From the Present Day:

Of the uttmost importance to a boy of eight years old is to maintain a vast and un-negociable distant from all things female. You do not walk down a store isle with Barbies. You do NOT let your mother kiss you in public. You do not ever hold anything pink. EVER! What would your friends say? What would they think? They would crucify you on the monkey bars! Do NOT hold your mother’s pursue. Even if you like flowers you MUST lie and say you hate them.

Indeed, in my first journal entry, from when I was eight years old. I wrote the word “diary” instead of “journal” and then later that day realized the word “diary” sounded a little too sissy for my comfort. It was crossed out for the much more manly word “journal.”

Remember eight-year-old boys, tough guys write in journals, girly-men write in diaries. These are the facts of life.

From the Past:

March 1, 1994 – Age 8

I was a little sick in the morning but now I’m feeling better. I just got this diary journal today. At first I thought it didn’t work but it did. Even though I feel better I’m staying home from school.

A few hours later: I’m sick again.