they say you should write down your dreams

Do you remember having journal writing assignments when you were in elementary school? I recently found a bright blue composition book from 2nd grade filled with the deep thoughts of an 8-yr-old. Perhaps sometime I will favor you with the more insightful entries.

But what I was more interested in was my teacher's red pen note scrawled on the inside front cover: "Your journal is well done and interesting to read. Keep up the good work." Ha, ha, ha. Why is this amusing? Because 16 years and 23 journals later, I am living proof that teachers can and do make a difference.

I suppose another variable was the fact that the church I belong to stresses the importance of keeping written records of our lives for our posterity. A family history, of sorts.

And so authoritative encouragement, moral obligation, and intrinsic interest resulted in a 50-pound box of my life thoughts, feelings, and experiences. From ages 14 to 20 I was particularly devoted to writing every single day. No matter how tired I was, at the end of the day I would scrawl a note or two. I got so good at journal-ing that I when I fell asleep while writing in my journal, my pen would actually keep going, writing incoherent half-dream thoughts. The result was some pretty amusing entries. I have transcribed some of them here for your amusement.

[date?]
I normally don’t do this, but I’m so tired and I must get up early tomorrow. I’ll tell all about it yesterday sometime this week tomorrow. Goodnight!

Friday, May 25, 2001
Sorry, I’m falling a sleep asleep right now. I start to write whatever I dreamt dream about and then nothing makes sense. Okay, had a piano competition – I did okay. I must be learn to a big loas – see – that was my dream talking. Ok – it’s a pass/frnad faill competition – I phopped I passing I hope at I did good.

Thursday, June 14, 2001
Funny story … I bought a camera battery at Walgreens and accidently dropped it on the ground. Didn’t till I got home. I notice us (sorry, I keep falling asleep). I didn’t notice it. Okay. I drove home, realized I mush have let so us and then reazlized I forgot them. Went back – operator said they were a car had already run over it. But I think the batteryies are okay.

Friday, May 17, 2002
It’s official. I’m done with high school! What an incredible feeling…finally, to be done. We had a closing social for seminary I 1/(afa + fm) * Ѳ – 2.cos/2^s

Monday, May 27, 2002
I hung out with Brittany and Cherise tonight. We went to the student family homework, president manual. I mean – student ri? education I meand student family heart in the lost no

Wednesday, May 29, 2002
It was swell fun, hower I understand what Mom have said when she remembers study day and everone being left alone with nada to some project mom might and I’d walked with not much to do. But I do have a lot to do. It’s the whole high school family where everyone knows everyone.

Thursday, May 30, 2002
Brittany and I went to Mary’s for dinner. Mary’s in with her aunt/uncle for the summer. We watched a movie “An American Rhabsody”. It was foreign and good.
Then we got peaches and fruit snacks at Albertson’s. We went to the park on the highest rise of the family facks playground, spread out good consleliation 10/10. Then we went to Mary’s. We sat on the balchony what we sait on the patio, mokeny, balcony and talked. We looked at stars too.

Friday, July 5, 2002
After Salt Lake City we drove to grandma’s. We ate and then went to the “Tree Bung  asleep. Rodeo in Plymouth.

Wednesday, July 10, 2002
Me and Cherise scrapbooked everything together. Well, shorted and we watched a movie, and I hold believe my 5 pages of all finished still had from for Chercker  asleep