early writings

Playing on the theme of my past that's been haunting this blog these days, I thought it would be fun to do an entry on things I'd written from years ago.

Starting from age 9, I thought I would become a writer - specifically, at that age, a poet, but a poet's a writer, just like a square's a rectangle, but not necessarily the other way around. Anyway, I was wise/conceited? enough to keep everything I've ever written, just in case I would be famous some day and people might want to read a nine-year-old's poems. (Imagine reading a sonnet by a school-aged Shakespeare? Not that I'm in any way comparing myself to Shakespeare - though I have written sonnets, and I also enjoy making up words in the name of artistic freedom.)

Here are some bits from my 6th-8th grade English class journal (including the original, sometimes iffy spellings):

11-18-1988

A Dream birthday party

"I walked up the steps to my house. Since it was my birthday, they let me see 'Big' alone, for some reason, in the theater.

Hey, there are no lights on, I thought. Afraid as I was, my curiosity got the better of me and I went inside. The lights were off.

'Suprise!!!,' all of my friends and family yelled."

That would be a dream birthday party come true. A suprise party.

(Ed. comment: It's 21 years later, and I've STILL never been thrown a surprise party. Ah, well ...)

12-19-1988:

Rudolph

Rudolf had a problem
Of course, I mean his nose
Everyday and every night
It always, always glowed
All the reindeer laughed
And they never let him play
Rudolph always moaned and
groaned
All the time until one day
That day, of course, was
Christmas Eve
Santa came over and said
"Rudolph, it is very dark.
Won't you guide my sled?"
Rudolph accepted, and from then
on
He always guided the sled.
Said Santa, "Rudolph you're
such a big help to me,
I hope you'll never be
dead."

(Ed. comment: I much prefer the ending to my version of that song, don't you?)

2-3-1989

Elephant

If you could be an animal, would you be an elephant? Sure, Sharon, Lois and Bram would make your title famous, but so what? People would say "How many elephants can you fit in a car?" and other elephant jokes like that. Also, people would say "Lose some weight!" and make jokes about your weight. I'd hate to be an elephant.

(Ed. comment: I don't get that SL&B reference; what was I talking about?! There's a lot of topical humor in this journal.)

5-15-1989

Untitled

Dear Diary,

Hi! This is your friend Christie Brinkley. I'm all finished with those stupid Prell commercials, so now I can relax and write at pool side. Hmm. I'm going to have to be on Oprah's show at 5, so I have an hour to relax, because it takes me an hour to wash and dry my hair, put on my dress, and put on my makeup. Let's see. What time is it. 4:00! Oh no! Bye diary!

Love,
Christie Brinkly

(Ed. note: See what I mean about topical humor? Also, that's very typical of me at that time, establishing a scenario, getting bored with it and making a quick exit.)

There's lots more where this came from. Maybe I'll switch gears with my journal YET AGAIN and continue this for a while ... ;)