My 80s Journal - Shawn Kemp

This is what I wrote on August 30, 1985. I was 14 years old. I was in 8th grade.

I went to the N.W. - Concord game. I took Mike. We won. I saw Shawn Kemp at the game. He plays basketball for Concord. He is super good. He is only a Sophmore. He will be famous someday. I gave Tara my I.D. bracelet at the game.

• Oddly, for me, I don't remember too much about this day.
• Sometime in the past 24 years I learned how to spell sophomore.
  
• I miss Mike. I haven't seen him or talked to him for about nine years.
• I'm still friends with Tara and talk to her pretty often.
• I was blessed to have friends like Mike and Tara growing up.
  

23 Years Ago Today

From my 80s journal:

Tuesday, July 9'th 1985
Me & Mike rode the tandem out to Pizza Hut & when we got there our bikes were sitting behind Mc Donalds. It was pretty wierd. I am so sick of my cousin Rocki staying here. She has been here for 8 weeks, but she is going home in a week.

• I was 14 years old.
• Mike is Mike Engle.
• Mine and Mike's bikes had been stolen out of my front yard.
• I think my problem with Rocki was that I was jealous. She had always been my buddy, but that summer she was my sister's buddy.
  

23 Years Ago Today

From my 80s journal:

I had good food on the airplane (apple pancakes). We got home at about 7:45 P.M. Mike called me at about 8:30. We went to the park it was boring. So we came back to my house to work my computer. (I have an Apple IIC). I called Heather & her mom said she was at Lisa Stickleys. So I called Shelli (Mikes girldfriend) to get Lisa's number, she told me. So I clicked the hanger-upper real fast and when I put the phone to my ear. Heather was talking. She had called me inbetween clicks.

Then when Mike left he came back in & said "Our bikes aren't out there". We went to look for them but couldn't find them. Mike rode Jenny Pletchers bike home. She had left it hear. I don't know how I'll get around but I'll let you know.

• I had been in California at my dad's house.
• We "worked my computer."
• That was a weird phone thing.
• The tandem
• That was one GREAT summer, second only to the summer of 1986 in my life.

May 4, 1991 Revisited

Kristi's sister, Lori, journaled about May 4, 1991 as well. You can read her journal entry as a comment at the bottom of this page. (You can also read mine and Kristi's if you missed them.)
Thanks Lori!

Anyone else have a journal entry from this date? Ben? Deb? Jamie? Anyone?

22 Years Ago Today

From my 80s journal:

Sun. May 18, 1986

I went to S.S. & Church. After church Steph came home & Grandma & Grandpa Culp ate dinner here. I talked to Heather this afternoon. After I talked to her, Steph, Mom & Me went to Donny Young's graduation open house. Steph was going with him last year. Well they broke-up wright about now last year. I think it was kind of hard for Steph. But I think she's glad she went. I watched "Micki & Maude" on VCR tonight.

• Donny went to Fairfield. I remember we gave his younger sister some of my parachute pants after I didn't wear them anymore.
• I went to the Nappanee Church of the Brethren.
• Stephanie is my sister. This would have been the end of her freshman year at Manchester College. I think they had a Jan. term, so their school year got out later than most colleges.

Fred and Evelynn Culp
Circa 1980

March 28, 1986

From my 80s journal

Fri. Mar. 28, 1986

No school today, Good Friday. at about 10 Mike came down here & we played basketball, then at 11: we went to Central and played basketball with T.J., Brent, Jay, & Craig Bush. Then Me, Mike, T.J. & Brent went to Pizza Hut. Then we went to Shelli Kindigs. Heather, Kelley K., Stacy Cleveland, Alan, Ben, LaMarr, Jason & Alan Nuenamaker & Nikki Spiecher, Mikes going with her, were all there. We played basketball, tennis, frissbe golf & football. We talked alot to. We stayed there about 4 hours. When I got home I rode my 4-wheeler, I got stuck in this mud-leaf-water hole. I walked home. I got John Kuhns to help me get it out. We got it out.

• I was 15.
• We would have used bikes to get around Nappanee that day.
• I remember this day pretty well, especially playing at Shelly Kindig's and getting my three wheeler stuck.
• 1986 was filled with fun days like this for me. I remember 1986 as my favorite year.
• Central = Central School
• T.J. = T.J. Mishler
• Brent = Brent Warren
• Jay = Jay Crain
• Heather = Heather Smith
• Kelley K. = Kelly Crilow
• Alan = Alan Nunemaker
• Ben = Ben Hahn
• LaMarr = LaMarr Lakins
• Jason = Jason Nunemaker
• Nikki Spiecher = Nikki Speicher
• Ben Hahn and I are now brother's-in-law. Our wives are sisters.
• On the way to Pizza Hut one of us would have suddenly yelled, "FirstchoiceofPersonalPanPepperoni." Follwed quickly by, "Second" and "Third." Brent was the only one who usually got a supreme, so he didn't have anything to worry about.
• The mud-leaf-water hole that I got stuck in was in the woods behind Nunemaker's house. It would have been just to the south of where Andy and Jenni Wysong live now.
• I'm not sure how well my mom, sister and I would have fared had it not been for John Kuhn's serventhood.
  
  

18 Years Ago Today

From my 80s journal:

Wed. May 16, 1990

I went to Dairy Queen after school with Debbie, Jenni, & Alicia. It was fun. After Dairy Queen Alicia, Jenni & I went to Goshen. I washed my car tonight. I drove around in the country for about an hour. Troll Bridge doesn't exsist anymore. I wanted to stop by Heidi's or call her tonight, but I didn't.

• I had just gotten a 1985 Nissan 300ZX.
• Debbie = Debbie Pippenger
• Jenni = Jenni Hartman
• Alicia = Alicia Templeton
• Heidi = Heidi Freed
• I don't remember what we did in Goshen that day.

22 Years Ago Today

From my 80s journal:

Thur. May 15, 1986

Ange & Meg are here but I haven't talked to them yet. After school I played b-ball. I played with LaMarr, Matt Ingle, & Jason Nune. for 2 games. I won both of those & LaMarr & Matt both started for 7'th. The last 2 games I played, Matt Hockert played also. & I still won both of those.

I talked to Mike & Heather on the phone tonight.

• LaMarr = LaMarr Lakins
• Jason Nune. = Jason Nunemaker
• The basketball game was "21."
• My driveway was the place for basketball from about 1983 - 1989. The rim was low and the basketballs were small. T.J., Brent, Mike and I hand made the backboard with some of Mike's brother's (John Wesseler) precious oak. There was a three point line hand-painted with some of my mom's best acrylic artist paints. I was deadly accurate from behind this line. The hoop is gone now, but I'm pretty sure I could take a small ball to my mom's right now and launch a shot straight threw a non-existent hoop.

The Court

Remnants of the acrylic paint three point line remain to this day.

22 Years Ago Today

From my 80s journal:

Wed. May 14, 1986

My mom was off today so at noon she got me a Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pizza. After school Me, TJ & Brent batted. I cleaned my room & cleaned out my dresser after that. Dad called this evening he said Me & Ange were coming tomorow evening to look at houses. Then they were going to Kentucky Sat. morning. Mike & Nikki are kind of mad at each other but they aren't going to break-up. Heather called me tonight. We talked for about A half an hour. I also talked to Mike on the phone tonight.

• I must have eaten lunch at home.
• My dad, step-mom and sister, Meagan were in the process of moving from Kentucky to Nappanee. The plan was for my dad to buy Dal-Mar catering from my uncle, Dallas Gall. They did move to Nappanee for a few years, but the plan to buy Dal-Mar ended up falling through.
• Mike = Mike Engle
• Nikki = Nikki Speicher
• TJ = T.J. Mishler
• Brent = Brent Warren
  

22 Years Ago Today

From my 80s journal:

Tue., May 13, 1986

I played basketball here at noon today. The choir concert was tonight. Heather had to do motions to one song. I watched MTV tonight Patrick Eweing was the guest V.J. After school Brent, T.J., & Me batted after school. P.S. The people who got citizenship were Alan & Debbi Pipp. & Jill Huns.

• "Batted" = hit tennis balls with a baseball bat. We took turns hitting, pitching and outfielding. Actually we didn't like how Brent pitched, so we didn't let him pitch very much.
• Brent = Brent Warren
• T.J. = T.J. Mishler
• Alan = Alan Nunemaker
• Debbi Pipp. = Debbie Pippenger
• Jill Huns. = Jill Hunsberger

From the May 12, 1986 issue of Sports Illustrated:

"THIS MAY BE MTV'S BIGGEST HIT
Say this for Patrick Ewing: He's got his money, he's got his Knicks, he's even got his MTV. The MTV part came last Wednesday, when the 7-foot Knick center recorded a one-hour guest VJ segment at Music Television's studios in New York City. The show, for which Ewing chose all the videos, is scheduled to be broadcast on Tuesday, May 13, at 10 p.m. E.D.T.

Ewing picked music ranging from Bob Marley's reggae to Eric Clapton's rock and even threw in, as a short selection (about 5'4"), Prince. He talked about the importance of staying in school and presumably scored a few points with his shoe company by
interviewing the popular rap group Run-DMC about its new single, My Adidas.

Ewing's height caused the studio crew a few problems. Cameras had to be moved back in order to fit Ewing on the screen. Cameramen were forced to stand on boxes so they could shoot him at eye level. And MTV host Martha (Spud)Quinn—all 5'2" of her—had to climb onto a desk to chat with Ewing, who was sitting down. "How's the weather down there?" she asked him. "There must not be too many guys bigger than you."

22 Years Ago Today

From my 80s journal:

Mon. May 12, 1986

I played basketball here at noon with Jason & Heath & Eric Chupp. Stacey & Kelly were here watching. There was a track meet after school. Heather was there. After I got home Mom took me to the Mall to get new shoes for our choir concert tomorow. I got some off-white suade Deck Shoes. After we went to the mall we ate at TACO BELL. I saw another house for sale. It is on C.R. 7 close to the one on 52. When I got home I called Heather.

• I was in 8th grade.
• Jason = Jason Hahn
• Heath = Heath Fervida
• Stacey = Stacey Cleveland
• Kelly = Kelly Crilow
• The mall would have been Concord Mall
• We used to just leave school after we ate lunch, walk to my house and play basketball until we had to get back to class.

Kristi's Journal

I had no idea that Kristi journaled about our first date on May 4, 1991. But she did and she posted her journal entry as a comment to my recent "17 years ago today" post. You can read her journal from that day at the bottom of this page.

17 Years Ago Today

From my 80s journal (that spilled into the 90s.) A first date.

May 4, 1991
I worked from 10am - 6pm. After work I came home and got ready for my date with Kristi. I picked her up at 6:45 pm. I went in and met her mom and Grandmas. Then we left. We talked pretty much the whole way. Not about anything important though. We ate at Noble Romans. We talked quite a bit in there. Our waiter was slow. We were 30 minutes late getting to the movie. We saw "Dances With Wolves." I just saw it a couple weeks ago, so I told her about what we missed. Debbie and Jamie were there too. We talked to them after the movie. The ride home went fine. I asked her if her parents thought I was too old for her to go out with. She said no, but that they joked about it, and that it was the same age difference between Brad and Lori when they were going out. We got to her house at about 11:45pm. When we got to her house, Ben Hahn and Lori had just gotten home from NorthWood's prom. Oh, yeh, when we were eating at Noble Roman's, Kristi invited me to go to a lock in at her church this Friday night. So, when I got to her house I stopped the car and said "Well, I guess I'll see you Friday." Then she invited me to come in. We talked to Ben and Lori for about 30 minutes, then they went to the afterprom. I stayed another 15 minutes, till 12:45am, and talked to Kristi. When I left I kissed her on the cheek. She's a sweetheart. I'm happy with the way our date went, and with the way things are going.

• I had just finished my freshman year of college.
• I worked at Radio Shack in Nappanee.
• Debbie and Jamie Prenkert got married two weeks after Kristi and I did.
• Ben and Lori got married six months before Kristi and I did.
• The Noble Roman's isn't open anymore.
• The movie was at the theatre behind Best Buy in Mishawaka.
• Notice it says "met her mom and grandmas." I'm positive both of Kristi's grandmas didn't just happen to be there at the time I was picking Kristi up.
• The Prom, a first date. . . this must have been a terrifying day for Kristi's parents.
• I had a cell phone in my car, in 1991! Thanks Radio Shack!
• I liked my car, a 1985 Nissan 300ZX. Thanks Dad!

My car looked like this.

22 Years Ago Today

From my 80s journal:

Tue. April 22
Happy Birthday Heather. I played badmitten at noon. I had A states & capitals test today. I got A 98. After school I played basketball with Anthony, T. J. & Toby. I pulled Toby on a Pixie bike with my 3-wheeler, he pulled me a little to. I went to see my aunt Blanche tonight. She has cancer. I watched "Who's The Boss?" tonight. Then me & Mom & Sel Copeland went to look for Halleye's Commet. We didn't see it.

• I was definitely smitten with Heather Smith. She was my on-again, off-again girlfriend for a few years.
• My Aunt was my grandmother's sister. She did not live too much longer.
• A states and capitals test would have been right up my alley.
• Trying to see Halley's Comet would have been right up my alley too.

22 Years Ago Today

I journaled a lot in middle and high school. I still have them. I'm not going to post anything too incredibly embarrassing, but I thought "So Many Years Ago Today" might be a fun series. So here goes.

Sun. Mar. 30, 1986
Hi, I went to Easter Sun Rise service. Then S.S. & Church. After church Dale Snavely, Anna, Margarette, & Maria ate dinner hear. Margarette is going with Jason Gonzalas. She's been going with him for 7 mos. After dinner I went 3-wheeling with Mike. Then he left & Toby showed up on his 3-wheeler, so I went 3-wheeling with him.

Texas won the women's NCAA championship today. My Aunt Blanche is in the hospital, Steph & Mom went to visit her. I got "16 Candles" on VCR. I've already seen it about 5 times. "Rock Me Amadeus" is the #1 song in the
country.

Notes:

• I was 15 years old.
• Anna and Margarette are my cousins. Our dads (Dal Gall and Brent Gall) are brothers. They both live in Arizona now. I haven't seen them for probably 18 years. I would love to catch up with them though. Maria is their mom. Dal and Maria are the Dal and Mar in Dal-Mar Catering.
• My most fun childhood memories revolve around Mike Engle. We absolutely had a blast together. I think of him often and laugh out loud to this day when certain memories are rekindled.
• Toby Mishler lives in Nappanee a few blocks away from me. We even have blood relatives now. My cousin's kids are his cousin's kids too.
• I still like 16 Candles.
• I still like Rock Me Amadeus.