Through the Past Dorkily: Aces High

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, September 8, 1984

Song of the day: We Got the Night - Coney Hatch

I got up at 2:30 because Mom kept bugging me. I went at 3:30 to check my hours. They are Tues 6-9, Thurs 3-9 and Friday crew. I told [supervisor] I wanted only weekends yesterday. Dork. I'll have to call him about that 3-9.

I met [girl I like] there. She was pretty happy to see me. I think I'll just be good friends with her. I hardly ever see her anyways. I'm gonna concentrate on Sanborn women.  

The "party" was boring. [Mom's friend's] husband, a teacher, looked at that letter from Yale and freaked out! He said it was invitation to apply to Yale and that I should go for it! Yale, wow!

SNL rerun was the Billy Crystal show. Wicked funny.

- The Barbarian

Sunday, September 9, 1984

Song of the day: Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Iron Maiden

I got up at 9. We went to church, first time since June, I think. Mom wants us to join the youth group there. Great.

I finally got my hair cut today. Looks good, too.

I wrote an article about going back to school. I'm gonna do my Advanced Math homework first period.

I got this new station WHJY in Providence, 94. It fades in and out. It's good.

- The Barbarian

Monday, September 10, 1984

Song of the day: The Morning After - Ratt

Good day. We won our game over Pelham, 4-0! We kicked butt! Before the game, [buddy] slipped and cut his arm and had to go to the hospital to get 5 stitches. Too bad. Next we kill Timberlane!

[Buddy] couldn't give me a ride home, so I got one from [hot chick from school]! What a babe! I called her after I got home and we talked for 20 minutes. She is awesome!

- The Barbarian

Tuesday, September 11, 1984

Song of the day: Love Poison - Coney Hatch

Top 5 at Five
1. Pride (In the Name of Love) - U2
2. Tears - John Waite
3. Cage of Freedom - Jon Anderson
4. The Last in Line - Dio
5. Born in the USA - Bruce Springsteen

Today wasn't that hot. In fact, it kinda sucked. I couldn't get a ride and I had to take the bus (ugh)! That sucked.

Then I hadda go to work. I got Thursday off because I couldn't get the car. Thank goodness!

I got home at 10:30. Wow.

- The Barbarian

Wednesday, September 12, 1984

Song of the day: The Analog Kid - Rush

Definitely an interesting day. Third period, the guidance office announced the rankings of the senior class. When I got to fourth, I found out that I was ranked first! First! I couldn't believe it! If I finish the year first, I'll be the Valedictorian! Mutha! [Buddies of mine] were 2nd and 3rd.

My story is gonna be in the Kingstonian next week.

Now for the bad news: we lost to Timberlane 2-0. We played so terrible. We came in overconfident and we played lousy. I'm pissed because I didn't get into the game once! Now that sucks. I was wicked pissed when I got home so I called [hot chick] and we talked for half an hour. I felt a lot better afterwards.

First in my class? Wow, man.

- The Barbarian

Thursday, September 13, 1984

Song of the day: The Body Electric - Rush

I went to the guidance office and transferred out of Data Processing B and into Data Processing A. I couldn't take that class any more. Too many retards for my taste! Now I have it 7th period with [teacher]. I have second free. I also had to move into Floor Hockey 3rd term first period.

I got my check, $92 and change.

- The Barbarian

Friday, September 14, 1984

Song of the day: YYZ - Rush

Another weird day. I got 90 on that Adv Math quiz. That's it.

At 3 I went to see [optometrist]. He said I could take 'em out every 5 to 7 days.

We lost to Exeter, 4-0. We played about even with them but we couldn't score. I played a couple of minutes in the 2nd quarter.

At 8:30 I went to work. We were done by 2:30. I got home at 7.

- The Barbarian

Saturday, September 15, 1984

Song of the day: Boogie in Your Butt - Eddie Murphy

I got up at 5. I went to check my hours. They had me down for 7-7 Sun and Fri NC. I can't work either of them. I haveta call in sick tomorrow.

- The Barbarian

Sunday, September 16, 1984

Song of the day: Into the Fire - Dokken

I got up at 9 and called in sick. [Supervisor] sounded pretty pissed. Who cares.

Those people from Boston came over at 1:30. Me and JP went to Methuen Mall at 2:30. They didn't have any turtles there. JP got me "Powerslave," Maiden's new JP and I bought MSG's "Built to Destroy." I forgot to get some blank tapes while I was there.

I stopped at Plaistow Aquarium but they didn't have any turtles either. Drat!

I didn't get an article done. I'll have to write one tomorrow.

- The Barbarian

Monday, September 17, 1984

Song of the day: Powerslave - Iron Maiden

Wild day. I was hyper all day, man. I did an article on cable TV during 2nd period. We didn't have soccer practice after school, but I was stuck there anyways. I stayed and watched the field hockey game. They lost 2-1. [A buddy] gave me a ride home.

I listened to Powerslave again. That album is excellent! It kicks total butt! Awesome!

- The Barbarian

Tuesday, September 18, 1984

Song of the day: Aces High - Iron Maiden

Hiawatha! [Lab partner] couldn't get the fish so we both mice. I named mine Captain Howdy. Big test tomorrow in Psych. I wrote my first program in Computers.

Powerslave debuted on the WAAF album countdown at no. 12. Good deal!

Detroit Tigers clinched the AL East today. Nice try, Toronto.

Canada beat Sweden again and won the Canada Cup, 2-0! Alright!

- The Barbarian

Wednesday, September 19, 1984

Song of the day: Back in the Village - Iron Maiden

Another weird day. I lost these 2 stories I was checking; one by [classmate] and one by [classmate]. I don't know where I lost 'em or how, but I'm gonna have to lose points on my grade. How stupid!

The paper looked pretty good today. My story was short but sweet.

[Ex-gf] asked me if I wanted to go to a party at her house on Sat., Oct. 20. I said sure. What the hey!

[Lab partner] has his birthday on Friday, too.

College Fair tomorrow.

- The Barbarian

Postscript: Being ranked first in my class came as a surprise, especially given how much I'd screwed off in the last year or so. Too bad I messed it up and ended up finishing second by a couple of points. It was a C in that computer programming class that did me in; the teacher left three-quarters of the way through the semester and the new guy buried us. Oh, well. In the long run, it didn't matter one bit.

 Our journalism class was getting articles published in the local weekly newspaper, so my first taste of journalism came long before I ever thought it would be my profession. I only took the class because it looked interesting, not because I thought it was a viable career option. 

  Boogie in your butt: