They say that the autographs written in a person's high school year book can tell you a lot about that person.
(Actually, "they" don't say that at all. If fact, I just made it up.
But admit it. You read that, nodded your head, and thought to yourself, Yes, that's quite true. And we are fortunate and blessed that BrazosBendHorn chooses to share his insightful observations with us … )
But I digress …
I recently opened up my 1977 edition of Soaring Wings (the yearbook of Canyon High School) and discovered to my horror that many of the autographs penned in it nearly 33 years ago are fading away. Most of them were written in blue ball-point ink (I think there was some arcane, arbitrary rule at CHS back then that everything had to be in blue ball-point. Black ball-point was conditionally acceptable. The use of felt-tip pens (of any color!) was expressly forbidden. Go figure.) It didn't help that the inside pages (where 80% of the autographs were written) are a medium blue tint, which went along with the aquatic/beach theme for the yearbook. (Question: why would the yearbook staff choose an aquatic/beach theme ( "Splash!" ) for a school that's located about 550 miles from the nearest seashore? for something unexpected and different, I guess) So the only autographs that are still clearly legible 3 decades later are the few that were written on white pages in the book (or were scribbled by the renegades who used the verboten felt-tip Flair or Bic Banana pens). With that in mind, I set forth to type up the autographs before they "fade into Bolivian" as the saying goes …
The bulk of the autographs were of the standard "It's been great knowing you/you're a terrific guy/we're really gonna miss you/best luck in the future" boilerplate … so I've selected those few that express original or unusual thoughts …
For your reading pleasure:
(BBH comments/explanations in parens)
+++
David -
I’m going to get you an alarm clock so you won’t fall asleep in church! Good luck with whatever you do in life and take it easy!
Love, Rene
(I was just resting my eyes. What do you need to watch in a sermon, anyway?)
+++
To an upside down guy. Lotsa fun, lotsa luck.
Katy
(I'm still trying to figure this one out. I don't recall being inverted all that much when I was at CHS … )
+++
Hey Shorty, how’s the weather up there? I am really glad you received the John Phillip Sousa award because you deserved it. Not that I have anything against _____ _____ but because I thought you were more worthy of it than he was. Good luck in the future …
Mark
(for those of you who weren't in high school band, the John Phillip Sousa award is sort of the Holy Grail for band dorks. Or perhaps it's the consolation prize for the graduating senior in band who was very, very good but not sensational enough a musician to earn a "Most Valuable" award for brass/woodwind/percussion)
(Oh yeah, I was already 6'5" by the time I was a junior, so naturally people started calling me "Shorty." hardy har har. Oh well, at least it was an improvement over "Stretch," "Stringbean," or "Bigfoot." )
+++
It’s been great with you this year at school and at church, even if you fall asleep sometimes. Way to go on that award you got. Keep up the great work.
Love, Pam
(OK, I fell asleep in church. Once. )
+++
I don’t know how Canyon got along with you. Thank God we had a few people to break the monotony. Good Luck.
Ozzie
+++
Congratulations, you are a cynical subvert. Stay that way and you’ll go far. Many thanks for relieving the pressure in Band for the last six years.
Jay
+++
It’s been a great year. If you weren’t so tall you wouldn’t have to worry about getting caught by the police.
Friends always, Meredith
(actually, it wasn't the police, it was stadium security)
+++
David,
It was fun meeting you this year. Even if you are CRAZY! Good luck in the future.
Love ya, Cheryl
+++
It’s been fun in Non-Fiction with you. I think you’re really sweet, even though you’re stranger than most! Not really! … Good luck in the future.
Love, Brenda
+++
David,
You’re a gentleman and a scholar. You seem to have done well this year. Congratulations for the John Phillip Sousa award. Better you than others less worthy who get mad. (If you know who I mean.) I don’t know you as well as I should, but I suppose that’s OK.
Brenda
(would have been fine with me if she had known me better … )
+++
David,
You have a fine mind with a clever, ironic twist. Use it!
D’Ann Moutos
(Ms. Moutos, from whom I took several Senior-level English classes)
-30-
[This message has been edited by BrazosBendHorn (edited 12/8/2009 12:47p).]
(Actually, "they" don't say that at all. If fact, I just made it up.
But admit it. You read that, nodded your head, and thought to yourself, Yes, that's quite true. And we are fortunate and blessed that BrazosBendHorn chooses to share his insightful observations with us … )
But I digress …
I recently opened up my 1977 edition of Soaring Wings (the yearbook of Canyon High School) and discovered to my horror that many of the autographs penned in it nearly 33 years ago are fading away. Most of them were written in blue ball-point ink (I think there was some arcane, arbitrary rule at CHS back then that everything had to be in blue ball-point. Black ball-point was conditionally acceptable. The use of felt-tip pens (of any color!) was expressly forbidden. Go figure.) It didn't help that the inside pages (where 80% of the autographs were written) are a medium blue tint, which went along with the aquatic/beach theme for the yearbook. (Question: why would the yearbook staff choose an aquatic/beach theme ( "Splash!" ) for a school that's located about 550 miles from the nearest seashore? for something unexpected and different, I guess) So the only autographs that are still clearly legible 3 decades later are the few that were written on white pages in the book (or were scribbled by the renegades who used the verboten felt-tip Flair or Bic Banana pens). With that in mind, I set forth to type up the autographs before they "fade into Bolivian" as the saying goes …
The bulk of the autographs were of the standard "It's been great knowing you/you're a terrific guy/we're really gonna miss you/best luck in the future" boilerplate … so I've selected those few that express original or unusual thoughts …
For your reading pleasure:
(BBH comments/explanations in parens)
+++
David -
I’m going to get you an alarm clock so you won’t fall asleep in church! Good luck with whatever you do in life and take it easy!
Love, Rene
(I was just resting my eyes. What do you need to watch in a sermon, anyway?)
+++
To an upside down guy. Lotsa fun, lotsa luck.
Katy
(I'm still trying to figure this one out. I don't recall being inverted all that much when I was at CHS … )
+++
Hey Shorty, how’s the weather up there? I am really glad you received the John Phillip Sousa award because you deserved it. Not that I have anything against _____ _____ but because I thought you were more worthy of it than he was. Good luck in the future …
Mark
(for those of you who weren't in high school band, the John Phillip Sousa award is sort of the Holy Grail for band dorks. Or perhaps it's the consolation prize for the graduating senior in band who was very, very good but not sensational enough a musician to earn a "Most Valuable" award for brass/woodwind/percussion)
(Oh yeah, I was already 6'5" by the time I was a junior, so naturally people started calling me "Shorty." hardy har har. Oh well, at least it was an improvement over "Stretch," "Stringbean," or "Bigfoot." )
+++
It’s been great with you this year at school and at church, even if you fall asleep sometimes. Way to go on that award you got. Keep up the great work.
Love, Pam
(OK, I fell asleep in church. Once. )
+++
I don’t know how Canyon got along with you. Thank God we had a few people to break the monotony. Good Luck.
Ozzie
+++
Congratulations, you are a cynical subvert. Stay that way and you’ll go far. Many thanks for relieving the pressure in Band for the last six years.
Jay
+++
It’s been a great year. If you weren’t so tall you wouldn’t have to worry about getting caught by the police.
Friends always, Meredith
(actually, it wasn't the police, it was stadium security)
+++
David,
It was fun meeting you this year. Even if you are CRAZY! Good luck in the future.
Love ya, Cheryl
+++
It’s been fun in Non-Fiction with you. I think you’re really sweet, even though you’re stranger than most! Not really! … Good luck in the future.
Love, Brenda
+++
David,
You’re a gentleman and a scholar. You seem to have done well this year. Congratulations for the John Phillip Sousa award. Better you than others less worthy who get mad. (If you know who I mean.) I don’t know you as well as I should, but I suppose that’s OK.
Brenda
(would have been fine with me if she had known me better … )
+++
David,
You have a fine mind with a clever, ironic twist. Use it!
D’Ann Moutos
(Ms. Moutos, from whom I took several Senior-level English classes)
-30-
[This message has been edited by BrazosBendHorn (edited 12/8/2009 12:47p).]