The Whimsy of a Hopeless Journaler

People have always asked me what on earth I intend to do with the copious diaries and journals I've kept over the years.  "Read them" and "Reflect" are the answers I seem to recall giving.  Other than that, there is the immense pleasure I take in merely beholding the wooden chest full of documented years.  More and more lately I hear tales of how people have burned or thrown out diaries they kept as angry teens.  I gasp upon hearing such and say that I could never do that.  They're irreplaceable - the memories, snapshots of the inner workings of your mind during various seasons of life.  Much of what I wrote, especially in my very young days, is largely inconsequential and boring even to me, but it's the backdrop against which growth and progress can be seen, if not always in character, then at least in handwriting.

Over the past few days, I've had the whimsy to share the contents of the same day from each year, as recorded in the annals of my existence, for the purpose of contemplation, comedy, and a conclusion of praise.  I will post one per day until we are back up to date!

So without further ado, I give you...

The First Day of Spring 2000
Age 13

It's the first day of Spring. Mom and I woke up early to go to Alex's. Got no hairy legs! We left at 11am. We stopped at Oma's to drop off my man [my dog Grady] and the truck. We ate lunch there. Drove to Seattle next. It took 2 1/2 hours. We saw the Space Needle and the Kingdome that's being blown up on Sunday. Our hotel is the Coast. We went to Denny's for dinner. Breakfast for dinner! Mmm. I love American money! We went to 7/11 to get some pop before, too. Back at our hotel, we watched TV. I started #15 [of teen book series Sweet Valley High]. I don't want to put it down! I don't know if I like "Click" anymore. He's great at school and everything but, like, at the movies he's so tense and unrelaxed. I didn't feel anything when his arm was around me. I liked it but I don't know... We watched Moesha. Sweet dreams, hopefully.