Dear Me...

Dear Me,

         2003 holds much promise for you, I am sure of it. But then each New Year always brings positive thoughts of change, doesn’t it? With only months ‘til the fearsome International Baccalaureate exams and nail-biting suspense of college acceptance (or rejection) letters, you are, my friend, on the cusp of change. Your grades will determine your choices; and those choices will steer you down definite paths. Don’t allow that to intimidate you! Yeah, yeah—easier said than done. Just don’t get so worked up you lose sight of your objectives. Let your ambition drive you, but don’t be so hard on yourself and strive for reachable goals. Most importantly, stop worrying about past mistakes, failures, and things out of your control!

         With optimism and renewed vigour, you are (as always) resolved to manage time more wisely—
         To fight the procrastination demon that calls enticingly (in the form of TV, phone calls and good books) the moment you sit down with an intention to complete a writing assignment for that long-distance Writers Bureau writing course in Manchester (only one pathetic assignment done since February 2002!! Buck up, girl! Efficiency, efficiency!!);
         To actually stick to your various schedules (plans not carried out are utterly useless);
         To get the hang of that horribly confusing unit of thermodynamics once and for all; and especially…
         To force yourself to sleep before the crack of dawn so that staying awake in class ceases to be a struggle (you are hereafter forbidden to lie awake at night replaying could-have-been’s and rehearsing what-will-come).

         As for Granddaddy’s memoir, that should be labelled “Top Priority” with absolutely essential weekly inputs. You have got to get this done before you rush off to college, Constance! Those grandaunts and uncles aren’t going to hang around much longer! Slowly but surely, they are fading away…along with their brother’s memory. So stop fretting about perfection—that’s your greatest flaw. Don’t hold back; just make a start, let it flow, and edit later. I know you’d prefer to go for more profitable forms of writing while you’re young (haha), but I can guarantee that the satisfaction gained from this project will be immense! Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “The reward of a thing well done is to have done it.” Wise words indeed!

         Writing is your passion, not to mention the ultimate form of expression considering those horrid retainers you have to wear , but you must learn to refrain from entering contests like these (except during holidays), filling your private journal with lengthy entries, and brainstorming ideas for the next poem, short story or sci-fi novel! Of course, that doesn’t mean completely ignoring the Muse Within while you’re still studying. Since she has granted you with plenty of brainwaves thus far, shunning her will not do much good in the long run when you’ve run out of ideas and desperately need her guidance. I trust you still have that handy little pocket notebook I bought for our 16th birthday? (Check your back pocket. It’s there.) Each time a creative spark is born, jot down a few keywords and feed the fire another time.

         When you do manage to find time to scribble, the Writers Bureau assignments have precedence (but not over the Memoir)! Your parents invested in that course because they believe you have talent. You don’t want to disappoint them, do you? Make full use of it, then! Make sure you complete at least four assignments before June this year. As for the school newspaper, my dedicated reporter, you shouldn’t spend so much time perfecting your articles! The sad truth is that your stuff gets read once, thrown aside, and then forgotten. The dream of converting the vast majority of students into avid readers like yourself is, well, just a dream. If the Editors refuse to listen to your suggestions pertaining to the general improvement of the school’s sole literary publication, fine—you can try again when you join the writing community in college. It’s no use getting worked up over petty matters. Continue your valuable contributions, but treat it all as practice for a greater purpose. Goal: get published in a magazine this year. Amassing and admiring rejection slips from the Cicada magazine is nice and all, but wouldn’t it be more pleasant if you could add something a little different for a change? I suggest you target different markets—seek out an Asian teen magazine, for example. Who knows—your work might just get accepted there! Also, write a wide range of genres to see which ones you’re best at, while forcing yourself to use different writing techniques.

         To sum it all up… First things first—get that IB Diploma, prepare to whisk yourself away to college, and then you may write your heart out! Ah, here’s an analogy: You are a top (one of those colourful wooden ones) spinning on the edge of a shelf—stop spinning for a second (or alter your direction the tiniest bit) and you will fall. Stay on track and you’ll be okay. When things get rough, recall the story of The Little Engine That Could, and recite his inspirational mantra—“I think I can, I think I can…”

         Work hard and persevere. Then reap the rewards. That’s not too much to ask, is it? Remember the words of Arnold Bennett: The real tragedy is the tragedy of the man who never in his life braces himself for his one full capacity, never stands up to his full stature. You only get one life. Embrace it.


Yours forever more,

Ecnatsnoc (your alter-ego, shadow, whatever)