My First Journal

Like most kids who grew up to be writers, during various periods of my childhood I was a big journaler.  The middle and high school years chronicle cringe-inducing accounts of crushes and lists ranking the boys I'd slow danced with (criteria included height, sweatiness of palms, and pleasingness of scent), but a bit farther back into the past, there are some real gems.

Home at my parents' house for Memorial Day Weekend, I unearthed my first journal.  Back from before I could write, i...