Sunday, December 22nd, 1974

Dad got the new gas radiator cap for his car and we put it on. Later I had to help move the seats up. I remembered how I accidentally did it yesterday and I discovered how to do it again. Dad's gonna leave it out over Christmas and never put it back unless they can secure that garage better.

After all that, they finally got to go to the store today.

Had to fix a light at work along with taking out the trash.

I began decorating the tree this afternoon while I caught a small part of a movie with Bogart, Edward G and Bette Davis.

I re-re-reread the first books of Kirby's Fourth World series.

My ear remained stopped up and hurting until late in the day. Has to be a minor ear infection.

Watched several more holiday shows and then finished the evening with Lon Chaney's HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME on Ch. 48.

NOTES: Jack Kirby's first DC books on his return to that company were collectively referred to--for reasons no one seems to know--as the "Fourth World Trilogy," even though there were four of them. They were my favorite comics of the period and the ones that made me stick with reading comic books when I was contemplating dropping them.

At the time, the only one singing the praises of silent film star Lon Chaney was Forrest J. Ackerman, editor of FAMOUS MONSTERS magazine. So I thought of him as a horror star which he really wasn't. Still, it drew me to watch his films whenever--and it was rare--I could find them.

Saturday, December 21st, 1974

A long, long day. I was awakened by a call from Terry. he picked up one book I didn't and vice versa.

When Dad and I went to the car later in the morning, we found it was all messed up again! They got the battery, the radio, etc. All gone! I was SO mad but not half as mad as Dad was! He called the cops and we waited but they never even showed up. Damn it! Boy! Conners claims he'll get the garage fixed. I'll bet. I told Dad early this year it wasn't his year for cars. Boy, was I right! Later in the day, Dad got the car fixed. It's not great but at least it runs for now.

Mom went uptown and picked me up some new comics and a new scrapbook which I promptly dedicated to Roddy and the Apes.

While she was gone, I watched WHITE CHRISTMAS again and picked out some toys to give to that lady Mom knows who's collecting. She came by tonight to pick 'em up.

I watched ALL IN THE FAMILY's special 100th episode and a really neat James Bond commercial.

We brought the tree up from the basement tonight. Only took me 30 minutes to put it up. We didn't get it fully decorated yet.

My ear slowly began to hurt very badly. I went to bed with cotton in it.

NOTES: If you'll recall, my Dad, after having his car stolen from a nearby public parking lot earlier in the year, he began renting one side of a garage a block and a half away. Unfortunately, the car was constantly being broken into by someone because the OTHER side of the double garage was easily accessible. They couldn't open the lock and steal our car but they basically had unfettered access to do what they wanted with it otherwise. Ugh! After the first time, I tried to talk my dad into moving it but for reasons I forget, he chose not to do so. 

When I was very small, we would go out and buy a real tree every year from a street market. At some point, they decided to get an artificial tree and that's what we always had from that point. In recent years, we've given up putting up a tree. Seems like a lot of trouble to go to when you just take it down a week or so later. Must admit, though, sometimes I miss Christmas trees.

WHITE CHRISTMAS actually isn't a Christmas movie except for certain early scenes and the ending. But that voice and that song represents Christmas to so many in several generations.

Friday, December 20th, 1974

We got out a few minutes earlier than expected even. I saw Jay at school and he told me he saw the new Showcase yesterday. I caught the regular bus home for a change and it was the most overcrowded bus I have ever been on! Still crowded when it arrived in Cincinnati!

I went straight to the theater to find out what time THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN started. Unfortunately, I had already missed the first showing which started at 11 so I decided to get my books and then catch the 1:05 showing.

Got a lot of mags and then went back just a little early. They raised their price to $3.50 but it was only $2.75 for the first two showings. It was really good! Probably make my Top Ten. Saw a review of it tonight though that really put it down. Next year's THE SPY WHO LOVED ME. On the way out, I picked up a free full color glossy of the poster. It looks great on the back page of my scrapbook.

APES' last episode was cut off locally for a Christmas special! Boy!

Mom gave me a present from her friend Agnes. A fancy dueling pistol shaped bottle filled with Avon cologne. It's really neat.

They're finally playing Donny and Marie's new record on the radio.

Missed my deadline on finishing my TREK story. Maybe I'll still keep going. maybe not.


NOTES: Seen here are both sides of the glossy I got on my way out that day.

Thursday, December 19th, 1974

Dodgeball in Gym again. I did a little bit better than usual. In Home Room, a girl named Angie collected money for needy people. Starting with nothing she had over six dollars before we got out of Home Room. She never said a word to me, though. She never does. Wish I knew why. I'm not that bad looking. A fairly hard Geometry test and an easy Science one rounded out the day. There would have been a Spanish test but it was called off for some reason.

Jay bought TEN of my notebooks!

One girl collected money to get a gift for Mr. K for Christmas. I contributed my last dime. At least she spoke to me. She only got $1.32 so she wrapped it up and gave it to him in class. He loved it! I'm glad I was a small part of that.

Tomorrow we get off at 11 and then it's 007!

I wish I was part of some group. Maybe the STAR TREK group will be my "thing." I know more about the show than most people--especially non-Trekkies.

 I wish PAPER MOON hadn't been canceled. Next week, PLANET OF THE APES reruns the first episode and then that's it for them, too.

I've given up on asking Debbie to the new Showcase Cinemas.

Nelson Rockefeller became the new VP of the USA today. I stayed up 30 minutes past Rocky's oath to catch the last part of a MOVIN' ON Christmas special.

NOTES: I had so many of the giant 3 ring binders the Social Security office had thrown away that I was selling them at school! Hah!

Nelson Rockefeller became the controversial unelected Veep to an unelected President. The seventies were weird.

Wednesday, December 18th, 1974

We had an assembly this morning where the choir sang. 7 and 8 plus also the rest. One girl i recognized was up there with 7 and 8 but I didn't know any of the others. I took my ST story to school and wrote almost 3 more pages on it.

Dad stayed off again and the TV man finally came. It's working pretty good again now.

When I started this journal I never imagined I'd be working at the Social Security Office for more than half the year. I've grown to hate the job even though it grants me exercise and experience but I enjoy the money so I can't quit now. We had SO much trash tonight! I nearly broke the trash cart!

Saw Tony Orlando's Christmas special and part of THE MISSLES OF OCTOBER.

NOTES: Major computer issues. Don't think anything here needs an explanation so...

Tuesday, December 17th, 1974

Mr. Rodgers was still absent and I was almost late for Study Hall. The Coach was out, too, and I almost got out of Gym but he decided to come in by fifth period. Boy! The highlight of the day was Part Two of RED BADGE.

I almost purposely missed the bus so I could talk to the girl who works at the theater.  After waiting in the snow for a while with her, I got up the courage to say something and asked her if she still worked at The Madison. I think she was afraid I'd ask her to get me in free. Guess she gets that a lot. I just wanted to know what was coming in January. THE GROOVE TUBE, she said. Bleeeh! It goest off today at The Place after playing there 5 months! When we finally got on a bus, i sat near her but we never spoke another word.

We got a late start at work and ended up with a lot to take out. Mom and Dad even missed Christmas shows they had wanted to see. I got back just in time to catch a special holiday episode of HAPPY DAYS. And it was really something, too!

I got twelve more giant binders they threw out at work. I think I'm going to have to get rid of some.

Late tonight i watched THIS IS THE WEST THAT WAS with Ben Murphy recreating his Kid Curry character and also Wild Bill Hickok.

NOTES: I have no idea what I meant by that last remark as IMDB doesn't list Kid Curry as a character and Murphy plays Hickok. His ALIAS SMITH AND JONES co-star narrates. I have absolutely no memory of this TV movie from the roy Huggins stable but it seems to be a deconstruction of Western myths. A good cast but totally forgotten.

THE GROOVE TUBE seemed under the radar at the time, a cult comedy edited together from early uncensored closed circuit TV comedy shown in a club in New York City. Appearing were a couple of faces who would become more familiar later--Chevy Chase and Richard Belzer. Ir would be another decade before I finally saw it and I wasn't impressed. It was more shocking than funny and by that point, KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE, AIRPLANE, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE and NATIONAL LAMPOON'S ANIMAL HOUSE had come along, all an outgrowth of THE GROOVE TUBE in a way (whether or nit I realized that at the time) only they were, at least sometimes, actually funny as well as outrageous.

Monday, December 16th, 1974

Not sure what I dreamed about last night but it sure must have been good. I awoke ready for anything. I'll bet it was about the Convention!

More teachers absent today.

I worked on a new story outline for my STAR TREK piece. It only vaguely resembles what I started last year. This one is called THE GOLDEN SAVIOR. I also began rereading STAR TREK 10 and, of course, watched tonight's episode.

At school, we finally got to see Part one of RED BADGE OF COURAGE. Part two tomorrow.

Got a 75 on a Science test! Uh oh...Finally made up my Spanish test, too, and I'm sure I did better on it.

Some guy came by to see Dad while he was at the doctor. Said he'd come back later but never did.

At the Office tonight, they had a tree up and a card decoration down in the break room!

Watched a little of START THE REVOLUTION WITHOUT ME on TV with Gene Wilder and Donald Sutherland.

NOTES: I don't think I ever did finish THE GOLDEN SAVIOR but I did finish the earlier TREK tale I'd started, MISSION TO MENTHOS. Still have it. These days, it's my wife who writes the STAR TREK stories as a prolific fan-fic author.

The Wilder/Sutherland film is more interesting than it is actually good but I did eventually see all of it.