An Account of How I Spent My Time
George Washington could account for his time. Would you like to read about how I spent mine?
George Washington kept a more or less daily journal, letting himself and his future readers know how he spent his days.
“Washington’s definition of his diary is best illustrated by a phrase that
runs through the whole record: ‘Where & How my
Time is Spent.’”1
I have been keeping a diary since I was about 13, maybe a little earlier. I did not write every day and much of my journaling is spent agonizing over the disappointments in my life as a pre-teen, teenager, and adult.
I used language differently at every age. My earliest diaries have terms that only made sense to me and a few friends. One of my friends liked to draw stylized birds, adorning them with peace symbols, flowers, headbands. She referred to hippies as“birds.”
So when I wrote I was “bird-watching,” and noted how many I saw, it referred to how many hippies I saw in Prospect Park (in those days, plenty!).
The most cringe of these is my account of meeting my 7th grade Social Studies teacher. Cringe, because within days I had a huge crush on him. And then come the outpourings of love. But first, I hated him because he announced:
“Until I know your names you will have to sit in alphabetical order. I’m sorry but it is temporary.”
I was furious. Well, teach, I raged [in my head], ‘You’re in for it.’ “
So he went through the alphabet. And finally, “Okay. Anyone whose name begins with Y? With Z?” although he saw me standing alone.
I raised my hand.
“What is your name?”
“Erika Zeitz,” I answered clearly.
He smiled at me. I smiled back quite coldly or so I hoped. And I sat down in the last row, last seat and raged my head off.”
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Today is International Cat Day and I reveal my cats’ secret names.
I learned while watching Pee-wee’s Playhouse not only how to behave when you hear the secret word, but how to create a secret code name for myself or anyone else.
Are you ready?
Here they are with their code names…
Hector - O and Alex is Alex - O.
I like dogs, too. Here’s a picture of a Corgi, because my son, Oscar likes Corgis.
One more thing: I want to write a newsletter for you weekly, eventually
Please let me know what you’d like to read about. I’m thinking: shorter content, lists of what I’m reading, watching.
We saw 3 recently: “Oppenheimer,” “Barbie,” and this past weekend, “Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny.” All in theaters! Have you been to the movies lately? Tell me about it in the Comments!
Thank you for reading Z Words!
Frank Grizzard, Jr. Introduction to the Washington Papers Online.