Wednesday, February 07, 2007

IF YOU'RE JOINING US FOR THE FIRST TIME...AND WELCOME!...A BRIEF EXPLANATION IS DUE. THE TWO YEARS WORTH OF LETTERS THAT COMPRISE THIS BLOG WERE POSTED, NATURALLY, FROM FIRST TO LAST, WITH THE RESULT THAT TO START FROM THE BEGINNING, YOU MUST GO TO THE "ARCHIVES" ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT SECTION OF THIS PAGE AND CLICK ON JUNE 2006, SCROLLING DOWN TO THE VERY BOTTOM, WHICH IS THE FIRST OF THE LETTERS, AND WHICH IS FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE REPOSTED BELOW. I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING OF A BOTHER, BUT I HOPE YOU'LL FEEL IT WAS WORTH IT.

ANYONE INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS YOUNG SAILOR SINCE AND BEFORE 1956 IS REFERRED TO MY "DORIEN GREY AND ME" BLOG (www.doriengreyandme.com) AND MY WEBSITE (www.doriengrey.com).

I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU AS A TRAVELING COMPANION THROUGH BOTH THESE JOURNEYS. THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

ROGER/DORIEN

August 9, 1954

Having, in my sophomore year at Northern Illinois State Teachers College, studied with no little interest the Diary of Samuel Pepys (pronounced “Peeps” though I’ll never know why) and similar works, I have decided to write my own, somewhat modernized, journal. I differ from Mr. Pepys in many ways; one being that I am writing this journal, or diary, with the object of its eventual publication in mind.

I am, at the start of this modest work, twenty years old; the date is August 9th, 1954. On August 13, 1954, I shall, I hope, enter the United States Navy for 4 years, wherein I hope to become a pilot.

I plan to make this journal as revealing and honest as possible (it is far easier to make confessions to one’s future than to one’s present), and the reader must bear with my frequent ramblings. I intend to present, not to my own day, but to some future age, a complete picture of myself, my life, and my world. To the future this journal is hopefully dedicated.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I find this so interesting. I plan on returning when I have enough time to really get into the story here. Good job!

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for posting your letters. I'm certain that my Dad, a shipmate of yours on the Med cruise, will really enjoy reading about your mutual experiences. I know that I've enjoyed reading them!