Comments on: Why I Keep a Personal Journal

By: Angela

Angela — Thu, 08 Dec 2005 08:45:03 +0000

How sad that people burn their journals! Just think of what you could’ve learned from yourself or others could learn from you just by reading those pages. And how selfish of LisaB to want to burn them just because she didn’t have any journals of her ancestors. I think journal writing SHOULD be for you as well as your future generations. Reading past journal entries is the easiest way to compare yourself with the only person you should be comparing yourself with….yourself. It’s also an amazing way to see how you’ve grown, matured, and become who’ve you become. It’s pretty sad that you won’t let others know you that way.

By: meems

meems — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 06:47:52 +0000

I’ve already burned one journal from my teen years and another one has big black marker through it censuring most of what I wrote. I hate keeping journals because when I go back and re-read them the “cringe factor” if off the scale. It’s too excruciating to see my imperfections and angst and deepest feeling on paper like that. Yuck.

By: LisaB

LisaB — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 04:57:34 +0000

Been journaling since childhood following my mom’s example. It’s cheaper than therapy, better than venting at a person, good for reflection/ progress (or nonprogress) checks and remembering spiritual experiences (if you’ve written them down). But unlike Annegb I’m guessing I’ll burn mine before I die if I have a chance to. I write for myself, not my posterity. They can guess just like I do about my progenitors.

By: Davis Bell

Davis Bell — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 01:23:19 +0000

Given that Magnum P.I. is the best TV show ever (yes, i said it, and I mean it), there is no shame in admitting to watching back-to-back episodes. Murder, She Wrote is quite another matter.

By: annegb

annegb — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 19:49:45 +0000

And we don’t get to hear it??? Did she cuss?

I’ve kept a journal since 1974. I have a pile of books. Sometimes I can check out dates and stuff. I don’t write every day or even every month, but regularly. It’s fun to go back and read.

I’ve given them to my daughter, actually for my granddaughter, who isn’t even conceived yet. I want her to know me.

I kept a diary the year I was sent to live with my uncle in Utah. I so wish I had that to know what I was like as a teenager.

I think everyone should keep a journal.

By: gst

gst — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 08:14:43 +0000

In today’s journal entry I wrote, “Veronica made a VERY FUNNY joke today!” I’m going to laugh about it later tonight.

By: Bret

Bret — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 02:57:01 +0000

The only regular journal I’ve kept was the day I entered the MTC through the last day of my mission. Not one day since. A miracle, really. Almost 4 full volumes!
I was amazed how those volumes evolved. At first it was mostly a recording of the days proceedings (and continued to have that in them) but gradually gained more thoughts, insights, and impressions from personal study, experiences with the people I was working with and even a pathetic attempt at poetry! Any and all of that is worth putting into a journal, I think.
As for raising productivity, I’m glad it works for you, but I would be too tempted to omit the wasteful stuff or just fall into apathy.
P.S.–Drawing pictures makes it more fun:)

By: NFlanders

NFlanders — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 23:01:48 +0000

The only time I ever kept a journal was in the mission. I never missed a day after the MTC and I wrote over a page a day (sometimes several pages). I am extremely grateful that I kept the journal, but looking back, I left out all of the really interesting things.

I really would like to know how much stuff cost, a description of everybody I met during the day, etc. Instead, I have 500 pages about my feelings. Very embarassing.

By: RCH

RCH — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 22:47:26 +0000

My grandmother kept a diary like that — no reflection, just pithy accounts of the day’s labor — for ~50 years. It’s a fascinating read. I don’t think you need to pour your heart and deepest, darkest secrets out in a journal for it to be meaningful both personally and historically.

By: Rusty

Rusty — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 20:01:40 +0000

You know RT, I kinda feel the same way. I started this blog because I thought it would be a good place to write down my thoughts. Not necessarily a replacement for a journal (because I never write what happened to me that day) but something in which I can keep track of my spiritual thoughts and ideas. It seems like that’s what a lot of the Bloggernacle is.