I have always been a journalist.
Not the type who write for magazines or anything, don’t get me wrong. I just mean that I’ve consistently enjoyed journaling from a very young age. I think I started my first journal when I was eight—I think Mom got the red/blue striped notebook from a dollar store. Ah, here it is. I knew right where to find it, since it’s been taking up space in my bottom bureau drawer ever since we moved to Medina twelve years ago. Wow, all that dust really irritates the eyes! I guess I don’t look in this drawer very often. I was right—I’d written “Anna Perkins” and the date I started the first entry (11/20/00) on the front cover, obviously just in case I forgot who the owner of the notebook was. As I page through the entries, I’m struck by a few things—my extremely slanted cursive (hey, I was learning!), my frequent use of words of four syllables (misspelled), and all the ‘artifacts’ (cards, pictures, streamers, fliers) I’d taped onto the pages. I also realize that I’ve been journaling for fifteen years (give or take six months)! Longer than some of you reading this have been alive, which makes me feel depressingly old.
And it gives me an idea for a blog article….
Then and Now.
So here it is—a page from the long-buried, fabled journal of the red and blue cover. I have included the spelling errors, and also a parenthetical, modern commentary.
Not the type who write for magazines or anything, don’t get me wrong. I just mean that I’ve consistently enjoyed journaling from a very young age. I think I started my first journal when I was eight—I think Mom got the red/blue striped notebook from a dollar store. Ah, here it is. I knew right where to find it, since it’s been taking up space in my bottom bureau drawer ever since we moved to Medina twelve years ago. Wow, all that dust really irritates the eyes! I guess I don’t look in this drawer very often. I was right—I’d written “Anna Perkins” and the date I started the first entry (11/20/00) on the front cover, obviously just in case I forgot who the owner of the notebook was. As I page through the entries, I’m struck by a few things—my extremely slanted cursive (hey, I was learning!), my frequent use of words of four syllables (misspelled), and all the ‘artifacts’ (cards, pictures, streamers, fliers) I’d taped onto the pages. I also realize that I’ve been journaling for fifteen years (give or take six months)! Longer than some of you reading this have been alive, which makes me feel depressingly old.
And it gives me an idea for a blog article….
Then and Now.
So here it is—a page from the long-buried, fabled journal of the red and blue cover. I have included the spelling errors, and also a parenthetical, modern commentary.
Age 9 Anna Perkins December 20, 2001
Dear Dairy, (Just to be clear, we had no cows at this time) I am sorry I had to skip Wensday, but there wusn’t time to wright (Homeschooled!). Yesterday, we went over to the Lehto’s, and I played with my friend, Emily, and we ate and watched movies with them. Then, we came home, and had a rest time, and I slept (Good for me. Still not much of a problem). Then, we had supper, and went to church. Today, sofar I have done my school work, worked on my Christmas folder, and played outside. First, we had breakfast, and did schoolwork (Didn’t I just say that?!). Then Mommy, me, and Andrew played a game of scrabble, and then we had a lunch of leftover blueberry muffins, and baked potatoes (Interesting interpretation of a balanced diet). Then, the Barth girls, Rachel and Jenniffer, came over, to look at Mommys stamps (Clarification: We are not talking a stamp album here—card stamps!). They didn’t stay very long, though. We went outside almost the whole time they were here. Then I went down to get the mail, but there was no mail! (Da-da-duh!) So I came back, and then it was rest time. Tonight, we are sopposed to go to buy gifts for eachother for Christmas. Well, I have to go. Goodbye!
I hope you enjoyed that—it’s pretty cringe-worthy to me!
And now, fifteen years later, a current, very current, sample of my journaling skills.
5/26/15
Tuesday
Dear Journal,
Well, finals are over, vacation is done, and I’m free! Until mid-July, that is, when I start my dev. psych. class. I’m honestly really looking forward to that! I already miss school a lot. It adds challenge and structure to my life; without it, my days are as boring as a baked potato. Without salt. I’m studying on my own, of course, but it’s just not as stimulating.
I slept in. Again. It really annoys me, but I have no will-power on a morning when I subconsciously know that I have no schedule. If I had a morning class, now, you’d find me merrily springing out of bed at the first blip of the alarm. But I’m on ‘vacation’, and my subconscious plots against me. I hit the snooze button, roll over, and keep on dreamin’. Oh, cursed hour whene’er snooze buttons were designed and crafted!
Anyway, I had a protein bar and coffee (Almond Joy creamer) for breakfast, and then spent the majority of my morning on the phone, trying to haggle with insurance/medical companies. Dr. (Blank) has prescribed me (a medication), but, as far as getting it goes, bleeding turnips is easy in comparison! It took me 1 ½ hours to wrangle the medication out of their hands. I’m sure I could have bled out an entire field of root vegetables in that time (FWP)….
After lunch, I took a nap, and a very long one it turned out to be. Mom had taken the kids to the library (Note: Tanya got her first library card!) so there was nothing to disturb me. I also got the fan all to myself. When she got back, even Tanya, under the spell of my solomnence, was persuaded to nap, from which she woke in a mood most foul.
Before supper, T and I held two of the latest batch of kittens (Esther, Ada, Richard: Bleak House). They’re unfairly cute. Why aren’t human babies as adorable?! I felt perfectly heartless when mentioning that we’ll be giving them away in mere weeks.
Abby, J and I next betook ourselves to a little league baseball game. Josh’s, actually. We went to not only cheer for Josh (which I did, very loudly, causing Abby to hide under her folding chair in embarrassment), but to be company for the rest of the family. Of course, at the very beginning of the game an antediluvian-style tempest broke upon us. We ladies did our part by huddling in the dugout and shivering, along with a dozen other people, a few folding chairs, a cooler, and an undaunted puppy. The teams made quite a racket in their respective dugouts, even though they were puppy-less. We had a lovely rainbow afterwards.
Not surprisingly, Josh’s team won (18-8). Josh plays quite well—I was impressed with his pitching. I was also impressed by Mrs. (Blank)’s bottomless snack-bag. I kept thinking that everything edible was gone, and then a whole feast would magically spread itself. If I’m ever stranded on a desert island and need to take someone…
And that’s pretty much been the day. We shall see how late I’m up, between the nap and the generous cup of coffee Mrs. (Blank) gave me. (FWP)
Note: (FWP)—First World Problems
Improved, you say? I hope so, although sometimes the spelling leaves room for doubt. J
Now that I’ve opened up this Pandora’s box of journals, what about you? I’d love to see some of your earlier attempts at becoming the next Anne Frank! Even though they may be slightly embarrassing, there’s no better way to collect memories. I ought to know—I’ve been doing it for fifteen years!
Dear Dairy, (Just to be clear, we had no cows at this time) I am sorry I had to skip Wensday, but there wusn’t time to wright (Homeschooled!). Yesterday, we went over to the Lehto’s, and I played with my friend, Emily, and we ate and watched movies with them. Then, we came home, and had a rest time, and I slept (Good for me. Still not much of a problem). Then, we had supper, and went to church. Today, sofar I have done my school work, worked on my Christmas folder, and played outside. First, we had breakfast, and did schoolwork (Didn’t I just say that?!). Then Mommy, me, and Andrew played a game of scrabble, and then we had a lunch of leftover blueberry muffins, and baked potatoes (Interesting interpretation of a balanced diet). Then, the Barth girls, Rachel and Jenniffer, came over, to look at Mommys stamps (Clarification: We are not talking a stamp album here—card stamps!). They didn’t stay very long, though. We went outside almost the whole time they were here. Then I went down to get the mail, but there was no mail! (Da-da-duh!) So I came back, and then it was rest time. Tonight, we are sopposed to go to buy gifts for eachother for Christmas. Well, I have to go. Goodbye!
I hope you enjoyed that—it’s pretty cringe-worthy to me!
And now, fifteen years later, a current, very current, sample of my journaling skills.
5/26/15
Tuesday
Dear Journal,
Well, finals are over, vacation is done, and I’m free! Until mid-July, that is, when I start my dev. psych. class. I’m honestly really looking forward to that! I already miss school a lot. It adds challenge and structure to my life; without it, my days are as boring as a baked potato. Without salt. I’m studying on my own, of course, but it’s just not as stimulating.
I slept in. Again. It really annoys me, but I have no will-power on a morning when I subconsciously know that I have no schedule. If I had a morning class, now, you’d find me merrily springing out of bed at the first blip of the alarm. But I’m on ‘vacation’, and my subconscious plots against me. I hit the snooze button, roll over, and keep on dreamin’. Oh, cursed hour whene’er snooze buttons were designed and crafted!
Anyway, I had a protein bar and coffee (Almond Joy creamer) for breakfast, and then spent the majority of my morning on the phone, trying to haggle with insurance/medical companies. Dr. (Blank) has prescribed me (a medication), but, as far as getting it goes, bleeding turnips is easy in comparison! It took me 1 ½ hours to wrangle the medication out of their hands. I’m sure I could have bled out an entire field of root vegetables in that time (FWP)….
After lunch, I took a nap, and a very long one it turned out to be. Mom had taken the kids to the library (Note: Tanya got her first library card!) so there was nothing to disturb me. I also got the fan all to myself. When she got back, even Tanya, under the spell of my solomnence, was persuaded to nap, from which she woke in a mood most foul.
Before supper, T and I held two of the latest batch of kittens (Esther, Ada, Richard: Bleak House). They’re unfairly cute. Why aren’t human babies as adorable?! I felt perfectly heartless when mentioning that we’ll be giving them away in mere weeks.
Abby, J and I next betook ourselves to a little league baseball game. Josh’s, actually. We went to not only cheer for Josh (which I did, very loudly, causing Abby to hide under her folding chair in embarrassment), but to be company for the rest of the family. Of course, at the very beginning of the game an antediluvian-style tempest broke upon us. We ladies did our part by huddling in the dugout and shivering, along with a dozen other people, a few folding chairs, a cooler, and an undaunted puppy. The teams made quite a racket in their respective dugouts, even though they were puppy-less. We had a lovely rainbow afterwards.
Not surprisingly, Josh’s team won (18-8). Josh plays quite well—I was impressed with his pitching. I was also impressed by Mrs. (Blank)’s bottomless snack-bag. I kept thinking that everything edible was gone, and then a whole feast would magically spread itself. If I’m ever stranded on a desert island and need to take someone…
And that’s pretty much been the day. We shall see how late I’m up, between the nap and the generous cup of coffee Mrs. (Blank) gave me. (FWP)
Note: (FWP)—First World Problems
Improved, you say? I hope so, although sometimes the spelling leaves room for doubt. J
Now that I’ve opened up this Pandora’s box of journals, what about you? I’d love to see some of your earlier attempts at becoming the next Anne Frank! Even though they may be slightly embarrassing, there’s no better way to collect memories. I ought to know—I’ve been doing it for fifteen years!
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