Electronic Games Mag: December 1982

To start off December, how's about a magazine from my childhood: Electronic Games, 1982. Yes, this is the actual magazine—I've kept it ever since. Awww, yeah. I was a gamer, circa 1982. Nothing but Atari, Activision, Colecovision, Intellivision, coin-ops, arcades, etc. for me, thankyouverymuch.

And for the record, I'd rather keep the term "retro" for anything older than 1980.

Also related: if you're ever in Portland, and you dig old arcade games from that early gaming era, you should stop by Ground Kontrol, at 511 NW Couch Street. It's a bar/establishment where you can play pretty much of all those classic arcade games. The original ones, of course. While working in Old Town during the summer, I would take a lunch break by going in to play a couple rounds of Tempest. Oh man, good memories playing that game. One of my favorites of all time. Didn't make it to the red levels, though. Next time.

Me as a teenager

There's a meme going around: Draw yourself as a teen. I like it. Here's my take. This is me, circa 1984, I guess. The spiky hair with sorta wings and flippy hair in the back was big. At least I was lead to believe it was. I always seemed to be a bit behind the times, if I recall. The Izod shirt was a standard for me, though. And the Levi's 501 jeans. Back then, there were no 'boot' or 'baggy' or 'straight' cut -- just regular cut. The shoes I wore out constantly were those brown leather Bass 'deck' shoes. No socks. Dork!

Care to take a closer look? Here ya go.

Nowadays, I don't really follow any sort of trend, however I would have to say that these dark narrow frames seem to be worn by everyone. Or maybe they used to? Again, me behind the times. I wouldn't know. But oh, I do love those Nike Vintage shoes. Yes, I do.

Me thinks I should've put color to this illo. Maybe next time?

UPDATE: Because I really should be spending my time on more important things like getting things ready for upcoming Mother's Day, I present to you....Me as a Teenager in TECHNICOLOR! Here ya go:



Closer look!

A breast from my past

Okay, that's a lame title there. Sorry. Well, my past has come to haunt me. My old pal from high school, Brad, sent me an email with two scanned images of drawings that I did from back in the day. 1985, to be exact. Funny that I would draw Madonna, since we were so into that new thing called rap, as well as classic rock (although it wasn't called "classic" at the time, just "rock"), Zeppelin, Floyd, The Stones, Billy Idol, U2, etc.

Ah, but I think Madonna's cleavage did us in. Darn you, Boy Toy! With your sleazy outfits, exposed midriff, bangles and bracelets, and permed side-swiped hair!

A note about the drawing: I don't remember drawing this, but one thing I was adamant about back then: I didn't trace. I did this while looking at the album cover. I never traced -- tracing was taboo to me, a big "no-no". I considered it "cheating." Little did I know that it would take me being a professional animator to actually use tracing as a helpful tool. (And I'm okay with that.)

1986: Senior

1986: Senior

My senior year proved to be an unfulfilling one. By the end of it, I realized I hadn't really prepared myself for the future. So when I graduated, I felt like I was sitting in a boat in the middle of a big lake with no oars. Nowhere to go, nothing planned. Eventually, I did get my act together. Although, I took the long, slow and winding road-- took my sweet ol' time (Mom calls it "Ward Time"). It didn't help that I was so conflicted about my art and what I wanted to do with it. What did I want to be? Commercial artist or fine artist? Cartoonist or painter? I liked all aspects of art, but never thought about having to focus my efforts towards one particular line of work.

During my senior year, I continued to draw cartoons and caricatures for my friends. At this point in time, I had accepted my fate as the "Artist Ward Jenkins" and drew doodle after doodle for my friends. As I mentioned before, I didn't really mind it. The looks on their faces and their reactions when I handed them the drawings made it all worthwhile.

My parents officially divorced during that year. They didn't really make a big deal out of it-- I think for the sake of my sister and me. Actually, I found out by accident. One day, when my Mom picked me and Amy (my sister) up after school, I hopped in the back seat and noticed a large manilla envelope laying on the floorboard. Curious, I looked through it. I saw that the envelope was filled with what seemed to be legal documents and I saw both my parents' signatures on the last page. It was the divorce papers. That was that. Guess it's final, I thought to myself.

My grades continued to suffer throughout the year and my interest in school dwindled to nothing. By the last quarter, I made no effort to pass any class (save for the one that I needed in order to graduate). And even though my Mom and I had mended ways the previous year, I had no desire to learn anything anymore. Typical moody artist.

At this point, I was hanging out with friends from other schools. I think I enjoyed the different vibes from entirely new groups of people I was unfamiliar with -- they were so different from the cliques I hung out with at my own school. Having a new group of friends seemed to satisfy me. Unfortunately, the bonds I'd made with those from my own school had been somewhat severed. I didn't really feel close with anyone at my own school anymore. And I blame no one but myself. Though lately I've been trying to mend broken bonds with those from my own high school-- those I considered myself really close with-- and was able to reconnect with some before the big 20th Reunion.

Ah, the Reunion. I went to it this past Saturday. Fascinating, to say the least (I'll have to write more about it in another post, though I do want to finish up my thoughts here). I was able to get in touch with several of my friends before the Reunion, but some were unable to make it. Would've been great to sit and talk with them one-on-one, but I completely understand their reasons for not going. During the course of the night, I realized just how close some of them were with each other and I have to admit, it was a bit hard for me to hear that many of them were in each other's weddings, etc. I only kept in touch with about three of my former classmates throughout the years (and several more about a year ago) so really, I shouldn't get all weepy about it. Like I said, I blame no one but myself. That's cool, I don't mind. I have everyone's numbers and emails now and they have mine. Some even mentioned that they found my blog recently and were checking up on me before the Reunion (hey -- how come you guys didn't email me? Blurkers!), which was a little odd to hear. They knew everything about me beforehand but I knew nothing about them! Oh well. So it goes. I'm looking forward to re-establishing those bonds once again.

Lookit, I made it in my Senior yearbook a couple of times:


This photo makes it look like my friend Terha and I are an item. We weren't, but don't we look like a cute couple?

Here's what the copy reads next to the photo:

Terha Vanderheyden and artist Ward Jenkins show off a yellow ticket written for disorderly conduct. The court date was set for November 18.

Now it looks like Terha and I did this so-called "disorderly conduct" together. We didn't. It was from the annual Junior/Senior Egg Fight which had happened the previous weekend. We were punks, I tell ya. Juvenile punks!


On top of the usual Senior Superlatives (Most Athletic, Most Likely to Succeed, etc.) they did Silly Superlatives at the back of the yearbook for '86. I got voted "Most Changed Since 8th Grade."

Why am I leaning here? I thought they were shooting me full figure, so I put my left foot up on the locker behind me, knee bent. This made me lean to my right, to off-set the balance. It looks weird, but I've always liked this shot.

In case you're wondering, Ann Marie Dean went from total preppy to total punk by the time she was a Senior.

Typical quotes from people who signed my yearbook:

"Well dude I can't believe we're almost out! High school went by fast as hell. It's time to party. I'm glad we became friends and we have to party sometime soon, like tonight!" (from a guy)

"Hey man! I'm really glad we've become such close friends over the years. It's been a great year and I hope of [sic] friendship can mainstay the test of time. You're a very talented guy in many different aspects and I hope your excellent abilities bring you immense success. Good luck for the future!" (from a girl)

In the back of the 1986 Yearbook, they have several lists of current events and pop culture -- here are three:

Movies:
Rambo
Rocky IV
Out of Africa
Nightmare on Elm Street II
Coccoon
Back to the Future
St. Elmo's Fire
Beyond Thunderdome
The Color Purple
F/X
Pretty in Pink
Jagged Edge
Amadeus
The Gods Must Be Crazy

Music:
Tears for Fears
Phil Collins
Whitney Houston
Simple MInds
Sting
U2
OMD
Bruce Springsteen
Madonna
Thompson Twins
Corey Hart
Bryan Adams
Sheila E. (What??? No Prince?)
Sade

My very close friend Laura (one of the three I still kept in touch with throughout the years) scribbled in her own list around the names listed above. Check out her version:

Bowie
Bauhaus
The Smiths
The Blue Nile
CSN&Y
Steel Pulse
Tones On Tail
Violent Femmes
The Psychedelic Furs
Ministry
Trio
Echo & The Bunnymen
Modern English
Elvis Costello
YAZ

(What an exquisite taste in music -- one of the many reasons I loved hanging out with Laura. Another reason was her intelligence and unique outlook on life. She didn't make it for the 20th, but we still keep in touch from time to time.)

Trends:
Paisleys
Stirrup Pants
Lace
Oversized Clothes
Jams
Bangles
Swatch
Cropped Pants
Suspenders
Pearls
Organizers
Brooches
Hightops
Reeboks

---------------------
Okay, well, that was fun, wasn't it? I hope you all enjoyed this trip down memory lane as much as I did. Sure it was a bit narcissistic, but isn't that what blogs are all about? I'll post about my 20th Reunion soon.

1985: Junior

1985: Junior

The first half of my junior year started out pretty well -- it was still 1984 and "Purple Rain" was big, big, BIG. No lie. It was The Year of Prince, thanks to the hit album and movie that came out during the summer. (I was 15 at the time and because the movie was rated "R", opening day became a family affair -- my mom, sister, aunt, and cousin were all by my side -- imagine my surprise when I see Prince getting it on with Apollonia in the middle of the film. I slowly started to sink into my seat as the love scene played on....I was horrified. But what did I expect? It was Prince! I should've known better.) It was all about the Purple One & Co. for me during that year: The Time, Vanity 6, Apollonia 6, Sheila E, The Family, et al. My best friend Lane and I were completely immersed in the Minneapolis sound and between the two of us we owned every single album that was available from all those groups. And purple? Let me tell you: The shirt you see me wearing above is purple with red stripes. It was the 80's. Prince was big. It was okay to wear those colors together, believe it or not. You saw it EVERYWHERE. (Just had to get that out of the way.)

Anyway, as I mentioned, the first half of my school year went rather smoothly. It was during the second half where things went downhill. 1985 to me has always been my Hell Year. Don't know what it was, but everything went out of whack for me. First of all, with my mother and father still separated and Dad living in an apartment nearby, I began to test Mom's boundaries. Whenever we were in the same room we argued like it was going out of style. I was a little punk! Talking back to my mama, what was I thinking? Looking back, I see that it was your garden-variety, typical teenage stuff -- I had just turned 16 and I was rebelling against authority. I got my first two speeding tickets within a day of each other. I also spent two weeks in in-house suspension for a now-famous incident that I'd rather not talk about. Suddenly, I found myself hanging out with a different crowd. More partying, drinking, smoking, you name it. I'm not going to go into details, as it's pretty embarrassing for me to re-live it, but 1985 was definitely a turning point in my high school career. I was not myself.

Safe to say, I survived my year-long ordeal. More importantly, Mom and I became even closer after it all. We look back on my 16th year as a "phase" I was going through and will laugh about it from time to time. (At least I do.)

Ugh. Just thinking about all the mistakes I made during my junior year makes me sick to my stomach. But you know, I'm sure that I'm making mountains out of molehills. Being a teenager entitles you to be overly dramatic about the tiniest of details. And to those who I felt I had wronged or hurt during that year, I'm sure that it wasn't such a big deal to them as I've made it out to be in my mind. To quote a former classmate who got in touch with me several years ago: "We were kids back then. Kids do stupid things."

I dated my first long-term girlfriend during this year. Her name was Kelle, a senior, and we dated for two months. Two whole months seemed like FOREVER back then. She was cute, sweet, and adorable and I was an idiot for breaking up with her. One of the many, many stupid things I did that year.

Typical quotes from classmates who signed my yearbook:

"Well, can you believe we're almost SENIORS - Awesome!! You have an awesome talent in art and I know one day you'll be a famous cartoonist - you better remember me!!" (from a girl)

"Happening you head? It's definitely been a raise hell year. Even though we never really had the chance to do any real partying together, I'm sure we can pick up the slack this summer." (from a guy)

For the Current Events section in the back of my 1985 yearbook, they had three sections:

Movies:
Red Dawn
Passage to India
Amadeus
Killing Fields
Beverly Hills Cop
The Breakfast Club
Purple Rain
Ghostbusters
Terminator
Places in the Heart
2010
Gremlins
Bachelor Party

Music:
U-2
Wham
Billy Idol
Hank Williams Jr.
Billy Joel
Pointer Sisters
Lionel Richie
Billy Ocean
Chicago
REO Speedwagon
Julian Lennon
Phil Collins
Hall and Oates
Bandaid [sic]

Trends:
Break Dancing
The Wave
Neon Clothes
Jean Styles
Trail Skate (someone from the Seniors plastered the school with stickers from this roller skating place at Stone Mountain Park -- hard to explain)
Kroger (stickers, of course -- the Juniors response to the Trail Skate stickers)
Polo Cologne
Costume Jewelry
Tivial Pursuit
MG's
Forenza
The Spa
Tanning Booths

Items of note: I saw Madonna in concert in '85 with a bunch of friends who all dressed up like Madonna-wannabe's. The opening act? The Beastie Boys. They were amazing. I also saw Prince during his big Purple Rain tour. I never had seen so much purple in all my life. Musically, I branched out and started listening to Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Rush, etc. Nowadays they call it "Classic Rock." Back then, it was just "Rock." Whatever. It was good and I liked it.

1984: Sophomore

1984: Sophmore

Ooo, boy -- check out my spiked hair. I forgot how popular that hairstyle was back then. And notice that the photo is tinted lighter -- I forgot it was Photo Day (again) and for some stubborn reason I REALLY wanted my photo in the yearbook that year. Don't know why. So I talked my mom into taking me to an independent photographer to get one done. Kind of embarrassing now that I think of it, but oh well. What could you do? You can't see it because of the close crop, but I had a Gumby pin on my Polo shirt. (Not Izod -- I vehemently opposed the alligator-labeled shirts back then for some reason.) The shirt was bought at Muse's -- the only place in my mind at the time where you should buy Polo shirts. It was the shiz-nit back in the day, believe it. And Polo cologne? You couldn't go anywhere without that crazy scent in your nostrils. Very much an 80's thing. For the record, I didn't wear it. Never was a cologne guy.

I'm going through my yearbook and checking out all the photos, reading up on all the signatures and I'm thinking about how much fun my sophomore year was. But for some reason I can't really pinpoint why. I mean, there's the usual: I had a great time hanging out with a fun core group of friends, I was involved with various groups and activities, and I was listening to a broader range of music. But I can't think of any major events that changed my life forever.

I do remember how surprised I was by the number of times my face appeared in the 1984 yearbook when I first opened it up at the Yearbook Signing Party later that year. My buddy Loren was beaming. I think he was more excited for me than I was. Here:


Someone on the yearbook committee thought it would be funny to poke fun at me. And that scribbled-in quote up there by me says it all. Check it -- Polo shirt (it's a different one from my school pic).


For Homecoming Week, our school had this thing where each class would make their own float and then present them all during the Pep Rally at the end of the week. What you see here is the sophomore float-making party of that year, which ended up being just another excuse for a party. During the week, no less. Look at me -- I'm directing already at such a young age. Actually, we're posing here -- that's Loren with oddly-held paintbrush. He and I were inseparable that year. Can we talk about the fashion here? OP: Ocean Pacific shirts. 'Nuff said.


Here's another shot of the sophomore float making party. I was going out with that chick on the left -- very risqué of me to pose like that. Definitely last minute. Don't you just love how short I was compared to her? Tessa was her name. Funny story: it was after school one day and she and I were hanging out in the hallways with a couple of our friends. One of the football coaches asked if we could clear the hall. As we were walking away, he pulled me to the side and said, "Hey, are you going out with that girl?" "Yes." "Really? A guy like you? With her? Wow. Okay." I was too naive to figure out exactly what he was getting at there. Too young and stupid, I guess.

Back to the picture, I love how the yearbook staff missed the hand to the crotch shot over there to the right.


I somehow made another appearance in the Homecoming section, this time during the dance itself. Sporting a skinny cloth tie -- remember those? Sadly, my date, Erin, was cropped from the original shot. She's on my left. That's Mike on the left there -- he and I go way back to grade school. Mike's date doesn't look all that excited.

Typical quotes from classmates who signed my yearbook:

"Hey! I'm really glad I met you this year and got to know you better! You are really sweet!" (girl)

"You're one wild n' crazy guy. It's been great getting to know you through soccer and school. And where did you learn to draw. Now that's where you've got some real talent." (guy)

"I really enjoyed being w/ you even if it was only for a short time. And I'm so sorry it was such a bad break-up." (Tessa)

In the back of my 1984 Yearbook:

In The News:
Jesse Jackson
Space Shuttle
AT&T
Reaganomics
AIDS
Korean Flight 007
Grenada
Sally Ride into space
GA 49th in SAT

Musical Notes:
Michael Jackson
Boy George
The Police
U2
Billy Joel
Prince
Duran Duran
Lionel Richie
Loverboy
David Bowie
Irene Cara
Men at Work
Adam Ant
MTV

My sophomore year might've been my salad year, but my junior year was a doozy. Stay tuned.

1983: Freshman

1983: Freshman

Ah, the transformation begins. During my second year of high school, I made huge efforts to get in with the "popular" group. Something about wanting to belong, fear of loneliness and isolation, that sort of thing. I remember hanging out with several friends who had seemed to have "connections" with some of the popular kids in my grade. I also remember this being the year I learned a very important lesson: the more people you meet, the more artistic favors you do. Drawing for acceptance seemed like such a whimpy thing, but I didn't care. I was easy going and eager to please. A pushover, if you will. I didn't seem to mind the attention that my artisic talents seemed to garner -- it was actally kinda fun to watch the faces of my friends change the moment they realized I was drawing Smurfs, Boy George, or Prince on a sheet of what was previously a blank college-ruled notebook paper. My talent was an anomally to them; to me, it was as natural as going to the bathroom. My only fear was that my new-found friends were using me, or had befriended me just BECAUSE I could draw. In later years, I would cut back on drawing favors -- I wanted my friends to like me for who I was, not what I could do. Which didn't always work. I was constantly introduced as "The Artist" Ward Jenkins.

Check out my feeble attempt at wings. I was trying. Unfortunately, my super straight hair was not wing-worthy.

It was during my freshman year that I discovered Prince. My first glimpse of the Purple Wonder was from a crudely shot video for his song "Sexuality," where, by the end of the song, he is slowly taking off his clothes, ending up in only his underwear. It wasn't the graphic nature of this video that got to me, it was the electricity I heard in the song -- something so gritty and funky and crude and bizarre -- all at once. It was intoxicating. And here was this dude singing in such a way that I had never heard before. It wasn't until "Little Red Corvette" came out that I realized it was the same dude in the "Sexuality" video-- I had to buy his music RIGHT THEN AND THERE. **1999** came out in late '82, but I wouldn't own the album until a year later. My mother absolutely positively did not want "that garbage" in our house. But my persistence paid off and I was able to drop the needle on that double vinyl album for the first time later on that Christmas. The tunes from that album sounded so much sweeter to me than hearing it on the radio. Thus began the constant answering of questions and explanation of lyrics to my folks and fellow classmates time and time again. Is he gay? What is that song about? Did he just say what I think he said? Etc, etc, etc....

My freshman year was also the year my parents split. I never thought that it affected me that deeply until the day my English teacher took me aside and asked if anything was wrong. I said, no, I don't think so...why? Well, she explained to me, she'd noticed a big change in my grades for that quarter. I'd made A's and B's all throughout my sub-freshman year and for the first two quarters of this year, but this quarter, I was making a D. She asked again, is there anything going on maybe at home that might be affecting your grades this quarter? Well...my parents did split up. Ahh...the light in her eyes sparked with sudden realization. And I'm sure my face reflected that same realization. I was immediately aware of my personal situation (and the potential ramifications) and for the rest of the year, tried to deal with it as best I could. In retrospect, I believe that my art became my solace.

1983 also marked the year that I created my very first animation. See previous post (scroll halfway down), as well as this one to read more about it.

Typical quotes from classmates who signed my yearbook:

"Your [sic] a really nice guy, and a fantastic artist." (from a guy)

"Hope you have a super summer and stay out of trouble. See you next year! Have a good one! PS: Stay sweet + cute as ever!" (from a girl)

"I had a great time in Impact class with you in there. You made it all the more interesting. Especially with all of your drawings. You have a terrific talent. It will take you far I'm sure. Stay sweet OK." (from a girl)

In the back of my 1983 Yearbook: Events That Filled The Year...:

The Screen:
Chariots of Fire
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial
An Officer and a Gentleman
Diner
Gandhi
Richard Prior [sic] Live on the Sunset Strip
Sophie's Choice
Tootsie
The Verdict
Victor/Victoria
Porky's
Tron
Poltergeist
Rocky III
48 Hours
Fast Times at Ridgemont High

The Charts:
Videos
Boy George -- Culture Club
Rick Springfield
Joan Jett
Go Go's
ABC
The Producers (remember them? they were a local band with a hit)
Marvin Gaye
Stray Cats
Adam Ant
Men at Work
Olivia Newton-John
Lionel Richie
The Clash
The Gap Band
Pat Benatar

Various current events that were mentioned: John DeLorean charged with conspiring to sell cocaine; Faulkland Islands seized by Argentine troops; Seven people died from cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules; John Hinkley's trial -- innocent by reason of insanity. Notable deaths: John Belushi, Henry Fonda, Grace Kelly, Vic Morrow, Ayn Rand, Karen Carpenter.

Jeez, hate to end on a downer note. Well, stay tuned for 1984: Sophmore, which was perhaps my most favorite year.

1982: Sub-Freshman

You're in for a treat this week (depending on how you look at it). In honor of my 20th high school reunion coming up this Saturday, the 3rd, I'll be posting my yearbook photo for each year of my high school run -- from 1982 to 1986. And as an added bonus, I'll list some of the trendy things that were happenin' for each of these years as well as current events that were worth the mention in my high school yearbook. You know it'll be a howl. I'll also post any other photos of yours truly that happened to make it in any of the school annuals. Fun!


1982: Sub-Freshman

First year was rough since I was the dorkiest thing to grace the grand hallways of my high school. Notice that I am wearing a running shirt. I was not aware that it was Photo Day that day, so the theme for me that year was "come as you are." Oops! Musically, I was not really into anything, except your typical Top 40 pop of the time. I would often get a ride to school from my cousin Rocky, who was a senior at the time. Being a full-on tech guy, he convinced me to join the Computer Club. Oh yes, I did. It didn't last, though. Too many numbers -- what's up with that? Rubik's Cube was big that year. I was able to solve it at least 4 times. During class, no less. In true dork fashion, I wore Wrangler jeans and got chided for it.

Here are typical quotes from classmates who signed my yearbook that year:

"It's been good knowing you and I hope to see you next year." (from a guy)
"You are a really sweet guy and a good friend." (from a girl)

The following were listed as "Entertainment" for the year in the back of my 1982 Yearbook:

General Hospital
Dynasty
Hill Street Blues
M*A*S*H
Greatest American Hero
Magnum PI
Richard Simmons
The Smurfs
Mandrell sisters
Endless Love
Diana Ross
Stevie Nicks
Go Go's
REO Speedwagon
Rolling Stones
Juice Newton
Christopher Cross
Morning Train
Superman
Tarzan
Raiders of the Lost Ark
On Golden Pond
Arthur
Meryl Streep
Lena Horne
Rodney Dangerfield
Gorky Park
Dungeons and Dragons
Pac Man
Rubik's Cube
Chariots of Fire

The big current event of the year was the President Reagan assassination attempt. Other biggies: Pope John Paul II's assassination attempt and the murder of Anwar Sadat. Also mentioned: the wedding of Charles & Diana as well as the very first shuttle flight: Columbia. The big news locally was the trial for the Atlanta missing and murdered children suspect, Wayne B. Williams. I remember when they started the TV campaign to enforce the curfew during the midst of the ordeal: "It's 9 'o clock, do you know where your child is?" It was creepy.