The Victory Journals

Date: Aug. 14

Dear Mr. Carney,

This is my summer journal, which Mrs. Wright assigned us to keep and give to you at the start of this year. I hope you will enjoy your summer adventures with me and my family. I also hope that this journal will help you to get to know me better so this year will be a good one. Buckle up and start your engine, it's going to be an exciting journey.

Your Pupil,

Victory A. Racer

June 10

Hello. My name is Victory, and, yes it is my real name. It was mostly my dad's idea. My mom wanted to name me something simple and 'feminine' like Patricia or Catherine. Dad wanted to name me Nike (pronounced Nee-kay) after the Greek Goddess who presided over the Olympic games and sports. Mam said frankly, "NO WAY!" and Dad agreed to compromise, so I became Victory. I am 12 years old and 5 feet tall. I have shoulder-length chestnut-brown hair (which I inherited from my mom) and large, bright cerulean eyes framed by long black lashes (which I inherited from Dad) I like writing and drawing and, yes I know already it's not a feminine interest, CARS. Especially racing.

Now for the rest of my family. There are five of us, including my three-year-old Airedale Terrier, (or Airedale TERROR as Dad calls him when he gets into something) Joker. First of all., there's my brother Rex. He's 15 and already in High School.. He likes to gloat about that, but he's usually pretty nice and helps me with math homework, which is the one subject I hate with a passion. All those numbers and abstract ideas . . . but I'm off subject. Rex is REALLY good at math! I'm so jealous. . .

Mom is a reporter and spends most of her time writing on the computer. I'm not allowed to tell you how old she is. That's the funny thing about grown-ups. We're not supposed to know how old they are. Mom is fairly average height-wise, and she has brown hair cut in a functional, but also really cute, bob, and she has big green eyes. She used to be your stereotypical 'Mom.,' You know- cookies and milk and "tell me your troubles" and really nice. She's still nice and all, but she also spends a lot of time writing. She likes having a job now that me and Rex are teenagers (or almost. One more year. . . )

Dad is REALLY COOL! He's a high-school Chemistry teacher and part-time Drivers Ed. teacher. He's a bit taller than Mom, with big blue eyes (which I mentioned before) framed by long, black lashes (which I also mentioned before.) He wears his black hair short, and he has a lot of it for a man who's almost middle-aged. It runs in the family. Grandpa has thick hair, even as old as he is. Dad has broad shoulders and what I call a 'movie star' grin; you know, big, showing very white, straight teeth. Maybe I'll look that nice too someday, after I get these dumb braces off.

Joker is three. He is a bit tall for an Airedale, and he LOVES food. He has a bad habit of 'counter surfing', or sticking his muzzle on the kitchen counter and trying to get any objects that A) is food; B) smell like food; C) are accessible; D) will make Daddy chase him and pay attention to him (usually that kind of 'attention' isn't pleasant); or E) all of the above. But other than that he's a great dog. He loves walks, hates baths, loves swimming and getting his beard wet and then sticking it in your lap. He looks up to Daddy as the pack leader and usually listens to him. He usually sleeps in Mom and Dad's room, because he eats my toys. Oh well. . .

That's all of us. And that's all I have time for today. I'll write more tomorrow.