Today I went to my first wrestling match and it was great. I got to wrestle this one guy. I thought it was going to be hard, and I was right. I was on the top most of the time, so I got more points. It was hard, but fun; I beat him 13–0. After that Kenny Braeger wrestled and won 15–0. Then Jamie (high-me) Flores wrestled this 159 pounder and lost by a pin.
Also I went to a party at the Federers and that was pretty fun. I couldn’t believe how I danced today, because I usually don’t dance that much. I was jumping all over and had a blast.
On Wednesday I was in a concert up at Piedmont and it was pretty neat. I played very good. And that morning in Seminary we talked about talent. And then on Thursday I told Sister Marquis about how I went to this thing and she said that I should tell her these things so she could go to them.
Today after 5th period (I don’t have a 6th because I have P.L. at 7:15 a.m. (a period P.G.)) I went down to the locker room to get ready to jog and Sergio was there and he let me stick my clarinet in his big locker and then we went up Serra Road twice.
There’re these people in my ward that are going to Logan [Utah] to live and I went over there tonight and everyone was tired. I wanted to hug someone and say goodbye, but I don’t know why, but I couldn’t. “Well, that’s the last time I’m ever going to see their family again,” I was thinking, but I was (also) going to say, “See you later!” But I didn’t do that either. (I’m going to see them again, sometime.)
We’re going to move again, guess what, into the Freebairns house — the people I went to see tonight. That’s three times we’re going to have moved this year! I think I’m going to really miss them a lot. (I didn’t really know them, but I loved them.)
We got out of school for Christmas Vacation today.
On Monday I went over to school, because I thought wrestling practice was at 9:30, but later found out it was at 1:00.
Tuesday nothing really happened except wrestling. (Oh, I forgot, on Monday we all made some gingerbread houses and were going to deliver them today (Thursday) and I made a two-story house)
Wednesday they changed wrestling to 3:00 and that’s about all that happened.
Thursday we had wrestling at 9:30 and we took pictures for the bulletin board and I went over to coach’s house to see the films of the match Thursday. And that’s about all that happened.
Not much happened today except I went to wrestling at 9:30 and didn’t do so well and coach got on me a whole lot. After that I came home and watched T.V. all day, except I went out with my mom and James to deliver some stuff from my mom (flowers and stuff like that). Mom and Dad were gift-wrapping presents and the little kids got all excited and stuff.
I wanted to send some stuff back to Utah, but never did. I kind of feel guilty about it and want to sent at least a letter telling them about how great the weather is. (They have snow and temperatures under 10° most the time.)
(Saturday, May 4, 1984):
Whoops! sorry it’s now May 5, 1984.
In January I went down to Gilroy and wrestled in the Mid-Cal tournament. I lost my first match and so I didn’t get to wrestle the second day and neither did anyone else, except Sergio Valley. He’s a cool guy. He also took fourth place in M.H.A.L. I got a letter for wrestling. At the banquet we went to the Spaghetti Factory and mmmmmm that was good stuff. And in the team picture I look like a mean dude. After that I started training, you know, lifting. And I also went out for track (that’s football, wrestling, and track this year) and was starting to run kind of better and I got bronchitis and had to stay out for a while. Then, the day I was going to come back, Coach Peterson laid me off and I was off the track team. (In February was when the banquet and track came too.)
In March I can’t think of much.
But in April, during Easter vacation, I went on a scout campout and it was fun. It was a 21½ mile hike up and down. It’s called “Big Basin to the Sea” and it was fun. The first day I got up there I was sick from car sickness and then I kind of felt better and I was supposed to have a troop tent for those that didn’t have a tent (I’m the patrol leader) and when I got up there (I think) it was left at Brother Vehawn’s house. So me and Jamie and Alan didn’t have a tent to sleep in. So Jamie sort of bought his way into a tent and me and Alan were left. So we took (with the help of James, senior P[atrol] L[eader] and Brother Vehawn, S[cout] M[aster], and some other guy that provided clothes pins) three ponchos and made a tent. I slept good and didn’t get too wet. We [had] hiked 9.5 miles on Thursday.
The next day, Friday, we set out for Sunset Camp (the other was Jay Camp) 5.5 miles away. It wasn’t that hard. That night we had this stew that turned into soup and it was delicious and the next morning we had cold cereal. And set out for the sea, 6.5 miles away (I asked Brother Vehawn if I could lead and he let me.) I don’t think I did a very good job at leading, because everyone was going fast so I went faster and wasn’t a good leader. That was an easy hike (that last 6.5 miles). I think I probably did the best in the whole troop. I went a good fast pace that didn’t wear me down at about 16 or 20 minute [per] mile. When we got to the sea, it was cold and windy and no one liked it there. Instead we went to a park in Santa Cruz or somewhere like that (I think it is called Verona Lake).
I got home and took a hot bath and was sore in my shoulders only almost and it wasn’t that hard a hike either. When I got back I found out Jeanette cut her foot real bad and got 13 stiches. She and some girls were running through the grass over at Piedmont and she stepped on half a beer bottle. The next day we got a flat tire and I got to change it. I won’t go into details because I don’t care about it.
Today we got another flat. Two days ago (May 3) I went to the M.H.A.L. track and one of my favorite people, Lori Finerty, won at the hurdles and hurt her back and so she missed the 100 m. dash and she was well enough to go on the hurdles almost round the track. Then, yesterday, I went and it was the finals (two days ago was the trials) and I had to pay to get in and I didn’t have any money and it cost three bucks. So I went over to the swimming finals and watched that and Sergio was there and I talked to him for a while. And when it was over I called my mom and came home. And I forgot to take a jacket and so I nearly froze.
A while back I joined the chess club at Piedmont and have been doing very well in there. For the last couple of days I’ve been playing this guy (I forgot his name) and winning all the time, mostly, and it’s been fun too.
Yesterday (now it’s 12:45 a.m.) I went to go babysit at the Macks at 8:00 p.m. I was going to go to the Gold and Green Ball, but decided not to (’cause I’m not really into girls, but really I am, but don’t like to dance that much) and instead I went babysitting for Joanna, so she could go to the dance. They have a video recorder and I watched part of “Superman III” and all of “Return of the Jedi.” I saw it before — two days after it came out and loved it.
Last Saturday I went on a paper drive and earned $10.00 and I’m supposed to keep track of it in my journal or somewhere. It’s for Camp High Sierra. I went there last year and it was all right.
Right after Christmas we moved to our new house and that’s where we live now, 1129 Caballo Court. It’s an all-right house and I don’t mind living here and we might move back to Utah ’cause Dad lost his job and went back to Utah for a job two or so weeks ago and now he lives with my Grandma and pa and still hasn’t got the job but is still making money from genealogy. And I don’t want to move back. I want to live here till at least the rest of school (all four years). School sure has gone by fast.
P.S., I forgot to tell you, I desecrated my room with so many posters and parts of calendars and pictures and a maze I did when I was 13 and a bunch of stuff like that, so now mine and James’s room has something to it.
Oh, I’m moving before July first back to Salt Lake City, Utah. That’s where I lived until I came here to San Jose, California on June 6, 1983. And so now my dad lost his job, so we have to go back and I don’t really want to, but I sort of do, but, you know, I don’t know.
But, anyway, I’ve been working out on weights and stuff and getting all buffed and that and today I lifted with Sergeo. He’s a real cool guy. He’s one of my best friends, probably, the one I could count on to do anything. Like, if I was in an accident or whatever, I know I could count on him. He always helps me out; I’m so glad I met him.
I’ve got this thing for breaking. I really want to learn how and I’ve just got to teach myself. I guess before I move, I’m going to learn how to break.
I went to the dentist. I had two cavities and, I think, have to get them filled, but I don’t know. My mom made an appointment and so I guess I’ll probably get them filled.
I talked to dad today.
Me and Jon were wrestling today — everything goes; it was so fun. We started at about 7:30 and at first we were boxing, but then Jon brought down a bunch of blankets, so we were throwing them around and karate and and everything, till about 8:30, when I threw a blanket up and dove down to tackle him and he kicked me and I got hurting.
Today I beat this guy at his own game (Jose); it was close — football with a folded paper. You get touchdowns and everything (53–47).
I got a letter from Kim Hanks today.
I have a test tomorrow and it’s worth 150 points, but it’s going to be easy (math).
I need to start exercising some more because I’m getting fat.
School’s almost out — just seven more days. That test I took today was kind of easy and I’ll take the second part tomorrow. I wish I wasn’t always getting hurt (arm, neck, ankles, chest), but I guess that’s what goes with the territory (trying to get strong).
I found out that I got this skill award a long time ago to get my First Class [in Scouting]. I had to do three of them [requirements], but I thought I had to do all six, so I was trying. I got another on Sunday, so that made four. Now all I’ve got to do is get an interview with Brother Vehawn and I’ll get my First Class and be rad.
We got yearbooks yesterday. I don’t think I’ll get that many people to sign it this year, but I’ll probably get a lot of them.
There’s this girl I know: her name is Amy Crain. She’s a real neat person. Over the last few weeks I’ve gotten to like her a lot. She’s one of the nicest people; she’s all so fine.
Today I won two tickets to Marine-World Africa, USA. I called up this place [a radio station] — had to be the seventh or eighth person — and I won! I don’t know who I’m going to take. I was thinking maybe Amy. James wants to go. The only problem is, it’s way far away in a different county or something. I’m kind of in a jam, I think.
Well, YESTERDAY was my last day of school and I enjoyed it. I’ve had the best year in school here at Piedmont. I’ve really had a sucessful year and enjoyed it thoroughly. I’ve got good grades and am proud of it. I wish I had written in someone’s yearbook — kept in touch or something. But I do have one person’s numbers, so I can keep in touch, I hope.
Today I got up at about 11:00 and tried to keep sleeping, but couldn’t, so I watched T.V. I was in my PJ [pajamas] till 12:30 or so. Then I got my shower, after everyone got home from school. So I didn’t do anything: the first day of Summer Vacation — big deal!
I’m going to start jogging every day (’cept Sunday), starting Monday. But it might be a little hard because we’re vacationing: Monday and Tuesday overnight, then moving and stuff. But I think I’ll do all right. I don’t got nothing left to say, but I still got five lines left, so well . . . We watched two movies over at the Jamisons: “Swiss Family Robinson” and “Elmo (not sure) and the Detectives.” They were both very funny and I enjoyed them tremendously.
I got my Patriarchal Blessing today. So did my brother James. They said that I sure am blessed a lot. I’ll put a copy in here when I get it. Nothing else great or significant happened to me today.
I’m not going to like living in Utah anymore. I don’t really want to go back or anything, because California is a way better place to live. Now that I’ve lived here for one year and 13 days, I’ve come to love California and not like Utah that much anymore. I’d much rather be a Californian than a Utahn. Well, I’ve got seven more days in California.
This week’s my week to lay out and get really dark. I got sunburned today on my back, face and legs; not that bad though. I’m going to hate moving and I’m going to move back to California as soon as I can.
Monday, June 25, 1984:
Well, on Wednesday Youth Conference started.
We had an etiquette dinner, then my favorite movie: “Chariots of Fire.”
Then Thursday: in the morning Thursday we had “Best For Especially For Youth.”
It was excellent; I enjoyed it so much; it was great.
Then, that night at 8:00 there was a dance (my last in California); it was dead.
Jane Marquis and Donny Klon made me dance toward the end.
I was glad for it too because then I went out and had a sort of good time.
Friday we went to Del Valle State Park and swam and had a barbeque, but I didn’t swim ’cause I didn’t have my suit, so I just laid out.
Saturday I went to do a service project up at Alum Rock Park and cleaned trails.
Then, after we finished at 1:00, we went and helped to move this one guy’s house[hold] (you know what I mean).
Sunday was Stake Conference and my last Sunday. Right now it’s ten to twelve and we just went to get the truck and move back to Utah. My dad got back on Thursday with my grandparents and they (grandparents) left today. So now I guess I go to my work and come back later. . . . Well, here I am: I said “I’ll come back,” and here I am, well. . . . After we got the truck we packed and after a while some of James’ friends came over (Steve, Jeff, Steve, Nguen, Shelly). They really helped a lot, got stuff out and saved about two hours. Then at about 4:00 we went swimming. But Jeanette was sick, so she didn’t come. Mom called us for dinner and we came home. After that Bro. Vehawn came over with the scout records and this one guy helped us load up everything else. Then we watched T.V. and now it’s probably about 11:00 or so and I wrote a letter at about 10:00, well . . . . I think I’ll go to bed now and tell you the rest of my experiences later (when they happen), like when we really move and what happens along the way and whatever. So, till tomorrow, sianora (whatever that means). . . .
Well, now it’s Wednesday and we left yesterday. At about 1:00 we went to the Pierce’s house for lunch and then left for Salt Lake at 3:30. (I wrote this on Monday, July 2): I was in the truck and we stopped at Reno and slept in the Gold Dust Motel. Then at about 8:00 we left and James was in the truck and everyone else in the car. We had lunch in Lovelock, Nevada, and nothing much happened that day. We got to Wendover and stopped and went into a casino to use the restroom and this guy followed us till we got out. It sure was gross: all those cigs and drinks and stuff. I got mosquito bit a lot and we got in at Grandma’s and Grandpa’s at about 1:15, about. We’ve been staying with them ever since [we] moved back into the R-Street house on Saturday. I was going to meet Kim that day and go swimming and see a movie, but . . . you know . . . On Sunday we went back to the old 27 East Ward and now Ron Simmons is the First Councellor and Ralph Evans is the second. They sure were glad to see us back again. On Sunday me, James, Andrea, and Jon went for a hike and got locked in the Capitol. We were just walking around and we went to the basement and then came up and it was 8:12 and they closed at 8:00, so the guard just told us it was closed and we acted like tourists and couldn’t get out so we had to call him back.
Well, the fireworks were sure neat today; one of those huge ones blew up on the ground; it was the best one.
I’m not going to like this, you know, living here. I don’t I like this house anymore.
Well, I think I got poison oak, but I don’t know; but James has the same stuff, I think. I think I’ll call Kim tomorrow and set something up.
I went to play tennis; it was pretty fun. I played James; he won 7–5. I hope I can go wrestle soon; I’m dying to go wrestle.
Yesterday I was bored. Well, we watched this movie called “Return of the Beverly Hillbillies;” it was dumb. Well, I’m sure tomorrow will be boring. I’ve got to go to a movie soon. I haven’t seen one in so long. I think probably me and Kim might go to one sometime in the next long while. (I don’t know how long.)
At 6:00 there was a fireside–like thing. This real neat guy talked about faith. (Faith is believing without doubt.) He gave an excellent talk. After[wards] Adam Cannon, James’ friend, came over and [we] talked for a while. Then when we were walking out, I met one of my old friends, Sean Vincent. He asked what school I went to (PIEDMONT HILLS HIGH SCHOOL). Aand I told about it and, well, you know. Then tonight I went on a walk around my paper route and met the Hales, our old home teacher, and chatted for a while; then left and saw Ron Simmons, and talked for a little while: then went along our ways: him getting ready for a Lake Powell [trip] and me on my way. We’re going to Lake Powell on Wednesday and [he was getting ready today, because] the Priests are going earlier.