August 3
Dear Diary,
        Hello, you have just been chosen from the many notebooks at our local
book store to be my silent moral support, CONGRATULATIONS!  My name is
Samantha P. Rhubarb, like the vegetable, but everyone calls me Sam.  I
am thirteen years old, turning fourteen on November ninth.  My family
is from San Jose, California where I was born.  All of us hold a US
passport even though we have lived in China for eight years.  I am the
youngest in a family of five.  I have two older siblings, Dan and
Margaret.  Dan is fifteen years old and Margaret is seventeen.
Margaret is the most beautiful woman I know.  I really envy her.  She
is smart, drop-dead gorgeous and totally active.  Then there is Dan.
He is smart and good looking, but a major flirt and has some sort of
reputation that I don't quite understand.  Next, of course, is my mom
and dad.  My mom, her name is Cynthia, just went back to work as a
motorcycle saleswoman.  Some days she even drives a really nice Harley
Davidson.  My dad works as a researching agriculturist who is currently
studying a drought resistant rice.  He is really brilliant when it
comes to science and math (he is usually the one who helps me with my
homework).  My family lives in Guangzhou, China.  My brother, sister
and I all go to an international school just a few blocks from my
house.  Right now it is summer and it is scorching hot, which is usual
for this time of year.  School starts in two weeks and I can't wait.  I
never thought I would be the one to say this, but summer gets really
boring around here, especially since all of my English speaking friends
go back home for the summer.  I usually just hang around with the kids
on my street, then I have to result to Mandarin, the native language.
I speak it fluently because I moved here when I was about five and I
was only in kindergarten.  I have had a long day and I have to go to
bed now.     Signed, Sam

August 21
Dear Diary,
        We have just finished the first week of school.  Eighth grade is going
to be hard, at least it sounds difficult.  It was great to see all of
my friends again, especially Calvin Woodbush (who I call Cal).  Cal has
been my friend since the fourth grade.  He is the most generous, caring
friend I know.  Cal has braces and tons of freckles.  He is a very
intense basketball player.  Texas is where he is from, but he lost his
accent after a few years here. With-in this first week I also met a new
friend who's name is Abby.  Abby is Taiwanese but lived in New York for
about ten years.  She is very popular with the boys.  The three of us
make excellent friends.  We're almost like peas in a pod.  After school
on Friday I went home and did my homework (ugh), then I started to
think about my grandparents.  This summer I really got to know them
much better.  I never knew my granddad had a sense of humor.  He would
pick on me all the time, as if I don't get enough teasing already.  My
grandmother now has Alzheimer's which is effecting her memory
drastically.  I think I will start writing them letters to compensate
for the lost time over the rest of the year.   Good night Diary.
Signed, Sam

September 10
Dear Diary,
        Today I heard the most awful news, my grandfather passed away last
night and my aunt Beth called to inform us.  I knew just from the way
Aunt Beth breathed something was wrong.  A horrible feeling crept
through my body and the hairs of the back of my neck started to stand
on end.  A taste of salt soon over took my tongue as I sat down from
dizziness.  He died in his sleep, but I still feel morose about it.  My
granddad was fun and at times he was even hilarious, but now he is dead
and I didn't get to say good-bye.  Why did he have to die, why?  I
didn't go to school today and I was sure glad I didn't because I was
sick in bed all day.  I feel terribly guilty and depressed.  Why was it
him?  Signed, Sam

September 19
Dear Diary,
        I still feel guilty and depressed, but life will go on.  Nothing can
ever describe the feeling of loss.  The pain is literally
indescribable.  I got a letter in the mail today depicting the
situation of my grandfather's death.  The lawyer had drawn out all of
what my grandfather had left me in his will.  It was that moment in
time that I realized that he would be gone forever and never come back.
 I started to sob uncontrollably on my bed.  I am now forced to deal
with the pain and regret that will be with me forever.  I was thrown
into adulthood.  Signed, Sam

October 3
Dear Diary,
        I have gotten over my grandfather's death and am now actively
participating in sports.  No longer do I play games at lunch.  I have
somehow grown out of childish games.  I've changed so dramatically that
Cal is no longer my good friend.  He doesn't like the person I've
become.  I probably grew too fast for Cal.  He is still my friend, but
not my best friend.  Abby has dealt with my metamorphosis really well.
She is constantly there for me when I need to talk to her which really
helps me to get out of my moods.  Abby comes from a divorced family and
she knows what is going on to some degree.  My grades dropped at first,
however I worked extremely diligently and got my grades restored to the
normal "A" s and "B" s.  My mom has also come out and talked with me
more about how I am dealing with my problems.  Student council is
starting soon and I wanted to run for president of my school.  I really
work to be positive and caring.  Signed, Sam
 
 

October 28
Dear Diary,
        Today I ran for president and I made it.  I am now the president of my
entire middle school.  It is such an esteemed position.  President
Samantha Rhubarb has a ring to it, doesn't it?  I am forever changed by
what happened to my granddad, but in a way I am thankful.  It has made
me realize that there is more to life than fun and games, although I
wish it were that way forever, it isn't.  Human beings are made up of a
collection of experiences.  How do we know if we have lived if we have
never experienced love, hate, fear and sadness?  I today look at myself
as a young woman venturing into the world even more.  I have broken out
of my security "bubble".  As the words of Ann Margaret in the motion
picture "Bye-bye Birdie" "I've got a lot of livin' to do."  Signed, Sam