adorable freshman, mixed tapes, love letters, first albums

I got to thinkin about the whole mixed tape romantic gesture from the days of high school. I started thinking about some of the mixed tapes I received and some I made and gave.

The ones I can think of right off the top of my head:

Ninth grade from a senior boy: punk rock. Dead Kennedys, Butthole Surfers, The Clash, Sex Pistols, Violent Femmes and many others. (this senior boy and I were friends. I had a crush on him. I later dated his brother, the 20 year old mentioned below. The younger brother, who I had a crush on, was a much better catch)
(I couldn't help myself, I went looking for the tapes, it took all of five seconds to find them. He wrote, "Enjoy this punk rock shit!!" on the tape. He even included a play list. Nice.)

Junior year from my 20 year old boyfriend: He was in a band and they actually released an album. No, they never made it big. More punk/alternative. He was the drummer. (I love drummers) He also made me many tapes of punk and alternative. Sonic Youth, Jane's Addiction, Dinosaur Jr., ect. On the inside of the play list, he wrote the date, 12/24/1990, his name and my name and then: "A girl whom I probably do not deserve." (he was so right. He was such an ass)

Summer before my senior year 19-year-old boyfriend: him playing his acoustic guitar of his own music. Very moody. Think coffee shop, lights off, inscents, with some pot thrown in to get the grove and smoke on.

Junior year adorable freshman who had a crush on me: Beetles, Hendrix, and the Doors. (I was really (really) into the Doors my junior/senior year. They were my dead artist. Everyone has a dead artist that they are all about for a year or two.)

Twenty-three from my 30 year old boyfriend: Erykah Badu and other R&B romantic love ballads. Good for taking long hot bubble filled soaks in a tub.

I know I still have all the mixed tapes and I also know I wouldn't have to look very hard to find them. They are all mixed in with all of my other tapes from days gone by. (obviously, it literally took me five seconds to locate them. I know, I'm cheesy like that)

This led me to think about the adorable freshman. He was so cute. He was persistent while not being a pain and still remained cute. He chased, he called, he knew how to woo. At 14 he knew how to woo a 16/17 year old and he had the courage to do so. I had a stupid headed boyfriend. I should have been with the adorable freshman. He wrote fantastically loveable, laughable, charming, humorous love letters. He begged me to leave my boyfriend and go out with him. He and I shared a kiss over a piece of spaghetti once. (Think "Lady and the Tramp," but with a piece of uncooked pasta) I still have all of his love letters. He was too lovely not to keep them.

Somehow this led me to think about the first album I ever bought with my own money. (Yes, I know I keep saying 'album.' I still refer to CD's as albums, love me) It was, Huey Lewis and the News, "Sports" It was the summer of 1984, I was 10. I wore that thing out. Wore it out. A couple years ago I went to a record store and found a copy of, "Sports" I burned it onto a CD, put it in my CD player in my Mustang and went for a long drive on some back country roads. It was a cloudy and rainy spring day, but in my head, I was transported back to my memories of sitting in my room, during the hot summer and listening to that album over and over and over again. Dancing and singing to the songs in my bedroom, watching Mtv for hours hoping, wishing, and praying for any of the videos to come on. Every time I listen to the CD I am transported back to the summer I was 10 listening to the first album I ever bought with my own money.

So, what are your stories of mixed tapes, love letters, first albums bought with your own money and adorable freshman who had the courage to pursue?