The Book of Me, Written by You - Week 6

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This post is a continuation of Julie Groucher's fantastic meme The Book of Me, Written by You.

There is a useful You Tube video here too if you need some inspiration.

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The prompt for week 6 is Journals and Diaries

Do you keep a journal or diary?
How far back do they go? What do you record?
Where do you keep them?
Do you always buy the same one or vary them?
Have you inherited any?
Do you intend to pass along your journals or destroy them?
Pictures
Do you have a favourite?
What do you use to write with – biro, pencil, ink or fountain pen?


 Diaries

 I've had a few.

 Like this green one...not sure what the year is.  But it is the one after the one written in hieroglyphic code when I was going through my Egypt phase.  I seem to have mislaid that particular one for the minute which is a bit of a shame.

 The green diary has some really boring entries but then some little treasures like this one....which tell you the year....



Goodness knows why I have Amanda Heap's ticket...I hope she managed to get in the door.  NB "No jeans please!" and it cost 80 cents to get in the door.


A couple of years later I left that school and the girls gave me this swanky and more sophisticated journal.  

 They all signed it and wished me well....

Look !  There's my art teacher's signature written sideways along the middle there.
I scrawled furiously in there - about unrequited love and all sorts of dreary stuff.

 I've kept school diaries

These are great because I kept tickets from concerts in them.


See!  There's my ticket to the David Bowie concert.

 And here are the ones for ELO and Elvis Costello




Can you believe ???  $9.50 to see Elvis Costello!

 Uni diaries record my reading...

Later diaries recall journeys such as engagement with particular causes...

or perhaps the predicatable...

Yes, I am a hoarder of tremendous proportions.

 I have chucked some diaries as they were full of too much angst and vitriol.

 Mostly they are used as a tool for reflection or to get rid of the nonsense in my head so I can get on with the real stuff.  If anyone is slightly interested in this method I found Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way enormously helpful in this regard.  And no, you don't have to consider yourself to be an artist to make use of her method.  It's great for getting through bad patches or when you feel stuck.

 So what were those questions again?
Do you keep a journal or diary? Yes.
How far back do they go? 40 years
What do you record? Anything - major events and minutiae
Where do you keep them? In a box in the walk-in-wardrobe
Do you always buy the same one or vary them? Various though Julia Cameron does say they need to be of a particular size
Have you inherited any? Yes, a couple of travel diaries but letters are better
Do you intend to pass along your journals or destroy them? Bit of both I think.
Do you have a favourite? Probably the one I wrote in code but I can't find it..where did I put the wretched thing???
Pictures - yes I stick in things that I think might be amusing later e.g. newspaper articles, tickets, programmes, photos.
What do you use to write with – biro, pencil, ink or fountain pen? Biro - whatever comes to hand really.

 What about you?  Do you keep a diary?

 Go on...pump up your writing hand and get to it....don't let the music die in you and all that...

Comments

Kristin said…
I do sometimes. I enjoy going back and reading the ones that aren't full of, as you said, angst.
October 6, 2013 at 1:15 PM
21 Wits said…
Oh my so many interesting points here. What an amazing post you put together for us. I have also had a many journals, and sadly they all aren't with me, and have been lost to others, long story there! But ironic that you mention starting another one, as I've been thinking especially through our Sepia Saturday posts, that I want to leave all that I know about us, (our family and me) for loved ones. It's very important to keep ties to our family roots.
October 6, 2013 at 1:59 PM
diane b said…
You are a hoarder. I have ditched al my school time diaries but I have kept Journals since then. Mostly travel Journals. I have a blogger friend who makes her own Journals and they are a work of art. (Michele from 'Bell Street Journal')
October 7, 2013 at 8:36 PM
Alex Daw said…
Dear Kristin - I'm surprised at what I've forgotten...not enough RAM I think.
October 12, 2013 at 4:16 AM
Alex Daw said…
Thank you Karen. I guess my blogging is a replacement for journaling and will have to do. I agree it is important to keep ties to family roots.
October 12, 2013 at 4:17 AM
Alex Daw said…
Guilty as charged ! I do love those really beautiful art journals and am very impressed with how people can make them - so talented.
October 12, 2013 at 4:18 AM
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