Old Decathlon Olympics Journal

October 7, 2004: I really need to EAT and REST

October 7th, 2004

I ended up writing and reading all day long. The thing about that is I almost forgot to do this entry. Once again, I find myself exhausted, and so far beyond hungry that I plan to eat the fastest food I can fix for myself for dinner. Here goes more PB&J. Good thing that I like it.

I got my Pantoum entry for the train contest done and posted in the forum today. Good thing to since tomorrow is the deadline. I also finished a short story that I had been writing for member Steve Ellen’s, “Work This Plot” contest. I also enter this In & Out called, “Black & White”. It is a set up like that children’s word game where somebody says a word, and the next person says the first word that POPS into their head. Silly, I know, but at least it is not a contest, and there is no pressure.

I am so worried about the Olympic Relay Campfire. I guess if we screw it up there is time to do another one. I am so tempted to write all five parts myself, send it all to the other members and say, “Post your part when I so instruct you to do so.” Alas, I feel like that would be cheating. Knowing myself well enough I would get no enjoyment from a contest that I cheated in. Have I mentioned that I was raised by herds of Catholic Nuns? Absolutely true! And when enough of the Habit wearing women got together it really did look like a herd of very large Penguins. The whole point is that Nuns are masters at instilling guilt. I don’t know if they are all highly skilled at instilling guilt before they took their vows, or it is something their Order teaches. Either way, they are all very, very good at it.

I still have guilt over lying to the Priest in the Confessional. The Nuns made sure that we all went to Confession weekly. I just didn’t think Father would buy it if I swore that I had nothing to confess, so I would make stuff up. And that sacred secrecy guarantee surrounding the Priest and Vows of never divulging Confessional stuff is bunk, too.

I can’t tell y’all how many times I got in trouble for stuff I lied about in the Confessional. When I realized what was going on, do any of y’all think I was smart enough to stop making stuff up? Absolutely NOT, because I knew the Priest was ratting me out, I made up even worse stuff to lie about. To this day, I don’t think they understood what I was doing. I do know that the Nuns use to give demerits. It took 50 demerits to lose an outing. Well, I finally figured out that by demerit count that they would have had to ground me for life, and I won because they couldn’t make me stay pass eighteen years of age.

These are really old memories, and I am shocked that I even remember. Strange what exhaustion and hunger will do to a body’s mind?

Well, I’ve met my word count for today, for what it’s worth. So I am out of here.

Sincerely,
The Critic