For the first time, I’m participating in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge! The concept is simple: Each day in April I’ll be blogging on a topic starting with the letter of the day, beginning with A and progressing to Z by the end of the month. Posts will be short and will relate to my chosen theme: my new coming of age story, Rightfully Ours, released April 1.
D is for Doodling
Do you doodle? Did you ever doodle? Boys’ name? Girls’ names?
Back in the days before stretchy, synthetic book covers, we covered our textbooks with brown paper bags. (I can still fold a fitted cover in minutes.) Those covers served as my doodling canvas. I’d doodle my name, hearts, cartoonish cats, bunnies, and other figures. On the inside page, where no one would see, is where I might doodle the name of my latest crush.
I seem to recall boys doodling too, but fewer bunnies and hearts and more Motley Crüe and Van Halen logos. Maybe a few drawings among the more talented artists. My husband confirmed for me that, yes, guys doodled too.
In Rightfully Ours, much to Rachel’s embarrassment, her younger brother exposes her doodling to Paul, with whom she’s shared a couple of kisses. Here’s the snippet:
Rachel’s eyes widened in horror as Paul glanced at the open notebook.
In Rachel’s neat, even strokes, it read, “Paul + Rachel” inside a hand-drawn heart with an arrow through it. Smaller hearts dotted the page, shaded with pencil and surrounded by wavy lines and flourishes. She had gone over the letters several times so that their names stood out on the page.
Just re-reading that makes me cringe as I recall the possibility of having a crush exposed in such a way!
Do you/did you doodle?
Have you ever been caught doodling something embarrassing?
I loved doodling and did it all the time! I also doodled on my brown paper bag textbook covers and on the inside covers of my notebooks, the margins of notebook pages, and, I confess, even on desktops or other flat surfaces. I was an “artist” and so that’s what I doodled, lovely artwork–hehehe–rather than names. I am writing a scene right now where my characters are in the school library. You have inspired me, Carolyn, to have one of them doodling!
Ah, one of those “defacing property” doodlers. I know your type. 😉
Wow. This brings back memories of trying to stay awake during boring university lectures. And I certainly did doodle his name. I even married him. Thanks for sharing. Find me here. LINK
Gotta doodle his name before you say “I do!” Thanks for stopping by!
We had those brown paper bag covers too. When I was in school, they were starting to get pretty unstylish, but I wouldn’t trade that canvas for a $4 book sock… Doodling is a great way of freeing the mind. I fancied myself a cartoonist in those days (I was not) and had a great deal of fun with themed illustrations. Fun post!
Spectres and Stardust – D is for Dandelion
They were fun. I don’t even know if kids doodle much these days. I’m sure there’s an app for that. Wouldn’t be the same though.
I doodled quite a lot in high school, filling the margins of my notebooks and exercise books with many little drawings. I continued throughout college and, to be honest, I still doodle in my notebooks and journals at work!
I never tire of it!
Today’s unusually strange tale: Dead End Romance
I still it do too sometimes! Especially if I’m on a phone call. More geometric shapes than names these days.
Back in school days, I had doodled my name with some good looking boys just to erase later. Those were silly crushes on every new day. Your write reminded me of old cute days. Nicely written
Thanks for stopping by! School days are pretty fickle.
I definitely doodled, usually instead of listening. That reference to the brown paper book covers was great. I had forgotten we did that!
Out of sight, out of mind. Kids today don’t know what they’re missing!
If drawing spirals all over the page counts then I was a doodler. If not, I just didn’t pay attention in class.
Spirals count.
I used to doodle all the time! My name (all fancy like), song quotes, and geometric prints come to mind.
Blog hopping A to Z!
~Katie
TheCyborgMom
Thanks for stopping by! Song quotes – yes! I remember doodling lyrics.
I can’t imagine not doodling. So much of our interior thoughts do emerge. Interesting enough, some people can tell you what they were listening to while they were making a particular doodle. Nice writing excerpt.
Thanks! I had an aunt whose hobby was analyzing handwriting, and she’d analyze doodles too. Fascinating.
Oh how well I remember those brown paper book covers! lol
I could never doodle very well – so I mostly just made geometric types of figures. Artistic talent was never my forte, unfortunately!
Mine either, but it didn’t stop me from doodling!
Well heck, I did leave a comment but it’s not here! Maybe in your spam folder because it had a link in it? 🙁
Oh yeah! I doodled all the time, still do!
http://sagecoveredhills.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-letter-e-eridanus.html
It’s fun at any age! 😉