If I Had a Million Dollars

I chatted with a friend last night about journal writing. I was a big fan of journal writing back in my college days. I probably wrote at least every day, sometimes more. I assured my friend that while I was prolific, I doubted anything I wrote would have value to anyone but myself. It was pretty self centered "life is great" or "woe is me" kind of stuff. Funny now, but nothing that would inspire posterity.

I took several creative writing classes in college from Louise Plummer and one of the things she taught to inspire creativity was list making. I'll never forget the list Louise shared with us of items she'd once found under her bed. Whenever I wonder if I'm too messy, I think of that list. Sorry Louise (as if she actually might read this blog!)

My journal, because of this exercise, has many lists. This one came to mind last night as I chatted journals with my friend and I thought it would be fun to share it. So, here you go....

(And just as a reminder, I was in college; money was scarce.)

6 October 1992

If I had a million dollars I would...

1. buy an ironing board
2. get my car tuned up and then cleaned at Supersonic (the car wash where you have to get out of your car and they wash it for you)
3. fill my car up with gas
4. buy stamps
5. buy new carpet for this house
6. buy an answering machine
7. buy a blender
8. throw a party (with a band!)
9. buy a new CD
10. go to a dermatologist and get acutane
11. put more gas in my car
12. buy some microwave popcorn
13. buy an Audi 80
14. get some new pants
15. buy a shirt
16. pay my $50 registration
17. buy some 9 volt batteries for the smoke detectors
18. take my friends to Disneyland for Thanksgiving (we would fly first class)
19. go to Los Hermanos for fajitas and virgin margaritas
20. buy time

A few pages over I found another list of "Reasons I'm Mad." I won't list everything out here, but I had to laugh at this one: (Apologies to my former roommate Beatty.)

Reasons I'm Mad
"Beatty made me stop to give a homeless person some of her money, but when she checked her wallet, she had no money and so I had to give him my last dollar."

I highly recommend the "list" method for journal writing. If it doesn't inspire anything else, it will probably make for good blog-fodder a few years down the road.