Here are 18 of my remaining journals. I've kept journals over the past 50 years. Some have already been lost or destroyed. At least one got thrown away, hidden in a stack of newspapers. I am now re-reading the remaining ones, intending to salvage the good parts and getting rid of "the bad and the ugly." I don't want to share everything I ever wrote, especially with those closest to me. If any of them keep journals, they will understand.
I want to share some of the journals' good parts on my blog. I also re-read parts of my blog from now and then, and, honestly, sometimes it makes me laugh. The best stories are the funny ones. I want to pass on some of these stories to my children and grandchildren in hopes that they will laugh as well. So, before long, I plan to have copies of my blog printed for them.
Sounds like some good reading coming up. I got rid of my journals during a bad period in my late 20's when I thought I was going to exit this world and didn't want to leave the journals behind for my mom to read. I did recently find a journal I didn't remember having, detailing years working for functionally insane bosses, and shared those pages on my blog. Having that opportunity to look back, see how I handled myself, how strong I became was invigorating. The good is fun to read, reading the bad can be freeing.
ReplyDeleteYep, reading the bad can be freeing. Reading a journal from 2004, I can see that I have been hitting my head against a brick wall for the past i7 years on a persistent problem and I'm ready to stop
DeleteI have never, and will never, keep a journal. Having incriminating evidence in writing will always come back to bite you.
ReplyDeleteWords of wisdom!
DeleteI could only ever keep journals digitally. (I get terrible writer's cramp, so I can't handwrite anything for long.) Alas, some of those are in formats computers no longer use (floppy discs, anyone?), so they're probably gone now.
ReplyDeleteI wish computer makers would think about continuity. Digital records should not be lost.
DeleteI kept a diary at age 16 for 4 days then another 4 days and that was th eonly time i ever wrote it down. now my blog is kinda sorta a jounarl, it tracks my daily life, but not the bad and ugly
ReplyDeleteYour blog is absolutely a journal, and a very good one.
DeleteOur history is so important to us, but how important is it to others? I had a stack of letters my mother had written to me, maybe 1/2 a metre high, say two feet and I began reading back through some of them. It was my intention for them to go to someone else but while never mean, cruel or malicious, the letters were just too honest when talking about family. I shredded them. I doubt anyone would have been able to wade through them all anyway. For better or worse, there is not much in my life that I don't write about online. It is such a good diary.
ReplyDeleteHonesty is not always the best policy when it comes to family.
DeleteI had a diary when I was a teen but have never done a journal as an adult. I'm not good at keeping up with things like that.
ReplyDeleteYour blog talks about your life now. You look outward at the world and share what you see. I wouldn't want to re-read any of my self-centered teen-age diaries, let me tell you! I'm glad they're gone.
DeleteI never kept a diary or a journal. My blog, which started in 2009, is an online journal, and I'd be interested in how you will be getting some of it printed out. Hope you can get into more detail in a future post.
ReplyDeleteI've looked at some of the printing services on line and that's all I've done. Still mulling it over. Daughter said she'd like to have a printed book such as these services provide. She already had a book of memories printed for our 50th anniversary and said it was easy.
DeleteBest of luck on that big project.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joanne. I'll need it!
DeleteI never kept a diary or journal when I was younger. One of my project is to put my blog thumb drives. Give each of my son the drive. Than donate a thumb drive to our local museum. I don't think the Smithsonian would be interest in little ole me.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe
Never thought of the thumb-drive option. It's worth considering.
ReplyDeleteMy opinion has always been that you’re funny enough to get a book published. Love your writing! Hope all’s well on the email front…
ReplyDeleteThank you!
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