Twenty-Five years ago today I officially began adult life by starting college at Penn State Allentown. This was the first time I had ever gone to “school” without the comfort of seeing familiar faces and teachers. Everything was new to me, but I was also excited about the possibilities. Fortunately, I kept a semi-regular journal about my experiences, including one about this monumental day.
As I read this entry again, a few things strike me as funny. First of all, the mindset I had at the time. I was already making plans with what I was going to do with the LOAN money I was going to receive. You see, I had big plans for those funds; the least of which was actually using them to pay for school expenses.
Funnier still, I wasn’t concerned at all about the obligation I had to pay it back. The way I figured it, that was somewhere “down the road” and by the time I got there well, not only would I have a degree in music, but I’d also be a rock star millionaire.
In my post high school world: Rock and Roll Stardom was the only goal. How I got there didn’t matter and the rest either I (or someone the record company hired for me) would have to figure out later.
August 26th, 1987 was also the very first time I began to realize that I was out on my own. Not only had I received a high school diploma a few months earlier, but I also received my independence from such things as curfews and attending classes.
There would no longer be Mom and Dad to drive me around or write excuse notes for me when I was “sick” anymore. Sink or swim, everything was all on me now.
Here is the entry I wrote in my diary on this day, twenty-five years ago.
August 26th, 1987 – Dear Diary: Today is the first day of Penn State. All I have left is Poetry and I’m off for home. To bring you up to date, here’s what’s been happening:
1. I’m a Freshman in college.
2. I think there is a loan coming by which I’m moving to Allentown, buying a piano, taking lessons, getting a job up there and a pet cat.
It’s weird being in college. I mean, I don’t have to go to any class if I don’t want to and don’t even have to call off sick. If I don’t feel like going, I just don’t go. Yes, I could flunk, but now the responsibility is mine. There is no band yet, but I’m trying.
I remember when Jim Henson died back in 1990 it didn’t really affect me. I was, after all twenty years old and having just recently left the confines of public school; eagerly looking forward to getting my “You can now purchase alcohol legally” card.
I was roughly nine years removed from the days of regularly watching Kermit the Frog and Ernie (who was always my favorite Muppet). So, although still tragic, I saw Henson’s untimely passing as something much too childish to think about.
Fast forward 22 years.
Jerry Nelson, another famous Muppeteer, passed away on August 23rd at the age of 78. Although having lived nearly three decades longer than Henson, his death has affected me more. I look at the list of characters he has portrayed over the course of his career; many of whom were a regular part of my life growing up in the 1970’s. Among them:
The Count and Jerry Nelson
The Count: my second favorite Sesame Street character, next to Ernie of course. I loved him. Herry Monster: The one monster that ALWAYS scared me. Must have been that he always looked angry and had that big nose. Sherlock Hemlock: The greatest detective. The Amazing Mumford: Ala peanut butter sandwiches. Mr Johnson: The bald, blue-headed Muppet who always ate at the restaurant Grover worked at. Floyd Pepper: the bass player for the band Electric Mayhem on The Muppet Show.
But perhaps the most sentimental Jerry Nelson character for me was Emmet Otter from the Jug Band Christmas story that played every December on HBO. A story that I will always remember sitting next to my grandmother and watching every year.
Funny, I can still hear her yelling to me from downstairs, and it always sounded like the house was on fire by the tone in her voice:
Emmet Otter and Jerry Nelson
JIMMY!!! HURRY UP AND GET DOWN HERE – EMMET OTTER IS ON!!
Perhaps it’s because I’m now a middle-aged man that I’m starting to become acutely aware of the fact that every day more and more parts of my childhood die. And even though I’ve never met Jerry, it’s hard not to look back at his passing without a sense of sadness. For in many ways, much like The Count and The Amazing Mumford, he was a part of my family.
My grandmother has been gone for 16 years now. Whenever I think about her, the first thing I think about are those cold days in December when Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas came on. And now, I’ll think about Jerry Nelson too.
Godspeed Mr. Nelson. Your work will not soon be forgotten; at least not by this 42-year-old kid.
I’ve decided to venti a little bit about what’s going on at my local Starbucks. It’s starting to drive me crazy and I’m beginning to think that there’s some sort of grande conspiracy to make it that way. I swear, only in americano can a company get away with such silliness.
Consider this: I go into my local Starbucks every morning around 5:30 am. I am one of the first customers of the day so when I go in, there is usually no one else around and I’m able to go right to the register and order my usual.
After handing the Barista my Starbucks Gold Card (still not sure why I have to call the person who pours me plain old Gold Coast coffee a “Barista”), I spend the next fifteen seconds or so watching them pushing buttons in a futile attempt to log onto their cash register.
I swear, there is more security to get into a Starbucks cash register than there is to crack the code at the Federal Reserve Bank. Every time you place an order, they have to enter a 22 digit combination just to get the damn thing to open. I think part of the new employee orientation must include having to memorize the line: “Sorry, it’s a little slow this morning”. Ya think?
Then there’s the little issue with the vanilla powder. For those not familiar with it, vanilla powder is one of the many items you can use to decorate your coffee with (nutmeg, cinnamon and chocolate are also additives you can use). I prefer to use the vanilla because, (using coffee vernacular) it makes it taste smoother. The problem is, 99% of the time I go to reach for it, the container is EMPTY.
Now, wouldn’t you think that since this product is being used so often, it just MIGHT be popular and they’d have a latte of it?
Don’t get me wrong though, my addiction to a good cup of Joe espresso-ly forbids me from going a day without, so I’ll suffer through.
Besides, there’s no way I’m going to settle for the coffee at work.
It’s almost that time again folks. Next week, the GOP establishment will invade Tampa, Florida for a week-long extravaganza of tea drinking and liberal bashing. Then a week later, the Democrats will have their own love-fest in North Carolina where they will bash the conservative agenda.
Big Whoop-Dee-Do! Every four years we hear the same rhetoric by the same people.
We’ve also heard stupid gaffes made by members of both parties. From the Joe Biden (D) “Put you back in chains” comment to the doozy that Senate candidate Todd Akin (R) made about “legitimate rape”. And THESE are the people we have to choose from in order to determine who is best suited to run our country?
Folks, we are in serious trouble.
No, I’m not telling you who to vote for. That’s completely up to you. What I am asking though is for you to do your homework and to PLEASE, PLEASE not follow blindly along based on a party affiliation. I know for many of you, that’s probably hard to do. You listen all day long to whatever is spouted by your favorite political commentators. It gets ingrained in your head and then you go into that voting booth and blindly press the “D” or “R” lever.
But here’s a thought: how about instead of just exercising your right to vote this year, you do some research first? First, find the list of candidates that will be on the ballot in your area and then actually find out what they stand for. For one week turn off Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Ed Schultz and Media Matters and compile a list of the issues that matter most to you and then find out where each of the candidates stands on the issue. You have two months; I know you can do it.
In the end, you probably will wind up just voting along party lines, but at the very least this exercise will leave no doubt that you voted for the right candidate and not just who Glenn Beck or Rachel Maddow told you to.
And here’s something else to think about. Want to know just how badly these guys want your vote? By the time November 6th rolls around, these two parties will have spent close to ONE BILLION dollars (most of it in TV and radio advertisements) just to elect a president that half of the country is going to HATE. Think about that for a minute. Then think about what else one billion dollars can actually do.
I have to admit, back in “the day” I kind of looked forward to the first day of school. Sure, it was the end of summer, but it was also the time for a fresh start and new beginnings. A chance to see many of the people I hadn’t seen in a long, long time (hey, two months is a lifetime to a kid).
But this coming school year is extra special. For this year marks the first year that I was officially out of K-12 program and began “college life”. Looking back on it now and thinking about the feelings I had at that point in my life is surreal to say the least.
I’m sure some of my fellow classmates will probably tell you that at this point they already had their post high school lives planned out to the finest detail. Everything from which college they were going to attend to what fraternity or sorority they would pledge.
But me? Well, I hadn’t even had given a thought about it. I was more concerned about when my grandmother was going to make her famous sausage casserole for dinner again.
Yes sir, frequent readers of this blog are already well aware of my procrastination and laziness post high-school. In fact, I didn’t take my SAT tests until the very last-minute, and even then just waddled my way through them. I sure as hell wasn’t going to stress myself about studying. I think that the only thing that I was even the slightest bit concerned about was making sure that I registered with Selective Service before I turned eighteen (does anyone else remember that)? Somehow though, I wound up getting accepted into Penn State.
Looking back now, I really lament not taking it more seriously. I spent the first two months at Penn State Allentown and quickly decided to drop out to become a working musician. The extra money I received from Pell Grants and student loans I used for personal things and not for tuition or books. Heck, I figured I had six months from the time I left school to start paying it back, and by then I’d be RICH; or so I thought.
Over the next several years, I was in an out of bands (and becoming a transient college student) before finally coming to the realization that I had made a mistake and needed to enter the work force. Having now started to find “my place” (and with a steady paycheck), I was eventually able to obtain a post high school degree thirteen years after I had graduated and, in 2005 FINALLY paid off the last of my student loans. Better late than never.
Which leads me to this: next week my little girl will start seventh grade and once again I am left to ask the question, “Where does the time go?”. I know it won’t be long before she’ll be faced with the same uncertainty and stress about what lies ahead for the next phase of her life that most high school graduates face. The feeling of needing to find her place.
I think one day I’ll have to sit her down and tell her my story and why its important for her to forge her own path and take her education seriously. Maybe we’ll discuss it at dinner one night over Nan’s sausage casserole. I think I have the recipe for it somewhere…
“Very classy”. It’s one of the few lines she speaks in the movie “Can’t Buy Me Love”, but those two words are what best describes actress Ami Dolenz.
The 1987 coming of age movie that showcased nerdy Ronald Miller (Patrick Dempsey) buying the affections of Cindy Mancini (Amanda Peterson) also contained a number of firsts for the daughter of famous “Monkee” Micky Dolenz. Not only was it Ami’s first feature film role, but it was also where she met co-star Darcy DeMoss (Patty) for the first time as well. The two instantly connected and have been best friends ever since.
Following the breakout success of “Can’t Buy Me Love”, Ami would go on to appear as Melissa McKee on the daytime soap “General Hospital” and star in such films as “She’s Out of Control”, “Miracle Beach”‘, “Witchboard 2: The Devil’s Doorway” and Pumpinkhead II: Blood Wings” to name just a few.
What you may not know about Ami is that, in addition to being an amazing actress, she also has a passion for art and writing. She is currently working on a children’s book,“Harold and Agatha and the Mysterious Jewel”, in which she will both write and illustrate.
I had the opportunity to speak with the beautiful and multi-talented artist from her home in Vancouver and discuss “Can’t Buy Me Love” and the bond she shares with Darcy DeMoss. Ami also talks about her passion for art and storytelling as well as her own “metal” connection.
If there’s one thing I learned about from our conversation, it’s this: When it comes to cool, Ami Dolenz is in a class by herself.
goJimmygo (gJg): I wanted to talk to you about the 25 year anniversary of “Can’t Buy Me Love”.
Ami Dolenz (AD): It’s so weird and hard to believe that its been that long.
Ami Dolenz & Darcy DeMoss “Can’t Buy Me Love”
gJg: I spoke with Darcy DeMoss (Patty) a few months ago and she said the exact same thing.
AD: You interviewed one of my BEST friends. Darcy and I have known each other for such a long time. It was one of those things where we just instantly connected; we keep in touch a lot. I love what she’s doing with the animals. I’ve been to Shambala quite a few times. That whole movement is so amazing; it means a lot to me.
gJg: How did you become involved with “Can’t Buy Me Love?”
AD: I was just starting out as an actress at the time, and initially auditioned for the role of Cindy but ended up getting the role of Fran; which was great. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to get my chops going; memorize lines and hit my mark. Amanda (Peterson) did such a great job as Cindy. I met so many amazing people while working on that movie.
It was so much fun just to be there with everyone and be a part of that experience. It’s a point in my life that I don’t ever want to forget.
gJg: What do you remember most about your experience making the movie?
AD: When we made the movie, it was around the time of my 18th birthday and it was the first time I was on a location without my Mom along. It was also where I met Darcy for the first time. She bought me a cake to celebrate my birthday. We’ve been best friends ever since!
Ami Dolenz & Darcy DeMoss – Best Friends For Life!
gJg: Do you have any favorite scenes?
AD: I really love Darcy’s scene where she’s in the car with Patrick. Of course, I’m also pretty fond of the party scene too (because, I’m in it). <laughs>
gJg: You went on to appear in “General Hospital” and then the movie “She’s Out of Control” with Tony Danza. What was it like working with Tony?
AD: Tony was a fabulous person to work with. He’s also a great tap dancer and showed me some of his moves. It was funny because our paths seemed to keep crossing. I first met him when I was on “Star Search”; we were both in a comedy sketch together. Then a few years later, I met him again for “She’s Out Of Control” .<laughs>
gJg: What attracted you to the horror genre for films like “Pumpkinhead” and “Witchboard”?
AD: Believe it or not, I’m actually a scary movie fanatic. I love horror. In fact, the original “Alien” is my all-time favorite comfort movie. I can watch it over and over.
gJg: Your father is hugely into music. Did he encourage you to try to get you into music while you were growing up?
AD: He did in a way, when I was younger. I used to play his drums. I also have a tape of me as a child signing “Blue Suede Shoes” with him. But acting was something I really wanted to do.
Ami Dolenz, Micky Dolenz & Darcy DeMoss
gJg: What was it like growing up with The Monkees?
AD: I remember we had a beautiful house in the Hollywood Hills that people would always come and visit. One of my best friends growing up was actually Alice Cooper. I even remember one of my first days in school; my teacher asked me who my best friend was and I said, “Alice Cooper”…<laughs>
gJg: Do you have your own “rock star” moment?
AD: I once did an episode of “The Adventures of Superboy” where I actually got to play a rock star who needed to be protected. My hair was wild and I got to “perform” on a huge stage. I particularly remember the scene with my limousine pulling out and everyone pounding on the car. That was a fun gig!
gJg: What are you working on right now?
AD: I’ve been taking art classes here in Vancouver. I do charcoal and some ink projects. I’m also self publishing my own children’s book, “Harold and Agatha and The Mysterious Jewel”. It’s very exciting but a lot of work. I’m going to be doing the illustrations myself as well.
As far as acting goes, I have a few things going right now, but I can’t really talk about them…yet. <laughs>
Loverboy, the Canadian rock band whose songs “Working For The Weekend,” “Hot Girls in Love” and “Queen of The Broken Hearts” have become staples of classic rock radio, have released Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival, a new album of re-recorded hits and new songs.
The band is on a massive nationwide tour supporting fellow veteran rockers Journey, Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo.
I had the chance to speak with guitarist Paul Dean about Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival as well as his current guitar setup and the origins of some of Loverboy’s biggest hits.
GUITAR WORLD: What made you decide to re-record and put together Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival?
The album started off with “Heartbreaker,” a song outline sent to us by acclaimed producer and good friend Bob Rock. Bob and I go all the way back to 1980, when he was the engineer on our first self-titled album. The first time I heard the song, it was instant for me; I could hear Mike Reno singing the bejeezus out of it….
Have you ever stopped to consider the importance of Friday? I’m not talking about “the day that comes after Thursday and before Saturday” Friday… No, I mean FRIDAY!!
When you think about it, there’s absolutely no day of the week that’s greater than Friday. Not only does it mean the start of the weekend but just think of all the really important events that always happen on Fridays: Getting your paycheck, checking out new movies that premiere, high school football games. It doesn’t even matter if it happens to be raining out – it’s STILL Friday, and that’s cause for celebration!
For me, tonight (coincidentally, also a Friday) begins a nine-day break from the rigors of work that will also coincide with an excursion to Ocean City, Maryland. See? I told you Fridays were awesome!
But, while Fridays as an adult are pretty cool, they don’t even compare to the Fridays I experienced while growing up. So, in celebration of the final day of the work week, here are the three things I loved the most about Fridays growing up:
3. School’s Out: Ah yes, absolutely nothing compared to being a teenager and Friday rolling around. For, in addition to a two-day reprieve from all of the pressures and drama that go along with being a teen, Fridays typically meant no homework and even more importantly, a chance to stay up late and sleep in on Saturday!
2. The Mall: If it was Friday night, you know a non-essential trip to the Palmer Park Mall was in order. The mall was THE place to be seen; especially on Friday.
My neighbor’s mother would always chauffeur the kids around in this big blue station wagon with the sounds of Survivor’s “Vital Signs”; Night Ranger’s “Midnight Madness” or The Hooters “Nervous Night” albums blaring through the Kenwood stereo. Ah, life was good.
You can read more of one of my favorite Friday memories here.
And the number one thing I loved most about Friday growing up:
1. The Incredible Hulk: The television show that starred Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno. I would literally be sitting in class ignoring the teacher while daydreaming of that night’s episode. “Will David Banner cure himself of the Hulk tonight?” I’d ask myself; already knowing that the answer was “No”.
In fact, I was so naive that for the longest time I even believed that Bill Bixby and The Hulk were one and the same. I actually believed Bixby really changed into the Hulk; “hiding” his true muscular physique until necessary. I even remember seeing Lou Ferrigno’s name appear in the opening credits and think: “Who the hell is this guy? I’ve never seen him in any episode.”
Although my siblings seemed to be more interested in watching the Dukes of Hazard on Friday nights (and who could blame them, Daisy Duke was pretty hot) when 8pm rolled around at the Wood household, I laid claim to the 19″ television. At least for the next sixty minutes.
There you have it, the three things I loved most about Friday! Here’s hoping your Friday is just as great! And feel free to comment with your own favorite Friday childhood memories!
When a group of friends decides to go camping in the deep woods, it’s a decision they’ll forever regret.
There’s no better way to describe the story of “PELT”, a Richard Swindell horror film that pays homage to classic slasher films of the 80’s generation.
PELT re-lives the horrific events that took place in Caveland, Kentucky during the summer of 1991. The film is a guilty pleasure; complete with all the blood, promiscuity, recreational drug use and humor that had audiences flocking to theaters when hockey-masked malcontents were all the rage.
I had the chance to speak with Travis Goodman and Matthew Robinson; two of the stars of “PELT”, and get their thoughts on the making of the movie as what the future holds.
Travis Goodman as “Mark”
gJg: What’s the best way to describe “PELT” ?
TG: It’s the stereotypical 80’s slasher flick! That’s the part that was so fun about it. For me, it was like a throw back to my childhood.
gJg: What did you like most about your role as Mark?
TG: When I first started reading the script, I immediately found a lot of things that connected me with the character; his playfulness was something that was very ME. Mark’s kind of the glue that holds everyone together. He was the one constant between everyone else in the group, and I think that’s something that’s also very characteristic of myself; he really cared for his friends.
gJg: What was it like working on a horror film with a cast of relative new comers?
TG: I felt really fortunate to be a part of this project. It was low-budget, so I knew that the entire cast and crew were really doing it for the love of making a great movie. When you get people together in that kind of scenario, it always works out for the best. Everyone got along right off the bat.
Travis Goodman
gJg: The campfire scene with you, Ashley (Watkins) and Matthew was one of my favorites.
TG: You know, that was one of my favorite scenes to film. It was the time that I felt the most comfortable on set. A lot of my own personality really started to show through with Mark.
gJg: What’s your favorite horror film of all time?
TG: That’s a tough category for me. My friend and I always used to watch movies like “Night of the Demons” and “Axe”. I think if I had to choose one, I’d say “Scream” because I really like what it did for the genre.
gJg: What’s next for you?
TG: I’m continuing to audition. Also, my girlfriend and I are working on two different features right now.
We’re hoping those will start going through by the end of the year. I’m looking forward to that.
Matthew Robinson as “Mike”
Matthew Robinson
goJimmygo (gJg): Matthew, what’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of “PELT”?
Matthew Robinson (MR): It’s a guilty pleasure. It’s also a film that’s better to watch when you’re with friends!
gJg: If you had to describe the story of “PELT”, what’s would you say it’s about?
MR: It’s a story about a group of friends who have a bright idea and decide to go exploring and reap any consequences for it later. Unfortunately for us, there was no later… <laughs>
gJg: What did you like most about your role as Mike?
MR: I liked the fact that my character was the comic relief. I was the one who got to make everyone laugh and keep everything fresh and fun.
gJg: For me, one of the funniest scenes in the entire movie was the part where everything was falling apart and then you discover the porn magazine.
MR: You know, my friends still use that on me! I’ll call them up and they’ll answer the phone and say, “Porn? Gimme that!” <laughs>
gJg: In most of the movie you’re wearing pajamas with little ducks on them. What’s the story behind that?
MR: That actually wasn’t written in the original script. On the drive up to location, Brian Gork (Producer) mentioned about me wearing the duck pajamas in one of the scenes. Everyone was laughing and I said, “Let’s do it!” That was how it first got into the script.
Then later, Brian thought it would be even funnier if I wore the ducky pajamas the entire time I was running!” I was down for it, and so that’s how the ducky pajamas came about. <laughs>
Travis Goodman & Matthew Robinson in “Pelt”
gJg: What did you like the most about this being your first feature film?
MR: I really liked the unity. Everyone in the cast got along so well together. For me, this being my first film, it made me feel comfortable.
gJg: Do you have any hobbies outside of acting?
MR: Recently, I’ve gotten into directing and I’ve done a few videos for up and coming artists, so we’ll see where that takes me.
gJg: Any film projects coming up?
MR: I’m working on an action short film and am also directing a few short films of my own as well. I’ve also just completed production on another feature. It’s a comedy called “The King of Hearts”.
gJg: What has the reception been like for Pelt?
It’s been great. I remember when the movie first hit Netflix, it was kind of a shock to me. People started coming up and recognizing me. But it’s all been good. As an actor and artist that’s the best.
Singer-songwriter Jack Dolgen has just released his sophomore album, “Wandering Times” on his own Not One Thing Records. The album is the follow-up to his hugely successful Maricopa album; songs from which were featured on such shows as “How I Met Your Mother”, “16 and Pregnant”, “One Tree Hill”, and “Royal Pains”.
Produced by Mike Geier (B.O.B., Cee-Lo Green), Chuck Brody (Ra Ra Riot, Ted Leo) and Jack Dolgen himself,“Wandering Times” is an eleven song opus that’s filled with organic pop, catchy choruses and melodies that are highly addictive.
In addition to releasing the much-anticipated follow-up album, Jack continues to involve himself in a variety of interesting projects, including co-writing and producing comedy songs with Rachel Bloom (Robot Chicken, Allen Gregory); and composing music for film and TV, such as the theme song for season two of NTSF:SD:SUV:: (Adult Swim)
I had the opportunity to speak with Jack and get the insight about the new album. In “Wandering Times”, Jack takes the listener on a journey of thought and self-reflection. And in the end, we discover that sometimes you need to wander in order to find home.
goJimmygo (gJg): What’s the inspiration behind “Wandering Times”?
Jack Dolgen (JD): I decided to quit music a few years ago. Even though I was living in New York and had already made an album (Maricopa), I felt that everything was sort of crumbling around me. So, I put all of my instruments away, moved to LA and closed the door.
I quit and then the TV and film placements began coming in for my first record. Opportunities to record for TV shows kind of drew me back into recording and it was all going so well, I realized that I can’t really get away from music. I started recording songs in chunks, just to test the water and see if I could handle it. Eventually, I was back in completely.
gJg: What’s your songwriting process like?
JD: It’s different every time. Sometimes I’ll just be out walking or driving and a melody will come to me and I’ll record it on my phone. Other times, I just pick up the instrument and see what happens. All of the songs started out on just acoustic guitar or piano and then build from there. I try and take a stay out of the way approach to the early part of the songwriting process, when an idea comes from wherever it comes from. Then after that stage is over, I jump in and work, rework, tweak and refine.
Baby I’m Afraid Tonight: This song is about vulnerability and honesty in a relationship. The idea that it’s not the times when we’re perfect for each other that bring us closer together; it’s the times when we’re vulnerable.
In the song, I’m singing to a lover but in a sense, I’m also signing to myself. It’s a hard thing to be vulnerable.In a lot of my songs, I strive to learn from them.
Jack Dolgen
gJg: What’s next for you?
JD: I’ve already begun writing songs for a third album. I’m always writing and working with different songwriters. I have a theme for NTSF:SD:SUV, the second season of which airs this week.
I’m also finishing up an album with Rachel Bloom. It’s her first full-length release. In addition to being an incredible musical talent, she’s also a tremendous comedic talent as well. We’ve worked on quite a few comedy songs and videos together. She’s phenomenal.
For More information on Jack Dolgen check out the links below:
Twenty-Five years ago today I officially began adult life by starting college at Penn State Allentown. This was the first time I had ever gone to “school” without the comfort of seeing familiar faces and teachers. Everything was new to me, but I was also excited about the possibilities. Fortunately, I kept a semi-regular journal about my experiences, including one about this monumental day.
go.Jimmy.go 