked to the pharmacy and got a new Kingstonian. We're still in it.
I walked back to the school, bummed a dime off [French teacher] and called first Jeremy's house, then [his girlfriend's]. He just pulled in. I talked him into picking me up. Phew!
Dad got a cake at work and then went out and got sloshed. When he got home, we gave him his presents and cake, he was all happy, he fell asleep.
So much for that day.
- The Barbarian
Thursday, November 8, 1984
Song of the day: Stranger in Town - Toto
Top 5 at Five
1. Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers
2. Valotte - Julian Lennon
3. Run to You - Bryan Adams
4. The Boys of Summer - Don Henley
5. Break Down the Walls - Stone Fury
Weird day. The Adv Math test sucked! I didn't get the last question (which I knew) done before the bell rang. I also skipped no. 2 and was gonna come back to it. So much for that. Damn!
On the Psychology test, I managed to do all the questions on it. About 50% of it is BS! I hope I get an A.
I got an A- on the program. Tomorrow we have a quiz in which we have to explain the entire program. That'll be fun.
I stayed after school to meet with the Journalism kids from Raymond, but they postponed it till next Tuesday. [Buddy] gave me a ride home.
Dad said we're gonna drive to Toronto for Thanksgiving. We're leaving on the 21st. Cool.
- The Barbarian
Friday, November 9, 1984
Song of the day: Jailbreak - AC/DC
Top 5 at Five
1. Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers
2. Jailbreak - AC/DC
3. Girls With Guns - Tommy Shaw
4. Perfect Strangers - Deep Purple
5. Run to You - Bryan Adams
Today was so-so. I got a 90 on the mouse care and a 78 on the log book. I got a 94 on the Psych test. Now the bad news: I got a 52 on the Adv Math test! I can't believe it! Everybody did bad. I brought it up to a 72 (I hope) with some extra credit questions.
As editor of the Sanborn Supplement this week, I managed to get all the stories together and off to Exeter. Man, [two classmates] don't do anything! It took them two days to type five papers! Now that's ridiculous!
Long weekend, here I come! No homework. Bargain.
I went to the mall with Jeremy [and his girlfriend] at 5:45. I got back at 7.
- The Barbarian
Saturday, November 10, 1984
Song of the day: How Many More Times - Led Zeppelin
So-so day. We went to get the storm windows and then went to Shaw's. That was fun.
That was it.
- The Barbarian
Sunday, November 11, 1984
Song of the day: Crazy Doctor - Loudness
We all slept in this morning. After I dumped the garbage, we all went to Newington to return the printer. I got a new pair of shoes: gray Nikes. Cool.
It rained like crazy all day.
At 7, we went to the youth group. It was alright. I came just in time for a humdingo fundraiser. We all took a big case of light bulbs home to sell. Great. Who am I gonna sell 'em to?
That girl [redacted] is pretty nice. I think she likes me. Then again, you never know.
I hope Rainbow Records is open tomorrow.
- The Barbarian
Monday, November 12, 1984
Song of the day: King of Twilight - Iron Maiden
Top 5 at Five
1. Perfect Strangers - Deep Purple
2. Run to You - Bryan Adams
3. Still in Saigon - Charlie Daniels Band
4. Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers
5. Concealed Weapons - J. Geils Band
I got up at 5:45 and took Mom to work. I came back and went to bed. I got up again at 10:30. The stores opened at 1, so at 1:50, me and JP went to Rainbow Records. When we left, it was sunny, when we got there it was raining. I got the new "Aces High" 12-inch. It's got an unreleased track "King of Twilight" and a live version of "Number of the Beast" on the B-side. Good Maiden metal. I got the latest Kerrang.
We got lost on the way home, but we backtracked and made it back alright.
I got 4 applications finished.
- The Barbarian
Tuesday, November 13, 1984
Song of the day: If I Had a Rocket Launcher - Bruce Cockburn
Top 5 at Five
1. Missed it
2. I Can't Hold Back - Survivor
3. Concealed Weapons - J. Geils Band
4. The Boys of Summer - Don Henley
5. Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers
Today wasn't that great. I found out some grades. 85 in Field Biology, 80 in Adv Math, an A in Psychology. I hope I have an A in Journalism and I hope I pulled a B in Comp Sci. So much for my number one ranking.
Captain Howdy died over the weekend. We found her dead in a can outside the cage this morning. Weird. We're starting photography now.
I was talking with [yet another cute girl] today. I asked her if she went out with [a classmate] Friday. She said no. I'm toying with the possibility. I don't know.
The Sanborn Supplement is going to be an insert in the Carriage Town News in 3 weeks.
- The Barbarian
Wednesday, November 14, 1984
Song of the day: Diamond Field - Pat Benatar
Top 5 at Five
1. Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers
2. Run to You - Bryan Adams
3. We Belong - Pat Benatar
4. The Boys of Summer - Don Henley
5. Stranger in Town - Toto
Today was a bit better. I got a 90 in Psychology and a 92 in Journalism. I got an 82 on that Computers quiz.
After school, me and JP went to that confirmation meeting. [Some dude] was there, too. We talked about confirmation, Mormons and Tolkien. I couldn't believe [the reverend] knew so much about Tolkien. That was cool.
I need a woman.
- The Barbarian
Thursday, November 15, 1984
Song of the day: Spellbound - Triumph
Top 5 at Five
1. Run to You - Bryan Adams
2. Too Late for Goodbyes - Julian Lennon
3. I Can't Hold Back - Survivor
4. Jailbreak - AC/DC
5. Call to the Heart - Giuffria
You heard me right! I heard a new Triumph song on WAAF today, "Spellbound." It kicks, man! Great solo! Gil Moore sings lead on it. I can't wait for the album! It's supposed to be called Thunder 7, at least that's what Rob Barnett said. Awesome!
[Female classmate] is gonna give me a ride to the surprise party for [another female classmate] tomorrow. I got permission from Mom and Dad.
I'm almost done my fifth program. Bargain.
Mom's patient today was [a buddy]'s mom. Wow.
I still need a woman.
- The Barbarian
Friday, November 16, 1984
Song of the day: Word of Mouth - The Kinks
Another mixed-bag day. I got my program finished and I got an A on it. Bad news: I got my report card. I got a 74 in Computers. That gave me an 84 average, just barely making honors. That sucks!
Jeremy and me gave [three female classmates, including a super-hot one] a ride home today. When I was helping [the super-hot one] with her 3 zillion books, I saw one that had "I love Jay Kumar" scrawled on it. Could it be? Nah...
I got [birthday girl] a card from the pharmacy. She got a kick out of it. All I'll say is that it had something to do with a blimp and it had a balloon inside.
[Female classmate] picked me up at 7:15. When we got there, [birthday girl] still wasn't there. There was a bunch of people I knew. They had a humungo keg and some punch which had some lethal ingredients (champagne,vodka, tequila). I had 2 cups. [Birthday girl] was surprised. [Her boyfriend] was being a goof. I met this wicked nice girl, [redacted], a friend of [a classmate]. What a babe! I think she liked me. She's hot!
[The birthday girl's boyfriend's] house is a mess! There's cake and beer and champagne and M+Ms and God knows what else all over the place. I'm glad I don't live there!
- The Barbarian
Saturday, November 17, 1984
Song of the day: Ride the Lightning - Metallica
I got up at 11:30. Bummed around the house till 2. Then I got my hair cut. It's short but it looks cool. [Female classmate] was there.
After that, I didn't do a helluva lot.
- The Barbarian
Postscript: Man, I remember struggling with the programs we had to write in that stupid Computer Science class. If only we knew then that 30 years later nobody would even think about that basic-ass shit. But yeah, that 74 did indeed screw up my shot at valedictorian. I would end up as the salutatorian, which is the #2 student in the class by only two points. Not that it's had much of an impact on my life since then. At the time, it was a bummer, though.
Also 29 years later, I'm still editing articles and getting publications ready on deadline, so that was a glimpse into the future, I suppose.
I couldn't find any information about Teenage magazine, but I'm pretty sure that editor I mentioned as being hot went on to a pretty good career as a reporter for Forbes and later landed $125 million in a divorce from her billionaire husband. Not too shabby.
That surprise party was probably the first real drinking party I ever went to. I'm amazed I didn't puke after drinking that death punch; it must have been pretty watered down. About 18 months later, I was getting sick from booze on the regular at UNH.
And yeah, I loved me some Triumph in those days. Stemming back to my Canadian youth and the killer guitar skills of Rik Emmett, they were one of my favorite bands. Never saw this video back in the day, but it's got all the classic '80s hard rock video tropes:
Sunday, June 02, 2013
Through the Past Dorkily: Couldn't Stand the Weather
Editor's note: Through the Past Dorkily is a recurring feature that looks back at the embarrassingly dorky diary I kept as a 16-year-old in 1984.
Wednesday, May 30, 1984
Song of the day: Burning Down One Side - Robert Plant
Top 5 at Five
1. Round and Round - Ratt
2. Magic - The Cars
3. My Oh My - Slade
4. Voices - Russ Ballard
5. Bringin' on the Heartbreak - Def Leppard
Well, I finally got the job! Welcome to the ranks of the employed! Yah!
I got up around 9:30; my first good night's sleep in a while. I retaped "Permanent Waves" and "Pictures at Eleven." Then at 2:15 [a buddy] came over and we went down to Market Basket. I thought there would be a long line for interviews. Ha! I was the only one there! The guy said I'd work in grocery, stacking stuff on shelves, etc. Not difficult. I'd be working 3-10 3 days a week. I start on Monday. Bad news, sort of. Mom got the day job, but her hours are 9:30 to 6 or something like that. She doesn't start for a while, but when she does, I'm gonna haveta get rides there. She can pick me up at night.
Uh oh. I'm dead. I couldn't do any kind of report for Civics and now I'll lose 20 points on my grade. Tomorrow I haveta go and beg for mercy. I need some divine intervention. Help!
- The Barbarian (joins the work force)
Thursday, May 31, 1984
BONZO BONHAM'S BIRTHDAY
Song of the day: Slow an' Easy - Whitesnake
Top 5 at Five
1. My Oh My - Slade
2. Round and Round - Ratt
3. Couldn't Stand the Weather - Stevie Ray Vaughan
4. Eyes Without a Face - Billy Idol
5. Pink Cadillac - Bruce Springsteen
Well, interesting day. It rained like crazy all day. [Civics teacher] gave me 2 weeks to come up with 10 hours of public service and a 5-page report. Sure beats a zero!
I got moved again in Geometry, lectured in Bi Sci, yelled at in Algebra and yelled at again in Prep for College. Wow!
[Cute girl I like] said she'd give me a ride to work whenever we work the same days. What a babe! As it turns out, Mom has to work on Monday now, so I'll need a ride then, too. Interesting note: I don't think she's going with [dude] after all. They're never together or anything. I think I just jumped to conclusions.
As I was leaving the school, I saw [ex-gf] talking to [her ex-boyfriend before me] at one of the benches. Boy, is she messed up!
Good news: Mom said I could have the car next Wednesday! Yaah! This is great! Now what we need is some nice weather next week!
Goodbye May!
- The optimistic Barbarian
Friday, June 1, 1984
Song of the day: Stick It - Great White
Top 5 at Five
1. My Oh My - Slade
2. Round and Round - Ratt
3. Legs - ZZ Top
4. Couldn't Stand the Weather - Stevie Ray Vaughan
5. The Reflex - Duran Duran
The weather sucked again. Tomorrow's supposed to be sunny. I hope so!
[Cute girl I like] said she'll give me a ride on Monday. I promised to give her a ride to the beach on Wednesday. Hope it's nice weather!
I did good on Algebra and French tests, alright on Bi Sci test, and I got a 0 on the Prep for College quiz.
[Civics teacher] changed her mind about the 2 weeks and said I could do an oral report on Monday. Great.
The prom pictures weren't at school. Great.
Jeremy told me on the way home that [ex gf] was back together with her ex, sort of. She's going on a date with him or something. And he's still with [his current girlfriend]! Boy, those three are all messed up! She just doesn't know what's good for her. He's just using her, like he did before. Well, that's her problem now. I don't really care anymore.
And guess what else! Jeremy invited [classmate] to the party and you know who she's bringing along? Right. [Ex gf]. In spite of that fact, I'm going to have a good time. I hope.
- The Barbarian
Saturday, June 2, 1984
Song of the day: Still Loving You - Scorpions
Whew! What a day! The weather was pathetic! It rained all day.
The SAT wasn't that hard. I hope I did good on it! We were there till 12. I had to wait another half hour for Mom to come. After that we went shopping. I got some mirrored sunglasses, some white shirts, dress shoes and this totally loud, obnoxious and awesome Hawaiian shirt! It's great.
About 5 minutes after we got home, Jeremy called and said he'd pick me up in 30 minutes. At [his girlfriend's] house, we watched MTV for an hour. We watched the top 20 countdown. Rush's "Distant Early Warning" was number 6!! It's awesome!
[Girl who supposedly likes me] didn't show up, but around 12 people did. It started off slow, but picked up after a while. It was this guy's birthday and he and 2 other guys kept hitting on [ex gf]. And guess what? I think they're going together now! Geez! Talk about fickle! She acted like she was in love! I can't believe it!
A bunch of guys were mooning cars outside and later on I joined in. We mooned 2 cards and the third one was a cop! We took off! There was a cruiser waiting for us for a while! That was a close one!
What a blast! Everyone left around 11.
- The (Moon Patrol) Barbarian
Postscript: I had forgotten what a struggle it was without a car. Even having landed a job and having a driver's license, I still had two working parents whose jobs obviously took precedence. So I had to bum rides constantly from friends and co-workers. Still, it was a pretty exciting time, although the luster quickly wore off when I was wearing that hideous blue Market Basket smock and unloading food trucks in the summertime.
I also had forgotten that I struggled at all in high school. Not sure if it was because I goofing off too much or what, but I don't remember all these crappy grades.
More girlfriend drama, or at least ex-girlfriend drama. Hey, I guess teenage girls can be pretty confused about this stuff, too. Which I'm going to find out firsthand in a few years when my daughters hit that age.
Wednesday, May 30, 1984
Song of the day: Burning Down One Side - Robert Plant
Top 5 at Five
1. Round and Round - Ratt
2. Magic - The Cars
3. My Oh My - Slade
4. Voices - Russ Ballard
5. Bringin' on the Heartbreak - Def Leppard
Well, I finally got the job! Welcome to the ranks of the employed! Yah!
I got up around 9:30; my first good night's sleep in a while. I retaped "Permanent Waves" and "Pictures at Eleven." Then at 2:15 [a buddy] came over and we went down to Market Basket. I thought there would be a long line for interviews. Ha! I was the only one there! The guy said I'd work in grocery, stacking stuff on shelves, etc. Not difficult. I'd be working 3-10 3 days a week. I start on Monday. Bad news, sort of. Mom got the day job, but her hours are 9:30 to 6 or something like that. She doesn't start for a while, but when she does, I'm gonna haveta get rides there. She can pick me up at night.
Uh oh. I'm dead. I couldn't do any kind of report for Civics and now I'll lose 20 points on my grade. Tomorrow I haveta go and beg for mercy. I need some divine intervention. Help!
- The Barbarian (joins the work force)
Thursday, May 31, 1984
BONZO BONHAM'S BIRTHDAY
Song of the day: Slow an' Easy - Whitesnake
Top 5 at Five
1. My Oh My - Slade
2. Round and Round - Ratt
3. Couldn't Stand the Weather - Stevie Ray Vaughan
4. Eyes Without a Face - Billy Idol
5. Pink Cadillac - Bruce Springsteen
Well, interesting day. It rained like crazy all day. [Civics teacher] gave me 2 weeks to come up with 10 hours of public service and a 5-page report. Sure beats a zero!
I got moved again in Geometry, lectured in Bi Sci, yelled at in Algebra and yelled at again in Prep for College. Wow!
[Cute girl I like] said she'd give me a ride to work whenever we work the same days. What a babe! As it turns out, Mom has to work on Monday now, so I'll need a ride then, too. Interesting note: I don't think she's going with [dude] after all. They're never together or anything. I think I just jumped to conclusions.
As I was leaving the school, I saw [ex-gf] talking to [her ex-boyfriend before me] at one of the benches. Boy, is she messed up!
Good news: Mom said I could have the car next Wednesday! Yaah! This is great! Now what we need is some nice weather next week!
Goodbye May!
- The optimistic Barbarian
Friday, June 1, 1984
Song of the day: Stick It - Great White
Top 5 at Five
1. My Oh My - Slade
2. Round and Round - Ratt
3. Legs - ZZ Top
4. Couldn't Stand the Weather - Stevie Ray Vaughan
5. The Reflex - Duran Duran
The weather sucked again. Tomorrow's supposed to be sunny. I hope so!
[Cute girl I like] said she'll give me a ride on Monday. I promised to give her a ride to the beach on Wednesday. Hope it's nice weather!
I did good on Algebra and French tests, alright on Bi Sci test, and I got a 0 on the Prep for College quiz.
[Civics teacher] changed her mind about the 2 weeks and said I could do an oral report on Monday. Great.
The prom pictures weren't at school. Great.
Jeremy told me on the way home that [ex gf] was back together with her ex, sort of. She's going on a date with him or something. And he's still with [his current girlfriend]! Boy, those three are all messed up! She just doesn't know what's good for her. He's just using her, like he did before. Well, that's her problem now. I don't really care anymore.
And guess what else! Jeremy invited [classmate] to the party and you know who she's bringing along? Right. [Ex gf]. In spite of that fact, I'm going to have a good time. I hope.
- The Barbarian
Saturday, June 2, 1984
Song of the day: Still Loving You - Scorpions
Whew! What a day! The weather was pathetic! It rained all day.
The SAT wasn't that hard. I hope I did good on it! We were there till 12. I had to wait another half hour for Mom to come. After that we went shopping. I got some mirrored sunglasses, some white shirts, dress shoes and this totally loud, obnoxious and awesome Hawaiian shirt! It's great.
About 5 minutes after we got home, Jeremy called and said he'd pick me up in 30 minutes. At [his girlfriend's] house, we watched MTV for an hour. We watched the top 20 countdown. Rush's "Distant Early Warning" was number 6!! It's awesome!
[Girl who supposedly likes me] didn't show up, but around 12 people did. It started off slow, but picked up after a while. It was this guy's birthday and he and 2 other guys kept hitting on [ex gf]. And guess what? I think they're going together now! Geez! Talk about fickle! She acted like she was in love! I can't believe it!
A bunch of guys were mooning cars outside and later on I joined in. We mooned 2 cards and the third one was a cop! We took off! There was a cruiser waiting for us for a while! That was a close one!
What a blast! Everyone left around 11.
- The (Moon Patrol) Barbarian
Postscript: I had forgotten what a struggle it was without a car. Even having landed a job and having a driver's license, I still had two working parents whose jobs obviously took precedence. So I had to bum rides constantly from friends and co-workers. Still, it was a pretty exciting time, although the luster quickly wore off when I was wearing that hideous blue Market Basket smock and unloading food trucks in the summertime.
I also had forgotten that I struggled at all in high school. Not sure if it was because I goofing off too much or what, but I don't remember all these crappy grades.
More girlfriend drama, or at least ex-girlfriend drama. Hey, I guess teenage girls can be pretty confused about this stuff, too. Which I'm going to find out firsthand in a few years when my daughters hit that age.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Through the Past Dorkily: Top of the Rock
Editor's note: Through the Past Dorkily is a recurring feature that looks back at the embarrassingly dorky diary I kept as a 16-year-old in 1984.
Saturday, March 10, 1984
Song of the day: You Can't Kill Rock 'n Roll - Ozzy Osbourne
Good deal. Today before I went to the party, I was phoning WHEB's T-shirt Trivia. I almost won, but not quite.
The party was pretty good. Jeremy's uncle was pretty wild. He drives like a friggin' lunatic! Me, Jeremy, [a buddy], [his cousin and her friends were there]. [Her friend] is built! Wow! Their hot tub was awesome! It was 102 degrees, but it felt alright. We had Chinese food just before we left. Me and [buddy] both left at 11, Jeremy's uncle drove us home.
Later, man.
- The (Hot Tub) Barbarian
Sunday, March 11, 1984
Song of the day: Top of the Rock - HSAS
Pretty boring day. I drove Mom to the dump and back, did my homework, and vegged for the the rest of the day.
Heard the new song from Neal Schon and Sammy Hagar. Kicks butt!
- The Barbarian
Monday, March 12, 1984
Song of the day: Heartbreaker - Led Zeppelin
Top 5 at Five
1. In the Beginning/Shout at the Devil - Motley Crue
2. Panama - Van Halen
3. Against All Odds - Phil Collins
4. Rock You Like a Hurricane - The Scorpions
5. Runaway - Bon Jovi
I got moved again in Civics. Hosebag moved me to the front of the room (right in front of her!). Tomorrow I'm gonna sit in my old seat and see if she kicks me out.
I got a 75 on that Geometry test. I took the Algebra re-quiz, I think I should get something in the 80s. We get a chapter test in there tomorrow!
Remember that girl from Jeremy's party? Well, he says he might be going with her now. Last I talked to him (6:30 p.m.), he was waiting for her to call him with an answer. Hmm.
- The Barbarian
Tuesday, March 13, 1984
[CUTE GIRL I LIKE]'S BIRTHDAY
Song of the day: Lay It On the Line - Triumph
Top 5 at Five
1. Jump - Van Halen
2. In the Beginning/Shout at the Devil - Motley Crue
3. Runaway - Bon Jovi
4. Footloose - Kenny Loggins
5. Murder - David Gilmour
Yeah, you read it right! Today is [cute girl I like]'s birthday (she's 16). I wished her a happy birthday and told her I would've given her a card if I knew about it. Happy birthday, babe.
Shoot! Jeremy's already going with [girl he likes], and he said he's gonna give her his class ring today! Man, that dude moves fast!
It's been snowing since 8 this morning and it's still going! I hope it stops so I can go to school tomorrow!
It's almost midnight so I better get to sleep! Pronto!
Hey, [cute girl I like], you're awesome!
- The (birthday) Barbarian
Wednesday, March 14, 1984
Song of the day: Where Eagles Dare - Iron Maiden
Top 5 at Five
1. Jump - Van Halen
2. Against All Odds - Phil Collins
3. New Moon on Monday - Duran Duran
4. Runaway - Bon Jovi
5. Rock You Like a Hurricane - The Scorpions
We got almost 2 feet of snow! Needless to say, school was cancelled today. After shoveling out the walkway at 9 a.m., I took an hour nap, and then started reading The Sword of Shannara, which I started on Sunday. I read up to page 680. Other than that I busted the lock on the back screen door and that was it.
Later,
The Barbarian
Postscript: Guess that girl I thought I was over wasn't totally out of my system. At least not yet, anyway. At least I wasn't making a complete fool of myself anymore.
Man, it's amazing how fast you can read without distractions. 680 pages in a couple of days? Damn. Now I struggle to read 50 pages in a week.
As for The Sword of Shannara, I was big into the fantasy stuff back then. I had already read all the Lord of the Rings stuff and this was along those same lines. You know, elves and dwarves and swords and shit. Between those books and comics, I was definitely into alternate realities.
Hagar Schon Aaronson and Shrieve. Jesus:
Saturday, March 10, 1984
Song of the day: You Can't Kill Rock 'n Roll - Ozzy Osbourne
Good deal. Today before I went to the party, I was phoning WHEB's T-shirt Trivia. I almost won, but not quite.
The party was pretty good. Jeremy's uncle was pretty wild. He drives like a friggin' lunatic! Me, Jeremy, [a buddy], [his cousin and her friends were there]. [Her friend] is built! Wow! Their hot tub was awesome! It was 102 degrees, but it felt alright. We had Chinese food just before we left. Me and [buddy] both left at 11, Jeremy's uncle drove us home.
Later, man.
- The (Hot Tub) Barbarian
Sunday, March 11, 1984
Song of the day: Top of the Rock - HSAS
Pretty boring day. I drove Mom to the dump and back, did my homework, and vegged for the the rest of the day.
Heard the new song from Neal Schon and Sammy Hagar. Kicks butt!
- The Barbarian
Monday, March 12, 1984
Song of the day: Heartbreaker - Led Zeppelin
Top 5 at Five
1. In the Beginning/Shout at the Devil - Motley Crue
2. Panama - Van Halen
3. Against All Odds - Phil Collins
4. Rock You Like a Hurricane - The Scorpions
5. Runaway - Bon Jovi
I got moved again in Civics. Hosebag moved me to the front of the room (right in front of her!). Tomorrow I'm gonna sit in my old seat and see if she kicks me out.
I got a 75 on that Geometry test. I took the Algebra re-quiz, I think I should get something in the 80s. We get a chapter test in there tomorrow!
Remember that girl from Jeremy's party? Well, he says he might be going with her now. Last I talked to him (6:30 p.m.), he was waiting for her to call him with an answer. Hmm.
- The Barbarian
Tuesday, March 13, 1984
[CUTE GIRL I LIKE]'S BIRTHDAY
Song of the day: Lay It On the Line - Triumph
Top 5 at Five
1. Jump - Van Halen
2. In the Beginning/Shout at the Devil - Motley Crue
3. Runaway - Bon Jovi
4. Footloose - Kenny Loggins
5. Murder - David Gilmour
Yeah, you read it right! Today is [cute girl I like]'s birthday (she's 16). I wished her a happy birthday and told her I would've given her a card if I knew about it. Happy birthday, babe.
Shoot! Jeremy's already going with [girl he likes], and he said he's gonna give her his class ring today! Man, that dude moves fast!
It's been snowing since 8 this morning and it's still going! I hope it stops so I can go to school tomorrow!
It's almost midnight so I better get to sleep! Pronto!
Hey, [cute girl I like], you're awesome!
- The (birthday) Barbarian
Wednesday, March 14, 1984
Song of the day: Where Eagles Dare - Iron Maiden
Top 5 at Five
1. Jump - Van Halen
2. Against All Odds - Phil Collins
3. New Moon on Monday - Duran Duran
4. Runaway - Bon Jovi
5. Rock You Like a Hurricane - The Scorpions
We got almost 2 feet of snow! Needless to say, school was cancelled today. After shoveling out the walkway at 9 a.m., I took an hour nap, and then started reading The Sword of Shannara, which I started on Sunday. I read up to page 680. Other than that I busted the lock on the back screen door and that was it.
Later,
The Barbarian
Postscript: Guess that girl I thought I was over wasn't totally out of my system. At least not yet, anyway. At least I wasn't making a complete fool of myself anymore.
Man, it's amazing how fast you can read without distractions. 680 pages in a couple of days? Damn. Now I struggle to read 50 pages in a week.
As for The Sword of Shannara, I was big into the fantasy stuff back then. I had already read all the Lord of the Rings stuff and this was along those same lines. You know, elves and dwarves and swords and shit. Between those books and comics, I was definitely into alternate realities.
Hagar Schon Aaronson and Shrieve. Jesus:
Saturday, March 09, 2013
Through the Past Dorkily: Party On
Editor's note: Through the Past Dorkily is a recurring feature that looks back at the embarrassingly dorky diary I kept as a 16-year-old in 1984.
Tuesday, March 6, 1984
Song of the day: Tom Sawyer - Rush
Top 5 at Five
1. I'll Wait - Van Halen
2. Heaven - Bryan Adams
3. Rock You Like a Hurricane - Scorpions
4. Eat It - Weird Al
5. In the Beginning/Shout at the Devil - Motley Crue
Today was alright, I guess. I was sitting in [cute girl's] desk in Civics and alluva sudden [teacher] starts yelling and moves me to the front. I wasn't even talking! What a hosebag!
Not much else happened today that I can think of. I was talking to [cute girl I asked to prom] again. For a while there, it seemed like she wasn't talking to me but I think I just overreacted as usual. Man, she's nice!
I talked to Mom on the phone and she said I could go to the party. I hope Jeremy can talk [cute girls] into going!
Later.
- The Barbarian
Wednesday, March 7, 1984
Song of the day: Heading Out to the Highway - Judas Priest
Top 5 at Five
1. All Lovers are Deranged - David Gilmour
2. Jump - Van Halen
3. Eat It - Weird Al
4. Walking in My Sleep - Roger Daltrey
5. Heaven - Bryan Adams
So-so day. [Teacher] bitched at me for no reason again. She'd better cut it out before I say something I might regret later! I think I bombed my Alg II quiz today (at least the last part, anyways). Got a Geometry quiz tomorrow.
Mom started asking me about the party on Saturday. She looked surprised when I told her there would be girls there. I told her that just his cousin would be there, not anyone from school. Then she warned me of the dangers of getting herpes and AIDS! Right. Come on, Mom, get real!
- The Barbarian
Thursday, March 8, 1984
Song of the day: Highway Star - Deep Purple
Top 5 at Five
1. Hot for Teacher - Van Halen
2. Heaven - Bryan Adams
3. Footloose - Kenny Loggins
4. In the Beginning/Shout at the Devil - Motley Crue
5. 68 Guns - The Alarm
Didn't take that Geometry test today because [teacher] wasted too much time. He got some chalk on his nose and we were ragging on my wicked bad! I kept sniffling real loud, and I kept on getting Kleenex! It was a riot!
Mom passed out this morning while on the toilet (no lie!). As a result, she stayed home and was pretty wiped out. We still don't know what's wrong with her!
Jeremy told me that Fotomat screwed up his film that he sent to be developed! All those pictures gone! I'm wicked pissed!
They say we're gonna get a heap 'a snow tonight. I hope we don't get much. I hope school doesn't get cancelled! I'd die of boredom here at home!
- The Barbarian
Friday, March 9, 1984
Song of the day: Freewill - Rush
Top 5 at Five
1. In the Beginning/Shout at the Devil - Motley Crue
2. Panama - Van Halen
3. Heaven - Bryan Adams
4. Rock You Like a Hurricane - Scorpions
5. Runaway - Bon Jovi
Hmm. All we got was 1 inch of snow so school was on today. However, it was colder than shit, too! I froze my buns off! Brr!
[Girl's] mom was guest speaker in Civics today. She was talking about Women's Week. Big deal. We finally took that Geometry test. I think I did good.
After school I went with Mom to PGA and I saw [classmate] (who works there) and [another classmate].
I can't wait till tomorrow night.
- The Barbarian
Postscript: Excitement was building throughout this week for my buddy's party. I didn't get to go to many social events outside of school, so this was huge for me. I was talking to some high school buddies of mine last year and they were talking about the massive amount of partying they did. I had no clue. You can see how overprotective my mom was. It was like living in a bubble at times. Although I suppose my liver thanks her for that today. Still, I made up for lost time when I got to college.
Historically, I never had problems with behavior in school until I got to New Hampshire. Then I started amping up the wiseass factor in class to impress the other kids. So even though some teachers are portrayed here as hassling me for no reason, I'm sure I was being a total pain in the ass.
Funny, when this Alarm song first hit the radio, it reminded me of a more radical U2, especially with the crazy hair. Turns out they weren't very radical at all, but I still dug the hell out of this song.
Tuesday, March 6, 1984
Song of the day: Tom Sawyer - Rush
Top 5 at Five
1. I'll Wait - Van Halen
2. Heaven - Bryan Adams
3. Rock You Like a Hurricane - Scorpions
4. Eat It - Weird Al
5. In the Beginning/Shout at the Devil - Motley Crue
Today was alright, I guess. I was sitting in [cute girl's] desk in Civics and alluva sudden [teacher] starts yelling and moves me to the front. I wasn't even talking! What a hosebag!
Not much else happened today that I can think of. I was talking to [cute girl I asked to prom] again. For a while there, it seemed like she wasn't talking to me but I think I just overreacted as usual. Man, she's nice!
I talked to Mom on the phone and she said I could go to the party. I hope Jeremy can talk [cute girls] into going!
Later.
- The Barbarian
Wednesday, March 7, 1984
Song of the day: Heading Out to the Highway - Judas Priest
Top 5 at Five
1. All Lovers are Deranged - David Gilmour
2. Jump - Van Halen
3. Eat It - Weird Al
4. Walking in My Sleep - Roger Daltrey
5. Heaven - Bryan Adams
So-so day. [Teacher] bitched at me for no reason again. She'd better cut it out before I say something I might regret later! I think I bombed my Alg II quiz today (at least the last part, anyways). Got a Geometry quiz tomorrow.
Mom started asking me about the party on Saturday. She looked surprised when I told her there would be girls there. I told her that just his cousin would be there, not anyone from school. Then she warned me of the dangers of getting herpes and AIDS! Right. Come on, Mom, get real!
- The Barbarian
Thursday, March 8, 1984
Song of the day: Highway Star - Deep Purple
Top 5 at Five
1. Hot for Teacher - Van Halen
2. Heaven - Bryan Adams
3. Footloose - Kenny Loggins
4. In the Beginning/Shout at the Devil - Motley Crue
5. 68 Guns - The Alarm
Didn't take that Geometry test today because [teacher] wasted too much time. He got some chalk on his nose and we were ragging on my wicked bad! I kept sniffling real loud, and I kept on getting Kleenex! It was a riot!
Mom passed out this morning while on the toilet (no lie!). As a result, she stayed home and was pretty wiped out. We still don't know what's wrong with her!
Jeremy told me that Fotomat screwed up his film that he sent to be developed! All those pictures gone! I'm wicked pissed!
They say we're gonna get a heap 'a snow tonight. I hope we don't get much. I hope school doesn't get cancelled! I'd die of boredom here at home!
- The Barbarian
Friday, March 9, 1984
Song of the day: Freewill - Rush
Top 5 at Five
1. In the Beginning/Shout at the Devil - Motley Crue
2. Panama - Van Halen
3. Heaven - Bryan Adams
4. Rock You Like a Hurricane - Scorpions
5. Runaway - Bon Jovi
Hmm. All we got was 1 inch of snow so school was on today. However, it was colder than shit, too! I froze my buns off! Brr!
[Girl's] mom was guest speaker in Civics today. She was talking about Women's Week. Big deal. We finally took that Geometry test. I think I did good.
After school I went with Mom to PGA and I saw [classmate] (who works there) and [another classmate].
I can't wait till tomorrow night.
- The Barbarian
Postscript: Excitement was building throughout this week for my buddy's party. I didn't get to go to many social events outside of school, so this was huge for me. I was talking to some high school buddies of mine last year and they were talking about the massive amount of partying they did. I had no clue. You can see how overprotective my mom was. It was like living in a bubble at times. Although I suppose my liver thanks her for that today. Still, I made up for lost time when I got to college.
Historically, I never had problems with behavior in school until I got to New Hampshire. Then I started amping up the wiseass factor in class to impress the other kids. So even though some teachers are portrayed here as hassling me for no reason, I'm sure I was being a total pain in the ass.
Funny, when this Alarm song first hit the radio, it reminded me of a more radical U2, especially with the crazy hair. Turns out they weren't very radical at all, but I still dug the hell out of this song.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Through the Past Dorkily: Looks That Kill
Editor's note: Through the Past Dorkily is a recurring feature that looks back at the embarrassingly dorky diary I kept as a 16-year-old in 1984.
Friday, January 13, 1984
WAAF Top 5 at Five
1. Sister Christian - Night Ranger
2. Looks That Kill - Motley Crue
3. The Heart of Rock 'n Roll - Huey Lewis and the News
4. Bark at the Moon - OZZY
5. Hot for Teacher - Van Halen!
Talk about Friday the 13th! I got a friggin' 69 on my Algebra II test and a zero on a quiz in French!
But, all that aside, I'm doing all right. I did good on my driving appointment today. We were doing parallel parking.
I'm really looking forward to [redacted's] party tomorrow. Jeremy is going to give me a ride. He'll pick me up at 7. I think I'm gonna get [redacted] one of those funny cards.
Oboy!
Later,
The Barbarian
Postscript: Ah, the anticipation of a big party. I believe this was the first party I'd been invited to, so naturally hopes were high. Not sure what "one of those funny cards" ended up being, but I'm sure it was pretty tame compared to the raunchy stuff you can get today. This girl was a friend and was probably the hottest girl in the sophomore class. That said, she also had a serious boyfriend and was way out of my league, but I had no unrealistic ideas about hooking up with her. No, this was just a way to escape the mind-crushing boredom of my family life for a few hours.
BTW, the Motley Crue video below is hilarious. So goddamn stupid. It's kinda funny to think that folks like Tipper Gore were so up in arms over these dopes. But I was into the first few Crue albums, I will admit. Good, dumb rock n' roll.
Friday, January 13, 1984
WAAF Top 5 at Five
1. Sister Christian - Night Ranger
2. Looks That Kill - Motley Crue
3. The Heart of Rock 'n Roll - Huey Lewis and the News
4. Bark at the Moon - OZZY
5. Hot for Teacher - Van Halen!
Talk about Friday the 13th! I got a friggin' 69 on my Algebra II test and a zero on a quiz in French!
But, all that aside, I'm doing all right. I did good on my driving appointment today. We were doing parallel parking.
I'm really looking forward to [redacted's] party tomorrow. Jeremy is going to give me a ride. He'll pick me up at 7. I think I'm gonna get [redacted] one of those funny cards.
Oboy!
Later,
The Barbarian
Postscript: Ah, the anticipation of a big party. I believe this was the first party I'd been invited to, so naturally hopes were high. Not sure what "one of those funny cards" ended up being, but I'm sure it was pretty tame compared to the raunchy stuff you can get today. This girl was a friend and was probably the hottest girl in the sophomore class. That said, she also had a serious boyfriend and was way out of my league, but I had no unrealistic ideas about hooking up with her. No, this was just a way to escape the mind-crushing boredom of my family life for a few hours.
BTW, the Motley Crue video below is hilarious. So goddamn stupid. It's kinda funny to think that folks like Tipper Gore were so up in arms over these dopes. But I was into the first few Crue albums, I will admit. Good, dumb rock n' roll.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Through the Past Dorkily: The Social Network
Editor's note: Through the Past Dorkily is a recurring feature that looks back at the embarrassingly dorky diary I kept as a 16-year-old in 1984.
Thursday, January 12, 1984
WAAF Top 5 at Five
1. Jump - Van Halen
2. Sister Christian - Night Ranger
3. Owner of a Lonely Heart - Yes
4. 99 Red Balloons - Nena
5. Some Heads are Gonna Roll - Judas Priest
I finally finished my Geog. research paper today! 9 pages!
I got an invitation from [redacted] for [redacted's] surprise party. Jeremy's gonna give me a ride there. It's on Saturday the 14th and I can't wait!
Driver's Ed is over! Yaaah! I can't believe it, but we're finally outta there! Yahoo!
Things are going pretty good for me right now. [Redacted] invited me to his party on Saturday but I had to say no because I'm going to [redacted's]. But at least I was invited! I think I'm starting to fit in quite nicely here!
Later, man.
- The Barbarian
Postscript: One reason I made friends so quickly after arriving in Kingston was I had to make up some requirements so I was in a few classes as a junior that primarily sophomores took, like History and Geography. As a result, I hung out with a lot of those kids as well as the ones in my grade. It took a few months, but I was getting invited to parties, which was huge. I didn't end up going to a lot of parties, but it was good to be considered. Ultimately, I wanted to get a girlfriend because I had never had one before. This school was my fourth in three years of high school, which made it difficult to make any friends, let alone female friends. I was just hoping we stuck around long enough for something good to happen.
Getting my driver's license was another huge event that I was approaching. As I mentioned in a previous post, things were pretty spread out here in southern NH, so you really needed a car to get around. I had a bike and used that to get to soccer practice the previous summer, but in the winter, it wasn't an option. My buddy Jeremy lived just down the road and started giving me rides to school in his Celica. Dude was a maniac. He would hit 100 mph sometimes on our way and if the parking lot was the least bit icy, he loved to do emergency brake slides and donuts. At first, it was kind of scary but after a while, it was like riding a roller coaster. Thankfully the town was big and there weren't a lot of cops around.
Thursday, January 12, 1984
WAAF Top 5 at Five
1. Jump - Van Halen
2. Sister Christian - Night Ranger
3. Owner of a Lonely Heart - Yes
4. 99 Red Balloons - Nena
5. Some Heads are Gonna Roll - Judas Priest
I finally finished my Geog. research paper today! 9 pages!
I got an invitation from [redacted] for [redacted's] surprise party. Jeremy's gonna give me a ride there. It's on Saturday the 14th and I can't wait!
Driver's Ed is over! Yaaah! I can't believe it, but we're finally outta there! Yahoo!
Things are going pretty good for me right now. [Redacted] invited me to his party on Saturday but I had to say no because I'm going to [redacted's]. But at least I was invited! I think I'm starting to fit in quite nicely here!
Later, man.
- The Barbarian
Postscript: One reason I made friends so quickly after arriving in Kingston was I had to make up some requirements so I was in a few classes as a junior that primarily sophomores took, like History and Geography. As a result, I hung out with a lot of those kids as well as the ones in my grade. It took a few months, but I was getting invited to parties, which was huge. I didn't end up going to a lot of parties, but it was good to be considered. Ultimately, I wanted to get a girlfriend because I had never had one before. This school was my fourth in three years of high school, which made it difficult to make any friends, let alone female friends. I was just hoping we stuck around long enough for something good to happen.
Getting my driver's license was another huge event that I was approaching. As I mentioned in a previous post, things were pretty spread out here in southern NH, so you really needed a car to get around. I had a bike and used that to get to soccer practice the previous summer, but in the winter, it wasn't an option. My buddy Jeremy lived just down the road and started giving me rides to school in his Celica. Dude was a maniac. He would hit 100 mph sometimes on our way and if the parking lot was the least bit icy, he loved to do emergency brake slides and donuts. At first, it was kind of scary but after a while, it was like riding a roller coaster. Thankfully the town was big and there weren't a lot of cops around.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Don't Look Back
Ever run into somebody you haven't seen in a while and then remember the first time you met him or her? Yesterday morning, I was out for a run when I passed a runner going in the opposite direction. I nodded my head to acknowledge him as I usually do to fellow runners when I realized I knew him from somewhere.
I continued running for a few minutes before I realized how I knew him: At a raucous post-softball party at the house I shared with two roommates 14 years ago, I poked my head into one of my roommates' rooms to find this guy and another doing lines of cocaine off a glass table. Now this may not be that bizarre of a tale coming from a party of youngish adults in the late '90s, but nevertheless, I didn't know these people and they were doing drugs in my house. I'm no prude and my roomies and I drank a LOT back then, but none of us did drugs, especially the powdery stuff. I didn't take immediate action, other than to go downstairs and say to my roommate, "Do you know there are dudes doing coke in your room right now?" Then I proceeded to continue with the partying and such.
I don't remember what my roommate did then, if he did anything, but I never saw those guys in my house again. If I recall correctly, we had gone to a now-defunct bar called Crackers for the traditional post-game libations and spent several hours there before coming back to our place and inviting a bunch of people with us. Those guys must have tagged along. I did run into both of them at different points in the years that followed, but we never made mention of the coke incident. Hey, everybody's done stuff at parties they don't necessarily want to be reminded about.
But it's probably been a decade since I saw the guy I passed yesterday. As I ran, I wondered if he remembered that little incident or if it was just a blip on the radar screen of his life. I certainly hadn't thought about it in many years. My partying days are way behind me; Deb and I probably party more in New Jersey with her brother Matt and his friends than we do up here. Now, when we do imbibe with friends, it tends to be a much more low-key gathering because we all have kids and have responsibilities beyond ourselves. And we've hosted our share of BBQs, but I can't remember the last time we held a party. Which is fine with me. Some things are better left in the past.
I continued running for a few minutes before I realized how I knew him: At a raucous post-softball party at the house I shared with two roommates 14 years ago, I poked my head into one of my roommates' rooms to find this guy and another doing lines of cocaine off a glass table. Now this may not be that bizarre of a tale coming from a party of youngish adults in the late '90s, but nevertheless, I didn't know these people and they were doing drugs in my house. I'm no prude and my roomies and I drank a LOT back then, but none of us did drugs, especially the powdery stuff. I didn't take immediate action, other than to go downstairs and say to my roommate, "Do you know there are dudes doing coke in your room right now?" Then I proceeded to continue with the partying and such.
I don't remember what my roommate did then, if he did anything, but I never saw those guys in my house again. If I recall correctly, we had gone to a now-defunct bar called Crackers for the traditional post-game libations and spent several hours there before coming back to our place and inviting a bunch of people with us. Those guys must have tagged along. I did run into both of them at different points in the years that followed, but we never made mention of the coke incident. Hey, everybody's done stuff at parties they don't necessarily want to be reminded about.
But it's probably been a decade since I saw the guy I passed yesterday. As I ran, I wondered if he remembered that little incident or if it was just a blip on the radar screen of his life. I certainly hadn't thought about it in many years. My partying days are way behind me; Deb and I probably party more in New Jersey with her brother Matt and his friends than we do up here. Now, when we do imbibe with friends, it tends to be a much more low-key gathering because we all have kids and have responsibilities beyond ourselves. And we've hosted our share of BBQs, but I can't remember the last time we held a party. Which is fine with me. Some things are better left in the past.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Mixology: Chex Party Mix
Mixology is a recurring feature in which I take a look at one of the many mix tapes I made over the years. Some are better than others, but all of them are fun to revisit.
Chex Party Mix (12/87)
In December 1987, I was in my junior year of college at UNH, living off-campus for the first time with three roommates. I believe we were preparing for a big blowout party to mark the end of the semester and our monthlong holiday break (man, do I sure miss those). I had the bright idea to make a tape that would totally knock the socks off all the various partygoers.
However, listening to it now, I'm reminded that I was going through a definite mainstream music phase. This was certainly influenced by my roomies; we watched a lot of MTV and listened to a lot of top 40 music. I had to indulge my hard rock/metal tendencies on my Sony Walkman.
I actually took a lot of time crafting this tape to appeal to the disparate constituencies who would hear it: Jocks (my roomies were football players), girls, other people, me. Which explains the Billy Joel song, which I don't even remember liking. And the presence of Steve Winwood, Don Henley and The Firm. Yikes. I also included plenty of comedy throughout from folks like Eddie Murphy and Bob and Doug McKenzie, because who doesn't want to hear comedy on the stereo at a party?
I was using my crappy all-in-one stereo to make the tape, using the dual cassette deck to tape songs off other tapes. The sound quality isn't ideal, but it's okay. So cue the party...I pop in the tape and naturally expect everyone to stop what they're doing and listen to every little nuance. But that's not how parties work, at least not in 1987 in Apt. 9 of Nick's Bricks in Durham, NH. People get loud, people get drunk and people want music to dance to. After a while, I could see folks weren't really digging the tape, so I threw in something else. Probably Billy Joel's Greatest Hits. Hey, the party was fun.
Side A
Louie Louie - John Belushi
The Beerhunter - Bob & Doug McKenzie
It's Tricky - Run DMC
Shock the Monkey - Peter Gabriel
Watching the Detectives - Elvis Costello
Girlfriend is Better (live) - Talking Heads
Singers - Eddie Murphy
Under My Thumb - The Rolling Stones
The Boys of Summer - Don Henley
I Missed Again - Phil Collins
Side B
Welcome to Side 2 - Bob & Doug McKenzie
Doug's Mouth - Bob & Doug McKenzie
Where Have All the Good Times Gone? - Van Halen
Soul Man (live) - Blues Brothers
Big Man on Mulberry Street - Billy Joel
Once in a Lifetime (live) - Talking Heads
The World Where You Live - Crowded House
Ice Cream Man - Van Halen
Ice Cream Man - Eddie Murphy
Lil' Devil - The Cult
Split Decision - Steve Winwood
Radioactive - The Firm
Happy Trails - Van Halen
Huh?
Yeah:
Chex Party Mix (12/87)
In December 1987, I was in my junior year of college at UNH, living off-campus for the first time with three roommates. I believe we were preparing for a big blowout party to mark the end of the semester and our monthlong holiday break (man, do I sure miss those). I had the bright idea to make a tape that would totally knock the socks off all the various partygoers.
However, listening to it now, I'm reminded that I was going through a definite mainstream music phase. This was certainly influenced by my roomies; we watched a lot of MTV and listened to a lot of top 40 music. I had to indulge my hard rock/metal tendencies on my Sony Walkman.
I actually took a lot of time crafting this tape to appeal to the disparate constituencies who would hear it: Jocks (my roomies were football players), girls, other people, me. Which explains the Billy Joel song, which I don't even remember liking. And the presence of Steve Winwood, Don Henley and The Firm. Yikes. I also included plenty of comedy throughout from folks like Eddie Murphy and Bob and Doug McKenzie, because who doesn't want to hear comedy on the stereo at a party?
I was using my crappy all-in-one stereo to make the tape, using the dual cassette deck to tape songs off other tapes. The sound quality isn't ideal, but it's okay. So cue the party...I pop in the tape and naturally expect everyone to stop what they're doing and listen to every little nuance. But that's not how parties work, at least not in 1987 in Apt. 9 of Nick's Bricks in Durham, NH. People get loud, people get drunk and people want music to dance to. After a while, I could see folks weren't really digging the tape, so I threw in something else. Probably Billy Joel's Greatest Hits. Hey, the party was fun.
Side A
Louie Louie - John Belushi
The Beerhunter - Bob & Doug McKenzie
It's Tricky - Run DMC
Shock the Monkey - Peter Gabriel
Watching the Detectives - Elvis Costello
Girlfriend is Better (live) - Talking Heads
Singers - Eddie Murphy
Under My Thumb - The Rolling Stones
The Boys of Summer - Don Henley
I Missed Again - Phil Collins
Side B
Welcome to Side 2 - Bob & Doug McKenzie
Doug's Mouth - Bob & Doug McKenzie
Where Have All the Good Times Gone? - Van Halen
Soul Man (live) - Blues Brothers
Big Man on Mulberry Street - Billy Joel
Once in a Lifetime (live) - Talking Heads
The World Where You Live - Crowded House
Ice Cream Man - Van Halen
Ice Cream Man - Eddie Murphy
Lil' Devil - The Cult
Split Decision - Steve Winwood
Radioactive - The Firm
Happy Trails - Van Halen
Huh?
Yeah:
Monday, September 07, 2009
The Beginning After the End
Another Labor Day weekend is over, which means the unofficial end of summer. Even though school began last week for Deb and Hannah, Lily has her momentous first official day of kindergarten tomorrow. I'm going to drop her off at school in the morning, but she'll ride home on the bus with her sister. She's pretty excited.
We had a great weekend in NJ. Lots of outdoor activities. On Saturday, the girls went water tubing while Matt and I got runs in. I did a quick 5-miler just to test out the sore leg and felt okay. Matt did a beast of a trail run: 23 miles in 6 hours. And he saw a friggin' rattlesnake out there. We went down to the lake again and hung out until dark. Yesterday, I ran 10 miles and felt pretty strong for the most part. The kids then took part in an impromptu triathlon: swimming at the lake, a quick bike ride and then a .6 mile run to Matt's house and back to the lake. Tricia got Hannah, who to this point had been unwilling/unable to ride her new bike (which doesn't have training wheels), to ride her bike around the parking lot. It basically involved running with her and then letting go; Hannah wiped out a few times but got the hang of it. She's still pretty scared of injuring herself, but she can do it. Matt and Tricia then hosted a little get-together that was full of beverages, good food and backyard games. I played beer pong for the first time since the early '90s when my old college roommate Smitty and I visited his brother at Harvard. This time was different in that we were tossing the balls into cups of water and then just drinking from our beers, as opposed to throwing balls into cups of beer and then downing those. At any rate, I did pretty well, even as I got progressively inebriated. Luckily for me, I had the good sense to stop drinking around 9, which meant I wasn't hurting as we drove home today.
We got home in mid-afternoon and took the girls out to ride their bikes, but Hannah wanted no part of it. It was kind of discouraging; even when she was pedaling without help, she was freaking out a bit. She just needs to get used to it, I guess.
Wednesday night hockey in Lynn starts up again this week, so that will be fun, although I'll miss the earlier hour at Pingree. And I found out today that my Reach the Beach team starts at 12:20 p.m. on the 18th, which is about in the middle of the pack. The slowest groups start at 7:30 a.m., while the fastest groups are heading out at 4 p.m.
We had a great weekend in NJ. Lots of outdoor activities. On Saturday, the girls went water tubing while Matt and I got runs in. I did a quick 5-miler just to test out the sore leg and felt okay. Matt did a beast of a trail run: 23 miles in 6 hours. And he saw a friggin' rattlesnake out there. We went down to the lake again and hung out until dark. Yesterday, I ran 10 miles and felt pretty strong for the most part. The kids then took part in an impromptu triathlon: swimming at the lake, a quick bike ride and then a .6 mile run to Matt's house and back to the lake. Tricia got Hannah, who to this point had been unwilling/unable to ride her new bike (which doesn't have training wheels), to ride her bike around the parking lot. It basically involved running with her and then letting go; Hannah wiped out a few times but got the hang of it. She's still pretty scared of injuring herself, but she can do it. Matt and Tricia then hosted a little get-together that was full of beverages, good food and backyard games. I played beer pong for the first time since the early '90s when my old college roommate Smitty and I visited his brother at Harvard. This time was different in that we were tossing the balls into cups of water and then just drinking from our beers, as opposed to throwing balls into cups of beer and then downing those. At any rate, I did pretty well, even as I got progressively inebriated. Luckily for me, I had the good sense to stop drinking around 9, which meant I wasn't hurting as we drove home today.
We got home in mid-afternoon and took the girls out to ride their bikes, but Hannah wanted no part of it. It was kind of discouraging; even when she was pedaling without help, she was freaking out a bit. She just needs to get used to it, I guess.
Wednesday night hockey in Lynn starts up again this week, so that will be fun, although I'll miss the earlier hour at Pingree. And I found out today that my Reach the Beach team starts at 12:20 p.m. on the 18th, which is about in the middle of the pack. The slowest groups start at 7:30 a.m., while the fastest groups are heading out at 4 p.m.
Monday, February 02, 2009
Animal Party
Happy Groundhog Day. Of course, if you actually believe in Punxsutawney Phil's forecast, you're not too happy because he saw his shadow today. Ergo, six more weeks of winter. Let's hope he's wrong, because I'm sick of it already. After two mild days, we're supposed to get 3 to 6 more inches of snow starting tomorrow. Enuff Z'nuff!
So the weekend in Jersey was fun. I headed out at 8 a.m. Saturday for my 20-miler. Alas, I wasn't quite prepared for it to be so damn cold: it was 17 degrees with some serious winds kicking in from time to time. I had three layers on, but I skipped the face protection thinking it wouldn't be too bad. I was wrong. Part of the route I was supposed to do was a fire road that cuts through the woods in the state park near Matt and Tricia's house, but it was still covered in the six inches of snow they got last week. So I did a couple of loops through the park and ended up running about 14.5 miles in 2:10. I could have added on some more miles but I was so damn cold that I just wanted to get back.
The party that night was a blast. The theme was a luau, so I got to bust out my Hawaiian shirt. I steered clear of any mixed drinks and stuck to Sam Adams Winter Lager for most of the evening, but I was still pretty toasted by night's end. I played darts late in the night and actually hit a couple of bullseyes. But it was a late one. I usually avoid late-night snacks, but I chowed on meatballs and desserts and all sorts of stuff that was laying around. Didn't hit the hay until 3 a.m. I got up at 8:30, awakened by the kids running around. I felt pretty lousy, but seemed to do better after getting up and showered. We got on the road by 10, but I didn't feel great. It wasn't my head, it was my stomach. I also had trouble focusing on anything I was reading, so I nodded off for much of the trip. Fortunately, Deb was driving. I skipped lunch and didn't feel like my appetite was back until 2:30. We picked up some groceries and I grilled up some delicious steak tips in the backyard.
I had no intentions of watching the entire Super Bowl game, but it ended up being a terrific contest. I was hoping the Cards would win, but that ridiculously awesome TD by Santonio Holmes was a great finish. It reminded me of the Cassell-to-Moss play the Pats pulled off with a second to go to tie the Jets a few months back.
I know I said I would record the podcast yesterday, but it got so late after I watched the game that I waited until tonight. But I was having printer issues (i.e., the piece of crap isn't working), so I'll have to do the show tomorrow.
Deb and I both slept downstairs last night. We've had some sort of critter scurrying around in the attic ceiling above our bedroom for a while now, on and off. Deb's been hearing it for the last week or so and when she does, she can't sleep. I can usually fall asleep, but last night, I could hear the little bastard (or bastards) squeaking away and couldn't get the sound out of my head. Even though I'm pretty confident there's no way they can actually get into our bedroom, I knew I was getting no sleep up there. So I came down and slept on the futon in our guest room while Deb slept on the couch in the living room. I called the pest removal guy we had come out after the bat attack in the summer and he said we'd have to cut a hole in the wall in the attic eaves so he could put some traps down. He said the animals could be mice or squirrels. A friend of ours does a lot of carpentry work on the side, so we're hoping he can help us out. The fun never ends.
So the weekend in Jersey was fun. I headed out at 8 a.m. Saturday for my 20-miler. Alas, I wasn't quite prepared for it to be so damn cold: it was 17 degrees with some serious winds kicking in from time to time. I had three layers on, but I skipped the face protection thinking it wouldn't be too bad. I was wrong. Part of the route I was supposed to do was a fire road that cuts through the woods in the state park near Matt and Tricia's house, but it was still covered in the six inches of snow they got last week. So I did a couple of loops through the park and ended up running about 14.5 miles in 2:10. I could have added on some more miles but I was so damn cold that I just wanted to get back.
The party that night was a blast. The theme was a luau, so I got to bust out my Hawaiian shirt. I steered clear of any mixed drinks and stuck to Sam Adams Winter Lager for most of the evening, but I was still pretty toasted by night's end. I played darts late in the night and actually hit a couple of bullseyes. But it was a late one. I usually avoid late-night snacks, but I chowed on meatballs and desserts and all sorts of stuff that was laying around. Didn't hit the hay until 3 a.m. I got up at 8:30, awakened by the kids running around. I felt pretty lousy, but seemed to do better after getting up and showered. We got on the road by 10, but I didn't feel great. It wasn't my head, it was my stomach. I also had trouble focusing on anything I was reading, so I nodded off for much of the trip. Fortunately, Deb was driving. I skipped lunch and didn't feel like my appetite was back until 2:30. We picked up some groceries and I grilled up some delicious steak tips in the backyard.
I had no intentions of watching the entire Super Bowl game, but it ended up being a terrific contest. I was hoping the Cards would win, but that ridiculously awesome TD by Santonio Holmes was a great finish. It reminded me of the Cassell-to-Moss play the Pats pulled off with a second to go to tie the Jets a few months back.
I know I said I would record the podcast yesterday, but it got so late after I watched the game that I waited until tonight. But I was having printer issues (i.e., the piece of crap isn't working), so I'll have to do the show tomorrow.
Deb and I both slept downstairs last night. We've had some sort of critter scurrying around in the attic ceiling above our bedroom for a while now, on and off. Deb's been hearing it for the last week or so and when she does, she can't sleep. I can usually fall asleep, but last night, I could hear the little bastard (or bastards) squeaking away and couldn't get the sound out of my head. Even though I'm pretty confident there's no way they can actually get into our bedroom, I knew I was getting no sleep up there. So I came down and slept on the futon in our guest room while Deb slept on the couch in the living room. I called the pest removal guy we had come out after the bat attack in the summer and he said we'd have to cut a hole in the wall in the attic eaves so he could put some traps down. He said the animals could be mice or squirrels. A friend of ours does a lot of carpentry work on the side, so we're hoping he can help us out. The fun never ends.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Daddy Needs a Drink
Gotta admit, I'm moving a little slower today. We were down in Joisey this weekend for Matt and Tricia's annual "midwinter blues" party; we shipped the kids off to Tricia's parents to spend the night. It was a good time. There was a good bunch of folks there, most of whom were enjoying the chance to socialize without their kids around. The drinks were flowing freely; I even did a shot of Goldschlager, which I hadn't had since the mid-90s. Unfortunately for us, we had to hit the road early because Hannah had a birthday party to attend in the early afternoon, so there wasn't much opportunity to sleep off the hangover. Hence the fuzziness of the brain.
Actually, I feel fine, especially now that we're home. I was able to get a 14-mile run in yesterday through the state park near Matt's house, although the hills were tough. Next week, I'm supposed to do a 17-miler.
Pockets of congestion:
Actually, I feel fine, especially now that we're home. I was able to get a 14-mile run in yesterday through the state park near Matt's house, although the hills were tough. Next week, I'm supposed to do a 17-miler.
Pockets of congestion:
- Even if you're not a hockey fan, you should check out this clip from the press conference announcing the hiring of Cliff Fletcher as the interim general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Go to the 4:45 mark and watch one of the weirdest things I've ever seen. While Fletcher is speaking, team president Richard Peddie mouths the exact same words that Fletcher is delivering. Obviously, the remarks were prepared and they went over them, but it looks like he's a ventriloquist or something. As if they needed any more help to become the laughingstock of the league.
- Here's an artifact from days gone by: Somebody uploaded three hours of video from MTV circa the fall of 1983. Not just the videos (including Night Ranger, Sammy Hagar, and Huey Lewis and the News), but VJ Mark Goodman yapping and the commercials, too. It's nothing like what you'd see on that channel today, obviously; it's kind of like the video equivalent of an AOR (that's album-oriented rock if you're unfamiliar with old radio formats) station. Very mellow, no programming other than videos and the occasional contest promo. Here's part 1 of 2 (thanks to Idolator for the tip). We didn't get cable in my podunk NH town until late 1985, so I wasn't yet able to watch MTV at this point; I occasionally saw it at a friend's house in a different town. I only saw music videos on shows like NBC's Friday Night Videos and local fare like Hot Hit Video, a daily show that ran in the afternoons on Boston's Channel 7, and V66, a Boston-based video channel that went on (and off) the air in the mid-80s. We could only get it with rabbit ears, so the picture wasn't very clear, but I remember seeing cool stuff like The Smiths' "How Soon Is Now?" and U2 videos before they were huge. Good times.
- I've been thoroughly enjoying season 5 of The Wire, which sadly will be the last. This season introduced the world of journalism into the show's incisive look at Baltimore. Some have complained that the newspaper stuff isn't as interesting as the gritty crime part of the story, but it all intertwines. Show creator David Simon, a former Baltimore crime reporter, has masterfully incorporated the struggles of the big Baltimore daily to cover the city while dealing with budget cuts and corporate interference. As a former news guy, I can relate to this stuff, but I think it's an important angle for anyone to consider. If you haven't seen this show yet, I recommend renting the first four seasons on DVD because there are so many characters and storylines that you'll be lost if you just start with season 5. It's well worth the time investment.
- Speaking of the boob tube, Lost is back this week with the first of eight new episodes. Originally, the plan was to air 16 consecutive weeks of the new season uninterrupted, but that was before the writer's strike got in the way. Eight shows have been completed; hopefully the damn strike will end so we can see the rest after this long wait. At ABC's Lost home page, there's an 8:15 (the flight that crashed was Oceanic 815, get it?) clip that recaps the show for folks who haven't seen it since last spring. Check it out.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Bamboo Banga
I have to admit, I enjoy those rare weekends where we have nothing planned. No parties, no road trips, no visitors. S'nice. Although we did have plans Friday night, as my company's annual post-holiday party was held at a nearby banquet hall. It was a good time. We did much socializing and the like at the party, despite the fact that the DJs were pretty cheesy. A bunch of us headed to a bar for last call. We ended up getting home just before 1, which is waaaaaay past our bedtimes. But since it happens so rarely that the two of us are out that late (as opposed to me alone, since my Wednesday night hockey games get me home around 12:30), it was no big deal.
I've always enjoyed parties, not so much for the drinking or scamming on wimmenz, but just for the sheer fun of socialization. I like huge parties where you can just walk around and get into conversations with people you know and don't know about any number of things. You know those people who can't stand social situations and would rather stay home curled up with a good book? That ain't me. I honed my love of parties in college and in the first decade or so after I graduated. Nowadays, they happen much more infrequently. But I still love them. I don't need to do shots or play cards or dance the night away, although I have done all of those things at some point in the past. Just give me some good beer and some good friends and I'm happy. Of course, nowadays I'm much more apt to stay home, put the kids to bed and watch a movie or game on TV, but I can still get into party mode if need be.
Alas, Friday night's socialization (plus the half hour I spent after we got home taking out the trash and recycling so I wouldn't have to in the a.m.) kicked my butt. I was pretty wiped yesterday morning. Deb got up and went running at 7 a.m. Me, I made it downstairs and was snoozing on the couch while the girls watched cartoons. I rallied later to run some errands and then went for a 5-mile run in the afternoon. Got out for a 10-miler at noon today. The weather has been great for running, temps in the 40s and dry. The next few days it's supposed to warm up into the 50s. Break out the shorts, baby!
Bullets over Broadway:
I've always enjoyed parties, not so much for the drinking or scamming on wimmenz, but just for the sheer fun of socialization. I like huge parties where you can just walk around and get into conversations with people you know and don't know about any number of things. You know those people who can't stand social situations and would rather stay home curled up with a good book? That ain't me. I honed my love of parties in college and in the first decade or so after I graduated. Nowadays, they happen much more infrequently. But I still love them. I don't need to do shots or play cards or dance the night away, although I have done all of those things at some point in the past. Just give me some good beer and some good friends and I'm happy. Of course, nowadays I'm much more apt to stay home, put the kids to bed and watch a movie or game on TV, but I can still get into party mode if need be.
Alas, Friday night's socialization (plus the half hour I spent after we got home taking out the trash and recycling so I wouldn't have to in the a.m.) kicked my butt. I was pretty wiped yesterday morning. Deb got up and went running at 7 a.m. Me, I made it downstairs and was snoozing on the couch while the girls watched cartoons. I rallied later to run some errands and then went for a 5-mile run in the afternoon. Got out for a 10-miler at noon today. The weather has been great for running, temps in the 40s and dry. The next few days it's supposed to warm up into the 50s. Break out the shorts, baby!
Bullets over Broadway:
- I don't write much about the NBA on this here Internet home page, but I've gotta give props to the Boston Celtics, who have gotten off to a ridiculous 29-3 start this season after being one of the worst teams in the league last year. It's a testament to how much of an impact a couple of marquee players can make on a basketball team. Bringing in Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen has totally turned the team around. Unlike football, baseball or hockey, which all have many more players on the field or ice, in hoops if you can count the aforementioned duo and Paul Pierce as members of your starting five, you can kick some serious ass. So good for them. But I had to crack up when I read about the American Bandstand video clip they play at C's games of a disco-dancing dude who shakes his booty while wearing a vintage Gino Vannelli t-shirt. This video clip provides more information on this phenomenon. Who's Gino Vannelli? Glad you asked. He's a Montreal-born singer who had several hits in the '70s and '80s. As a kid growing up in Toronto, I heard him on the radio all the freakin' time. Here's one of his big hits: I Just Wanna Stop. He was also a manly man, as SCTV showed in this parody featuring the great Eugene Levy as Gino. Awesome.
- So the late-night talk shows came back this week. While I don't give a rat's ass about Leno, I was happy to see Letterman and Conan back. Both guys have grown beards in support of the striking writers. Dave's is especially awe-inspiring, giving him a deranged mountain man look. Next week, the Daily Show and Colbert Report are back, without their writers. Should be innaresting.
- I was late to the party on M.I.A.'s latest album, Kala, because I kept waiting for it to show up on eMusic. Finally, I just bought it the other day off iTunes. But this song, "Paper Planes," has been stuck in my head for a couple of weeks. Doesn't hurt that she samples the Clash's "Straight to Hell" and swipes a verse from the mighty "Rumpshaker" (caution: plenty of early '90s booty and cheesy double entendres).
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