RAE’S READS

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This year (2025) finds me with 53 years of teaching “under my belt.” I have taught all levels from pre-K “(library lady” or “book lady”–volunteer) to juniors, seniors, and graduate students enrolled in my Advanced Writing class at the university where I have just completed 34 years. My first paying teaching job was junior high, and I spent 13 years with ages 12-13, the “difficult years.” I had some of the “funnest” experiences with this age group. When I was no longer the “young, fun teacher,” I taught in an elementary school setting before sixth graders went on to junior high, teaching language arts blocs, an assignment that was a “dream-fit” for me. After completing graduate school in my 40s, I went on to community college, then university teaching. This past fall I accepted a part-time teaching job at Apogee Gulf Coast Schools in its first year at the Alvin campus. After my Better Half died n 2022, I achieved a lifelong dream: opening a bookstore of my own, Rae’s Reads. A year later, I sold the house we had lived in for 47 years and moved into the bookstore. My goal is to circulate and repurpose books. Just as teaching is “in my blood,” so is a passion for reading, writing, libraries, and everything bookish. This blog will be open to anyone who loves books, promotes literacy and wants to “come out and play.”

DEAR DIARY DAY

Today, September 22 is Dear Diary Day. I celebrated by writing in both my journals. To further celebrate, here’s a GIVEAWAY!!!!

All you have to do is leave a comment, a few sentences about your experiences with journaling or keeping a diary. The comments will be read by an impartial judge who will pick the top THREE who will receive a free journal. Get those entries in quickly. The deadline is September 30th!

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10 responses to “DEAR DIARY DAY”

  1. carhicks Avatar
    carhicks

    I was never one to keep a diary or a journal. I often started diaries, but by the end of January, had stopped. A friend of mine gave me a beautiful journal when I retired, but I have yet to use it.

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  2. Jee Wan Avatar
    Jee Wan

    I used to keep a diary many years ago during my college days but stopped ever since they discovered it and read everything in it 😭 These days I just keep sort-of like a book journal.

    Liked by 1 person

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  3. BelovédAmy Avatar
    BelovédAmy

    I am proudly able to say that I have kept a dairy for two years 🙂 I am 12 years old 🙂 By the end of this year, I will have completed 3 years!! There have been so many challenges. I like to write my dairy at the end of the day, just before I go to sleep. I think it really calms me. But that also has a problem: I might be too tired to write. I try to write everyday, but sometimes, it got too hard that I just wrote the whole week’s account every sunday. 🙂 But either way, I have pushed myself. One way I helped myself to not give up was to read dairy entries from long ago. Just reading an entry from last year’s christmas, or just from the previous day, really helps me to see how far I’ve come. It also brings back so much memories. More than pictures or videos will bring, because it was written by your own hand, on the day itself. Happy Dairy Day!!
    Love, Amy

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  4. BelovédAmy Avatar
    BelovédAmy

    I hope that was ok Ms. Rae?

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Rae Longest Avatar
      Rae Longest

      It was a great reply. Sounds to me like a winner. Tune in on the 30th to find out!!!

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. BelovédAmy Avatar
        BelovédAmy

        Awwh thanks!! 🥰I can’t wait to find out!! Honestly, my journal is nearing it’s last pages. So I will be needing a new one!!😂😊

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Rae Longest Avatar
        Rae Longest

        Was that a blatant hint, hint, hint–that your journal was running out?

        Like

  5. Deb Nance at Readerbuzz Avatar
    Deb Nance at Readerbuzz

    I’ve kept a journal regularly since my early twenties, and I’m glad that I have. If I had one piece of advice for young people, it would be to do this. My favorite things I’ve written down are little stories from the day, little bits of conversation from a child and little things that happened.

    This year I’ve started (trying to) regularly add a drawing or two to my writings. That’s fun, too.

    Now please don’t think that I’ve written something every day for the last forty years. There have been days, weeks, sometimes months when I didn’t feel like writing at all. But I find that I’m happiest when I do write often.

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    1. Rae Longest Avatar
      Rae Longest

      Copycat that I am when it comes to things you do, I’ve started decorating my journal entries a la your notebook you showed me! Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. This is sooooo true when it comes to ways I’ve copied you. It is sincere admiration and NO flattery!

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  6. capablechloe1 Avatar
    capablechloe1

    I love journals! This is a great giveaway! 💖💖📚📖
    I’ve been writing in a journal every Sunday-Thursday for about 5 months. It’s basically a book now. Journaling helps me express my feelings and is part of my daily routine.

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