So I was looking through my high school yearbook last night, and I noticed a few things. One, I was damn handsome (OK fine, that picture is probably the least nerdy one of me taken in that era.) But the second was how much of my “interests” have remained the same. Behold, in its unedited form, my paragraph from the 1997 Lawrence High School yearbook:
Quote: “This is my quest, to follow that star, no matter how hopeless, no matter how far.” Likes: HOHHR (AN, SC, BS, SK, NC) DH, RH, SG, XCC, AOTLLITCO97, the AP Gang (EWSTTAPCRAWM-YKWYA-TMI), NYLC, SW, IJ, “WA”Y, Mets, Simpsons, GOP, TGIFriday’s, eating, sleeping, Ma, and apple pie, Dad, Grandma, SN, AN, AJ, AG, CA, spots, SAT’s, driving. Goal: To reach the unreachable star.
OK fine, I don’t really like the SAT’s anymore, though I’m pretty sure that MUST have stood for something besides the Scholastic Aptitude Test – even I wasn’t *that* big of a nerd. But I am still a card-carrying member of HOHHR, and my love still remains for Star Wars (SW), Indiana Jones (IJ), “Weird Al” Yankovic (“WA”Y), the Mets, The Simpsons, eating, sleeping, driving, my family (the obvious ones as well as the initials at the end), TGI Friday’s, and the Republican party.
As for the super long string of initials, I actually surprised myself by being able to figure out what I meant by EWSTTAPCRAWM-YKWYA-TMI. Although I am sad to admit that I have no idea what AOTLLITCO97 means.
But let’s make it sporting: Post comments with what you think those initials stand for, and the person who comes closest will win a prize!*
*The prize is my undying respect and admiration. Actual cash value 1/100th of a cent.
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Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackI have unriddled the unriddlable. I think. Well, part of it. Here’s what I think:
In the first one, the middle section between the hyphens is “YKWYA” probably stands for “You Know Who You Are.” “TMI” most likely means “Too Much Information,” but who knows. But I have a clue- he starts off naming people. “HOHHR” stands for “Hoodlums On High Honor Roll,” I just know that from hearing it, and then he does his initials “AN,” along with Ben “BS” and Nick “NC” and the other HOHHR’S. Remember this, because I think this helped me figure out the AOTLLITCO97. But I think he’s still naming people for his “EWSTTAPCRAWM-YKWYA-TMI.” It’s in parentheses, like the actual people in HOHHR. So, it’s probably the initials of all the AP Gang, or at least some way of referring to them.
I might get stuck on this one, the one Al does know, but I’ve got a better guess for the one he doesn’t remember.
I’m guessing the last four digits of the one Al doesn’t remember, “CO97,” means “Class Of ‘97.” The “‘97″ most likely refers to “1997,” the year he graduated high school, but who knows. Of that same mystery, I bet “AOT” in the beginning means “All Of The.” Therefore the “IT” before “CO97″ might mean “In The.” Now I’m left only to guess at “LL,” and Al being a lovable loser in high school, I might say the whole thing would be “All Of The Lovable Losers In The Class Of 97.” And hey! That includes me! I graduated high school that year and he didn’t specify which one, although if I’m wrong, one of the “L”’s might mean Lawrence (as in High School). So, that’s my guess. And that’s for the one Al didn’t remember. If I’m right, don’t be discouraged. We lived together for four years and would finish each other’s sentences, just as a married couple. (Notice I said “as,” not “like” a married couple).
If I’m right, I would like my prize in cash value please. Yes, I’d rather have the 1/100th of a cent. Not because I don’t want Al’s undying respect and admiration, but I want to see him come up with 1/100th of a cent.
Oh and just to be inflammatory, “GOP” stands for “Greedy Old People,” just so we’re clear. Hey! Who’s the riddle master here?
Wow. Anyone else care to take a stab? I will say for now that Clint did a surprisingly good job.
OK, I guess its not that surprising.
OK, here is the answer:
AOTLLITCO97 stands for “All of the lovely ladies in the Class of 97.” Now I guessed the Class of 97 part, but I had no idea about the rest until Clint jogged my memory by figuring out AOT. Irony alert: I felt it necessary to give a shout out to all of the lovely ladies in my class, while in reality NONE of the lovely ladies could have cared less that I existed.
EWSTTAPCRAWM-YKWYA-TMI stands for “Everyone who suffered through the AP classes right along with me – you know who you are – too many initials.” Again ironic because I already listed my friends who were in the AP classes with me, and because I used way too many initials and then made a point of mentioning how I was trying to keep that number low, AND because they didn’t know who they were because who the hell could figure out my long string of initials?
Well, except for Clint.
Clint, you’re thinly sliced penny will be arriving in the mail in 4-6 business months.
Yayyyyyy!!!!!! I get a thinly sliced penny! I really should have known that the two L’s stood for “Lovely Ladies” and not “Lovable Losers.” What high school stud think of themself as a “lovable loser?” Especially when his studliness can be immortalized in his high school yearbook (in a code that requires a lovable loser to decipher).
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