Thursday, June 13, 2019

New Chapter of Life

By the time this post is published, I'll either be at Red Robin with my co-workers celebrating the start of summer vacation... or laying on my couch taking my first nap of summer vacation.

The last day of school is so weird, because all of those eighth graders who didn't want to be in class during the school year... don't want to go home and accept that their middle school years are over.  They not ready to hear that they are starting a new chapter of their lives.

I can't remember ever begging my teachers to let me stay and hang out... like my students do every single year.  And I guarantee that I never shed a single tear on the last day of school.  I was the kid who couldn't wait for my summer break to begin.

2017 Goodwin Champions World Traveler Map Relics #WT-23

In fact, one of my coworkers and I were reminiscing about our middle school graduations... and I told her I skipped mine to go to Lake Tahoe with my family.  My parents gave me the choice to go to the graduation ceremony or chill out in one of my favorite places in the world.  It was a no-brainer.

That was thirty-three years ago... back in 1986.  Back when these four cards were released...

1986 Topps Traded #20T
1986 Topps #250
1986 Topps #1

I've mentioned my mild obsession with signed 1986 Topps baseball cards.  These are the only three that I have authenticated by PSA.  The only other certified autograph is this Topps Archives Tony Pena buyback autograph:

1986 Topps #260

And rounding out this post is a card I've wanted for quite some time that I finally picked up:

1999 UD Century Legends Epic Signatures #WMc

I absolutely love this autograph set and McCovey represents the 22nd addition from this set to my collection.

How does he relate to this post?  Well... he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame the summer of 1986.  The same summer I graduated middle school and was listening to this song on my Sony Walkman:


What about you?

What songs were you listening to during the summer you graduated middle school?

Happy Thursday and sayonara!

27 comments:

P-town Tom said...

I was listening to Sir Mix A-Lot's "Baby Got Back" and "I'm Too Sexy" by Right Said Fred. I so wanted to be cool.

Rod (Padrographs) said...

Theme from Shaft, Brown Sugar, just my imagination among other things in the summer of 1971 in Carmel, California

Mike Matson said...

We didn't have Middle School.. It was just Elementary and High..
That said.. It was 1992 when I graduated from Grade 8. Our Grad song was the song from Robin Hood. Everything I do..

Jeremya1um said...

I was kind of just getting into music and CDs in the summer of 1997. I listened to a lot of the contemporary Christian music they played on the local radio, so not necessarily specific songs, but more a group of artists that would shape my taste in music during the next decade or so. PfR, Out of the Grey, DC Talk, Newsboys, Chris Rice, 3rd Day we’re just some of my favorite artists.

Commishbob said...

1964...The Beatles, The Dave Clark Five, Dusty Springfield and more Beatles

Baltmoss68 said...

We had Junior High school 7-9. No grad ceremonies But I was probably listening to Aur Supply or Fogelberg

Nice autographs!

Johnnys Trading Spot said...

1) I have a bunch of non certified 86 Topps autographs. 2) Back when I was of middle school age, most towns in GA. did not have a middle school. Grade school was K-6, then you went to the High school for 7-12. You were still considered in junior high for 7th and 8th, but no graduating to get to 9th. I'm pretty sure it didn't affect me in anyway. I think I turned out okay (most of the time). Enjoy what you can of Summer.

Brett Alan said...

I remember right after eighth grade, I went to see Joe Jackson live at Six Flags Great Adventure. This was early in his career. I actually was going to a Junior High School so I could have gone another year, but I ended up changing schools so that was effectively the end of middle school for me.

Bulldog said...

That's a nice Pena card and autograph. And "When the going gets tough, the tough get going" was my jam and I was a junior in high school.

GCA said...

My class was the last one in my high school that didn't go to the middle school that they had just built. It was the first one in the county, and at the time, I didn't know what they were talking about. Eight grade was the middle of junior high. It was 1979-80, and I was hitting my collecting stride building the 1980 baseball set after completing my first ever set - 1979 Topps football.

Don't think I was into music that much until a year or two later. Started off with Sheena Easton (first album 1981), then Huey Lewis, Foreigner, Billy Squier, and more mellow stuff.

Wasn't til 1983 that I heard KISS Lick It Up and was blown away at the intensity and power. Turned me to hard rock & metal from then on. I like the occasional Adele, dance track, or other pop single, but nothing will ever take me away from the hard stuff.

Hackenbush said...

We had elementary school, kindergarten through eighth grade in the same building. I was probably listening to "Bad,Bad Leroy Brown by Jim Croce. Great McCovey! Happy summer.

night owl said...

Lots of stuff, but this album ruled the summer of '79:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbqVPYZgK48&list=PLMxW7O6yL-jAmJtqVKe3TVP02-2RvQ27f

gcrl said...

Nice stretch. I recently picked up am auto from that set, too, but not mccovey. The song that reminds me of Jr high the most is the talking heads' "burning down the house"

Corky said...

In the 6 months that I lived in Reno I went to Lake Tahoe at least 6 times. We spent the 4th of July that year in Tahoe, it was really nice.

zman40 said...

Like GCRL, I don't remember a particular song for the summer after eight grade. But, when I think of middle school, I think of "Smells Like Teen Spirit".

The Snorting Bull said...

I was really into Faith No More and The Pixies at the end of middle school. Still love both bands.

gcrl said...

We care a lot!

The Lost Collector said...

Congrats on finishing the school year!

Matt said...

Ah, middle school in the late 80's! I went from a Catholic school 8th grade class of 12 to being one of about 120 freshman in a public school. That was a little bit of a culture shock! While the girls were starting starting to swoon over New Kids on the Block, I have memories of listening to Def Leppard's Hysteria with the guys. Summer of 1989 was heavy on Guns N Roses if I recall.

defgav said...

"You Can't Touch This" and "Ice Ice Baby"

sg488 said...

Summer of 74,Bennie and the Jets,Dancing Machine,and The Streak.

SumoMenkoMan said...

Oddly enough, I don't listen to music much....but I was definitely loading up on all the awesome 1990s baseball cards.

Fuji said...

p-town tom - sounds like i was in college when you were graduating middle school. i had that sir mix a lot album... but i'm too sexy is one of my least favorite songs of all-time

rod - wow... you grew up in carmel? nice. btw... three iconic songs.

mike matson - lol. i still know all the words to that song. i've always been a big fan of bryan adams

jeremya1um - one of my girlfriends from college was really into christian music and got me into it, so i recognize a few of those groups.

commishbob - i love, love, love the beatles! btw... i received your padded envelope in the mail. gonna open it sometime this weekend. thanks in advance.

baltmoss68 - grew up listening to air supply. my brother recently gave me his lp collection and fogelberg was in there.

johnnys trading spot - i'm jealous. signed 86T look awesome! i actually think it's silly that we make such a big deal about our 8th grade graduation... but then again... if it's an opportunity for families to celebrate and be happy... i say go for it.

brett alan - only know a few joe jackson songs off the top of my head... but steppin' out is one of my favorite songs from my childhood. heading over to youtube to listen to it as i wrap up these comments

bulldog - sounds like we're about the same age. i was listening to that song too.

gca - my brother and i were listening to some foreigner a few weeks ago. i love me some 70's and 80's rock. if you like kiss, you might like a post i'll have up in the next week or two. stay tuned

hackenbush - that's a great song. i remember hearing it on the radio as a kid

night owl - great album. another album donated to me by my brother.

gcrl - which autograph did you get? i'll never finish the set due to the short prints... but i only need mazerowski to wrap up all of the affordable guys. burning down the house is a great song. love the talking heads.

corky - when i was a kid, we'd spend two weeks a year there... although most of the time it was during the winter and spring to go skiing

zman40 - iconic song. it's always fun to play it for my students every august and see how many kids recognize it.

the snorting bull - it's been a while since i've listened to either of these bands. i've got YT open in another screen. gonna play some faith no more right now.

the lost collector - thank you kind sir! starting summer school on tuesday ;)

matt - sounds like we're only a few years apart. i was listening to the hysteria album in high school.

defgav - those were senior year songs. had both cds at one point

sg488 - bennie and the jets is a great song. man i'd love to see elton john in concert.

sumomenkoman - i was in college at the time... but i was too. good times.



Matt said...

I really like the map relics. Many don't

Fuji said...

sport card collectors - less demand = lower prices = two happy collectors (me & you)

Ana Lu said...

That Traveller card has a sample of a map!? That's effin awesome!

Fuji said...

Yeah... Upper Deck took a map and chopped it up. In a sense it's kinda cheesy... but they make awesome display pieces. I've picked up a few of them.