Journal Fetish

I’m not sure how I got from where I was to where I did, but while perusing YouTube I found an awesome video on creating a Junk Journal out of items you’d normally throw away (or in my case, set out to be recycled): a cereal box, paper bags, and plastic bags.

Except I used good old fashioned garden twine for my thread rather than braided plastic. Here’s the result:

I can’t wait to make another one!

When I first conceived of the blog, a lot of wonderful ideas floated through my head. Plans were made to offer up excerpts of my journal, comment on my journal collection and interesting journals I discovered along the way, and possibly learn a thing or two.

Well, I’m learning a thing or two. That blogging is more labour intensive that I thought. Plus it requires dedication and self-motivation; two things I’ve been lacking recently.

However, I’ve discovered that I want my creativity back and I’m on a mission. Hopefully that mission will help my blogging in the long run.

As I lay here, in bed, listening to the television in the background, a thought crosses my mind: where does the time go?

How quickly each moment passes and before we know it, it’s a brand new day filled with brand new experiences. Before we know it, it’s another day closer to the end.

It’s amazing how often we take time for granted, lazing away the days or vowing to make certain changes only to let the time slip away.

It makes me want to be present in every moment, as difficult as that may be. Because, only when we’re present in every moment can we take the actions we need to take in order to live a better, happier life.

While wondering through Borders, I came across a journal. It wasn’t your standard blank journal, it was more of a journal template. I didn’t take note of the publisher or name, but it did strike me as odd.

Why would someone need a template for journaling? Okay, maybe it’s not that odd because some people do need prompts — what happened today and how did it make you feel? — to get going, but I wonder if those prompts are taking some of the organic creativity out of journaling. There were no places for doodling or gluing snippets from a great magazine article or anything like that.

Hmm, maybe I should create my own journal template for nurturing organic creativity. It would still contain the prompts — hello dear, tell me about your day – but it would go a step further by asking for images, clippings, music, or anything else that made that day what it was.

(This is a perfect example of me thinking out loud.)

How many times have you been struck by an aha! moment while writing in your journal? Now, just imagine how many nuggets of wisdom are wedged between random ramblings and how valuable they could be if you were to see them each day. Instead of imagining, why not put down that novel for an evening and revisit the past?

Comb through each page of your journal and each time you come to one of these epiphanies (better known as life lessons), write it down on a sheet of paper. Get into the essence of that life lesson and note any patterns you find. If you continue coming across a particular lesson over and over again, then maybe you should be closer attention to it, because you continue repeating the same mistakes.

When your collection of epiphanies is complete, you’ll have an easy reference chart that you can use on a daily basis. Read through it often and see whether you’re about to start repeating mistakes which will lead to one of the life lessons you were supposed to have already learned.

It’s strange to read that some people actually feel guilty when they don’t journal for a while. I personally don’t feel guilty if I don’t write for a few days (heck, entire months have gone by where my journal was neglected), because I know that, like a trusted friend, it will be there when I return.

Like anything else, journaling needs to be kept in moderation and perspective. It should never become a chore or a job or a task that needs to be completed. Journaling is about releasing and balance. When it becomes more than that, your journal is no longer being a good friend and it’s time to take a break.

In time, if it’s meant to be, you will be drawn back to your journal.

It’s pretty early in the morning and it seems to be one of the few times I can get some peace.

I slept well last night — probably fell asleep around 11pm — and woke up early with the sunrise. I like it; this is how it should be back home.

As I write, I’m enjoying a tiny mango (the cute, sweet ones that I love when I go to Jamaica) and thinking about how great Fiji is. It’s hard for me to believe that people actually get to grow up here — I wonder what it’s like, but I guess the grass is always greener.

An entry dated October 20, 2006 while vacationing in Nadi, Fiji

Fiji was definitely one of the highlights of my life so far. If you’re thinking about going, do so.

It’s been about a week since I started jotting down notes in my tiny Moleskine journal. Give me a couple more days and I believe I will have mastered the fine art of tiny writing.

Though, I’m still trying to figure out what all the fuss is about, I do thoroughly enjoy the paper. The page color is very forgiving on the eyes, the texture is smooth enough that a pen can glide without hindrance, but there is just enough grip to it to maintain ink control. Very nice, indeed.

In a few days, I’ll probably be in love with Moleskine, but for the time being, it’s all about learning the hacks. Some of the ones I’ve found actually look interesting.

My journal is where I’m able to voice my exasperation with some people. Today, it’s all about the foolish fools that we must suffer in everyday life.

Something for nothing, that’s your game. You feel that everyone else in the world is indebted to you and must bow before your knees. Well, my dear fool, that is a foolish notion. The world does not revolve around you any more than it revolves around me; only your world revolves around you. What I’m trying to say is, I’m sick of your whining, complaining, and misguided notions. So, no more. I’m done. And if you keep this up, everyone else soon will be as well.

An entry dated April 9, 2007

Truly, I’m trying to suffer fools well, but it doesn’t seem to be working. Maybe tomorrow will be brighter; no, I know tomorrow will be brighter.

Sometimes it’s good to laugh at oneself.

I know I’m not ugly — for all intents and purposes, I’m actually pretty. Men find me attractive and I’m sure I’ll have no trouble getting asked out by Mr. Right one day. Heck, I’ve already been asked out twice by two absolutely wrongs. There’s still hope.

An entry dated August 3, 2006