Keeping a journal/diary #2

recommend a journal i can buy to write in. something that will last.

I really like these entries. I agree with what people said in the previous thread - the supposedly mundane entries are the ones that are the most interesting, but trying to sound erudite, detailed, intelligent often comes off as autistic. These are awesome.

I always keep my journal for myself, though there is a feeling in the back of my mind of "what impression would this give if someone else read this 20, 50 years from now?" It doesn't bother me, though.

I'd say a hardcover journal would be good. So, Rhodia, Leuchtturm. Though I do know of people who keep softcover books and have a slip-on leather cover or hardcover to protect it when they use it, and then store it safely when it's filled. Also, any notebook that has good paper will help to last, especially if you use a good ink.

Very ordered and conversational. I love it.

But does no one write in fragments and basics? I only talk about "I" and my feelings when something major is happening; the rest is just taking notes on my life. Ex:

>thurs. 19/09/13: archives work exp, more photos of queen, hang out with barnaby. on way home stop in at hope bros for first time in ages, hang out with timsam and jimmy, yvette's creepy classmate who has been stood up by his barista "friends" for his b'day. everyone avoiding loutish british boxer guy simon who is local plague at hope bros. adam stops by for a few and pep talk on making moves on workmate girl at xero. jimmy going to spiritual church, getting into bone carving etc. everyone ditches simon in waves and escape to electric avenue, i go home. dad leaves from duds for belfast to see john maybe for last time [brain cancer]

>fri. 20/09/13: first sleep all week which is longer than 4 or 5 hours / not me feeling tired all day then somehow stay up till 1 am, then magically snap awake at 0530 and not be able to get back to sleep again. do washing, play drums on justicebassline, killerisdead, bambambam, still procrastinating on actually mixing/eqing in fl or ableton. 330 pm me and rowan buy beers and drive to his new place, old mansion on hill above berhampore, huge thunderstorm and pink/purple lightning, meet stella and stevo. rowan give lift to bebemos where i have a drink with jaylan and maria, then wait for them to fin dinner with aunt and uncle. shut-in after with j, m and nicola who is once again emotional over dead bf secret heroin addict. maria kicks me out so she and j can have fight over him drinking too much.

Like only I can properly decipher everything. Does no one else write like this???

it's been a while since i kept a journal but this would be accurate for me as well. but i would want to write horrifying shit because of it. if someone might read it, best to fuck with them a little.

I sometimes write in fragments and basics. It varies for me. When I'm writing in my journal, I am often making time for it, so I can relax with it. So, my journalling comes out in full sentences. However, because I keep my journal with me, I may sketch down some thought or necessary note. I also write in fragments if I don't have a lot of time or if I'm tired, or on days I simply don't give a damn.

I wouldn't ascribe value to your personal journalling style. If you want to change it, and you notice that a method or style isn't working for you, you can change it! But you don't need to put down something that is private for you by you.

Sneak in some Eldritch chants here and there.

maybe I'm autistic but I write it as if my grand kids or some future generation related to me is reading

I want to practice my English and I thought maybe I should write my diary in English. What do you think guys?

I heard this was a good idea to practice foreign languages. Go for it. I'm planning on doing this with Vietnamese.

Nah that can be cool, especially if you read your notebooks to them.

Also, does anyone have a stack of journals they keep? I keep mine in a box.

And what are kinds of things you don't put in a journal?

I agree with

Comfy pic

You misunderstand me, and condescend. I don't think fragmentary journalling is at all inferior to your labours, but thanks for your unsolicited permission to change my style.

What do people think of the idea of a shared journal? Writing mundane things only for myself sounds boring.

I didn't know there was a name for this practice, thanks user. I already do this, but usually with scraps of paper I consolidate.

I write things in my journals I can't say outloud when talking to myself in my apartment like an insane philosopher mystic. I don't think I have an interesting enough ordinary life to document it. Am I wrong for feeling this way?

Very interesting! Are you an extrovert? Both your entries have a lot of social intreraction. Less need for first person? I'm very introvert but I do think my perspective changes to a more third person focused one when writing social interaction. I still can't write very fragmented though.
My entries above ended up with a lot of "I" because they're translated and I'm unsure where pronouns can be naturally dropped in English. In the original texts, pronouns are less common, not as few as in yours though. Translating natural, free-flow texts like diary entries into your second language really unmasks how bad you are at it, conveying the small details. Reading a native speaker's diary proves it even more.

Interesting method, thanks.

Yeah this is the problem I faced when I tried to start journaling - I had read the Life and Letters of Macaulay which has a whole trove of Macaulay's letters and journals written into it. I tried to write in a similar style as the formal and earnest Victorian style and I always end up feeling as if I'm being affectatious or insincere. I don't know, I definitely feel that if I try to write anything other than short and abrubt I end up writing prose, which just feels autistic.

I don't think it's inferior at all: I also do it. Sure, I misread you, but didn't mean to condescend. Only wished to extend something i found helpful and freeing in my own practice.

Have any of you ever tried doing a dream journal?
I did one a few years ago for an entire year or two jotting down every dream I could remember upon waking up.

Here's an entry :
>“Florida Nation”
Breaking news! Because of the advancement in mermaid technology, it has been decided that Florida will become the cradle of human society. For the Florida nation, this is a welcome turn of events. While the news is being played out in a black-and-white television, being shown a map of the United States East Coast with Florida at the center, I feel something crawling in my mouth. Putting a finger in, I move it around the sides where the gums are and touched upon something weird. I scoop it out with my finger and look down to what I’ve caught. Rocking back and forth on my finger is a big tick on its back. The tick has a black, ribbed exterior and no bigger than the nail on my small finger! Lying on its ribbed shell, the tick moves about its many legs in vain.

This is short. Some entries reach almost 2000 words.

I tried dream journalling as part of my own development, but I didn't keep it up. I really should get back into that, though.

I like commonplacing, though it is something I want to do more of. Pic related is what my index looks like currently. It's been about quotes and helpful notes on writing and learning more about how to imitate from others. I don't know if I feel comfortable extending this book to more general subjects like personality or biology or technology, etc.

You should try reading an actual dream journal to get you motivated. That's what I did. I downloaded a copy of LSD - Lovely Sweet Dream, a companion book to the PS1 game LSD.

Just reading all the strange dreams in that book made me excited to write down my own strange dreams. Although be warned you'll get so good at remembering you'll get tired of writing down every single detail especially if you're the type that doesn't leave anything out. At first you'll recording one dream at about a paragraph in length, then it wouldn't be strange to write an essays-worth of dreams from time to time.

A page from the book. Pic related.
I also used the style of writing in the translation as a basis for my own entries.

Forgot the image.

Dude that sounds awesome.