January 6, 2010 | Life in General,Road Trip Wednesday,The 4-1-1 on Me,Writer Moment
RTW took a short hiatus during the holiday season, but it’s back in business. Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival”, where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing or reading-related question and answer it in on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.
You’re more than welcome to participate! Just answer the question on your own blog, and leave a link to it in their comments.
Topic #11
Your Real Young Adult Writing
I’d like to preface this journal entry by saying that 1) I was a junior in high school when I wrote it and 2) I have no idea what happened or what place I was coming from when I wrote it:
9-20-88
Sometimes I wonder what it’s like to be white. I mean, they seem to have it so easy. When I got to the age where I could understand people’s attitudes, my mama always said that people were going to shun me and call me names because of the color of my skin. Why? Why are white people so prejudice? Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Blacks hating whites?
I went through part of my sixth grade year being called a nigger [Author note: the kid's name was Damon and I wanted to beat the shit out of him every time he said it. He was aptly named because I really think he was spawned from the devil]. Ever since then, I’ve hated that word. Even when black people say it in jest. I will always hate that word.
Now, I’m cautious about getting a job. Will they not hire me because of skin color? Will they think I might steal something? In a time like this, I wonder if I do something drastic will anybody miss me. But then again, I really doubt it. No one misses a black person. It’ll just be one less black person to hate.
LOL. OMG, so dramatic. Here’s a more lighthearted one. I was a senior at the time and taking a dance class. Our school was invited to a District Dance Festival and my dance teacher back then, Miss Holly, chose a routine that me and 3-4 other girls?–I think–created. It involved chairs.
1-13-89
The Festival went okay last night. My parents came and a friend of mine came. I could’ve killed him! When I got on stage, Joe and his best friend, Lance, yelled out my name. Luckily I didn’t smile [because it was a serious routine. We wore black spandex shorts, black leotards and leather jackets. We were supposed to be tough divas with 'tude. LOL].
I messed up a couple of times and our finale didn’t turn out too well, but some of the others were okay. The Festival was the most exciting thing I’ve ever participated in. Other middle schools and about 3 high schools were there and, although it was major chaos, I got a chance to see what the other schools look like. It was great and I didn’t fall off my chair once.
I wish I had my old stories, but I no longer have them. Not even the one that made me catch the Writing Bug. I don’t even remember what I wrote about. I had–still have, actually–a bad habit of throwing things away. Spring cleaning. I wholeheartedly blame that flaw on my Mom. I’m not a neat freak by any means, but I hated having drawers full of…stuff.
I’m lucky I still had this journal from which I pulled the samples.
Bad me, I know. Before I knew that I should store them somewhere and pull them out another time, I chucked them. And this was during the time when I would start a story, get another idea, drop Story #1 and start writing Story #2 with the new idea I’d come up with. Unlike Horserider over there, I was not a multiple story juggler. In fact, it bothered me that I couldn’t stick to one story and just finish it. I guess I was thinking there was some rule that I needed to finish one story first before jumping to the next.
Oh, the naivete of an aspiring young writer. I know better now, of course.
But I’m still not a multiple story juggler.
And starting out, I wasn’t using notebooks to write in. I was handwriting stories–a method I still currently use–on loose leaf paper and putting it in a folder. And as you know, folders tend to get lost. Or thrown away when you think it’s filled with old homework. I’ve since graduated to spiral notebooks, but only within the past 5 years. For some reason, I still liked the idea of rockin’ an old school binder. LOL.
Go figure.
But even the notebooks get tossed once the words have been transferred to a Word document. I wouldn’t be able to decipher them after a while anyway. I write like a doctor. LOL.
I enjoyed writing this post. I enjoyed pulling out a journal I haven’t written in since December 2002 (that was the last entry. A few days before Christmas, actually). It made me smile, looking at the green cover with favorite bands or musical artists (remember Information Society and Erasure?), song lyrics, names of crushes (I LOVE JORDAN KNIGHT…and Rob Lowe) and favorite movies scribbled all over it. It brought back some memories, too. Some good, some not so good.
I’m glad something of mine didn’t get chucked.
Technorati Tags: Road Trip Wednesday, YA Highway, Information Society, Erasure, JORDAN KNIGHT, Rob Lowe
Wendy Prior says:
Aww I think the first ones terribly sad. No kid should have to think about things like that, of course we all have something horrible to think about. With me it was nuclear bombs. We’re always so deeply dramatic though aren’t we? I think things matter so much to us at that age, everything matters.
Hehe and I’m so glad you didn’t fall off your chair!
Rae says:
OMG! I recently had to take out my diary (I taught a class of teen girls @ my church) & enjoyed reading where my mind was back then. I was about 15. So hilarious…and embarrassing (‘Oh my gosh! He talked to me!’ ‘Does he like me?’ ‘Why hasn’t he called yet?’ ‘Am I pretty?’). This is the only diary from my childhood that I still have, and I have about 3 of my stories. Not sure where the rest went (probably thrown away). Thanks for sharing!
Celise says:
Rae – Pulling out the old stuff and reading it was definitely fun reading. When you’re around other teens and they say or do something corny and I say “Oh, I was never like that.” Until I read my journal. LOL.
Celise says:
Wendy – Nuclear bombs. Wow. I think I’ll stick to the whole prejudice/racism issue. LOL. You crack me up.
Suzy :) says:
I wish I had some of your Pitch It skills! I still have papers from KINDERGARTEN!!! I also have ALL my journals, including the TEN YEARS when I wrote EVERY DAY!!! Did you know I wrote that much? Now you have an inkling of why my blogs can ramble on so much.
Best thing about writing every day for TEN YEARS? Besides dedication and persistence I mean, it taught me to write well. People always say I do and can write well. I know how to get thoughts out of my head onto paper. Well, writing for oneself, from 15-25 years old, (through high school and a first marriage and divorce) really helps to be able to get things figured out.
And if this particular comment seems disjointed, please blame it, not on my ability to write, but on the pain medicine I’m on for my back… it makes me loopy!
Celise says:
Suzy – Holy crap! Ten years?!!!! Papers from kindergarten. That. Is. Nuts. Although I’m pretty sure my parents still have report cards from that long ago, but guaranteed not papers. And that is so cool that you wrote everyday. I probably did, too. I had a diary that I was able to lock with a key. Of course, it got thrown away. *rolls eyes*. Or maybe I’ll use the excuse that it got lost in all the moves. LOL. I need to more dedicated like that.
Concepcion Brezinka says:
My personal favorite is truly Justin Bieber, he is so adorable!
Elizabeth Tombrello says:
Very thought-invoking post – raises some interesting points for debate. I just stumbled upon your blog this morning and wanted to say that I have really liked browsing some of the posts. Anyways, I’m subscribed to your feed and I hope to read more very soon!