Dear Journal, {Circa April 9 & 10, 1995.}

{Modern Vogue Photography.}

{Tennyson's DARLING picture has nothing to do with the post, but I thought it needed a little somfin' somfin' extra}

{Welcome to Tell All Tuesday, yo!  These are excerpts from the journal I kept when I was fourteen. Nothing has been added to or taken away from the following entries:}

4.9.95

Dear Journal,

In a few weeks, I will be in the speech meet telling RETOLD STORIES!
I will be telling:
"Who Put the Pepper in the Pot?"
"Up Goes Mr. Downs"
and "The Cat's Pajamas"

Me and my brother Bryan (15) have had problems in the past, but now that we're getting older, we get along a lot better. I {heart} cheerleading so much. I have TONZ more to say, but that will have to wait until tomorrow.

{heart}
Laura

P.s. Bryan is a stud.

4.10.95

Dear Journal,

I have no idea why I ever say nice things about Bryan! I guess it's because he's so messed up! One minute he's a really nice brother, the next, he's a total jerk! I borrowed his plaid shirt today and he chewed me out, but when he takes my cd player without asking, it's no big deal! Tonight during family night he kept on being rude and making fun of me, but all my parents do is laugh cause it's so funny when he hurts my feelings! Then I'm sure that they'll come in and tell me that I'm being too sensitive and he's funny. Same old story. Well, it's not gonna happen this time cause my door is locked and my music is blasting.

Today was okay. I found out that a boy named Brandon Allen likes me. Well, I think that he's nice, but I don't want to have a boyfriend right now {or any time real soon!}

I just found out that we get to go to Park City  for 2 days, and I might even get a new dress for speech meet. I am singing in church on April 30th with my mom and I'm so excited..
I want to get these really cool hair extensions for my birthday cause I have thin hair.
I'll be sure to write everything about the trip.

{heart}
Laura
P.s. Bryan is a weenie. {mood swing.}

A few follow up letters 

{from 31 year old Lola}:

Dear Kurt Cobain, 

Thanks for the plaid shirt craze you sent us all into.
Pretty sure I milked that one a good 3-4 years after it was done for.

xo,
Lola

Dear Bryan,

Sorry I called you a weenie.

You'll go ahead and forgive me for being just a little bit excited for the day when Lily writes that Jack is a "weenan" in her journal though, won't you? Cause I am going to RELISH every second of that.

Oh, and sorry that I took your shirt without asking.

On an entirely different note, I'm also sorry that I bumped "Gangsta's Paradise" non-stop for the better part of a year. {I couldn't help that I was so gangsta.I am what I am.} However, that must have stunk considering our bedroom doors were all of three feet apart. I would have been a weenie to me too.

xo,
Lola

Dear 14 Year Old Lola,

I so love that you can at least acknowledge that you're a titch on the mood-swingy side. Spot on.

Also, I think I know where our son gets his ADD:
"I get a new dress. I'm going to Park City. I want hair extensions. I'm singing in church"

Yikes.
Get pills.
Get them now.

Xo,
31 Year Old Lola

P.s. LOVED the bit about your door being locked and your music being blast-y - 10 points for a statement perfectly RIFE with teenage angst-i-ness. You should be a writer for One Tree Hill or The Vampire Diaries or something. 

Dear Mom,

Just so you know, it was pretty much DEVASTATING that you refused to get those hair extensions for me. Because of you, Julie Duncan successfully stole, let me see, um EVERY boyfriend I had/guy that I liked from 8th through 11th grade. Those Emery County boys love them a thick, shiny head of hair...and you just WOULD NOT let me level the playing field with clip-in hair extensions for 5 easy payments of $19.99!

I hope you're happy.

Xo,
14 Year Old Lola

Dear Mom,

Thanks for teaching me that I should love myself the way that I am.
Got it.
{Well, most days...}

Xo,
31 Year Old Lola

Dear Julie Duncan,

I still like you.
It's not your fault that you have such great hair.
Water under the bridge if you ask me.

Xo,
31 Year Old AND 14 Year Old Lola