Any of you manly-men ever keep a journal?

steve-in-kville

steve-in-kville

Joined
Dec 25, 2001
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I started almost three years ago, mostly handwritten in cheap composition notebooks I get at Walmart. I am thinking of switching to keeping it on the computer. I was going through some hard times then and I was told jounaling was a good outlet. Someday I suppose I could write a book, as if anyone would want to read it!

So can anyone else man up and admit they do some journaling from time to time? Would like to hear I am not the only one on BF that does consistantly!
 
I do sporadically, and only wish that I could go back in time and start it from childhood. So much of life disappears behind you and is forgotten. I have read more than once David MuCullough's John Adams, and Mr. Adams wrote down every detail of every day of his very interesting life, and it is quite fascinating. But yeah, I record much of what I do and what my kids do, and need to get my 2 boys into it before it is too late.
 
I've noticed over the years how much differently we all remember the way things happened in our past. Stories change over time either from failing memory or intentional or unintentional embellishment.
My "Rule number 1": If you didn't write it down, it never happened.
 
I don't know if it's a "journal" or not, but I have what I call my "notebook". It's everything from a record of when I last fertilized the lawn to a place to work out ideas to maybe what might be called a "journal" sometimes. If I hear a good joke, I'll write it down in my notebook. If I find some profound quote -- maybe from someone here on bf.c -- I'll jot it down in my notebook. If I have a good meal, I may note the menu in my notebook. If I see a knife I like, I will write down my thoughts about it. If I'm upset about something, I often find it cathartic to get that all out of my head and into my notebook. And it can serve either as a place to store that so that you can get it out of your head or as a place to organize that so that you're better prepared to take action about it. Whatever. Among other uses, it's just a good way to not forget things.

And as for format, well call me old-fashioned, but I like paper for this purpose.
 
Professor Gollnick, I dare you to .pdf about 10 pages from your notebook and post them here. The inner turmoil of an evil genius might be most fascinating.

I too have a notebook like that, just as a single place where all of my extraneous though are memorialized. But its the not-so-interesting stuff like the name of a tree trimmer who I might not need to remember for another 8 years. But at least I know where to look for the name. Stuff like that.
 
Its funny Gollnick mentions using a handwritten format. I have tried typing my journal on the computer for a few months at a time, but it isn't the same as writing. I always go back to a notebook. Maybe I just enjoy writing longhand or maybe the extra physical effort means something. Not sure....
 
I've kept a journal/log before, as well as some decent astronomical observing notes wih sketches.
It's nice to jot down the ideas you think profound, how deep it snowed and to remember how many fish you caught.
Handwritten is best, there is a noticeable disconnect between the mind and the keys on a computer, IMO.
 
I should also mention to the above... now that I possess a scanner, I may scan my entire written journals and burn them to a disk. Just in case my written journals would be destroyed.
 
For a number of years I kept a "trip journal" of my motorcycle trips. I was just thumbing through it the other day. I wish I hadn't lapsed from that habit; maybe I'll resume for the upcoming riding season.
 
I carry a journal that I maintain for wilderness outings in which I record little details including weather, the time of start and completion, and anything interesting. I am also a writer so it gets used a lot to save ideas and inspirations that would otherwise evaporate before I get home. My wife recently caught me in the act of that last one ...

http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad160/LargeFierceMammal/Expeditions 2012/LargeFierceWriter.jpg

And had I not written it down, this poem would have flown the coop.
 
My grandfather spent years at sea where you keep Logbooks .He bought the house I'm living in now and continued a logbook. I continued that when I moved in but have sadly dropped it.

I should add that a logbook is a collection of things that happen ,accurate , brief .It doesn't have the inner feelings etc, that a Diary has.
 
I keep a log of significant events and important junk in a moleskin. I would never use a computer for this, they're to prone to crashing.
 
I have journaled off & on for years. I've even posted things here on BF that were my journal entries, edited to make it more concise.

I keep everything on the computer now, backed up.

~Chris
 
I use the camcorder alot and it is like a video documentary of my life. Over the year I average 4 or 5 hours worth of video of various events in my life.
 
I have kept one for a year now. I had some medical and career events occur, so I figured I'd document. I use a standard legal pad with a simple ink pen. I was writing with my aluminum Hinderer, but I lost the cap so I put the pen up. My theory is this: my handwriting is so damn terrible that I'm the only one who can read it if it ever disappears. I don't write every day. And sometimes I write a few pages, and sometimes a few sentences. It is kinda cool to read back through it even though its only a year.

Dave B
 
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I write a regular journal if I am overseas, This year I New years resolved to keep a diary, which so far is so good. I do write in storyform, but for day to day I realised most of my writings seemed negative. After this years diary I do not know if I will keep it up.
 
I keep a daily to-do/done list....it includes shopping, chores, eating out....basically the more important aspects of each day....each line is about 40 characters or less....I tend to write the more controversial happenings in code....."hanging out" could mean any number of things....depends upon the context and who else was involved. In one form or another it goes back about 10 years.

This is in a Blueline 8 1/2" x 11" notebook, I prefer a Fisher cartridge, black finepoint.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I've kept a journal since I was in the Navy in the 60's, workout logs from the 70's & 80's, daily planners for most of my working life. I keep an online version these days. Most recently tracking a health and weight loss program I've been on since about June.

I love looking back and reading my thoughts at different times in my life, to see what I've learned since I wrote it. I don't have a particularly good memory, I've forgotten anniversaries, birthdays, even my own birthday. When I don't keep up with my journal it usually means that nothing out of the ordinary is going on in my life. That's usually not a good thing.
 
A easy way to do it is to get a calender (large one) and anotate what you did on a particular day in the daily squares, must be brief- year over, get a new one and through the old one in a drawer.
 
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