(journal #15:) Alfred

I am obsessed with teddybears. I have two bunk-fuls of them. They are all adorable. I have some recent additions to my collection. My most recent addition is named Alfred. He is six inches long and about three inches wide He is hand-made from dark brown velvet. His arms and legs are specially sewn on so they can move. I got him at the gift shop of The American Museum of Folk Art in New York City. He looks like an old fashioned teddybear. He also looks like an old fashioned Winnie-the-Pooh. I got very worried because little Alfred was recently lost for a few days. I found him stuffed in a plastic bag from New Haven with some books in it. I love Alfred. I hate to have favorites, but if I did have one, I think he would be it.

(mislabeled journal #15:) My Family History (abridged)

Most of my roots are in Austria and Germany. One set of my great-grandparents were born and died in Austria. Another set were born and died in Poland. Another set were born and died in Germany. I'm not sure bout the other set, but I know one was named Ida Myer, and was born in Germany and died in New York. She died when I was 4. I'm not sure of any of the others' names. My mother's mother was born in Vienna, Austria, and my mother's father was born in Poland. They met when my mother's father was studying medicine in Vienna. When WWII was about to start, my grandparents sensed trouble and came to the U.S. My mother was 10 months old, and very sick. She took her health tests to come to America several times, and didn't pass. My grandparents were about to leave her with my great-grandparents when she passed. My father's father emigrated from Germany and met my father's mother. They were distant cousins. My father lived on Bainbridge Ave. in the Bronx until he was 21.

(journal #16:) Bassoon

I have been playing the bassoon for about four months. I love it. It sounds really nice, and is easy to learn. I really like my teacher, Joyce Kelly. She is Mr. Mathes' sister in law (she is the identical twin of his wife). She is a very good teacher. Over the summer, I took bassoon lessons with Mrs. Kelly's son in law, Thomas David Ellis (T.D.). He was a pretty good teacher but had no teaching experience and lived all the way in Portchester.

The school owns the bassoon I use, and I don't have to rent it. It is a quality bassoon, but is in pretty bad shape. Soon I'll join the band, but I don't really want to, because it means getting up early. I love the bassoon, and hope I continue to play for a long time.

(journal #17:) Latin

I am hoping to take Latin next year in ninth grade. I think it would be an interesting and useful language to learn. There are a lot of things written in Latin, and I think that it would be fun to be able to read all of them. I would stop taking French, which I think is boring. The only trouble is that you have to be really smart and do really well in language to take it. Last year in French I did really well and got all A's, but this year I'm not sure I will. I got a low B on one quiz, and I have not been doing too well on homework. Mr. Kent is a very easy grader, hough. I like Miss Bock (I don't know her married name) a lot better. I'm praying that I can get into Latin next year.

(journal #18:) Ninth Grade

I am not sure of my plans for ninth grade. I definitely want to stop taking woodworking, metal, art, and home arts. I CAN'T STAND woodworking and metal. I don't like them, and I am very bad at them. My mother is an artist and it is surprising that I am not talented at it, but I'm not, and I wish I were. I think that it's fun, but last year I couldn't produce anything nice or on time. Home arts is not that hard, but it's not very interesting. I might take it again next year, because it would be easy to get a good grade in it. I would take all of these classes if I only had a study, but I don't, because I'm in orchestra. I am pretty talented in mustic[sic], so I am going to take that again. I might take typing or performance. I hope I decide on my classes and get what I want.

(journal #19:) My New Stuffed Animals

For my birthday, I got three new stuffed animals: 1) Fleagle the Beagle 2) Immer the bear and 3) Grandpa Snuffles. I picked out Fleagle the Beagle on my birthday at FAO Schwarz in New York. I had been to Dreamgirls earlier, and wanted something that cost ten dollars there. My father said he would give me the money, and I could spend it at any store I wanted. Fleagle cost $9.95. He has big, floppy ears, and paws, and has a big nose. He is very soft. Immer is a white Steiff bear. I got him for my birthday because I really wanted a Steiff bear. Grandpa Snuffles is a funny old chap. He is really cute and cuddly. He is the 5th member of my Snuffles family: Mama Snuffles, Papa Snuffles, Baby Snuff, Valentine Snuffles, and now-- Grandpa Snuffles. I love him. I love them all.

(journal #20:) My Family

My family is an unusual bunch. There is my dad (Robert), my mom (Diana), my sister (Laura), and me (Amanda). I hate my sister, and I hate my parents too, but at least my parents can be okay sometimes. My sister is a jerk She is twenty years old, and is in her junior year at Yale. She is going to major in history, can you believe it, HISTORY? Her weird boyfriend is currently taking time off from school to work on a newspaper in Tennessee, and trying to decide whether to become a journalist or a chemist. I'll feel very sorry for their kids. My mom is pretty nice. She is very lenient. She sometimes acts like she is having a nervouos [sic] breakdown. My dad is not lenient at all, but can be pretty nice. My family isn't the greatest, but they'll have to do.

(journal #21:) Piano

I have been playing the piano for about one and a half years. I don't really like it that much. I hate my mean teacher, Mary Radcliffe. She always yells, and is supposed to be a good teacher, but I don't think she is. She always makes me feel terrible. She is very snobby, because she is very rich, and is also the president of the Greenwich Symphony. I'm not very good at piano, and at recitals I'm always playing what the six year olds play. I started to learn the piano because I thought I might be a cello teacher, and I would want to accompany my students with the piano. I don't like playing the piano or even listening to it. Since I HATE my teacher so much, I pray that my mother will let me stop lessons as soon as possible.

(journal #22:) Shana

I [sic] long time ago, I fell in love with a sweet, loving dog named Shana. She always used to come and play with my dog, Sailor. They became good friends. One day, Shana disappeared. Her family gave up after a while, and moved to Maryland. We missed her. After six months, the once plump, now fit golden retriever had come back home! Someone had obviously taken care of her. We decided to look for a good, loving home for Shana, because her family had moved to a rented house where they couldn't keep dogs. She ran away from us, too. We found out that an old couple had found Shana at night in the Caldor's parking lot. They wanted ot keep her. I don't know what happened to Shana after that.

(journal #23:) Bagel (or Binky)

I love with all my heart a dog named Bagel (by me), Binky (by my mother), a beagle. He used to come and play with Sailor. We never knew his owner, but we knew he treated his dog badly, because every night, Bagel howled between about 12:00 and 12:30. We often had to let him in for the night. One day he developed a terrible eye infection. We had to take care of him. We rinsed his very swollen red and green eyes. One night we heard a man calling, "Bob", which happens to be my father's name! We figured out he must have been calling Bagel. We heard a cut off yelp from him. We saw him a little after that, but then he disappeared. He must have been taken to the dog pound.

(journal #24:) My Bum

I have met many bums in New York, and they all scare me. My family and I were recently in New York. We were trying to get to an art supplies store when we passed over the Bowery. We had stopped because of traffic, and my father's window was open when a funny looking old man walked up to my father's window. He asked for money. My father said no. The man pulled a gun on us. It was miniature, but I thought it would work. The man started saying things like, "pow, pow, one shot will kill you, you'll be dead." I guess he was embarrassed. He walked away. I was really scared!

(journal #25:) Other Bums

I have seen many a bum. I am really scared of bums who want to clean your car, because they are usually younger and stronger than the others. Once I was on a train about to leave from Grand Central Station, when a bum (actually he really wasn't a bum, but he was asking for money) got on. He gave a speech to the passengers about how he had lost his job, his wife was sick, and he needed money to "help feed his children." He sent a paper cup around to collect. My mother put in money! Another time a bum asked my father for money was when we were on The Bowery (again.) A man came up to us who looked very strange. He had on a ripped red down jacket, to match his eyes. His whitish-blonde hair stuck straight up. He asked for money. My father said no, and he walked away, giving us a strange look.

(journal #26:) Sailor

I love my cute dog, Sailor. I not [sic] sure when I got him, but I think he should be about five and a half years old. He still is as adorable as a puppy. His eyes are big, and so are his ears, which are also floppy. Hi legs are very short, and his body is long. His tail is longer than his back legs, which are longer than his front. His fur is very soft, but the fur on his ears is extra soft. From what I have written so far, you can probably tell that Sailor is a mutt. His coloring looks almost the same as a german shepherd's. He also looks like a sheltie. He is sweet and affectionate, and has never bitten anyone. I hope he lives for many years to come.

(journal #27:) Puppy for Christmas

I really want a puppy for Christmas. My mother sort of wants one too, or is willing let [sic] me get one, but whenever she has brought up the subject to my father, he has said that he doesn't like the idea of my getting a puppy. I have told my parents that I want a puppy or nothing for Christmas. I even made them sign a contract saying that I was going to get a puppy or nothing for Christmas. The reason for this is that if I don't get my puppy, I want to feel really guilting about it. [sic] I'm not sure, but I think that I can handle not having any presents for a year. I really want a puppy, and hope that I don't get nothing for Christmas.

(journal #28:) I'm Definitely Getting a Puppy!

I'm very happy, because I'm definitely getting a puppy! My parents said that first I have to show that I will be responsible enough to take care of a puppy, which I think will be fairly easy. I know my basic duties. 1: housebreak puppy. I think I know how to do it. If the puppy goes to the bathroom indoors, scold him (or her) and put it outside. When it looks as though it's about to go to the bathroom, put it outside. 2: exercise. I know I would have to walk my puppy two or three times a day, which doesn't bother me 3: regular feeding times. I know I will have to make regular feeding times for my puppy, with plenty of snacks in-between. I can't wait to get my puppy!

(journal #29:) Names

I have three names which I would probably name my puppy. Cecil or Bayard is what my puppy will be named if he is a boy. Cecilia is the name I like for a girl puppy. I don't know why I like Bayard. I heard it a long time ago, and ever since then, I've thought it is a good name for a dog. It sounds cute, calling in the park-- "Here, Bayard." A few years ago, I fell in love with Cecil. I think it would be really nice to name my puppy after him. I wish that I could get Cecil himself! I think that all these names are cute-- "Here Bayard, Here Cecil, Here Cecilia, and I don't know which one to pick.

(journal #30:) Breeds

I'm not at all sure of what breed of dog I want. I would want a healthy puppy, and the only way you can really be sure of a dog's good health is to buy it from a breeder. Breeders breed very expensive dogs. That might mean not getting any other Christmas presents! I don't think I could take that! Mongrels usually have good dispositions, which would be good, because my puppy would HAVE to get along with my dog, Sailor. We bought Sailor for twenty dollars at the Elmsford Dog Pound. He was going to be killed, along with about twenty other dogs. He is a sweet, cute, smart mutt. I guess I would want another mutt.

(journal #31:) Dear President Reagan,

My name is A[...] W[...], I live in Greenwich, Conn., and I am 12. If we dont [sic] agree with another government, does that give us the right to attack them? How do you know that the Cubans' weapons were going to be given to terrorists and used for the death of American medical students? We have defense weapons, don't we? Attacking a nation occupied by Russians is very dangerous. The communists are extremely powerful! If we had a disagreement with the Canadians, would you attack? It wasn't wise of Americans to go to school in an area occupied by communists, but they were there. You should have had peace talks with the Grenadian government. President Reagan, I don't think you spend enough time on your California ranch.

(journal #32:) Journals

I'm glad we didn't have to do journals for very long. I am pretty bad at them, I can never think of a subject, and it takes me forever to do just one. I don't know which I like better, getting five journal entries done each week, and not having to do journal entries for very long, or writing two journal entries each week, and writing journals for a longer time. I guess I like to get it over with. I haven't written about many different things this marking period. I've written about places, puppies, dogs, and toys. I'm going to have SOO much less homework!! YEAH!! Sometimes I enjoy journals, but I'm glad that they're over with.

I hate George Carlin, and I'm pregnant

George Carlin is like Bush: he makes fun of things that are absolutely valid and true, such as, in this case- playing Mozart to developing fetuses. It's like denying global warming. It's been proven that children recognize music they hear when they are in the womb. So, particularly by playing Mozart, who is probably the greatest classical tonal genius who ever lived, it is very reasonable to expect that a child will have a heightened understanding/ head start in the area of music. George Carlin makes fun of Mozart because he speaks to an uneducated, dismissive audience that likes to make fun of what they do not understand. I don't like him, but he's a fairly good marketer. Like Bush.