Happy New Year, 1969

In the fall of 1968, I was in ninth grade at Munich International School. Nixon had just been elected president and the Apollo 8 astronauts were about to orbit the moon. I was obsessed with Romeo and Juliet, having just seen Zeffirelli’s movie with Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting. For December break, my family drove to Rome via Florence, Siena, and San Gimignano. Not too shabby as school vacations go.

In these excerpts from my memoir-in-progress, Where Is Luv? A Teenager’s Diary of Hope, Passion, and Total Confusion, it's clear some things have changed . . . and some most assuredly have not. Happy New Year, 2009! I hope it is a year of love and peace.

December 27, 1968
(2 months till 15)

Visited Sistine Chapel and the whole bit. It was OK. Fantastic work and realism but TOO much! Sculptures are nice, though. Watched a marvelous and exciting Apollo splashdown and recovery on TV! Wow! The moon!! It’s really a great breakthru!

4 days till 1969. 62 days till my birthday. 9 days till Munich. 10 days till school.

December 29

Went to impressive Baths of Caracalla, with little kiddies running around and to Palazzo Farnese. Nice frescoes. And to these fantastic ruins at Ostia Antica! Wow! Buildings, paintings, bathrooms, tunnels, statues, palaces, theaters, warehouses, stores. A real civilizazione! 100,000 people!! (200-300 AD?)

December 30

Slept latish, took bathio. Visited statue of Moses and San Sebastian mosaic. Walked to Pantheon. Saw USA sailors who “wowed” at me. Wow! Gotta goa toa bedda. Yeah? Bene! Molto bene! Buona sera!

December 31

Well, this is it! The end of another year. So what? It’s just 366 days gone by with 365 more to come! But it’s traditional to make a big thing. So I will. Today we saw some church, which was lovely, and the Catacombs—ancient and smelly but interesting.

News: Triumph of Apollo 8; release of Pueblo crew; Israel and the Arabs clashing; Paris peace talks moving along. I hope 1969 brings more peace to earth, although I doubt it.

Resolutions? Let’s see:

1) Resist smoking. (Build feminine willpower.)
2) Try to establish better relations at home, especially with mother (be less close?).
3) Work hard in school.
4) Grow, damnit!
5) Quit swearing so much!
6) Ultra-femina: looks, attitude, actions
7) Continue interest in world.
8) Write a book.

We’re heading off now for a New Year’s party. I’ll see you next year! Arrivederci!

January 1, 1969

2:07 a.m. after really boring, wild, icky New Year’s party at Dover Hotel with a bunch yucks and fakes and icks. Last word I said in 1968 = LOVE. First word I said in 1969 = LOVE. I hope it is a year of love and peace.

Later: 11:15 p.m. after a long day. Visited San Pietro and saw Pope Paul VI and got “blessed.” Beautiful church! Climbed to top (ugh)—utterly fantastic view! Beautiful sunny chilly day and just perfect! Saw Oliver. I’m still determined to act/sing.

Back at 10. Sang songs and fooled around. At 11, I started to wash, and out from under the towel crawled a HUGE hairy spider! UGH! SHIVER! UGH!!! Donnie shivered too so Daddy (my hero) killed it! Ugh Ugh YUKH!! I itch all over.

Song from Oliver:

Where is love?
Does it come from skies above?
Is it underneath the willow tree that I’ve been dreaming of?
Where is he who I close my eyes to see?
Will I ever know the sweet hello that’s meant for only me?
Who can see where he may hide?
Must I travel far and wide
Till I am beside the someone who I can mean something to?
Where is love?

Fantastic song! It not only means so much but it fits me perfectly. Goodnite, goodnite. Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnite till it be morrow! Romeo and Juliet is fantastic! Will that ever happen to me?