So, I was hunting through drawers this morning trying frantically to find a baby photo of Flea for some school project or other when I found this: my diary, from January 1985 to August 1985, the last entry being my 11th birthday. I remember, a family friend bought it for me as a Christmas present, saying, "All writers start out by writing diaries."
I'm not sure there's much writing talent there, but there are a lot of felt-tip hearts and complaint about being the last girl in my class to have a bra. Sadly, I can't even remember who Tim was, and that whole Sally4Andy thing clearly didn't work out as I'd hoped. Also, 25 years ago I was incapable of calling anyone by name – everyone in my diary has a weird nickname.
I thought I'd share with you my 10-year-old self's New Year's Resolutions. I don't think I kept them. Which just goes to show, nothing changes, does it?
January 1st, 1984
Today, I painted nutshells and made them look like K-9. I called them K-1 and K-2. After that, I put some more graffiti on my new bag, but I don’t know when we go back to school so while Mum’s out I will have to ring Chez or Jojo.
I’ve had a good Christmas and I’m very tired but before I go here are my New Year’s resolutions:
I am going to do long jump and get my five star award, even though I really hate Wozza and she’s in athletics. She cut her arm when she was leaning back in her chair on the last day of term, HAHA!
I am going to ask for money for my birthday and get a second hand typewriter so I can write my stories on it. Mum says if I wait until next Christmas they might buy me a new one, which means I could use the money for my holiday spends. Hmm. I dunno.
I will determine to eat good food when Mum makes it and to do more running. [I will determine? What a weirdo]
Feed the cat.
I won’t smoke. [Here, my brother Ross has hysterically added the words "AS MUCH" to the end of the line]
Wash up when Mum nags me to do it.
I will batter Ross and call him Rose [Here, Ross crossed out 'Rose' and replaced it with PERFECT]
To kick Peter as hard as possible (Peter is my mate and a boy that I HATE).
Love it! I recently uncovered some of my old diaries and they provided some real entertainment from the spelling to my young ramblings….I also had some references to a boy that I HATED – ahh the denial of a young mind…
Same age as me, how familiar it all looks and sounds. Seems so long ago now, I also had a typewriter around then. I think I still occasionally trip over it when I venture out into my library/ office / now junk room. I have kept everything like this too, I’m going to pass the stuff to my children at appropriate moments in their lives to show that I can empathise 🙂
Wow, are those the Little Twin Stars on the cover? Haven’t seen them for years…!
I recently unearthed my teenage diaries as I know the lady who runs Cringe, where people go up and read aloud from their diaries – with hilarious results.
My husband wanted me to go along, but I just couldn’t bring myself to actually let anyone know anything I’d put in them. I was dying reading them!
I did however resolve to keep them as they may come in handy when I’m trying to understand my kids once they are teens!
That’s so funny. I found a book in my keepsake box the other day called “All about me” – a book that I had completed about me and my life aged 12 – it had hundreds of questions and requests and I had to answer them – draw layouts of my house, bedroom, count the number of windows, doors, favorite singers, records, activities, holidays, friends etc etc. It goes on and on so I can’t really believe I completed it! A history of me aged 12 – something I could never have remembered in that level of detail. Wonderful.
The best bit though is when asked who my female idol is – I put my Mum 🙂 Still true to this day. I hope my kids feel the same when they grow up – doubtful but one lives in hope!
PS I bet you fancied Peter secretly lol!!
@Nikki – The Chap *is* Peter. He’s very offended that I hated him, though.
Oh that is soooo precious! so what happened with the typewriter? Did you get a new one the following christmas or spent your money on a second hand one?
I actually complained to be the first one to wear a bra in the class… no win situation I suppose. You don’t want to be last nor to be first 🙂
Same age as me too! I had a typewriter at about that age. ‘Twas one of the Petite 990 ones that were always advertised on TV.
So you and The Chap were destined to be eh? Love it!
Oh Sally – that is too cool. I wish I knew where my old diaries were – would love to read them now. Think I must be the same age as you – I remember the 5 star award!!
And who was Wozza – apart from being a component of a fairly crap tongue-twister)? Did she steal Peter from you – only to be bested in the long run by your deeper, truer love?
Sorry – I appear to be living vicariously through your 11-year-old life…
@Dawn – Wozza was, I think, Clare Warrilow, who went on a PGL summer camp with me, and we fell out because I fell off a bike into a river, and she told everyone. Also, she had the blue shell suit trousers from BHS that I desperately wanted but my Mum wouldn’t buy for me. Tsk.
I love that at 11 you would determine to do something. I might pinch that for some of my New Year Resolutions. And I’m glad Peter won through in the end.
Pretty obvious you fancied Peter! Bless. My teenage diaries start with lots of weight loss resolutions (I must have weighed about 8st FFS, I was – and still am – 5ft 6!). They go on to detail my incredibly complicated ‘love life’ (crush life). Back then, that was all I really had to worry about *sigh*
see – a writer from an early age!
@WomanWhoCan – I was really surprised – what sort of word is THAT for a 10 year old to be using? I must have been quite odd. But I did always love words, so I guess that’s the reason.
@Liz – my diary seems to have lots of VERY long entries about going to boys’ houses or meeting boys with pages of excruciating detail about everything he said, what he drank, where he sat – sometimes there are even explanatory diagrams.
@Mummy Mania – so it seems!