(Shane and I circa 1987, picture by Penny Frazier, art and photog. teacher)
My daughter was working on her portion of The Great Basement Clean Up a few days ago and came across my old high school yearbook and my Senior Class Memory book. I arrived home late Monday night to find the memory book on my computer desk with a note from my wife that simply said “Gina, Gina, Gina”. Gina was my high school girlfriend and I gathered from the note that she was a focus of many of the ‘memories’ in my book.
Ready for a trip down memory lane I opened the book and had a good long laugh. I attended Madison Jr.-Sr. High School in Madison, Nebraska for my junior and senior years of high school. Jr. year was a transitional period, getting to know kids at a new school, etc. Senior year was another thing entirely. As I explained to Mary I have very vivid memories of that entire year. Walking into school that first day of senior year was a magical experience. Our school was fairly small (41 in my graduating class) and we knew each other quite well. That first day the senior class sat down with teachers, etc. to plan the activities for the year, pick graduation colors, look at class ring stuff, etc. It was a perfect start to what would really be an amazingly fun year. I’ll try no to bore you with high school reminiscing, but I found the stuff in my memory book so funny that I have to share.
First of, Gina was indeed prevalent throughout its pages. One two-page spread was for recording what you did on each holiday throughout that year and each one recounts time spent with Gina. I’m probably best leaving off the discussion there, right dear? 🙂
In describing the feeling our school generates I wrote: A lot of kids are proud of our school yet there’s a few losers in the bunch!
The best thing about being a senior was: Being on top and getting to be first at everything. You also have a lot more freedom and fun!
Of my personality I said: I like to goof off a lot, but I can really be a grouch sometimes, especially if people annoy me. I like to help people and I love to make people smile!
(Let me interject that I use the term “goofing off” quite liberally throughout this book as it appears that it was one of my prime ambitions. Its amazing how little things have changed in 18 years!)
Here’s a few more highlights from the About Me page:
I’m mischievous enough to: show my underwear during County Government Day speeches, skip school and mess around, steal orange road pylons (oooh, what a rebel!)
I like to wear: bright colored sweaters and faded 501’s. Suit coat, tie and jeans. Hooded sweatshirts and jeans. (quite the fashion expert!)
I’m first to: yell at referees at Madison games, join in a chance to goof off, get in an argument over my opinions, dance at Doc & Eddy’s Teen Nights. (I was part of a small clan notorious for swearing riotously at school sporting events. And it is funny, I hate debating about things now.)
My most unforgettable moment: Being called “bungholes” and “assholes” by Coach Kuhl with 3 of my classmates. (This occurred at a track event towards the end of school. If I recall correctly several of us were hanging out of windows in the car as we pulled into the parking lot yelling pro-Madison stuff. He actually did use both of those terms in his tirade towards us and we laughed hysterically after he stormed off)
I obviously had great insight into my poor spending habits back then because my 5 and 10 year prognostications involved my hope that I would be better with money (not all wishes come true kids!). In 5 years I saw myself “better built and in better shape” (keep in mind I was a whopping 112 lbs then!), attached to (you know who!), and driving a Trans Am!
In 10 years I saw myself as:
financially mature and stable, a little better built and better looking.
Making 59,000 per year
Recently married, no kids, and vacationing in Paris, Hawaii, or the Virgin Islands
I’m giggling uncontrollably….
The things I thought I was good at were: writing, art, singing, not studying, goofing off, making people laugh, getting flat tires, and spending money. (I did have an art for running over nails, etc)
I wanted to learn to: dance real well, skydive, hanglide, fly an airplane, make easy money, and study. (I was an A student but had terrible study habits)
I daydream about: the weekend, my girlfriend, past fun times, being a hero, being rich.
My favorite expressions were: eat my shorts, hose, smile, and cheer up. (If memory serves it seemed to be a regular habit to tell girls passing in the hall to smile or cheer up…don’t recall why.)
My favorite time wasters were to: doodle on notebooks, sit and daydream, watch TV, listen to music, drive around, and spend money.
I was a very involved kid, trying to cram 4 years of high school into only 2! Each year at Madison I took more classes than there were periods (independent study) and I was involved in every play, choir, several musical groups, and the yearbook committee. I was…and still am…very proud of my and Shane’s idea to base our senior yearbook on Mad Magazine:
Shane was a great caricature artist and this is a perfect likeness of our prinicpal.
I was also proud of one of me and my friends most long lasting sessions of “goofing off”: The formation of the club SPA (see the description below the picture)
Shane, Bob, Darren, and I formed SPA one day in chemisty class and it just stuck around throughout the year. Each of us was paired with another…hence the name ‘siamese’…and Darren made membership cards on his computer that showed a picture of an elephant, the name of the group, and our slogan “To share a nose is to be a friend”. We even had a club greeting which involved raising our ‘trunks’, making an elephant noise and adding the word “snorkle” to the end. I’m sorry, I can’t explain it…it was a high school thing. I still have my membership card!
What struck me the most in reading all this was the memories of how outgoing and, at times, un-self conscious I was. Shane and I used to make up schedules for different theme days where we would dress the same way in often silly attire and invite others to participate. I wasn’t afraid to speak up in class and share my opinion. I was friends with everyone, from truly nerdy to the most popular. It really was a wonderful time.
Well, thanks for letting me share. I enjoyed it thoroughly and promise a quick return to our regularly scheduled programing!
The bittersweet pleasure of reminiscing…
It sounds like a great year!
how bizarre…& how very 80s it all was.
i too recently came across some yearbooks, along with a feeling of surprise that yes, i really did get yearbooks in middle school, & a feeling of satisfaction at the absence of my senior yearbook, which i hurled off a pier into the Atlantic Ocean. ah, memories.
ps i love that 1st photo.
My class just celebrated its 15 year class reunion. I did not attend! My dear friend Elizabeth refuses to go and I won’t go without her. We grew up together k – 12. My best memories of school days are times spent with her.
The best things about my senior year are still with me – my wonderful husband (Stacy, Stacy, Stacy all over the pages of my senior book!) and my Elizabeth (who just left my house)! Mine is a wonderful life, to be blessed with such awesome relationships.
I enjoyed reading about your school days. Makes me want to re-visit my yearbooks.
Oh, and I’m glad you ditched this Gina chic. I am sure that she doesn’t hold a candle to your Mary!
Ah…Gina…..oops, you’re right, LOL, she is no Mary, that’s for sure! 🙂
Senior yrbook in the ocean, eh Jenn See? Sounds like there are interesting stories there!
I went to my 10 year reunion and it was alright. One girl didn’t remember me at all and I had went to school with her for 2 years in a class of 41! It really through me for a while but we weren’t that close anyway. I was still somewhat taken aback however as I was definitely a memorable little geek!
what a refreshing post! thanks for sharing the memories 🙂
I haven’t been to a single reunion! The invitation to our five year said, “Please no drugs”. I thought that was funny.
I heard all the gossip about our ten year, like who got drunk and left with who, and who danced on tables. Interesting stuff!
Great stuff Carl. Thanks for sharing the trip down memory lane. I will have to add your knack for getting flat tires seems to live on after last week’s incident, too.
My high school experience can’t be any farther from yours in some ways. I went to a huge high school. Hundreds in my senior class. I honestly didn’t even recognize some of the people that crossed the stage on graduation day. I had a small group of friends I knew well but my high school was just too big.
I wasn’t popular in high school and I haven’t been back since the day I left. I never really fit in there and was glad to leave. Now college on the other hand was great. I had a lot of fun there and I was much more active in groups and clubs. Weird huh? Late bloomer I guess.
I would like more info. on how to join SPA though? 🙂
As much fun as I had in high school…and it was great…after a few years I lost touch with everyone. We were a unique bunch in that a major portion of us went out of state for college. I’ve seen various people over the years but the people I have kept in touch with are mostly from college, jobs in Tulsa, and people I know here. I’m definitely not the same person I was then, though I imagine few of us are.
I’ll have to look at the fine print Jeff, I’m thinking there have to be 2 members present to initiate new members, plus you’d have to have a qualifying partner and I’m not sure spouses count. I think we all had same-sex partners back in the SPA days.
I can’t believe you where so darn skinny-I did always feed you right?? You still have some of the same habits,Huh? Spending money etc. I to am glad about your finding Mary! She’s a doll. I remember at your graduation when they announced that you where a member of SPA (or whatever) I asked one of the Moms sitting by me what that was because you had never mentioned it. She explained it to me -how we laughed. That was Kelly Plugge’s mom. As I recall Kelly was a member also. Thanks for the memories!!! Remember your Yellow Mustang? Dad and I were so mad one nite when we saw you driving into Golden Corral with a bunch of kids hanging out the sun roof!!! Was that the same car you threatened Abby not to tell us how you drove??!!
The Mustang was definitely a good one to pile folks into. I got pulled over by the police on the last day of school, after it let out, for having too many people in the car. The limit was 5 I believe and I had many, many more than that squeezed in as we cruised Main in Madison. He didn’t ticket me, just told me I had to “make it 5” and so I dumped a few kids on the street.
And would I ever threaten my darling little sis?
I forgot that we all added SPA membership to our list of activities that were read off during commencement. That’s hilarious…we were a goofy bunch! Thanks for the memory!
Carl, you were like a regular Max Fischer from Rushmore!
I’m with Jeff — I didn’t love high school nearly as much as college. I came alive in college. Still have many friends from then that I keep in touch with. I’ll be leaving quite a few from the Dallas chapter in my move. But more on that later…
I didn’t really enjoy college…dorm life was not for me. Too many loud, stinky, obnoxious, sweaty, dirty, guys all in one space. I was so glad when I got married (between soph and jr year of college) and moved into an apartment and could start living like a human being again. I wouldn’t go back to those first 2 years of college for anything!
I still live in my head like I graduated 5 years ago. I loved high school and often dream of being back although I know all I know now. I’m thinner and everyone looks the same. I also have a Gina sort of. We were great friends but probably would have been more if I hadn’t been dating someone else. I was drum major in my senior year, took 3 study halls and had a really great social life despite my mother’s objections. Went to San Diego to Disneyland and played in the Holiday Bowl parade. I got a cool truck. Always wanted that black trans am though. Like Jeff we had almost 300 in my senior class but I knew almost everyone. I got my pictures out the other day and took them to work. You could clean ceiling tile with my hair. I looked like Greg Brady. Big hair will return and I’ll be right there, only a little balder up front.
Great post, honey. Tori and I did get a good laugh out of how many times Gina was mentioned. I still remember when you and I first got engaged and went back to Nebraska. We were in the library with Abby (Carl’s little sister) when all of a sudden Abby and the neighbor girl ran up to me and Abby said in a loud whisper, “Gina’s here, Gina’s here!” with all the drama of an eight year old. It was pretty funny.
Hey Carl! Here from Michele’s!! That was great reminising with you! Sounds like High school was awesome TTYL
Um, I have to say that the caricature of Mr. T does not give a good indication as to his actual size. Mr. Turner was quite large!
It’s so much fun to go down Memory Lane. You have inspired me to get all my boxes out of my mom’s attic and look through my high school pictures!
Have fun Heather!
That’s good stuff! Love the photos!
“So, did you become more financially mature and stable, and become better built and better looking?” Those are the only ones that seem to matter at HS reunions!
That would be a big ‘no’ on all accounts! I’m actually better looking in the sense that I’m not a walking skeleton and over the years I’ve learned to enjoy my naturally curly hair and kind of go with it but I need to lose some serious lbs (at least 20). I still spend money when I should save more, that’s one of my worst habits.
I really enjoyed your trip down memory lane, as well as the other posts I read. Time is short so I will come back to read more later. I mostly agree with your review on “The Island”, although I think the blowing up and detruction was just s little over the top. Plus, I knew the premise of he movie going in. I think I would have likes it more if left to figure it out on my own.
I agree, they showed way too much information on the trailer which I think has led to its disappointing box office.
hey brother! reading your story got me thinking. remember the summer working for Rance? we had the duplex cookie initiation for the new kids. you will have to tell that story some day.
jason, i’m cracking up right now. that would indeed be a good story to tell…
I’m just glad I don’t have any of my high school yearbooks. I don’t want to be reminded of high school…it was horrible.
I’m sorry! I always feel bad when I hear that people had bad experiences in HS since my own were pretty fun.
That SPA thing would’ve got your butt kicked in my high school. I don’t miss high school days at all. Too stressful. By the time Elizabeth’s little brother got to high school it was so bad he refused to go and they had to put him in a private school.
Guess what I’m using? My new little lap top!
Yay for you Julie! Even the “cool” kids got involved with SPA. It was, of course, just a big running joke that managed to last an entire semester. Anything we could do to be “goofing off” and drawing attention to ourselves!
I loved high school too, which is too bad because I feel like to be a struggling artist I really should have led a more tortured existance. But I had lots of friends and got involved in everything. I don’t necessarily want to go back though – as good as it was, I don’t believe that they were the best years of my life! I hope to have many, many good years ahead.
Like you, I was also married in University. I had a good time there too, but it was very different. I went from a small-knit rural community to a huge school in a big city. Both experiences were good.
p.s. Your Mom is really cute!
In case she doesn’t have the opportunity let me say ‘thank you’ for my mom! 🙂 I wouldn’t want to go back either, as fun as it was. I am much, much more comfortable with being married, being a dad, and having several years of marriage and fatherhood under my belt. I don’t buy into that whole “tortured existence” thing so don’t worry about it…creativity or art can come from any background and any inspiration and still be deep and meaningful and powerful.
The Mad Yearbook, too cool. I think the photo at the top, 1987, its great!
Yep, Shane and I were true posers! Ahhhhhh…bad humor, I crack myself up!
Thanks Mood, we had alot of fun with that yearbook.
The photos are awesome! 1987…I was … um … nevah mind, it’ll just show my age LOL! To end on a gross note, did you know that there is a packie (liquor store to those of you not from New England) in Salem, MA called Bunghole Liquors? The first time I ever saw it, I nearly had an accident (I was driving). LOL!
That’s hilarious! Part of the reason we laughed so hard when he said it is that I don’t think any of us had heard that term before.