Sunday, August 10, 2008

My collected works

One day I started a list in my planner with stories I’ve ever written because I had no way of keeping track. Things are on floppy disks or filed away somewhere in my parents’ basement. Why not post my list online now so I won’t lose it?

VERY EARLY WORKS

“My Monster Friend.” (first grade) – probably at the pinnacle of my illustrating abilities. Excerpt: “I have a monster friend. His name is Jenna.”

“The Doll.” (second grade) – Excerpt: “My sister got water in her nose and in her mouth. Then Mr. Rogers was able to go to the moon.”

“Raider’s of the Lost Jenna” (third grade) – my first parody. Jenna gets saved from a bat cave by an octopus named Ollie.

“Shag: The Last Buffalo” (fourth grade) – booklet devoted to my first crush on an animal.

"My 4th grade journal" - Short stories included "The Day the Principal got his finger stuck in the loudspeaker and Johnny at the Rug", "Patricia Anne and the Broom Thief", and "Baby Bear and the 3 Goldilockses." Dan didn’t get it. He said he’d heard it before. I said “that’s because it’s a parody of The Three Bears." He asked me when I wrote it, and I said I WAS NINE YEARS OLD. Then he understood.

“Tea for Two” (fifth grade) – my week of eating fast food with popular celebs from 1988. Posted here on Facebook in all its glory!

Nellie and the Counselor (sixth grade, on home video) – first musical. Starred Jenna in her Brownie uniform (the year she lost her ability to sing like Shirley Temple – oh well), Lisa as the little girl with No Lines who Gives the Plot Away in the First Second, and my dad as the monotone narrator who would really rather be drinking a beer.

Nellie and the Terrific Surprise (7th grade, on home video) – next attempt at staging of the musical above. Was filmed in front of a live studio audience (a priest!) and contained songs I stole from Jenna’s 2nd grade music class. (Once Dan watched it on tape and asked me if it was about the Holy Spirit. No, it was about Nellie who is forced to pick pawpaws by a witch who learns an important life lesson from Three Wise Monkeys).

Our Excellent Newspaper (1991-1993) – Newspaper written by Baldwin sisters chronicling their summer adventures, from the “baton class weather report” to quotes of the day (“People who don’t like candy cigarettes are nuts” – Jenna). Bill and Ted (bogus, most triumphant) lingo is used throughout and none of us had seen the movies.

“A New Lincoln School” (8th Grade) – Essay published in the local newspaper on why New London needed a new Lincoln Elementary. Was written in 1992 and in 1993 my sisters were able to enroll at the new school. All because of me and this excerpt here probably: "I went to Lincoln School and I know what is right for all of the future leaders of America." ALL of the future leaders. (How did I know THAT?)

A Christmas Carol (1993, on home video) – Literal reworking of Mickey’s Christmas Carol. I forced Jenna to learn the part of Scrooge (which should’ve come naturally) but the only way she would rehearse was if I let her lay on the floor the whole time.

“Renaissance Poem.” (1994) – This poem has gone down in history as Jenna’s most beloved in which I effortlessly captured the period of rebirth by rhyming Botticelli with Medici, da Vinci, and Brunelleschi. During Jenna’s sophomore year when she was FINALLY given that same assignment for history class, she wrote the exact same poem only way better. Her last line was: “I CAN FLY!” Which had nothing to do with anything else in the poem and did not rhyme with Erasmus or Machiavelli.

My Letter to Tom Petty (1995) – I wrote a very awful fan letter to Tom Petty which I am so glad I never mailed.
"Dear Tom Petty, I just wanted to tell you how much you have inspired me through your music. One time you were on the radio and I went to get the boom box to tape your radio concert but my Mom had stepped on the record button while she was cleaning and it was broken but then at the last second THE RECORD BUTTON WENT DOWN and it changed my life, Mr. Petty."

Stay tuned for the next installment!
"My Monster Jenna" drawing (1984) An insect with a top hat and cane.
Beloved Hairy Beast
Picture Jenna as Scrooge and me as Mickey.

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About Me

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The blog documenting my time on the west coast, 2007-8 is named after the first time I wore a short sleeved shirt when I was little and upon seeing my arms I freaked out and yelled "Big Arms, Big Arms!" I would like to befriend a swan with Mom and we would ride it into the sunset.

My other blogs!!

Read about Victoria and Oregon coast brew pub jaunt.

http://seabear.travellerspoint.com/

Read about my adventures in Buenos Aires.

http://buenossarahs/wordpress.com

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