Debate Over Keeping Journals
Growing up as a child one of my favorite cartoons to watch was "Doug." It was one of the first really big animated shows to be featured on Nickelodeon (lovingly called Nicktoons) and featured a boy growing up with his friends, family, and of course, his dog Porkchop. The episodes would go back and forth between the reality of his life and the fantasies in his head. And what for me at least was one of the most prominent features of the show was the fact that he kept a journal, which was often used as the framing device of the show; Doug would often be seen writing in both the beginning and end of each episode, and there would of course be narration. Thus, when I was watching this show on TV, barely knowing how to read (and honestly struggling to do so) I wanted to keep a journal also.
I've more or less kept up with the habit of keeping a journal daily. And no matter what I wanted to be when I grew up, whether it be an astronaut (unfortunately I'm really, really bad at math), a filmmaker, an artist, a flight attendant, or God knows what else I've considered since I was a child, I've always still wanted to be a writer, at least as a side job. So far I've written and self-published a children's book titled "Mele the Mermaid" and have written several articles online.
Lately I haven't really kept up with writing in a journal, at least not for the past couple of months. And a few months or so before I got to that point I wasn't really writing full paragraphs or even sentences, mostly just bullet points of what happened in my day. And it's not that I have a boring life by any stretch of the imagination; there are often events that happen to me at my current job (even at jobs I've had that weren't always ideal I found stuff to tell about my day), and events that happen when I am out and about. But for some reason I just haven't had much desire to write them down in a journal.
This may be for a variety of reasons. I have a pretty good memory, probably better than average. I remember bits and pieces of conversations from years ago, and at one point even remembered where my family parked their van in a parking lot years previously. Plus I often take pictures of events that I am involved in that are especially noteworthy, and sometimes post them on my Facebook page. And when I write I try to concentrate on projects, such as this blog or part of a book or other work in progress. Whatever the reason is, I just haven't felt the need or inclination to write in a journal as much.
I'm thinking of getting rid of my old journals. Online I've read numerous articles about people getting rid of their journals, oftentimes with a bonfire, and they've found it cleansing. This is for a number of reasons, one of them being part of my ongoing quest to become more minimalistic; I've had ongoing progress with ridding myself of stuff I've had for awhile (in fact just today I stopped by Half-Price Books and sold a bunch of magazines and other items I've had for awhile, and got a little extra money for them). I've occasionally read them and relieved some of the memories I had jotted down in them, both the good and the bad.
There's also the fact that, in the off chance I die anytime soon, I don't necessarily want people reading my journals. One of the people I find most fascinating in history is Leonardo da Vinci, and growing up I was always intrigued by the fact that he kept notebooks filled with ideas for inventions, sketches, and even just grocery lists. In fact da Vinci may be another reason I felt compelled to keep journals. But while people may have gained from reading da Vinci's notebooks, I don't think I want anyone reading them after my death.
Even if I do end up getting rid of my old journals (and possibly also my sketchbooks), I'm thinking about keeping a record of them. I'm considering having them scanned into files and kept on a USB port. That way I can still keep the texts I wrote without using nearly as much physical space. If I do this it was probably be sometime before the end of this year; my lease for my current place ends early in 2019 and thus, if I did this, it would be slightly less stuff I would need to move to my new place. I might keep a few of the journals even then; I lived in Israel in 2012 and 2013 and will probably keep those, if nothing else.
I've more or less kept up with the habit of keeping a journal daily. And no matter what I wanted to be when I grew up, whether it be an astronaut (unfortunately I'm really, really bad at math), a filmmaker, an artist, a flight attendant, or God knows what else I've considered since I was a child, I've always still wanted to be a writer, at least as a side job. So far I've written and self-published a children's book titled "Mele the Mermaid" and have written several articles online.
Lately I haven't really kept up with writing in a journal, at least not for the past couple of months. And a few months or so before I got to that point I wasn't really writing full paragraphs or even sentences, mostly just bullet points of what happened in my day. And it's not that I have a boring life by any stretch of the imagination; there are often events that happen to me at my current job (even at jobs I've had that weren't always ideal I found stuff to tell about my day), and events that happen when I am out and about. But for some reason I just haven't had much desire to write them down in a journal.
This may be for a variety of reasons. I have a pretty good memory, probably better than average. I remember bits and pieces of conversations from years ago, and at one point even remembered where my family parked their van in a parking lot years previously. Plus I often take pictures of events that I am involved in that are especially noteworthy, and sometimes post them on my Facebook page. And when I write I try to concentrate on projects, such as this blog or part of a book or other work in progress. Whatever the reason is, I just haven't felt the need or inclination to write in a journal as much.
I'm thinking of getting rid of my old journals. Online I've read numerous articles about people getting rid of their journals, oftentimes with a bonfire, and they've found it cleansing. This is for a number of reasons, one of them being part of my ongoing quest to become more minimalistic; I've had ongoing progress with ridding myself of stuff I've had for awhile (in fact just today I stopped by Half-Price Books and sold a bunch of magazines and other items I've had for awhile, and got a little extra money for them). I've occasionally read them and relieved some of the memories I had jotted down in them, both the good and the bad.
There's also the fact that, in the off chance I die anytime soon, I don't necessarily want people reading my journals. One of the people I find most fascinating in history is Leonardo da Vinci, and growing up I was always intrigued by the fact that he kept notebooks filled with ideas for inventions, sketches, and even just grocery lists. In fact da Vinci may be another reason I felt compelled to keep journals. But while people may have gained from reading da Vinci's notebooks, I don't think I want anyone reading them after my death.
Even if I do end up getting rid of my old journals (and possibly also my sketchbooks), I'm thinking about keeping a record of them. I'm considering having them scanned into files and kept on a USB port. That way I can still keep the texts I wrote without using nearly as much physical space. If I do this it was probably be sometime before the end of this year; my lease for my current place ends early in 2019 and thus, if I did this, it would be slightly less stuff I would need to move to my new place. I might keep a few of the journals even then; I lived in Israel in 2012 and 2013 and will probably keep those, if nothing else.
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