I found my time capsule yesterday

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It was like a time capsule, anyway.  My parents are cleaning out their attic and have given my sister and me several boxes each containing old pictures, books, etc. Yesterday, I was going through a box that was my sister's, but then found several things in there that were mine. I thought I'd share a few of the things I found with you:

This cartoon was from 1991. In my early teens, I was sort of obsessed with Gary Larson. I had tear-off calendars with his cartoons on them and can remember standing in the greeting card aisle reading just about every one of his cards. I saved this one from the newspaper and it still makes me laugh out loud!

These cookie order from sheets are from 1983 when I was 8 years old.  I was in Brownies.  I sold THE HECK out of some Girl Scout cookies, friends.  Each box was only $1.75.  The names of the cookies were Samoas, Thin Mints, Do-Si-Dos, Van'chos (huh?), Tagalongs, Trefoils and Chocolate Chunks. I think the Girl Scout leaders at the very top where smoking a fat one when they came up with those names.  Thanks, but I think I'll skip the Van'Chos until you can call it something else, Doris!!  (I'm positive the top person in the Girl Scout chain of command back in the 80s was named Doris.  It was Doris or Linda.  Actually, it might've been Carol...)

Homies, when I found all of these books yesterday, I felt like I had won the lottery!!!  For real!  Why do you think I piled them on my 3-year-old's lap?  I don't know either!  It makes no sense!  You do crazy things when you win the lottery!  I was so super excited.  All of my Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley High, Ramona Quimby and Beverly Cleary books were in there.  I have two sons, so I doubt they'll want to read many of those books, but I'm keeping them anyway.  Someone that I know will want to read them someday.  At this very moment, I'm daydreaming of operating a small library from my house with these books.  Please get the word out to all of the tweens you know.  

I guess it is no surprise that I have a blog. I apparently have loved talking the ears off of people that I can't see for a very long time.  This is the oldest diary I can find of mine. The first entry is dated July 7, 1984. I was 9 years old.  Super exciting stuff in there, people.

I also found this poem that I wrote when I was 19.  It was definitely written by a more serious Kelley than the one you have come to know here in the Break Room.  I remember writing it at my grandmother's house while I was sitting on the floor of her home office.  It won "Honorable Mention" in a little college publication.  I probably haven't written another poem since.  (You're welcome.)

the shaggy carpet occupies my fingers

i'm bored

or did that only occur at age five?

i look up into the window that I broke at age nine

right outside of, as if in 3-D,

is the green bush with busy bees

hovering over, wishing they could go through the glass

to sting me

next in my field of vision

is the dwindling tree

struck by lightning at age three

mr. johnson next door is working on the roof next to

the tall pine i climbed at age nine

i was a tomboy then

but through the tangled mess of my memories of outside

lies the eagle-shaped cloud

that had never been there until now

at age nineteen.

Wake up, already!  I saw you nod off.

So, anyway, do any of these things look familiar to you?  Did you keep a diary when you were younger?   Would you eat a Van'chos?  Are you looking at me differently now that you know that I used to write poems?  Do you wish I would forget how to type? Tell me!  Tell me!



***Oh, and before you go, did you link up one of your funny posts via the "Finding the Funny" link-up party we had here and on My Life and Kids' blog on Wednesday?  There were over 70 entries.  I have been laughing and laughing at the posts.  The link-up ends today, but we will do it again next Wednesday.  Go HERE for the details.***