Knowing Me, Knowing You [Pre-blog]

This year has felt different in someways to previous ones  not least I'm sensing a bigger gap between my peers and I as it's like we live parallel lives only sharing schooling and bits of popular culture as they appear more grown up to me.
But anyway after all the excitement of Christmas parties I want to talk about something I had this year as in some ways it's a link to the past.

This is a special 5 record set my folks got using mail order (you send away for stuff) from Readers Digest that has all the hits from Waterloo and even before I know having had the Greatest Hits lp since 1976 up to  their big hit from earlier this year, Lay All Your Love On Me as well as a number of tracks not previously issued on lp such as Elaine.
It for good measure also has a generous selection of track from their studio albums that show their musical and vocal talents of although it understandable has nothing from their new lp, The Visitors and its single One Of Us which reached #3 in the UK

The record has been made for them by the UK licensee, CBS and sounds very good indeed as compilations sometimes don't sound as great as the original albums.

Autumn term 1981 [Pre-blog]

Another start to the school year and I still so want to be attending like this

Playing in the girls team, up to no good seeing what the boys are up to

But anyway I'll have make do with what we can get away with again and ever since the Royal Wedding of Charles and Diana I've been so excited reading and looking at all the pictures.

This year I do Economics in school which should prove interesting although I'm a bit worried as my Math is not very good.

I'm enjoying the new English New wave music a lot - that whole scene's buzzing right now with it's colourful sounds and fashions - and I like the Birmingham band Duran Duran who release a new 45 back there this week called Girls On Film from their first album. Their videos are really amazing like mini movies and we're all talking about them during recess

Epic fail [Pre-blog]

Today it's Friday and I've gotten Double Geography for periods four and five before lunch and on Monday we were set homework nothing too taxing just writing out a bout three pages and drawing a map ready for today's lesson.
The lesson goes well to start with but we are referring to this work and I haven't done it. This would not of been so bad other for the fact I'm on demotions for not paying attention, not completing previous assignments plus this teacher is very strict.
She notices I haven't done it so  smacks me in front of the class for it followed by having to do chores at the end of the lesson like carry her stuff so I'm late for lunch which when lunches are cook means the choice is limited and may not be warm.
It's so silly of me cos I knew it had to be done and effectively I've asked for it this time.
The only consolation  is she won't write to my folks.

Shocking return to school [Pre-blog]

Today we return to school and I'm beyond sad.
It all began toward the end of last year when a friend of mine started to feel poorly most of the time from a condition he's had for most of his entire life, we'd been to the store to buy some Christmas  stuff (I'd bought a Beatles cassette) and I'd noticed he's feeling more tired and cannot stand being out in the rain.
Well today I'm told he's dead having died over Christmas. Dead at 16! What kind of an age is this to die??? It's the second kid I can remember dying since I've been at this school so it's bring it all back as I'm in a daze and one of the girls, bless her hugs me as we wait  in line outside the English room door this afternoon as I stand there crying.
It's at times like this my feeling a girl trapped in a boys body hurts so much cos people misread you emotionally going for the strong macho stuff. One day all that will be over and I'll be dressed like this

School girl proud to be the person I am on the inside.