Bad memories…
Last week I ran across a stash of my high school and college report cards. It got me thinking about life in 1985. (Start the flashback music…) So I’m at my locker, right? I’ve got homework in three, maybe four subjects, but I refuse to take home a stack of books. Only nerds do that. (Backpacks weren’t fashionable until ‘88 or ‘89.) I pick ONE book to take home. But what difference does it make anyways? Jesus will be back soon, probably around the year 2000, so even if I do go to college, it’s not really enough time to mount much of a career. So why try? All I can think about is rushing home from school so that I can listen to Steve Dahl and Garry Meier talk about nothing for 4 1/2 hours on the radio.
Pretty sad stuff. I’d like to think those miserable years provided a warehouse of empathy during my tenure as a teacher. If nothing else, it caused me to write a song. Though it sounds stuck in the mid 90’s, I wrote it just a few days ago. Listen if you must.
Old Man Neill – Math Tonight.mp3
I used the whole worlds going to end in the near future thing as an excuse to justify standing on the hood of a moving car — suburban surfing! Woooo hooooo!
And while you might think this stupid stunt was inspired by the movie Teen Wolf, the first one staring Michael J. Fox, not the lame sequel with Jason Bateman, in which Fox as the wolf not only stands but also does flips and even breaks dance on top his buddies delivery truck,we actually got the idea from that movie about wingwalkers staring Robert Redford and Susan Sarandon called The Great Waldo Pepper. Well, that and some weed.
Ah. Good times. Not to mention knuckleheaded.
I wasn’t quite sure where you were going with that, “I ran across a stash…” phrase, but ahhh it landed in nostalgia. I was talking w/ my man’s brother’s girlfriend (got that?) on Saturday, when someone mentioned pot and I said “wow, it’s been almost 11 years since I had any…” We reminisced for a while about what it was like to get high, and then had some alcohol and went back to the adult party. If it weren’t for the smell and trying to find someone safe to get it from… (my best friend in high school’s mom grew it…safe stuff). Oh well. I’ve never gotten to try hash-brownies. hrm. now I’m craving Doritos.
Where was I? Oh yeah…great story, very nostalgic. I mean, really, DUDE, great story.
you know, i have to hear it. i have to go login to email and write and see how difficult you’ve made this. But, I have one question. ONE BIG IMPORTANT QUESTION: Were the notebooks Trapper Keepers? hahahahaha!
Seriously, I like the phrase “warehouse of empathy.”
I wish I’d journaled more in high school – 1985 – about real stuff instead of all my stupid, warehouse of crushes. gawd………….
since i mumble, here are the lyrics.
Only one of you gets to come home with me
‘Cause I don’t wanna look like a nerd
With my trapper keeper and a stack of books
Eeny meeny miny mo
Maybe I’ll do math tonight< ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
I sit by myself, all alone in my room.
Nothin’ bothers me, Jesus is commin’ back soon
Mom and Dad don’t have a TV
So I get my world from the radio
It’s me and Steve Dahl from here on out tonight
It’s me and Steve tonight
It’s me and the radio tonight
All my Kool-aid friends
They didn’t get
Fooled like me.
I really think the song could go viral – at least among the quintessential Gen Xers. I love it. My husband and I are listening to it now. I’ve listened to about 10 times. When I heard Eenie Meanie Miney Mo, I laughed my butt off.
dude, mr. neill, i just heard your song! thought i’d take a break from physics so i went to your blog =] that song was pretty sweet!! i’m pretty sure you should make a record, i’d definitely buy it!! anywho, back to my homework… take care mr. neill!
will do, but i hope you’ll return the favor when i produce something. something that’s audibly acceptable as music perhaps
ha, yeah i had a similar outlook on life with jesus coming back soon.
i really like the song. i would listen to a whole album of songs like that.
Very good! I personally really enjoyed it