#!/usr/bin/perl

{
  local $/ = "-----\n";
  while(my $note = <DATA>) {
    my($month, $day, $year, $time, $body) =
      $note =~ m#^(\d{2})/(\d{2})/(\d{4})\s+(\d{2}:\d{2})\s*\n(.*)#s;
  }
}

__DATA__
04/01/2002 19:57
FOOBARS
>>my favorite candy by far!
yummy!
-----
04/03/2002 07:34
Ooh, it looks as if it might rain tomorrow.
    note to self {buy buy buy!}
-----
04/12/2002 12:02
Energy X invasion point++
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04/12/2002 12:56
Crisis resolved
(that was fun!)
-----