June 14, 1977 -- In which I graduate from junior college, talk about a friend, discuss unicorns as if they are real, and go into detail about Cinder's great adventure

Tuesday

I graduated from Elgin Community College on May 18, 1977 to become an A.A. (associate in arts). The guest speaker was the honorable Eugene McCarthy.

He was quite dull. I hate to say it but he was. Too bad. He ran for president against Ford and Carter. Pretty nifty, huh?

My favorite part was sitting next to Mike P. He was in a play (Caberet) at school and I thought he was great. I felt honored to sit by him.

That night I said goodbye to Janice F. She was my idol this year. A really special person. Too bad she's moving to Arizona.

All in all, graduation from ECC was a bit sadder than Larkin.

On the next page is a clipping from the Tribune showing Gene Wilder and Marty Feldman in Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother. I saw this film with Woody O. The film was fine.

But before the film was a cartoon -- The Giving Tree! Superb! :-)

My relationship with Woody was certainly strange. I used him and would't let him use me. I should have told him about Jeremy right when we met instead of after. Too bad I guess. Woody was a special guy. He still wants to meet Jeremy though. I said we could work something out.

Only 15 days until Jeremy comes. I haven't begun to get upset yet. Perhaps I won't this year.

Ah yes -- the unicorn. The most wonderful beast that ever was. How nice it would be to see one. As I write this, Cinder cuddles up close to me, purring for my attention. I should remind h er that cats are second on my list of animals. The unicorn first only because I will probably never have the chance to see one.

I don't think I've said anything about Cinder running away. She left us at midnight April 7, 1977, I think. It was the Thursday before Good Friday though. She was gone and none of us thought she'd return -- especially me. I was sure she was gone forever -- met some awful death or something.

Then came Ebony. A woman was looking for a good home for an angora cat. We called her and went to see the cat whom they called Samson. We took him home (much to father's anger) and renamed him Ebony. Keven loved the cat, but hated the name. He called it a [n-word] name. But 4 weeks after Cinder left home she returned, all skin and bones with an appetite that would have shocked a bear. Ebony's former owners gladly took him back and everyone was happy. Especially me -- I have my Cinder back home.

Note
The funniest thing here is my reaction to McCarthy's speech. I know that Dean went up to him after the ceremony and shook his hand -- of course Dean voted for him. I think I voted for Ford.

Ah, Woody. We're friends now, but I did use him.
I was 21 and believed in unicorns. Okay then...

And here I discover my memories are not so good anymore. earlier I wrote that Ebony's original name was Lucifer.

Shocked, but not so shocked, about what Kevin said about the name Ebony. I hope he has changed -- but dad was a bad influence in that respect. 

June 13, 1977 -- In which I reveal my new diet

Monday

Click to enlarge in a new window

16 days left!

On the preceding page (to the left) is one of my many Ziggy cartoons. I'll be pasting them in my journal from time to time and writing about my feelings. Ziggy -- the "born loser" seems to sum up many of my feelings.

This one is a good introduction to my vegetarianism. All the time I've been a vegetarian I don't think I've written anything down in here. I could write a lot because I don't write about it to Jeremy. As a matter of fact, I haven't even told Jeremy about it at all. He's just got to be surprised. But I don't think he will be exactly overwhelmed -- he's probably seen it coming.

I'm worried that he will take sides with Daddy and tease me about it. But I must prepare myself. I have found, though, that since I know a lot more about it than some, I don't get as upset than if I were uninformed. And now that I've got a ready reason, people don't bother me as much. I think that if I follow the diet like I should I'd be very healthy, even more than by eating meat. I hope so -- I can not imagine myself eating flesh ever again.

Note
I remember liking Ziggy comics but not that I cut them out of the paper. I remember becoming a vegetarian (I was one on-and-off in my early twenties and thirties) this time -- possibly because I accidentally ate raccoon at a picnic.

May 23, 1977 -- In which I talk about the weather, tell about Cinder's great adventure, talk about an old flame, discuss a Beatle's song and admit I am settling

Monday

Seems like each time I think of a new way to keep up this journal it doesn't work. New words indeed!

Cinder left between then and now. We got a new cat named Ebony. Then a month after leaving us, Cinder returned all skinny and full of love. Ebony went home to his former owner and everything is fine.

The weather has been hot. 90 - 92℉ for much of the time. Yesterday it was 70℉ but still warm. I don't know about today.

Only 37 days to go before Jeremy arrives.

Here's something I clipped out of Sunday's paper (Courier News, Sunday, May 22, 1977):

Elgin: A girl to Robert S. and Nancy Jean (S.) W. of 461 P., Elgin

Bob W. is a daddy! It seems to mark and end in my life. It has strangely affected me. Our "relationship" was nothing more than a flirtation , but one can find lots written about him in my journals. He was the first boy who really showed any signs of "liking" me and the first to kiss me. I was so uptight, though, about who saw us together. I felt ashamed that I was going around, arm and arm with this moron. But I was very physically attracted to him. He had "kissable lips" as I used to think.

With Jeremy, he's the kind of man I can live with forever. He will be successful, probably, and I can see the world with him. I still don't know if I am truly in love with him but he's familiar. I don't want to have to get used to someone else. We are good for each other, I think. We will work. We shall have children and I shall learn to be passionate towards him. I suppose all men are alike, and he's just being "manly". So since he's close to the best I'll keep him. Since I don't intend on letting these be read until after I'm dead, I can't be hurt by what I wrote. I hope Jeremy or our children aren't either.

Newspaper clipping of the words and chords for Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.

I like this song. "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" It is from The Yellow Submarine. by the Beatles.

Kevin told me an interesting thing -- it is about LSD (Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.). It's a hallucination. I have just finished singing it. :-) Jeremy and I watched The Yellow Submarine on TV at his house. This one was strange -- not at all like I pictured it.

Note
Some of this entry was not transcribed. Not for uptight reasons, but because it was hurtful. Not that some is not hurtful as it is.

Funny that I said very little about losing Cinder and Cinder returning. It was a traumatic month for me. Cinder was accidentally let outside during a party my mom and dad held. We looked for her, but feared the worst. Mom found an ad in the paper about a black cat needing a home. Apparently the cat belonged to the son and he was not taking care of it so they told him they were giving it away. They called the cat Lucifer and said that if it didn't work out to call them and they would take it back. I renamed the cat Ebony but we didn't really get along. For one thing it was a male and he would hump my leg when I was lying down. It did turn out just fine when Cinder returned. The son of the family got a second chance with his cat.

Finally, I am shocked that my brother (only 14 at the time) knew about LSD.

March 14, 1977 -- In which I learn a better new word, count down the days for something and wish for a job

Monday

106 days & 22 hours & 41 minutes to go.

Let's see -- my new word today can be abase (abâsé) v.t. humiliate, lower, degrade. ~ment n. She abased him by calling him that name.

So there -- I knew I had better taste in words. I was abased at yesterday's word.

Today I spent lots of time at school waiting for 1:00 to come for my appointment with the work-study lady. I hope I get this job -- even though it is for only two months, it's something at least. Then I can get another one soon?

Note
I did have a work-study job in the library at ECC. I wonder if that is what the appointment was for. I liked that job -- it should have pushed me into being a librarian instead of a teacher.

March 13, 1977 -- In which I learn new word, have a dream and make a fashion decision

Sunday

My new word for today and forever is: abaft which means in stern of ship; nearer the stern than. "The first mate was abaft than I" ??

I must admit -- that's not a very good new word. But, one never knows, does one?

I dreamt last night that Jeremy cam two months early and I was a real bitch to  him. I am anyway, but never mind about that.

I was happy that he was here, but sad that he was here now. He had a reason, but I can't recall it right now.

I think I'll go braless again this week. Maybe I'll get used to it.

Note
I am pretty sure that sentence does not make sense -- abaft? Useless new word for sure.