Following are excerpts from my 1978 diary, updated as I can find time to escape the '90s and start up my "wayback machine." I was 15 years old. All of the spellings, grammar, etc. are left original.

Fri. Sept. 1, 1978

Today wasn't good. Only thing that was good was that we got our yearbooks. I came home thinking for sure I'd get the postcard. Did I? NOOOOOOO! Lisa was with me. I threw her shoes down the street, stomped on the texaco bill, then marie came along & asked what was wrong. Lisa said I hadn't got a postcard from Buster. Marie said, "Oh I saw him last Monday at the 2nd Chance" That really got me & I said, "S**t, bull, you're f***kin'!" Then I ran into the house. I threw my t-bear, it hit the light fixture in my room & broke into a million pieces. I traded it with the one in Bob's old room. Lisa stayed all night.

Sat. Sept. 2, 1978

We went to K-mart & the snapshop & got my pics. The postcard didn't come! I cried. I wrote him a crazy letter explaining how I feel. I rode my bike into Mossville to mail it. After putting it into the box, I 'membered I didn't have a stamp on it! Rode home with a flat tire & wrote another, enclosing a stamp.

The Brem's came over. Watched Saturday night Live & C&T on a Midnight Special repeat from 1975.

Sun. Sept. 3, 1978

Bob & Chad came over. I called Buster. He sounded tired. He got moved into his apartment Friday & was out all day yesterday looking for furniture. The reason I haven't got his postcard is cuz it's still in his briefcase! So is a letter to his mom! He hasn't had a chance to get stamps. I could kill him! I told him I plan to get a job at WCLL. He wants me to do it. NOW! I wrote him a letter after I got off the phone & enclosed 2 S.A.S.E's. I also called Chuck. He hadn't heard from him for 2 weeks, so I told him what Mark had told me. He is gonna be on the telethon tomarrow 11-12. Hy Walker was fired.

Mon. Sept. 4, 1978

Today was pretty good. I called Chuck on the telethon, and pledged $5. He's soo sweet! Then me and ma went to Bergner's and I had more copies run off of my C&T pics for pals. Stopped at McDonalds and got chow. Came back and made chocolate chip cookies. They turned out okay. Carol Burnett (reruns) are on every weeknight at 6:30 now! Cut my thumb on a sodie can tab. It feels great. I wrote Buster another letter. Actually, I typed it cuz it hurts my thumb to write. I've been listening to WCLL Chillicothe's station where I'm gonna try to get a job. I thought it was just country, and ball games, but in the evening it plays all of the new top songs, and has a request line. At ten, they play the top 10 requested songs of the night. All in all, it's pretty cool, and I'm just dying to try to get a job there! Ma is gonna take me in to get my social security card this week, then I'm gonna go there and see what I can do! I feel better lately.

Tues. Sept. 5, 1978

Today was horrifying! Early release don't allow me to ride the bus home or go to S.H. Ran 50 yd. dash in 8.6. Walked to downtown Chilli. Went to WCLL & applied. She said to be a d.j. I need a 3rd class operator's lisence. I left there with an hour to spare. Went to Wendy's where I slopped an entire large coke on my brand new slacks. I was so upset. She gave me another one. I left there & walked around letting my pants dry. Went back to school & called Mike & had him come get me. Called Chuck & asked him all about the 3rd Class Operator's Lisence. He is so sweet! He explained the whole thing to me very seriously. I need to study & pass a test from the FCC. I have to get a pamplet to study first!

Wed. Sept. 6, 1978

Had to run the 600 yd. dash. Did it in 4 min 7 sec. Mom came and got me. We drove to a zillion radio stores. Not one had the pamphlet. Then at the mall, at the Book Market, they did. Got it for $5.95. It's called "Broadcast Announcer's License Manual, a guide to FCC 3rd Class Exam." We went to Social Security Office and got an application to fill out to get my number.

I Read the Introduction of my manual. It's very interesting, since this is what I want to do with the rest of my life! It's gonna be tough, but I'm willing!

Thur. Sept. 7, 1978

Today was a bit better than the past few. Ran the shuttle run in 10.5. Been studying my brains out in that manual. Turned in my social security application, I'll get my number in 6-8 weeks. Got a sweatsuit. I'm learning my broadcasting real fast. Gave a speech today introducing a classmate in English. I got an "A" on it! I haven't gotten a written word from that Buster yet. If I don't soon, I'm gonna scream! I'm doing all of this brain racking learning just for him!

Fri. Sept. 8, 1978 (Joe Gusman's 18th Birthday)

Today was alright. No big deal. I got out of school at 1:18 cuz of a pep assembly. Guess what? I still haven't gotten a letter from Mark!! So, I wrote him one asking him if he really cares about me. Tried to call Charlie a couple times, but he didn't answer. Oh well.

Jumped 5'8" on the standing broad jump in P.E.

Studied some more in my manual.

Watched a preview show of the new fall cartoons with Erik Estrada, and Scott Baio. Now I'm watching the 5th part of "Roots." I've been watching since it started Tuesday night. It's pretty good.

Sat. Sept. 9, 1978

Today was fun. Went shopping. I woke up with this brilliant idea that I wanted my own radio station somehow. So, in the Radio Shack catalog, dad found an AM Broadcaster Kit. Me, ma & Lisa rushed out and got it! Dad got it put together, but it ain't workin' so great. He'll fix it better tomorrow.

I picked up the wallet size pics of me & Mark. They're really good. Not half as badly cut off as those first ones were. Also, got the C&T reprints.

This is gonna be great!! My own radio station!

Sun. Sept. 10, 1978

Today was fantastic! WFIZ is born! It works wonderful now! I'm a great d.j. if I do say so myself! And I do! Wow, my very own radio station! It's even transmitted a ways outside. Me & Lisa have been goofin' off all day on my station. We ironed on letters on our shirts. They say WFIZ on the front, and our d.j. names on the back. I'm Julie of IVC of course!

Mon. Sept. 11, 1978

Today was so-so. We got our class ring kits. I wanna get the insignia on top, the mascot on one side & a radio thing on the other side. Should be pretty cool! I'm doin' fine in P.E.! Today, I did the flexed arm hang for 5 seconds, and I did 20 sit ups in a minute. Called Chuck. He hasn't heard from Mark either! He says to give him more time to get settled. I asked how I could get a "Z" shirt. I have to WIN it! Mark was gonna GIVE me one! I ran my station from 2:15 to 6:25. It's a blast! I caught up on my pen-pal letters finally! But now my room is a complete mess!!!

Tue. Sept. 12, 1978

Today was good. I did an excellent job on my personal experience speech on my "close encounter of the C&T kind"! It was fun & exciting! I stole the stage. Had to get my picture taken for the yearbook right after P.E. Yuck! By that time, I was a greasy mess. Was goin' to the doc's to get a blood test, but Ma didn't feel good, so we came on home. Didn't run FIZ much. Got my homework done, picked up my room (boy was it heavy! ha, ha!) & watched t.v. Did a bit of reviewing in my broadcaster's manual. I'll do some serious studying tomarrow. Gonna call Mark tomarrow nite for his birthday. That monkey!

Wed. Sept. 13, 1978 (Buster's birthday)

Today was great. Ordered my class ring. Dropped off my negs at K-mart for C&T reprints. Got a Travolta calendar. Wore my hair in braids tonight. I called Buster. He was late in getting in, so I had to call back a couple times. He mailed me a letter 3 days ago. I SHOULD get it tomarrow. He is VERY busy working extra hours. He wanted to know about CLL, so I told him 'bout the "detail" he left out. Told him about my station. He thought that was pretty neat! We had a nice little talk and I can tell that he hasn't lost interest in me.

Thur. Sept. 14, 1978

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