Classic Diary Entries

I'm sitting here sipping a cup of Earl Grey with a lengthy to-do list growing by the minute. I need one more gift for the hubby. A huge bag of dirty laundry is calling my name from the bedroom. There's a stack of gifts sitting on a chair that need wrapping. I need to do my daily one hour online job search, which typically comes up negative - without even so much as a lead I'm a fit for.

I'm dressed for the gym, but I know how that goes, I'm lucky if I get there before 2. Ah the life of the unemployed. Hey, it could be worse. I could be dead asleep until noon. I'm sure many unemployed, kidless people do that! I find it somewhat impressive that I'm always showered and dressed by 9. It's out of guilt. I hear my husband shuffling around in his winter coat, grabbing his cell phone, wallet, keys and iPod and I sleepily get into the shower after he gives me my goodbye kiss. Even though 8:30 is late for the employed, it is early for me because I am up soooo late watching TV and surfing the web.

For the past few days, I've been searching for inspiration for future blogs by going back to the history books aka my stack of old diaries. On a recent trip to my mom's house (I was on a quest to locate my high school yearbook which I'm convinced someone stole), I grabbed all 12 of my diaries and brought them to our apartment. I'll include a photo of a few of them for you.



Sadly, there isn't really anything of substance written in there until about 10th grade. I did find the first day I met my Aunt Sue. It was like two lines and summed up with, "I met Sue, she's really nice." There's also an entry about my other aunt having a baby and how I hoped it was another girl. Well my cousin, is now in his late 20s. Most entries just blab on about how much I loved the boy of the moment ... Danny, Eddie, Sean, David, Alfred and other random boys I can't even remember! I think I thought a diary was simply to confess your love for some boy who doesn't know you exist thanks to an episode or two of The Brady Bunch.

Today I'm going back to 7th grade, 1984


I kinda looked like this, it's from my 6th grade photo. I can't find any 7th grade pictures here at our place.

Saturday, June 30, 1984
Today our town had a big flood. Up to 8 feet [of water] in the basement. The basement and pool are destroyed! Dad was so mad when he came home-the yard and basement are destroyed [no shit, I just said that!]. Everyone is cursing. It's really scary. Dad drained the basement. Mom took Joey [my brother] and I to Mitchell's for dinner and a movie. We saw Karate Kid with Ralph Machio (sic). I think I love him.



Saturday, July 14, 1984
Today Aunt Chris came over with her friends. We went to see The Last Starfighter at the movies. We also went to Burger King.

Wednesday, July 18, 1984
Today Sharon and Debbie K. and I went to see Gremlins. I love Corey Feldman.

Thursday, July 19, 1984
Today I spent the day and night at Grandma's. I am reading The Outsiders again.

Wednesday, August 14, 1984
Today Sharon and her friend came over. Yesterday the guy at Friendly's [in Franklin Square] who looks like Ralph Macchio put my sunglasses on and I told him he looked great. Kathy was here.

Saturday, November 10, 1984
Today I went to Green Acres [Green Acres Mall] and bought a Bruce Springsteen and Prince tape also a neon pink sweatshirt, a blue mesh shirt and 4 gumy (sic) bracelets. I am going to get blue and red gloves with the fingers cut off of them. [GAG! Mesh shirt! I remember wearing these over a different colored tank or top, so ugly! I bet if I were 12 today, I'd insist on wearing those ugly Uggs!]

November 21, 1984
Today was a 12:00 day [dismissed at noon]. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Eddie punched me in the back so hard I couldn't breathe [I probably deserved it, I wouldn't leave that kid alone for a minute]. All I was doing was drinking from the water fountain. M-K, Tricia, Jennifer and I had to sing for a prayer service. We all started to laugh! [I vaguely remember this, the song I hated singing the most in church was called "On Eagles Wings" and the lyric was, "Lest you dash your foot against a stone." M-K and I would playfully kick each other in the foot - so mature!] Then after school Eddie came out dressed in black jeans and a layered blue and red sweatshirt. He is so mint! It's radical! [What a fool, how could I seriously say "mint" and "radical"?] Grandma came home from Florida. We went to Mitchell's for dinner. I love Eddie.

Thursday, November 22, 1984
Today is Thanksgiving. We all went to Aunt Maria's house [Weird! That's my grandpa's sister and I totally do NOT remember this at all]. I wrote a love letter to Eddie on the computer saying, "Dear Eddie, I love you. I'm not telling you who I am, so keep guessing." [How embarrassing!]

Friday, November 23, 1984
Today I babysat for my cousins. I made $2. Michelle [my little cousin who is now a nutritionist and mom to two kids] is sleeping over. Kathy, Kathy, Serena, M-K, Tricia, David, Danny, Jose, Eddie, Sean and I all went to Alden Terrace and played run and kiss whomever you see. [Totally can't believe I have this crap in print].

Monday, December 3, 1984
Got my report card. Got all G's [that was our school's grading system and "G" was for "good" ha ha!] except I got an AA ["above average"] in Religion. Eddie has my free writing book still. Tomorrow is the Christmas Boutique.

Saturday December 8, 1984
Today David, Eddie, M-K, Kathy, Kathy, Tricia, Jose, Danny, Jennifer and I went ice skating in the park [Hendrickson]. We picked Eddie up and took him ice skating. We took Kathy P. home and stopped at Taco Bell for a snack. Then I went to the library. I also set up the Christmas lights. Joey [my brother] is sleeping over Grandma's house. We all ate Chinese food. I watched Spencer - Chad Lowe is totally RAD! ["RAD"? Ugh!]

Thursday, January 24, 1985
Today was a hot dog sale. John has to fight Michael and if John wins, Michael has to get a new and different hair style. If Michael wins, John can't talk to me for two weeks. [John was a really good friend of mine in 7th grade. I remember the hair style part, but the no talking part seems weird!]