Through the Past Dorkily: The Last in Line

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, August 21, 1984

Song of the day: Wait Until Summer's Gone - Zebra

I got up at 10:30. I didn't do much today, just bummed around. Jeremy called around 1. He said that [cute chick] wanted to go to Canobie Lake sometime before summer ends. Hmm. He also said we'd go to the mall next Wednesday or Thursday.

I went to practice at 5. We did mostly running today. I ran the 40 in 6:40 and 6:18. I ran the mile in 6:23, my personal best. After that, we did even more running, and believe me, I'm gonna be one sore barbarian in the morning.

I gotta get in touch with [metal dude] about the concert.

- The Barbarian

Wednesday, August 22, 1984

Song of the day: I'm Insane - Ratt

I got up at 12 today. I mowed all the weeds from both sides of the house. We did more running at practice today. [Another hot female classmate] came by later on. What a babe.

I called [drummer dude] and he gave me [metal dude's] phone number. I called his house but he was at school.

I get the car tomorrow.

- The Barbarian

Thursday, August 23, 1984

Song of the day: I Can't Shake You - Santers

I got up at 7 and took Mom to work. [Guitar dude] called and asked me if I could give him a ride to work. I went over at 2 and we sat around til 2:45. Disappointment #1: My paycheck was only $73! 20 bucks in taxes. That blows! #2: I called [metal dude]. His mom said I'd have to get a ride to his house. At first, things looked grim. But then I remembered Dad gets home at 5, so I could take his car to [metal dude's] house. Now, I have to find out how to get there. His mom said he'd be home from 12-1:30 tomorrow. I hope I can work this out and see that concert!

- The Barbarian

Friday, August 24, 1984

DIO + TWISTED SISTER CONCERT

Song of the day: The Man on the Silver Mountain - Rainbow

Top 5 at Five
 1. The Last in Line - Dio
2. We're Not Gonna Take It - Twisted Sister
3. On the Dark Side - John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band
4. Missing You - John Waite
5. Talk to Me - Scandal

WOW! What an awesome concert! Dio rules! Twisted Sister rules! We had good seats on the right side of the stage. Dee Snider got in a fight with some bozo in the front row who threw something at him. They played a killer set.

Dio's set had an awesome laser show! Viv Campbell wailed! It was great! I got a Dio jersey and a tour program. I didn't find any good Sister shirts. The show finished at 10:30. I left the car at the Bucket. I got home at 11:45 after a good night of headbanging.

- The Barbarian

Saturday, August 25, 1984

Song of the day: Egypt (The Chains are On) - Dio

Hmm. I went to work at 12. [Supervisor] made up the schedules and gave me stupid hours. 7-1 Sunday and a bunch of 3-10s. I haveta get him to change them.

[Girl I like] came in today to check her hours while I was on lunch. Like I thought, she was on vacation last week. Wow, lotsa babes working. [Another one], what a fox! Yum!

I got the new issue of Guitar. Only thing is, it's the October issue with Ozzy on it. I haven't even gotten the September issue with Scorpions on it. Weird.

- The Barbarian

Sunday, August 26, 1984

Song of the day: Two Minutes to Midnight - Iron Maiden

I got up at 6. Only 4 1/2 hours of sleep! The only thing that made the day worthwhile was the fact that [girl I like] was working 8-1. She definitely likes me! We shared a carton of OJ during our break. What a babe!

I heard Maiden's new single off Powerslave, "Two Minutes to Midnight" and the flipside, "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." Actually, I heard about half of "Mariner" when Mom got a stupid sliver in her finger and as a result, I missed the rest. Mind-blowing metal nonetheless.

- The Barbarian

Monday, August 27, 1984

ALEX LIFESON'S BIRTHDAY

Song of the day: Flesh for Fantasy - Billy Idol

I took Mom to work early so I could get my schedule fixed at 9:30. I got Creative Writing second semester, second period. As I was leaving, [female classmate] drove by. When I got home I called [optometrist] and they just got the contacts in. I went in at 11:30 and got 'em. Now I can see! I have to go back at 2:30 tomorrow to see how they are.

I mowed the lawn at 1.

[Buddy] told me at practice that he quit his job at the Bucket yesterday.

We got a scrimmage in Epping tomorrow. I hope we kick butt!

- The Barbarian

Tuesday, August 28, 1984

Song of the day: Rock Hard, Ride Free - Judas Priest

I took Mom to work. I got 2 records today, April Wine - Nature of the Beast and Van Halen - Fair Warning. Actually, I had to get them at the post office. I met [two classmates] at the plaza.

JP went with [buddy] to some camp for a couple of days.

I went to [optometrist] again today. I learned how to take out and clean and replace my contacts.

We won our scrimmage with Epping, 6-1! They stunk! I only played for most of the 4th quarter.

[Buddy] gets his license tomorrow.

- The Barbarian

Wednesday, August 29, 1984

Song of the day: So This is Love? - Van Halen

Pretty boring day. I just sat around till 4:45, then I went to practice. Yahoo.

- The Barbarian

Thursday, August 30, 1984

Song of the day: Revelation (Mother Earth) - Ozzy

Top 5 at Five
1. On the Dark Side - John Cafferty and Beaver Brown
2. The Last in Line - Dio
3. Walking on a Thin Line - Huey Lewis and the News
4. New Girl Now - Honeymoon Suite
5. I'm on Fire - Bruce Springsteen

Took Mom to work. I paid off my Guitar subscription. Got my check, $52.50. Got my senior pictures. Went to practice. That's it.

- The Barbarian

Friday, August 31, 1984

Song of the day: You're In Trouble - Ratt

What a day. I woke up at 8:15, rode over to the plaza for my 8:45 eye appointment. I got home at 10, or something like that, and went to bed. I got up at 12 and [buddy] picked me up at 12:20. We goofed around for a while and got to the field house around 2:30. We left for Dover at 3:30. We won, 1-0. I didn't play too good because my allergies were killing me. The JVs played 2 quarters after our 3 and we left at 7. After eating at Burger King and all, we got back at 8:30. [Another buddy] gave me a ride home and I got there at 8:45. I ran in and out and made it to work before 9. [Girl I liked] was there. Hmm. I worked with [another dude] in aisles 1, 3 and 4. We all finished stocking at 3:30. The ovens were left unlocked so we had pizza. I got home at 7:15.

- The (crew slut) Barbarian

Saturday, September 1, 1984

Song of the day: Let It Go - Def Leppard

I got up at 3 p.m. I had taken out my contacts before I went to bed, so I put 'em back in.

I got to work early so I could talk to [girl I liked], but she wasn't there. My hours are: Mon 12-10 (time and a half!), Wed 3-10 and Fri NC. Not bad, eh?

I worked with [some dude]. He goofed off so much that it took us longer than it should have. We finished stocking at 2:30.

We took an hour and a half break. Me [and four guys] went up to the catwalk to sit down. [One guy] got a quart of Bud and they all started drinking. They got 2 more quarts (I had a little), and we successfully hid them.

We got out right at 7.

- The Barbarian

Postscript: Life with contacts was a whole new world. I usually just walked around without wearing my glasses, so everything was blurry. I only wore my glasses when I drove or occasionally in class. So this was a big deal. These contacts were soft lenses, but you had to take them out and put them in solution when you weren't wearing them. Required some discipline.

The Dio show was fun. Can't believe I bought a program. I wonder if I still have it somewhere in a box. 

Soccer scrimmages were underway. I didn't play much senior year. Part of it was the coach didn't really know me because I played the previous year on the JV and obviously I wasn't wowing anybody with my athletic ability. I was a pipsqueak and didn't have a lot of power on my shots, and I didn't have blinding speedy or anything like that. I like to think I brought more to table in terms of knowing where to go in front of the net, but unfortunately I sat on the bench most of the season. I started playing again after college and I think I was a better athlete then.

Night crews were fun. I would continue working them periodically for the next five years or so. Totally forgot about drinking beer that time. I remember once having a wine cooler or two. We usually didn't drink because if we got caught, we'd be super-screwed. Plus I didn't really drink much in high school.

This female co-worker and I were starting to get a little close. Actually, there were a couple of them, but once school started, I focused more on girls in my school. Probably a dumb move on my part, but then, I was all about the dumb moves when I was 16.