Through the Past Dorkily: Are We Ourselves?

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, September 20, 1984

Song of the day: Blue Jean - David Bowie

Top 5 at Five
1. Pride (In the Name of Love) - U2
2. I Can't Drive 55 - Sammy Hagar
3. Mystery - Dio
4. Blue Jean - David Bowie
5. Ride With You - Blackfoot

Good news and bad news. The bad news is that I have a chest cold and I feel terrible.

The College Fair went alright. I got a bunch of info.

I found out that [buddy] dumped his girlfriend yesterday and is now seeing [another girl] who broke up with her boyfriend. Whew! It happened so fast! Just a couple of days ago, they were doing fine. Weird, man.

When I got back to the school, I felt so lousy that I went to the nurse's office and laid down for the last 2 periods. I dozed off and woke up to find [cute nerdy girl] sitting beside me. We were talking and I think she really likes me a lot. I called her when I got home. She asked me to call her again at 7:30. I did. She does like me. Wow.

I hope I get better. I wanna play Saturday.

I got my paycheck, $47.

- The Barbarian

Friday, September 21, 1984

Song of the day: Flamethrower - J. Geils Band

MY BIRTHDAY

Whew! What a day! I got up, my cough wasn't as bad, but my nose was running like crazy. There was an announcement on wishing me Happy B-day, but it didn't say who it was from. So all day, people were wishing me HB. [Hot chick] told me she was taking me out tonight. How could I refuse? I worked it out with [Journalism teacher] so I don't lose any points for losing those stories. Whew! I got an 86 on that Psych test. Oh well. Field Biology test Monday. I went to practice after school. I got home around 5:30. We ordered pizza but Mom got home around 7:30 with it. We ate that and some cake. [Cute nerdy girl] called and told me she put that announcement on. Wow! I thought it was [hot chick]. I think [CNG] really has the hots for me. After that, around 9, [a buddy and a cute chick] showed up. We were about to leave when his car broke down. We jumped it and went to Hawaiian Islands or Chinese food. [Buddy] took his car home. He was pissed. Me and [cute chick] got a table and later a bunch of friends showed up. [Buddy] came later. We ate till 10:45 and went to Jeremy's house. They gave me another cake and we watched Private School for Girls till 12:30. Then I came home. Phew!

- The Barbarian

Saturday, September 22, 1984

Song of the day: Are We Ourselves? - The Fixx

I got up at 8. At 9:30, we went to Exeter. We played a great but lost, 1-0. We deserved to win. I played most of the 2nd quarter and some of the 4th. I got home at 1:15 and went to work. I got home at 9:50.

I got permission to see Rush! Yah!

- The Barbarian

Sunday, September 23, 1984

Song of the day: Tooth and Nail - Dokken

I got up at 7. I got to work at 8:15. There wasn't much to do. On our hour lunch, we all went to Papa Gino's.

I got home at 7.

I called [CNG] at 7:30. Man, she is wicked suggestive! She was flirting with me like crazy on the phone! Hiawatha!

Mom got me a Toshiba walkman. Cassette with FM tuner pack. It's great!

- The Barbarian

Monday, September 24, 1984

Song of the day: Flash of the Blade - Iron Maiden

Good day, sort of. Jeremy came by at 7:10 but I didn't hear him. I went out at 7:20 and waited till 7:30. Then I got a ride from Mom. I missed homeroom.

I took the Field Bio test. It was easy.

We had a light practice today. After I got home, [CNG] called me. She said she liked me even before we met. She told me she thought I was cute. Awesome! What a babe! She's great!

- The Barbarian

Tuesday, September 25, 1984

Song of the day: Donut City - Eddie Van Halen

Top 5 at Five
1. Amanda - Boston
2. Teacher Teacher - .38 Special
3. Pride (In the Name of Love) - U2
4. Kashmir - Led Zeppelin
5. Donut City - Eddie Van Halen

I got a 97 on that Field Bio test! Yaah!

[CNG] is awesome! I was talking to her after school. She's got a dirty mind, just like me! Seriously, this looks good.

We tied Newmarket 1-1. We shoulda killed 'em! Next is Pelham. We have to win!

[CNG] is awesome!

- The Barbarian

Wednesday, September 26, 1984

Song of the day: Tears - John Waite

My "Cable Crisis" story went in the paper after all. And my "Writer's Block" story is going in next week. I finally got my 1st program done in Computers.

Man, [CNG]'s incredible! She wrote me a letter today. We were sitting together after school and she started touching my knee. Wow! I almost died! Man! She came by the field house before practice. I called her when I got home. She called me at 9, just to say goodnight. She really digs me. And what's better, I really dig her!

Dad was crying today. I couldn't believe it. He said he missed his family. He told us he cries all the time. I still can't believe it!

[CNG]. Wow.

- The Barbarian

Thursday, September 27, 1984

Song of the day: Teacher Teacher - 38 Special

Today was alright. Classes were boring. [CNG] was great!

We won! We beat Pelham 1-0! They played wicked dirty. I didn't even get to play at all. That sucked!

I got my check today, $22.

- The Barbarian

Friday, September 28, 1984

Song of the day: Goodbye to You - Scandal

I don't believe this is happening to me. The day zipped by, the dance has started. Good videos. Crue, VH, TS, etc. [CNG] kissed me all of a sudden. We kissed a bit, had one slow dance. I'm feeling great! We leave at 10:30, but she wants to talk in the car. Uh oh. This is the bad part. She said she wanted to keep seeing me, but she wanted to date other guys at the same time. This hit me like a friggin' bomb! I couldn't believe it. Of course, I'd never be able to do that. I'd be so jealous. I took her home. We stayed in the car for a while. We started kissing, frenching, I guess to get as much in before saying goodbye. Man, is she a great kisser. She said her parents have divorced 2 times and she was scared to have a relationship. Great. Where does this leave me?

Alone.

Again.

- The Barbarian

Saturday, September 29, 1984

Song of the day: Amanda - Boston

Man, life's a bummer! I miss [CNG]. A lot.

We lost to Trinity, 2-0. It was a close game but no cigar. Too bad. Next is Oyster River. Great.

Jeremy, his girlfriend and me went to see The Wild Life. It was pretty cool. Eddie VH did the soundtrack so I really got into that.

I have to work Sun 7-6 and Sat 12-9. [Ex-gf] told me last night her party was moved up to Oct. 6, but I can't go now.

[CNG].

- The Barbarian

Sunday, September 30, 1984

Song of the day: Stone Free (live) - Jimi Hendrix

What a lousy day. I got up at 6, went to work. One guy quit, another guy got fired, another guy quit. I came home for lunch. I called [CNG]. She didn't have time to talk because she had to go out. I went back, got out at 7. I did my homework. I feel lousy.

- The Barbarian

Monday, October 1, 1984

Song of the day: Fever - Judas Priest

Well. Let's see. [One of my teachers] wasn't here. I didn't get a story done for Journalism.

[Ex-gf] moved her party back to the 20th. Sheesh!

We lost to Oyster River 4-0. We played a good game. Our 5-4-1 defense kept 'em confused. I ran into some big guy and landed on my back! Ouch. It rained all during the game.

Me and [CNG] are going to discuss going out tomorrow morning. I'll keep you posted.

I took $35 out of the bank.

- The Barbarian

Postscript: You've gotta admit, I had a rough year with the ladies. Every time it looked like something was happening, the girl would flake out on me. Yeesh.

When I turned 17, I had a nasty chest cold. When I turned 46, same damn thing.

I didn't write it down, but that dance was a newfangled one: a video dance. They had a big screen set up and showed music videos. I was already overlooking the fact that CNG had told me she liked Air Supply (for reals) and then at this dance, a live video of U2 playing "Sunday Bloody Sunday" was on and she said she hated it. I remember thinking maybe this girl isn't right for me.

Seeing my dad cry was pretty strange for me, since he had never shown any kind of emotion other than anger through my entire childhood. As the boozing increased, so did the blubbering.