Keeping track...

In some part of my mind, I’ve always wanted to keep a journal - record my history, thoughts, feelings, general goings-on. I think really I just like blank books with pretty covers. In the end though, I’m too busy living life and then going on to the next thing to record every detail, or even a summary of it or a haiku about it. In fact the only time I successfully kept a journal was when I worked at Pinewoods, and even then, it was only the first summer I was there, and half of the journal consists of copies of letters I wrote to Susie. But to this day, there’s a part of me that still wants to record things.

And then it finally occurred to me that I actually DO keep a journal. I just have to adjust my definition of the idea...



I’m an inveterate list-maker. I need to write things down so I don't forget them. Finally, a number of years ago it occurred to me to buy a notebook and keep that as the central repository for all information and a replacement for all of the tiny pieces of paper that held my lists and then disappeared. Suddenly, I had a journal.

Because I am a creature of habit, I am particular about the notebook I use. I’ve settled on:

-spiral-bound
-5 x 7
-lined white paper, perforated so it can tear out neatly
-plastic covers (front and back, if I can find it, but at least front) to keep it from getting wet.
-80-100 pages
-pockets to hold the random pieces of paper that still persist

I start a new notebook every year, on or about September 1st (yes, still on the academic calendar), and go on the odyssey every year in August when school supplies come out to find just the right one. For some reason, Walmart (not Staples, CVS, Target, or any other place) has exactly what I want, and last year I bought four books with covers in different colors to keep me going for a while.

A quick scan of the books contains my life:

-Dance lists and dance programs
-Packing lists for weekends away
-Recipes copied out of books and magazines
-Gift ideas/holiday shopping lists
-Party menus
-Books to read
-Music to purchase
-Plants to buy for the garden
-Class plans
-Sketches and plans for cards to make
-Etc.

and of course

-To-do lists

Stay tuned for the latest journal excerpt - Summer Projects. Which will be compiled right after I get through the latest to-do list...

But what you don't know about this post...

...is that, though I'm posting from home, I'm doing it via my own personal, almost super-speedy DSL line. Yes, Joanna is slowly attaining modern technology. It's amazing! It's exciting! Maybe I'll even go crazy and hook up a printer one of these years.


This, however, does not explain why my phone doesn't work, but if that hasn't sorted itself out by tomorrow, I'll be back on the phone to Verizon.


Is this what all of you have been doing all along? Not reading a book while your pictures download or anything?


This could be the coolest thing ever!

100 Posts and counting...

Not quite six months of this blog, and I've hit 100 posts...

Statistics tell all:

-I write more on Mondays than any other day of the week.
-Only 7 out of over 100 posts were written on Saturdays
-Despite my intentions to write about specific things on specific days, by far the most written about topic is my house, not one of the original 7 subject areas (but who knew on January 12th that I was buying a house)
-I'm guessing that 10-15 people read this thing. I suppose there are ways of figuring it out. Maybe best not to know.
-My original thought was to write every day, knowing that I probably wouldn't. I like to write, but somedays, there's not much to say that would even interest me, much less you. And some days I come home with sleep as my only coherant intention. Apparently I write 25/42 of the time.

Statistics don't tell all. Since starting to write this thing, though I've started reading more blogs, I'm still unsure of this whole blogging thing. It's a good way to broadcast stuff, but in the grand scheme of things, the stuff I write about is of no moment. It's not educational, it is not full of wise or even interesting observations. It's not even humorous. It's self-centered blather.

But maybe that doesn't matter as long as the original intent is clear. That this is for myself - a live journal, if you will. A place to collect thoughts and images to record it for my future reference. And while the egotist in me loves that a few folks are reading this and would love a vast audience, this blog is not designed to be overly attractive. There's no hook, no design. It's not even a place for news and announcements - those would still come via email from me, or by phone. Rather it's the bits and pieces, the uppermost thoughts only sort of maybe worth reading.