Through the Past Dorkily: Shapes of Things

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, August 9, 1984

Song of the day: Trampled Underfoot - Led Zeppelin

I can go! Yah! Dad said I could go to the Dio concert! Awesome! Now, I hope [metal dude] got the tickets. Excellent!

The weather was lousy. It was cloudy all day. We went right up to the beach and then turned around. Mom was pissed that we didn't even let [Aunt Redacted] walk around. Oh well...

I got my check ($81.90) today. I put $60 in the bank. Now I have $300 in the can. Good deal.

- The Barbarian

Friday, August 10, 1984

Song of the day: You Really Got Me (live) - Van Halen

I worked today. [Metal dude] gave me my ticket. Later he told me he didn't even ask his parents if they'd take him yet. Great.

After work, me and [guitar dude] went to Friendly's and then to his house where he gave me some of my magazines back. I got home at 12.

- The Barbarian

Saturday, August 11, 1984

Song of the day: Back Where I Started - Box of Frogs

Not bad. In fact, awesome! Rush is playing the Centrum on Oct. 2 and 3! Yaah! Tickets go on sale Wednesday. [Drummer dude] said we'll go down to Methuen Mall and get tickets. Yaah!

[Female co-worker]'s getting pretty friendly. She said [cute girl from school] is a good friend of hers. She lives in Atkinson. Hmm.

I'm working 7-1 tomorrow (ugh) and night crew on Friday (yaaah!).

- The Barbarian

Sunday, August 12, 1984

Song of the day: I Wanna Rock - Twisted Sister

Man, am I tired1 Got up at 6, went to work at 7. I worked till 1, actually there wasn't much to do. Then Mr. C asked if I could stay till 6, working in beer. I said sure. I got lotsa moolah, but I am totally beat.

[Aunt Redacted] goes home tomorrow morning.

- The Barbarian 

Monday, August 13, 1984

Song of the day: Shapes of Things - Gary Moore

Top 5 at Five
1. Still Loving You - Scorpions
2. Walking on a Thin Line - Huey Lewis and the News
3. The Warrior - Scandal
4. Midnight Maniac - Krokus
5. I Love You Suzanne - Lou Reed

Dreary day. All it did was rain on and off all day. [Aunt Redacted] left at 2 in a limo. She got home alright.

Sheer boredom.

- The Barbarian

Tuesday, August 14, 1984

Song of the day: All Night Long - Billy Squier

Top 5 at Five
1. Walking on a Thin Line - Huey Lewis and the News
2. When You Close Your Eyes - Night Ranger
3. Still Loving You - Scorpions
4. Bobbie Jean - Bruce Springsteen
5. Pretty Persuasion - R.E.M.

Boring day. We went to the Methuen Mall. I bought a couple of pins: Twisted Sister and Judas Priest (Metallian). I also got the new Hit Parader and a Creem Metal special.

Mom got me an appointment with an eye doctor so I can get contact lenses! It's on Friday. Wow!

[Drummer dude]'s going to sleep over at the Centrum tonight. I left $20 in the mailbox and he said he'll come by around 12 to get it. I hope he gets it.

- The Barbarian

Wednesday, August 15, 1984

Song of the day: I Can't Drive 55 - Sammy Hagar

Yaah! I got the ticket! Actually, [drummer dude]'s gonna give it to me on Friday. But I got it! Rush! I finally get to see them. I hope I can talk Mom into letting me go. But, hopefully the Dio show will go off alright and Mom will say OK. I hope!

On the way to soccer today (on my bike) I met [another cute girl from school]. Oh my gosh. She had just got out of her swimming pool! Is she a beauty or what? I couldn't believe what a babe she is! Too bad she's going with [friend of mine] or else I'd ask her. Incredible!

Soccer practice is now at 5:30. We didn't have it today because it was too hot. [Buddy] came by in his van and we went burning all over Kingston. The freshmen cheerleaders were practicing at the field house. We noticed one girl who was pretty nice. [Buddy] said he's gonna try and see if she wants to go with him. Things with [his chick] aren]t going too quickly. Kinda like me and [cute chick].

- The Barbarian

Thursday, August 16, 1984

Song of the day: The Horrorteria - Twisted Sister

Top 5 at Five
1. The Last in Line - Dio
2. Hello Again - The Cars
3. Rock You - Helix
4. Crazy - Peter Wolf
5. Faraway Eyes - Adrenaline

Didn't do much today. Got my check ($81.25). I met [female classmate] at the Bucket. She's a babe.

At 5:30, I went to soccer practice. It went alright. I was a little sore afterwards, but not too sore.

- The Barbarian

Friday, August 17, 1984

Song of the day: Drop Dead Legs - Van Halen

Top 5 at Five
1. Bobbie Jean - Bruce Springsteen
2. Still Loving You - Scorpions
3. Leave My Kitten Alone - The Beatles
4. I Can't Drive 55 - Sammy Hagar
5. The Last in Line - Dio

Whew! What a day (night?). I stayed up till 4:30 last night and got up at noon. At 1:30 I rode to the Carriage Town Plaza for my eye check. My vision is 20/120. I tried on contacts. They felt pretty good. Dr. said they'll be ready in a week. Awesome! On the way home, I saw [cute girl] drive by, [dude] drive by and (I think) [cute girl and someone else] who said hi to me. I couldn't tell because I didn't have my glasses on.

At 5:30, I went to practice. I got home at 8, ate dinner and went to work. The crew was me [and six other guys]. We had over 30 pallets but we were done early. I stayed awake! I got home at 7 and went to bed. Good morning!

- The Barbarian

Saturday, August 18, 1984

Song of the day: Three Lock Box - Sammy Hagar

I got up at 1:30 p.m. At 3, I went to the Basket to see what my hours are. [Supervisor] had me down for Sun 1-6, Tues., Wed. and Fri 3-10 and Sat 12-10. I told him about soccer and he gave Tues., Wed. and Fri. to someone else.

Mom and me went to Exeter and I got 2 pairs of cords, 1 pair of jeans (all Levis), a pair of Nikes and a free wallet.

That's it!

- The Barbarian

Sunday, August 19, 1984

Song of the day: High an' Dry - Def Leppard

I got up at 10:30, took the garbage out and went to work at 1. [Guitar dude] asked me if I would lend him my car because he couldn't get a ride home (at 1). I, stupidly, said yes. Fortunately he got it back alright. He left his keys in it. We're gonna get together and practice tomorrow. [Drummer dude] will pick us up because Mom's taking the car at 6. I have to go for my physical first, though.

- The Barbarian

Monday, August 20, 1984

ROBERT PLANT'S BIRTHDAY

Song of the day: Rock n' Roll's Gonna Save the World - Y&T 

Top 5 at Five
1. The Last in Line - Dio
2. Leave My Kitten Alone - The Beatles
3. Hello Again - The Cars
4. New Girl Now - Honeymoon Suite
5. The Warrior - Scandal

Wow! I got up at 10:40, 20 minutes after I was supposed to have my physical. I rode down to the school, got it over with and got home by 12. I had some breakfast and then [drummer dude] called at 1 and said we were gonna practice. So, before they came, I quickly vaccumed and washed the dishes. When we got to [drummer dude]'s house, we started to do "Foolin'" by Leppard. I didn't play any guitar today. I sang lead vocals on "Foolin", but I didn't do too hot 'cause my voice can't hit the high notes. It kept cracking on the high parts. Also, we had and taped 2 jams (actually the other dudes did the jammin', I just watched). I got home at 5 and took off for soccer practice. I got home at 8. I'm gonna try and write some songs tomorrow.

- The Barbarian

Postscript: Lots going on in this installment. I got fitted for contact lenses after a few years of squinting because I refused to wear my dorky glasses. I played soccer the previous year with everything blurry; hey, I could see the ball and differentiate my teammates from the opponent. But contacts definitely changed things for the better.

Scored tickets to a couple of big arena concerts: Dio/Twisted Sister and Rush. This was big because my parents actually started letting me go to things. Previously, I just read about concerts.

The band thing was still sorta happening, but it was becoming quickly apparent that I brought next to nothing to the table.

Another new development was working a night crew. They'd lock us in the store after close on Friday or Saturday and we'd stock shelves all night. We'd crank music and eat food and have a blast, all while making time and a half. 

Soccer practice started. I was riding my bike to practice. I can still remember that first day running into the hot chick in the bikini. Damn.