Diary: November 1985.

Honestly, I remember nothing or near-nothing about this month. I certainly don't remember the upshot of Reagan v. Mondale. But does anyone, really?

I had been home-schooled for a few months now, so everything was fresh and bright and exciting. It was colder, so I doubt we were hitting any zoos; this might have been about when I had my brief stint in gymnastics (which went find, aside from my being a little hellion) until I got a piece of foam stuck in my eyes and cried and cried). We were probably visiting the Impressions 5 museum in Lansing. I was still pretty young -- only seven -- and so my ability to remember things is very much centered around dramatic events. This would have been a relatively placid month. I don't know. Maybe we watched Star Wars with the Steinbergs in the living room and ate cheese crunchies.

Where were you in November 1985?

Diary: August, 1985.

I have no memories from August, 1985 that I trust. I know a bit about what was going on then, though. I was no longer attending Valley School, but my parents were home schooling. I turned seven years old. Field trips at this time consisted of going to the Saginaw and Lansing Zoos and the Impressions 5 museum. I didn't wander too far from home, but I think I was usually allowed to go over to the Teslers', the Lameres', and the Punklins' to play.

But I can't pick out any specific memory and say, "ah, yes, I believe that that is from August, 1985."

Where were you in August, 1985?