In case you hadn't noticed, my "don't really blog about work" policy, combined with my time SPENT at work, has cut into my doggone blogging time.
And of course, there's grad school. This week's assignment: read 134 pages of the DSM-IV. Hell, I probably oughta be reading it this very moment...
***
Well, it occurred to me that there's a glaring omission in my music background. That is, one of the formative albums of my life rarely gets mentioned.
It's because it's by Kenny Rogers, see. Kenny isn't exactly cool.
In 1980 he released, believe it or not, a concept album called Gideon.
This may have been the first album I ever bought. I'm inclined to think it was, but I also have a memory of shelling out some greenbacks for a K-Tel compilation called Wings of Sound. I was 11 or 12. Maybe I got them both with birthday cash or something.
It was in the rack at Wilson's in the mall. This was Kenny Rogers, who'd been cranking out hits like "Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town" and, uh, all those other songs on Ten Years of Gold. I didn't recognize any of the song titles on Gideon, and I figured that it too was surely packed with splendid lite country.
I guess I spun it once before we headed out to visit some friends. It sounded... different from anything I'd ever heard before. There were gospel-style backup singers, and the songs tied together in some sort of loose story about a cowboy named Gideon Tanner.
We headed out to do our visitin', and proud young owner of an album that I was, I took it with me.
*
The host was kind enough to indulge me by playing the album there in the living room. As song after song played, he slowly got this look on his face that said, Man, this is pretty damn bad... you got ripped off, kid. Kenny used to be good.
But I didn't care.
I had my first concept album.
*
Yep. Prior to owning Tommy, 2112, Paradise Theater or Kilroy Was Here (God help me), I had a concept album by the one and only Kenny Rogers.
***
And now a survey about high school.
1986 Angleton High School
Fill this out about your SENIOR year of high school! The longer ago it was, the more fun the answers will be. Change the subject to the year you graduated.
1. Who was your best friend(s)?
McAuley. Bryan and Brian were inseparable.
2.What sports did u play? Geekball
3. What kind of car did you drive? A brown '78 Chevy I think.
4. It's Friday night, where were you? Looking for trouble, probably scoring some beer or something.
5. Were you a party animal? I'm not sure. I drank plenty, but I didn't go to many parties.
6. Were you considered a flirt? Never
7. Ever skip school? Of course; I was a journalism student.
8. Were you a nerd? Yup. Co-president of Quill and Scroll.
9. Were you in any clubs? See #8.
10. Did you get suspended/expelled? Nah
11. Can you sing the fight song? Yes, but I'd rather fight than sing it.
12. Who was your favorite teacher? Mrs. Winder!
13. Favorite class? Journalism
14. What was your school's full name? Angleton High School
15. School mascot? Wildcats
16. Did you go to dances? Had to make an appearance.
17. If you could go back and do it over, would you? Sure. Senior year was actually pretty cool.
18. What do you remember most about graduation? Whit sitting in the splits on my living room floor.
19. Favorite memory of your Senior Year? Journalism!
21. Did you have a job your senior year? yes
22. Where did you go most often for lunch? Mostly stayed on campus. Not enough time to really go anywhere.
24. What did you do after graduation? 2 years of working in the mall while I piddled away at JuCo.
26. Where are most of your classmates? Houston area
27. Are you going/did you go to your 10-year reunion? I missed my 20th, which I kinda regret
28. Who was your worst teacher? Nah, none.
29. Who did you date in High School? LLB, Lisa, Angela (sort of)... chased after many more, had one or two even chase me (like "Gummy"...ack! Bruiser, can I get an amen??).
30. Did your life turn out different than you would have expected? Yes!
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4 comments:
Gotta laugh. I remember who "Gummy" is!
AWWW Hell! Why did you have to mention Gummy, lover of white Levi's? I thought I had bleached that memory from my mind...
1985 graduate of Angleton High School
1. Who was your best friend(s)?
Danny Smith, Joey Papa, Jeff Blice, and Scott Bort.
2.What sports did u play? Softball (men's summer league)
3. What kind of car did you drive? 1980 'Vette (Chevette, that is).
4. It's Friday night, where were you? Riding around Angleton or Lake Jackson listening to Prince's "Purple Rain.
5. Were you a party animal? I never was a big drinker, but I did like the parties.
6. Were you considered a flirt? Not really, but I always seemed to have a girlfriend.
7. Ever skip school? A few times, but journalism was pretty easy to get out of.
8. Were you a nerd? I thought I was actually kinda cool.
9. Were you in any clubs? Journalism and Campus Life.
10. Did you get suspended/expelled? Never
11. Can you sing the fight song? No
12. Who was your favorite teacher? Mrs. Winder and Mrs. Oswald
13. Favorite class? Journalism
14. What was your school's full name? Angleton High School
15. School mascot? Wildcats
16. Did you go to dances? Never missed a single one my junior or senior year.
17. If you could go back and do it over, would you? I think about it all the time.
18. What do you remember most about graduation? I can't really mention it here, but I, uh, finally kinda sorta "scored."
19. Favorite memory of your Senior Year? See #4
21. Did you have a job your senior year? No
22. Where did you go most often for lunch? Burger King
24. What did you do after graduation? Worked at the Brazosport Facts for two years and then college beckoned.
26. Where are most of your classmates? Texas
27. Are you going/did you go to your 10-year reunion? Missed 10th, but had a good time at 20th last year.
28. Who was your worst teacher? Enjoyed most of 'em.
29. Who did you date in High School? Karen, Kellie, Kelley, Kim (had a think about K's), and Angela
30. Did your life turn out different than you would have expected? More or less, I would have to say "yes."
Bruiser
And now, for the world's most boring high school reminiscence:
1985 graduate of Brazoswood High School
1. Who was your best friend(s)?
Willie Taylor.
2.What sports did u play? Nada.
3. What kind of car did you drive? A 1969 VW Beetle
4. It's Friday night, where were you? Probably hanging out with Willie or going to see a cheesy movie (that didn't seem cheesy at the time).
5. Were you a party animal? Not even remotely.
6. Were you considered a flirt? HAH! Nope.
7. Ever skip school? Only the pep rallies.
8. Were you a nerd? Definitely.
9. Were you in any clubs? I was on the staff of the school newspaper, if that counts.
10. Did you get suspended/expelled? No.
11. Can you sing the fight song? We had a fight song? (See #7.)
12. Who was your favorite teacher? Probably Mr. Hunt.
13. Favorite class? Journalism.
14. What was your school's full name? Brazoswood High School
15. School mascot? Umm...I'm not really sure. Buccaneer, maybe?
16. Did you go to dances? Yep.
17. If you could go back and do it over, would you? Hell no. Teenage years are best left as far back in the past as you can shove 'em.
18. What do you remember most about graduation? Asking out the young lady who would become my first serious girlfriend.
19. Favorite memory of your Senior Year? After being acquaintances since junior high, finally getting to know the girl from #18 because we finally had classes together.
21. Did you have a job your senior year? Yes, at Waldenbooks in the mall.
22. Where did you go most often for lunch? The cafeteria.
24. What did you do after graduation? Continued at the bookstore and went to junior college.
26. Where are most of your classmates? No idea.
27. Are you going/did you go to your 10-year reunion? Nope. Not even slightly interested.
28. Who was your worst teacher? My junior year algebra teacher.
29. Who did you date in High School? Hope, Elizabeth (sort of), a young (very young - she was a freshman) lady whose name I can't remember. Technically the girl from #18 & 19 and I didn't start dating until after high school ended - about 3 days after, in fact.
30. Did your life turn out different than you would have expected? Most definitely.
Michael
Lookin' for a copy of that "Wings of Sound"? And on 8 track to boot...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300019439501&category=618
Bruiser
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