Where Were You June 2, 1973?-- Part 2

Note that really pretty Ford Pinto at the top of the page.  My first new car and was I ever proud of it.  Biggest problem was that it essentially fell apart after a four years and we got a 1977 Malibu.  I think, anyway, as I didn't start my journal until August 1978.

This was the vehicle that was decorated by friends when we got married and I drove it back and forth to Round Lake the first two years (we lived in Des Plaines and then Vernon Hills).

We DID NOT have that gas tank problem, fortunately.

Continuing with Stroud's Summer of 1973 Time Warp.

WILL IT GO ROUND IN CIRCLES--  BILLY PRESTON--  Fresh off his stint with the Beatles and had a solo career going on.
NO MORE MR. NICE GUY--  ALICE COOPER--  From Billion Dollar Babies.  (The "first" Marilyn Manson and a lot prettier?)

THINKING OF YOU--  LOGGINS AND MESSINA--  From their second, self-titled album.
STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU--  STEALER'S WHEEL--  (Was that Gerry Rafferty singing on the song?)

BAD, BAD LEROY BROWN--  JIM CROCE--  His first time at #1, eventually.   (One of the most fun songs ever to sing along with, well, that and "Sweet Caroline, "Da, Da, Da.")
REELING IN THE YEARS--  STEELY DAN--  From their debut album, Can't Buy a Thrill.  (This song and the "Stuck in the Middle With You" sure bring back memories of driving back and forth to Maine West High School in the ol' Ramblin' Wreck (my 1963 Rambler station wagon) during my student teaching in the spring.)

What Was His Name and What Would He Do? You Know, Leroy, Your Mama's Calling!!   --RoadDog


IF CATS PERFORMED THE MUSICAL "CATS"--  From the June Orange Peel Gazette:  Audience members would enter the auditorium only to find their seats had been clawed and covered with fur.

Where Were You June 2, 1973?-- Part 1

This is the 40th anniversary of the Summer of '73.  Absolutely hard to think of it as being that long ago.  Bob Stroud started these summer Time Warps back in the Summer of '67, the Summer of Love.  This is a four part series, with one three-hour segment every first Sunday from June to September.

I really look forward to these little bits of my past as I sure was listening to the music and buying those albums and 45s, much to Dad's chagrin.

  My words in parentheses ( ).

LONG TRAIN RUNNING--  DOOBIE BROTHERS--Brand new from the album The Captain and Me.
RIGHT PLACE, WRONG TIME--  DR. JOHN--  (My first intro to non-Dixieland New Orleans music, but I didn't know it at the time.)

SHAMBALA--  THREE DOG NIGHT--  Debuting this week, 40 years ago and on its way to #1.  (Something about a GFC Christmas Party and a table with Freddie and myself standing on it and singing the song at the top of our lungs.  Who needs karaoke anyway?  Wait, we didn't have it back then.)
CISCO KID--  WAR--  (Just got to love that sound War had.)

ELDERBERRY WINE--  ELTON JOHN--  The last two songs were from your radio, Now, from your album collection.  Off side one of Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only the Piano Player.
AMERICAN TUNE--  PAUL SIMON--  His second solo album, There Goes Rhymin' Simon.  Lead off selection from side two.

Let the Memories Begin.  --RoadDog

Going Back to 1973-- Part 2: Signed A Contract and Got Married

I went in and signed my teaching contract on Friday, August 24th and then  hurried back home to the apartment in Des Plaines (first apartment and place that I "owned."  We had just signed the contract for it in July and moved in August 1st.  Well, I did, Liz still stayed at her parents' house in Palatine.

I should mention that in June, I traded the 1963 Rambler station wagon (that my parents had given me) in for a brand new Ford Pinto that I was quite proud of.  I believe it cost $2200, a whole lot of money for me back then.

I ended up teaching in the Round Lake School District for all 33 years of teaching (31 at the same building).  I guess you'd call that longevity.

The reason I hurried back from signing my teaching contract was that I had the rehearsal dinner that night at Algauers.  That's right, I was getting married the next day.  If there ever was a pivotal two days in my life, August 24-25 would be them.

We got married at the Newman Center in DeKalb (NIU) and had the reception at the Holiday Inn on Lincoln Highway (now Best Western).  The honeymoon was in Galena, but cut short as I had to start teaching on Tuesday.

Pretty Busy Time.  --RoadDog



THE LAST TOO PUNNY:  If you jumped off a bridge in Paris, you'd be in Seine.

Going Back to 1973-- Part 1: A Pivotal Year for Me

The weekend of June 1st to June 2nd featured seven hours worth of a major trip back music to what probably was the most pivotal year of my life, 1973.  And, there was even 50 minutes more of the music on May 30th.  And, I'll sure be listing those songs.

To start with, I graduated from college at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb...AND, didn't get drafted to go to Vietnam.  I thought that war would never ever end.  It had started when I entered junior high, continued all the way through high school and then, almost all the way through college.  Making things even better, my draft lottery number was 22, which meant I was going.

I had just recently done my student teaching at Maine West High School in Des Plaines, Illinois, and was looking for a teaching job.  While waiting for the job, I was driving a van back and forth from O'Hare Airport for the Sheraton Inn-Walden Hotel in Schaumburg.

I'd finally given up on the teaching job and had a career job working at Bonanza Sirloin Pit in Buffalo Grove as an assistant manager and was in line to get my own store. 

However, a teaching position opened up in Round Lake, Illinois, one week before class started, and I took it (thanks to some "pressure" from my soon-to-be mother-in-law, Frances.

Job and Married Next.  --RoadDog