Dear Diary

In this game, we post diary entries in the diary of an as-yet-unidentified character. We don't know the age, gender, place of residence, or anything, but we establish it as we progress.

January 1:

I have a splitting headache now. The neighbors shot of fireworks last night at midnight. Don't they know that's illegal here?

January 2:

Apparently not. Last night they shot one off, and it came down on a shed and burned it to the ground.

January 3rd:

Won't those neighbors ever be quiet?! I swear, one day it's fireworks, another day it's music, another day it's both!

It's hard enough being a 20 year old living alone in your own apartment... Let alone dealing with crazy neighbors.

I think I'll call the cops if this continues.

January 4th:

Luckily, today it's stopped. Phew!

So today I was thinking of- Darn it! There shooting fireworks again, and blaring music, AND having a paintball battle!! I'm calling the cops!!!!

January 5th;

Well, the cops came. That should take care of everything now.

i tell you, it stinks to be alone most of the time. Well, it was my choice to go away for school. I've spent the last two years getting strong foundations in the sciences, American history, and even mathematics, but I still have no idea what I want to do with my life.

I think I'll call my parents; I wonder how things are going?

January 6th:

Ugh, the museum job I applied for was already taken! What's the point of having three Majors when you can't get a job?

I guess I'll get back to my model railroad... I swear it's the only thing that keeps me sane.

January 7th;

My model railroad is inspired by this show I loved as a kid. So far, I have an LB&SCR E2, a black five, an LNER A3 and a J70 tram. But I can't find a saddle tank engine that looks quite right, and no matter where I look, can't find a pair of Caledonian 812s.

I'm very good with my hands though. Maybe I'll try to construct that 4-4-0 tender engine from scratch... After all I already did the same with the red 2-6-0, and Gregory over at the hobby shop says "he can't tell the difference" between mine and professional made ones.

Ah well, back to work... Right after I get some more blue paint

January 8th:

Darn it, my sister sure Sue is visiting next week; she's sure to mock my model railway! I don't know how to avoid the embarrassment... but I did finish the 4-4-0!

I was thinking... maybe I'll get a job on the local railway, driving one of the shunters in the freight yard. I wonder what qualifications you need for that?

January 8th;

I got it! I haven't really built anything, so it's just engines and rails now. Plus they don't have faces, so I'll just say I'm "experimenting."

I haven't told anyone this yet, but I have a master plan: there's this old warehouse that's the right size, and once I acquire all the right models and necessary resources... A fully detailed 1:1 layout of the island itself! Complete with standard, narrow and minimum gauge lines, plus the mountain railway, all properly scaled

Gotta get to the hobby shop; Gergory just called and said my special order of model engines of the five engines from the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway have arrived.

River Irt, River Esk, River Mite, Northern Rock and Perkins... I'll be spending this weekend reprinting them to look like their counterparts.

Sad thing is I gotta custom make the rolling stock. Oh well

(Just saying, a scale model of the unnamed island in HO would be 3/4s of a square mile, and I doubt one could get R&E models in any smaller scale, even HO is a stretch.)


January 10th:

Misdated yesterday. Oh, well...

My sister will be here in four days. I've decided to ignore her taunts and just have fun. I still need a job, though, model railroading is expensive!

(I know, but wouldn't it be cool? Besides, it's actually a great motivation/dream for our writer)

January 11th;

I know mom and dad send me a weekly "allowance," but I'm gonna need more money from somewhere.

Gregory is a kind man, perhaps he'll let me do some part time work while I'm talking classes.

Speaking of which... Spring semester begins soon. I hope that meal plan application went through... It will save me so much I can put toward... "Project Awdry."

Taking 6 classes this semester... Only doing "intro to watercolor" because I need a fine arts credit... But "Introduction to Rail history" sounds interesting. Maybe I'll bring my Stephenson Rocket model in first day of lecture... I bet the professor will love it. After all, I've only been hearing good things about Professor Trenton.

Which reminds me... Gotta get the textbooks!

(It would be cool. I one day hope to have a "scaled down" model of that same nature, just removing the countryside between stations.)

January 12th:

Bought textbooks today, I had no idea railway history was so complex! This class will be interesting...
I've got a lot on my plate with school stuff and Sue's visit, so I may put modeling on hold until she leaves. Then again, I just got this GWR 57xx...

January 13th;

It may be Friday the 13th, but was quite lucky today

Talked to Gregory today; he says I should put my education first, but he'll take me on part time. It's a start at least.

So in the hobby shop, I was sketching some plans for the project, when this old man came in with a box of model train stuff he wanted to try and sell. He came over to me and although I tried to keep it vague, he gave me the box and said "I think you'll need these more than me." When I got home and opened the box... Four GWR auto coaches in the scale I'm planning! Hello, Alice, Mirabel, Isabel and Dulcie. Meal plan was accepted too.

Big day is coming up... Back to the old grind. I know I've joined some clubs, but it's bed. Hard to make friends these past two years.
"You're going away Robert? Bet you won't last a year." Well take that Sue, it's been two years and even though I'm alone, I'm doing just fine! Though I really should go to bed now; I'm quite sleepy.
Wonder what tomorrow will bring?

January 14th:

I swear: If Friday the 13th is unlucky, then Saturday the 14th is guilty by association.

My sister had a heart attack last night. She's doing fine, but she won't be coming for a while.

Then today, I tapped the bumper of a truck, and the driver almost strangled me!!

I'm going to bed, I've had a tough day.

(But he was quite lucky yesterday, lol)

January 15th,

That's weird; how did she get a heart attack? She's only 24 and in great health... It's gotta be that medication she was taking, mom warned her of the side effects!

I'd go and visit her back home, but between classes starting on Monday (tomorrow) and being an 8 hour drive away, it's just not possible.

Ok, I'll figure it out when I get to that bridge. But right now, better get everything together for classes.

January 16th:

Well today's my birthday, and no one here to celebrate. They all tried to, but what do you know? Something popped up for ALL of them. Only my cat is here to celebrate my 20th year of existence. Hold on a minute, that's my phone...

...Ok, so that was my mom. She told me "Have a happy 20th" and then hung up.

(Later)

Well, we couldn't talk long; with Sue in the hospital and me having to get to class, there just was no time. Ah well, still got the gift card they sent me; I'll still be able to enjoy a nice dinner at my favorite pizza place.

Well, back to the old grind... Maybe this is the year I finally make a couple friends.

8 pm- mom called back... We had a longer conversation. It was nice to hear from her again.

January 17th:

My best friend came over today. His mom has been sick for a while, so that's why he wasn't here yesterday.

Gilbert has been my best friend since kindergarten, and we've made a pact that we'll go anywhere where the other goes, which is why he and I are at college together.

We had some cake that his mom made (she always liked me, and insisted she'd make a cake), and had a splendid time. We talked about college and the like. He and I both decided that Toz University here in Iceland is in our Top 10 favorites for places; plus, we live in a town near here.

All told, it was a splendid day. Good night!

(Can we please be in the United States? I know nothing about Iceland, lol)

January 18th;

Been talking about our shared passion for model railroading. He's on board for "project: Awdry" when I get the money and resources... It'll be nice to have some help.
That rail history class is fascinating. Dr. Trenton really knows his stuff. (He loved the Stephenson Rocket model!)

It's nice to have Gilbert around... Being away from the family does take its toll. Better go now; Roger the landlord just reminded me tonight is garbage night... Better take it out

(Of course it's in the U.S. It's a city named Iceland. )

January 19th:

Well, what do you know!

Gilbert told me today that he met a *certain* person named Angie today at college. I think I know what this means. You could tell by Gil's face.

Now, what's surprising is the fact that he always said that Anne, one of the girls we went to school with, and one of our best friends, was the only person for him, and it always looked that way for Anne, too. She's here at Toz U, too, and I wonder what'll happen next.

Well, this is something to distract me from my work!

January 20th;

I asked Gilbert if he was planning on making a move yet, but he said "when everything is just right."  Wonder what that means?  All I could say was "be careful; you don't want to do anything that will ruin the friendship you've built"

Well, it seems I'm quite lucky this semester.  Despite having six classes this semester, there's not much homework actually.

I'm unlucky too though... Other than a few hours each on Wednesday and Friday, my six classes meet when his five classes are in session, and vice versa.  Well, there is always the weekend; right?

January 21st:

Anne came over today in a rage. She said she saw Gil with Angie, and is hopping mad. I told her to calm down, and that it probably wasn't anything.

I do hope that nothing bad happens, personally.

January 22nd;

Gilbert confided in me what is going on.  He said that he wasn't lying when he said Anne is the only one for him.  It turns out Angie is Anne's cousin, and he's asking her to help with something big.  "This Valentine's Day, I'm going to let her know how I feel."  He said.  I told him that I'll support him.

In the mean time, better get some studying done.

January 23rd:

Anne was still mad, and Gil can't do anything because he can't tell her till VD. I almost think that Anne'll fight Angie soon, because you never can tell with Anne.

January 24th,

Weird; Anne stopped by and her attitude was completely different.  She said "she's getting the surprise of her life" Angie told her.

Was she faking?  Honestly, I don't know, but I will say that she can get really scary when she's angry.

Everyone laughs at me when I tell this story, but I stand by it: one time when me Anne and Gilbert were 8, she got so angry I swear I saw the flowers in the window just drop dead.  They literally dried up and died before my eyes!  Why can't I ever get anyone to believe me?!