Do you keep a journal?

Just curious. I know I write in my journal at least every other day. I usually speak to it instead of write in it. I think journals work better when you give them some sort of personification, as Anne Frank did with her diary "Kitty". I simply call mine "Journal".

It's much easier for me to write as if they were letters to "Journal", a close personal friend that I can confide in. Instead of "Dear journal, today was fun. I had pizza. Jeremy looked at me in homeroom", I'd write "Dear Journal, today was fantastic. I had pizza, which obviously makes everything better, but you'll never guess what happened later on; Jeremy looked at me in homeroom! "

I think I write like that too so I can sort of address my future self when he goes back to read this.

I hate reading my old journals. They're before I got on pills and came to terms with my homosexuality, and they're highly depressing.

I've tried to keep journals before but it never worked out.

I do, it's mostly full of sleep-dep ramblings, though.

There's a short story in there about violet penguins. Not a typo.

^

Though my story was about a heroic caterpillar who went in search of a spear to slay Jesus with.

edited 22nd Aug '11 1:33:45 AM by Aondeug

I have one. At the start of the year, I said to myself "I'm going to make an entry every day".

The most recent entry is in January.

You guys need to learn how to commit, damn.

Aondeug: Are there also songs and doodles and many comics starring two pseudo-philosophical anthropomorphic squares?

Doodles and comics starring circles. No songs though. I sing random bullshit while writing though.

Yeah, but it is only for my most personal moment and thoughts. Or to mark down a story idea if I don't have my laptop.

But if it was stolen, people would know too much about me! GASP!

Let's see here, at where I live, you are required to keep a journal everyday until you get into middle school and teachers check them so they wouldn't just lie writing them. Look, don't ask, okay?

I resumed keeping journal in 8th grades and kept it on with occasional yearly breaks that would last a month or two. The last time I made an entry was about eight months ago and resumed keeping it yesterday.

It's sad to see that I was more serious and philosophic back then.

@Aondeug, you sing random stuff?

Is it as random as this?

Yes. It is not nearly as amusing however. I lack raocow's glorious voice and amazing timing.

That voice makes much of his humor.

edited 22nd Aug '11 1:56:12 AM by Aondeug

I tried, but it inexplicably ignited. Soon afterwards I tried to make breakfast, but the cereal ignited the second I poured in the milk.

I used to have a problem with things catching on fire around me, okay?

If you record yourself singing and send the file strictly to me, I'll be the judge of that.

Clearly, I have the mind of a philosopher.

Clearly.

This is uncomfortably close to these Self-Critical Discourses they used to make prisoners write during the Cultural Revolution...

(genuinely curious) What's that? If you don't mind, can you explain it for me?

It could be Cultural Dissonance, but...I don't know. I don't think people should be forced to do stuff they don't wanna.

It was a brain-washing/behaviour modification technique emloyed by the authorities during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. The prisoners found guilty of idealogical crimes were forced to write tracts on...well, how much they were in the wrong, and how grateful they were for their "re-education". It wasn't just the writing of the self-defamatory essays, it was the torture that accompanied it.

It wasn't China's finest moment, put it that way.

I used to question that but do that for 3+ years and you get kinda used to it.

Well, at least we didn't have any requirement on what to write.

edited 22nd Aug '11 2:10:29 AM by dRoy

I used to try. I don't think I've ever been able to do it for longer than three months consecutively, maybe four or five at the very most. Then I forget for at least a couple months, maybe a year.

When I DID keep a journal that I tried to keep up with on a near-daily basis, I tried to not only make my writings humorous but also to include my own okayish illustrations. I was inspired by those Dear Dumb Diary books. I was also in middle school. Not a good two years for me. If I recall correctly, though, it was fun while it lasted. If nothing else, I can go through it to reminisce on things I've forgotten (however good or bad they may be).

I don't. My life really is not that interesting (and I'd probably just end up bitching about my brother and trying to make sense of my dreams, and those are rare).

I have notebooks which I use mainly for taking notes, writing poems, and to-do lists. I sometimes use them as dream journals, but not regular journals.

I've written some dreams down. They're usually really weird though and sometimes they're so weird, I don't wanna write them down.

Lately I haven't been remembering most of my dreams. Keep debating with myself whether to share the one I had last night, but it's a bit embarrassing in places.