flashback #1 // a peek into my diaries from yesteryear

I love documentation. I love having things on hand that spark memories of a particular time in my life, especially those times that included a lot of personal growth or challenges. I saved my finals week to-do list my senior year of college because it was an extremely difficult/emotional/academically challenging period–and one that I look back on with an “I can do anything!”

You’d think I’d be an avid scrapbooker, but no–my heart has mostly been with journaling. My only wish is that I had spent more time during my 23 years writing in a little notebook about anything I like. Especially during college. But I do have a few diaries in my keepsake box that span from elementary through about 8th grade. Let me tell you: they are a riot.

So, Dear Readers, I give you fair warning: what you’re about to read might be will most definitely be embarrassing. It might remind you of your own years of bad outfits, pimples, crushes and driver’s ed. You may cringe. You may cry. You may throw up in your mouth a little bit. Turn back if you must! Because the following three part series will consist of  none other than word-for-word snippets from a few of my very own journals.

We’ll begin with a sweet Whinnie the Pooh number–my diary kept in 4th grade as part of a writing exercise for class. Entires begin with “Dear Mrs. Gugat” (my lovely teacher) or “Dear Nacho Dog” (my dog named…Nacho). And what follows are gems like these (misspellings and all!):

August 31, 1998

Dear Mrs. Gugat,

In the first week of school, I had lots of fun, beacause we had NO cursive, unless you wanted to write that way. Pluse we got to play a lot of games. Besides, you were easy on us. Doesn’t a teacher have to be the first week of school?

From,

Catherine Jones

(Wouldn’t you like to go back to the days when having to learn cursive was your biggest problem?!)

October 2, 1998

Dear Nacho Dog,

Today at Cross Orchards we saw lots of things. After we went to Cross Orchards we went to Lincoln Park and ate lunch, then we played a little while. Then we went to the Museum of Western Colorado. We had a scavenger hunt. Then we learned all about Alfred Packard and how he was accused of murder.

Bye Nacho Dog!

(If I recall, Alfred Packard was accused of cannibalism. Totally different.)

Dar Nacho Dog,

Yesterday was the weekend, and I bought a new sweater vest. I was $10.47. I bought it with my own allowance. I already had $7.00, and my (insert illegible word here) allowance was five, so I had $2.00 left.

By Nacho Dog!

(Um. Mom? About that allowance. Can I have it back?)

Dear Nacho Dog,

If I could change one thing about my classroom I would change it because the boys are mean. I would have all the boys go to boarding school and all the girls in fourth grade come to my classroom. So then no boys that are good at tetherball wouldn’t be able to beat any of the girls. I’d also make them go to boarding school so we wouldn’t have to sit by them. I wish boys were in boarding school to start with.

Bye Nacho Dog.

(That one got a “Nice Job” from Mrs. Gugat!)

Dear Diary Dear Diary

I show my mom that I love her by helping her with the house cleaning and helping my sister with her homework and I clean up Nacho’s pee and feed him. I also show her I love her by saying I love her.

Bye Diary

(At this point I must have favored cursive as printed sentiment was crossed out a replaced with a most epic script)

January 15, 1999

Dear Diary,

One thing I helped someone and I’m proud of happened last night. My sister was sick with a stomach ache and she was about to barf so my mom put her hand under her chin and Becca barfed. So I went and got a trash can.

Bye Diary

(I was a righteous hero, I tell you!)

Dear Nacho Dog,

I learned how to ride a bike when I was 5ive. My dad taught me how to ride. At first he taught me how to get on the bike, then petel, and then balance. And after every time he would always jump wheelys which was really fun to see.

Bye Diary

(Yes. I really wrote “five” like “5ive”. And over the last “d” in dad I drew a little halo.)

Dear Diary,

10 Things I Want To Do When I’m An Adult

#1 For my career I want to be a doctor.

#2 I want to be an archetect.

#3 I want to be an archioligist.

#4 I want to have a child.

#5 I want to go to COLLAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#6 I want to drive a car

#7 Cable TV

#8 Still play soccer

#9 Go to medical school

#10 Before I’m to old I want to meet Nick Carter from the BSB (Backstreet Boys)

Bye Diary!

(Well. I’m glad I had my priorities straight!)

Okay. So . . .

One, that was a tad embarrassing. But at least I didn’t get stuck in the couch like Kitty Meow did:

MEOW?!!?

Two, I can’t wait to read 4th grader’s journals when I’m a teacher.

And three . . . did you keep a journal when you were young? Do share!

Next up: entires from 2002. I was 14. Buckle your seat belts.