Tuesday, Aug. 31st, 1976

Hardly the best way to start a new school year. All started well but for an unusually nervous sleep last night. I'm nervous way too much lately.

Boring Home Room, all SS and T's. New computerized schedule was all screwed up. Home Room teacher didn't once mention her name. I don't actually even have her for any classes so...

Schedule seems pretty okay. That idiot that bothered me all last year is only in English and Study Hall. They call the English teacher "Tough Tucker" so we'll see. Mrs. Schroeder in Study Hall again, just like the last two years. Lunchtime comes during Study Hall this year but since I don't eat, I guess I just stay in Study Hall. Cheryl that I went to kindergarten with is in one class. Seems so odd after all these years.

I may yet get into trouble for not filling out a card in Study Hall. But I have a story.

School dismissed at 11:30 and I went on home. Looked through TBG and changed clothes, then headed back. At 1, all schedule changes had to be made. I ran into Constance and another girl and sat by them for 2 hours in the auditorium (where we were sent for the schedule changes). Her birthday is October 3rd. Found out she attended Covington Junior High for two years. I checked later by looking her up in the yearbooks.

Finally at 3, Mr. Huhn handed me a slip to get signed that will get me in Spanish. Seems the crazy new computer read the new combined 3/4 class as just 3 and thus tossed me off into Study Hall.

A series of "Hello's" throughout the day led to pleasant chit chat with Constance on the bus home. Going to play it all by ear though and won't even think about taking anything seriously unless things look positive. One turn-off to me was overhearing a suggestive series of conversations she had with some guy during the two hours in the auditorium. Maybe it'll all be better tomorrow although parts of it weren't too bad today.

Tonight I watched Robby Benson sing on MERV and then saw the first episode of a new series called ALICE.

NOTES: First day of Senior Year. So weird to read this all again as just yesterday in 2011 was my son's first day of Freshman Year...at the same high school! You'll be happy to know they finally got those computerized schedules straightened out over the years.

Anybody have any idea what "SS& T's" are/were? I sure don't. Still don't know that Homeroom teacher's name, either. Although I did know learn it eventually, it was the first time that I never actually had a class taught by my Homeroom teacher so I really had no reason to remember it. And I don't.

"Tough Tucker." Now that's funny. I guess I had heard him called that and I was clearly a bit intimidated. He quickly became my favorite teacher and one of the best I ever had.

I think I mentioned before that I have odd gastrointestinal issues that I have simply learned to work around over the years. One way I do this is by rarely eating away from home. I never once went to the cafeteria at Holmes until we had to go there and pick up our gowns for graduation. Then I had to ask someone where it was. Oddly enough, the second time ever that I was there was just recently at my son's Freshman Orientation.

Constance, you'll recall, was the ill-fated girl whom I had a distant crush on towards the end of JuniorYear. Well, not too distant as fate seemed to constantly be squeezing together like sardines on the bus home. Sitting near her for two hours I recall saying nothing, just eavesdropping on her conversations with others. But then I actually spoke with her. A first. So, of course, in spite of my protestations of taking things slow, I was planning out our entire relationship in my mind.

ALICE was to last quite a few years. It was based on the hit movie, ALICE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE only it was a comedy whereas the film had been a drama. The characters were brash but likable and it had a great theme song sung by its star, Linda Lavin. It became a staple at our house.