Journals, who has the habit? | Squat the Planet

Journals, who has the habit?

Holec89

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Who here keeps a journal and tries to write regularly in it? If so, how many do you have and how long are they? Also, do you think they are better off destroyed in the end or would you want others to read them someday? I've had a few that I lost, one that I burned, and my current one which I have had for almost 5 years and write constantly in it. Its packed with more memories and ideas of mine than in my own forgetful head. It's probably the most important material item I possess, in a way it's kind of like my very long and winded manifesto or testament of sorts.

I'm finally about finished with it at last and already have another blank one I plan on starting when I head down to Mexico to South America. I'm pretty releived this last one is almost full because I would constantly be worried about losing it while on the road. What does everyone else think?
 
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Hazardoussix6six

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I used to keep a detailed log daily, but this last time out I've neglected that. Do have a few back at my dad's house that I've saved from previous years. Mostly when I was bicycle touring. I always found down time then to write daily. Hitching and hopping trains I seem to always be moving or doing something and not as much down time. One thing I wish I stayed on top of more though for sure.
 
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EphemeralStick

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Let's see; I have a journal for writing my feelings, a journal for random creativity, a journal for writing down science stuff, a journal for writing spiritual stuff, a journal for drawing, as well as folders upon folders of various writings on my laptop.

I also have three finished journals from when I was younger, can't decide if I wanna keep those or not.

I've already decided that one day I'm going to pass all of them on to my god daughter when she's old enough to handle all the sex, drugs, and poor life choices I've documented over the years.

I fancy myself a writer so of course that which I write I wish for people to read one day.
 
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THE REAL SCAVENGER

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i always mean to write things down, best i ever got was i was writing or drawing things or collecting feathers or leaves and flowers and taping them in a book, plus writing a little bit about my day and how i felt. i did it almost everyday for like 4 months. sadly i don't keep up with this enough lately
 

ready2go

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I don't exactly journal, but I definitely keep a pen and paper on me, and use them constantly. One of the best habits I've ever developed. It helps out a lot with remembering things, and any kind of creative ideas that pop into my head.
 
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beersalt

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I like that you asked this question, it's nice to hear other traveler's responses.

Personally, I call them "notebooks." Even though they look, like journals.. And may, or may not be. I've had many journals in the past. Some i've thrown away, and torn apart. Others, i've preserved. There's some good writings in 'em.. It's nice to flashback, sometimes. It makes me realize my memory isn't as good, as I may think it is. ;)
But, i'm in a different point in my life. And, I've found that calling them journals makes me feel pressure to write about my day, and in them- consistently. When I feel that weird pressure, I don't write as much, or as freely..

Currently, I have three notebooks I travel with. One, i've tried to dedicate to journal entries, and poetry. The other, is mainly my songwriting. Then the 3rd, is a pocket book. So i can write down info, or tidbits conveniently. Though, they've all become a clusterfuck of everything. I'm thinkin' of downsizing, though.. Gettin' rid of the one I write in the least. Tearing out pages I care about, and gettin' rid of that extra weight to clear space. And just making the other, that isn't a pocket book- to a full on conversion of all of my writings. Consolidation!

Give me a notebook, some water, and my dog- and i'm set.
 

anterrabae

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If I were an artist, there would be reason to keep a moleskin. If I were Hitler or Stalin or General George S Patton, there would be reason to keep a moleskin. If I were a scientist, a botanist, a detective, a journalist, a good screw.. I should then keep a moleskin, and it would be full of sketches, anecdotes, dreams, statistics, numbers and names.

But Im not, so I dont. My memories, or what is left of them, are precious like gold to me. But memories cant be transcribed, and whatever fictions that can be built from them, poems what have you, are like dead skin to me. I have always discarded my writings. One I threw down the river, one I burnt, and the other I diced to bits because I needed something which to test the sharpness of a new knife.

The best of my writings are the things Ive written to people I find interesting, on the internet for the most part.

One of these days I might write into something more than just a journal or an editor box, and publish something on par with my own standards of excellence. Maybe. But Im not quite there yet.

Writing is a great way to order your life and your inner world when you are alone. very useful, very healthy thing to do, dont get me wrong. And if you have memory problems like I, all the better.
 
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I always keep a very disorganized form of journals at any given time. Ideally, i would have 2 journals. A journal where is specifically keep the facts of the day, where i started out, how far i got, how much if any money i spent and any events. Then the second journal would consist of pondering, ideas, questions, theories, and general exploration of my mind. But in reality i normally have a couple different sized notebooks and random scraps of paper that i write in in an extremely unorganized and often illegible way. Typically i will then lose the gem information and be left with the unimportant chicken scratches which i will probably burn or toss since its pretty useless to me. In addition, i have no real good place to store journals aside from my pack which is unnecessary weight so unless i come up with a better solution the journals are never gonna be keepsakes. Besides it always extremely embarrassing to read your writing and thoughts from a couple years ago.
You may ask why write at all then if the journals are likely gonna be missing or destroyed? I read somewhere once that the main purpose of writing is it serves as a mirror and it helps you cement stuff in your memory. By writing i am then able to analyze my thinking process, explore ideas more in depth, and remember information and events. I get exactly what i expect out of having a journal.
 

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