In today’s edition of Truthful Tuesday, I answer a question from DH.
DH writes:
I noticed that you keep a physical journal as well as your blog. I also keep a journal, and I try to write daily. But I find, the more I keep up with my blog, the less likely I am to write in my journal, and vice versa. Do you have the same issue? If not, how does your journal differ from your blog, such that you have fresh material to contribute to both simultaneously?
Good question, DH!
I do keep a handwritten journal for myself.
In fact, I have several journals and I write when I need to. Sometimes I write in my journals several times a day. Sometimes I can go a month without an entry. It’s for me, and so there is no pressure to write every single day. The blog and the journals are not for the same purpose, so I don’t worry about keeping both “fresh.”
Where do I get my journals?
Believe it or not…at the National Gallery in Washington, D.C.
Every year, I take the 8th graders to D.C., and while we’re there, my friend, Tara and I, get our kids to the National Gallery and hit the gift shop. Their selection of journals is unmatched, and I usually buy a journal and some stationery.
And, of course, check out the art.
But, onto the journals.
This journal is going to be my next diary-type journal. The one I am currently using is just about full, so this one is on deck.
In this journal, I started my CrowdourcingLove project, because it’s my writing journal. Sometimes I’ll get snippets of stories I want to write in my head, and I write them here. Sometimes it is just a sentence that I imagine, and here is where I deposit it, until I create the perfect story to build…around just that one sentence. I also write dreams that I’ve had that stay with me in this journal.
This journal is my journal for Monkey Girl. The day I found out I was pregnant with her, I began keeping this journal for her. I used to write regularly in this journal, but as you can imagine, it became sporadic, over time. My plan was always that I would give her this journal when she became pregnant for the first time, but then I realized she may not want children, or perhaps won’t be able to have children. So, perhaps when she’s 21. Or, perhaps tomorrow. Why wait?
This is my personal journal. It’s a mish mosh of pages, and is probably very representative of the creative part of my brain.
I post pictures that inspire me in some way or another.
I photocopy parts of books that I want to always have handy to re-read again and again.
Articles that have touched me.
Love notes that came at just the right moment.
This one from Monkey in the Middle.
Amazing moments. See Tiny in there?
And then, there’s the writing. The pages and pages filled with my writing.
I write what I’m thinking and feeling and what’s happening and my hopes and dreams and conflicts and whatever is on my mind and in my heart at the moment.
I love my journal and am a big advocate for people keeping a journal or a diary of some sort.
The blog I write for myself, for my kids, for you.
The journal is just for me.
*Please feel free to submit a question for Truthful Tuesday any time! Put it in the comment section of any post!*
