No idea...

 

Dear Diary: 14/02/1996 (aged 11)

Woke up and went to school. Michelle got 4 Valentine cards. 4! I didn’t get any. Had English then TV then Art except I had to do boring sewing! Went back to Michelle’s and helped her pig out on her chocolates………

Dear Diary: 13/02/1996 (aged 11)

Woke up at 7.15 and got up. Went to school. Had maths and topic. Had lunch. Michelle kept hanging around Ben so I played an with Catherine and Natasha. Made up. After school Dan and Ashley we [sic] whistling at Michelle. I wish boys liked me. It is true that Take That are really splitting up!

Dear Diary: 30/11/1999 (aged 15)

I should be doing my paper round now but papers ain’t come since trouble with printing. I bet my stalker Colin is upset.

My opinions @ the mo:

Rachel & Danielle should make friends again (they will soon)

The art department should burn down along with my mock GCSE collage.

I am looking 4d 2 the weekend

Scanner is working, t’is good.

Lisa is a moody, stinky cow with rabies.

I am really tired cos I have not had enough sleep recently. I will 2night. I hope. PS: My fav boys name is Dylan.

Love,

Katie Angel* Farley** Carter***

Note

* Ashley Angel from mediocre US boyband O-Town

** Trey Farley, Saturday morning television presenter

*** Nick Carter, Backstreet Boy

Dear Diary: 07/06/2002 (aged 17)

I’m watching the England Argentina game (World Cup). I am very excited and will be happy if they win. England R wearing red. Now it’s national anthems. I am quite nervous. David Beckham is sweet, I hope he gets a goal!!

It’s half time now, we SCORED once from a penality penalty by YDavidY. I screamed very loud and so did Lisa although she has been really annoying recently, giving me the third degree about EVERYTHING. She’s so inquisitive, nosy & bossy. Grrr!

Gary Linekar is really sweet + nice. If he gets divorced from his childhood sweetheart Michelle, I will marry him. He has a suntan + grey hair.


We won the game. Yay!

This has been my half term so far:

Fri       Cinema + Plough

Sat       Navid’s house ‘party’

Sun     Charlotte’s house PARTY

Mon    Nothing

Tue      Nothing

Wed    Weatherspoons + Chicagos (Epsom)

Thur    Croydon (George + Flares)

Fri       (Today) Paul’s 18th in Stoneleigh

Sat       Nothing (Anthony’s bday)

Sun     Paul’s BBQ?

I HATE LISA. I HATE LISA. I HATE LISA. I HATE LISA SOOOOO MUCH!!!

Blogosphere – Week 1

This week has flown past (especially the weekend!) and I have absolutely loved my first week of blogging. I have no idea how my visit stats compare to other blogs, but I am so pleased that you have stumbled across my ramblings and hope they raised a smile/wave of nostalgia.

If you’ve enjoyed reading so far, I would love for you to share the link with your friends! You can also receive new posts via email by popping your address in the box to the right. I will be blogging as often as I can – every day if possible so please check in regularly and I promise there will be new titbits for you to read J

The high point of the week just gone was booking a holiday. I’ll be going to Crete with Lisa (yes, we get along now!) to relax in the sunshine. I went out in the evenings a lot this week so am suffering from a cumulative lack of sleep this afternoon but made it to Greenwich to meet friends for lunch following a night in Clapham last night. I’m glad I didn’t spend the day procrastinating.

I finally used a Groupon voucher I had for a massage yesterday and it was just the strangest experience ever. The salon had rung twice to reschedule so I put my foot down when they tried to do it again and thought I’d get it over with. The massage started with the therapist coating me in oil (including my hair!) so I stank of chip fat as a result. The massage was nice enough, but the surroundings were so dank (I could hear the therapist going for a wee in the tiny loo when I was in ‘relaxation time’) and there was no element of luxury or indulgence. Big thumbs down from me! I never really enjoy massages anyway, so I don’t know why I keep going back for more!

This week will be busy at work – it should be really interesting. Hopefully the weather picks up so I can walk home from work and I’m going to try and make up for the lack of gym action this week. Am going to see my favourite band, the Mystery Jets on Friday which should be brilliant, they always put on an amazing show.

Dear Diary: 02/04/1997 (aged 12)

Today we went to Auntie Maggys cos Mum went to work and Lisa was being a tell tale, a sucker-upper and a spoilsport and I made a shield sign against her. In the end she was ok but she ruined it. She is the bad one but I end up getting told off.

Best thing today: Listening to my tape.

Dear Diary: 31/08/1997 (aged 12)

Today Lisa was being really annoying and screaming. Princess Diana died in a car crash this morning and she has done a lot for the world. I went to Catherine's yesterday. I am looking forward to going to school on Wed (sort of).

Best thing today: earning £2 from Dennis.

Dear Diary: 06/04/1997 (aged 12)

Today Sweet Valley High was on. The one about the naked painting but stupid Lisa taped the wrong channel then I made some rice krispie cakes and Lisa just took one! How rude. Later I played football with Michelle and Lynne's friend from Church.

V is for volunteering

When I was younger, I enjoyed dancing, swimming and gymnastic lessons and when I moved to London a few years after Uni I was aware that I had no discernible hobbies to keep me busy. I found Pineapple Dance Studios in Covent Garden and went with my housemate for a one-hour Tap lesson each Saturday morning.

Before long, though, the idea of volunteering started to appeal, whether this was with the elderly, teens, children… anything. I think I wanted to feel part of the community I’d moved in to, and I wanted to do something with my free time as I was fed up with going home every night after working late and procrastinating at the weekends.

I remember the A-Z Guide to Lambeth coming though the letterbox and I immediately turned to the ‘V’ section as I wanted to see what volunteering opportunities there were in the area. I was constrained by my busy day job at PwC at the time and was looking for something I could do for an hour or two at the weekend.

Anyway, I found the Baytree Centre in the book which is just a 5 minute walk from my flat and was built after the Brixton riots especially for women and girls from families not originating in the UK. They offer supportive courses for mums (English, Computer Studies, Literacy etc.) and all kinds of clubs for the girls -cooking, street dance, maths club, science club and loads more. I’ve been mentoring on Saturday mornings for two years and adore it. I love having something to get up for on a Saturday morning.

I have a wonderful relationship with my mentee. She is 11, on her way to high school, and absolutely hilarious. Her family is originally from South America, although she was born in the UK. She struggles a bit with Maths, so we mainly concentrate on her homework or practice SATs papers. She’s funny without even realising it. It’s been so amazing to see her grow over two years and become more comfortable in herself and confident in her work. When I met her she was a shy little squirt with High School Musical glasses and a love for gel pens. Now she proclaims that ‘boys are stupid’ and is totally over glitter and sequins. She has high expectations of herself and loves times tables tests at school. I’m so proud of her!

I often get the feeling that she sees me as really old, which makes me wonder how I would have seen myself at that age. At 11, someone of 27 would have seemed so grown up and it scares me how quickly time passes. I think, from about aged 20 onwards we feel much younger than we are, and I don’t think that feeling changes for the rest of your life!