Journal and Diary Keeping

Well, I have my blog where I discuss both personal topics and professional ones. However, about a month ago I also started keeping a journal where, every day, I just write 5 good things that happened to me that day or 5 things I’m grateful for.

The things I write down can be as simple as the fact that the weather was good to things like getting some new tea in the mail (:-D) or meeting someone nice at a networking event.

The nice thing is that the journal I’m using is really pretty. It’s a printed book where the pages are covered in landscape images or images of the sky and clouds. It really helps to keep up the positivity.

I’m a tech guy so my journals are all on spreadsheets. They’re not pretty but it’s easy to back up and carry with me when I travel.

I have a Paperblanks notebook which I’ve had for a few years now. I think it’s one of the longest times I’ve had a notebook. Also the best notebook I’ve ever had. It’s A5 size and lined. I use it for writing snippets and ideas in, notes for a tea review if I don’t have access to a computer, things to remember like if someone gives me their address or phone number, ideas for Christmas presents, things to look up later, what I did on my holiday, to-do lists and all that sort of thing.

For everyday update-y actually diary things I use Livejournal.

I have a little spiral notebook. It is pretty much my going out of town and new tea log.

I’ve kept journals regularly for about six years. I love pretty notebooks so i usually have one or two lined up to use next. The content varies but usually it is full of things that have been on my mind.

I also keep a separate book journal and have for the same length of time. I am on my third now and love looking back through all the records of what I’ve read and what I thought of them.

For tea, it’s all on Steepster. :)

For work I use a good old word document to keep track of all the technical notes I can’t remember from project to project. At home I just started using Day One and I have been loving it. I add everything in there from personal goals, to things I want to remember about loved ones, to eateries about the fun things that are happening on the weekends and vacations. What I like about it is being able to tag each post and put a picture which each post. I like that it is on my phone and lap top so if I am board I can just add some notes. I have never been good with pen and paper. I end up loosing the notebook or re-purposing it for say my grocery list.

In addition to being a tea geek I am also a total pen/stationery/office supply etc. nerd. I have around a dozen notebooks in rotation that are used for a large variety of things. All the way from 2×3 pocket notebook to a 12.5×8.5. I have twice as much that are just collecting dust. I’m very particular about using each journal for one specific subject. I couldn’t deal with using my personal journal for tea reviews as well. For my tea notebook I use a soft cover squared pocket Leuctturm that I keep by my kettle where I write steeping parameters, tasting notes, what I should change about the steep next time etc.

I love the idea of art journals, but more for the sake of having a place to put some art in with quotes that I like and poems, etc.

Other then that diaries and journals to me are more for private thoughts that I would not want to show to many people.

I keep a journal, writing in it every day for at least 15 years. I like composition notebooks, they’re a good size, as I put articles, business cards, and other things I find, into the book, as well as my written thoughts and idea. I used to draw more, but I’ve fallen out of the habit. I should get back into it.

I’ve been journaling since I was in my teens, & have a variety of journals spread throughout my home for a variety of things. In my bedroom I use a 8 X 11 spiral bound to just write in, usually in the morning, sometimes in the evening. It’s just my thoughts & feelings regarding whatever is going on in my life, the world, etc. Sometimes (often) it includes repetitive affirmations, spontaneous song lyrics, my current weight, the daily yoga/taichi comments, etc. I sometimes keep a separate exercise journal, but I haven’t lately.
I have a practice journal in my studio (actually 3, cuz sometimes I’ll misplace one for awhile, LOL). This includes lists of songs I’m working on, ideas for arranging, more song lyrics, etc.
The gardening journal: the annual list of seeds I have, seeds I want, planting schemes, garden layout, etc.
The Kitchen Journal: recipe ideas, lists of whats in the deep freeze, menu of the week, grocery lists, & anecdotal stuff, etc.
The desk calendar: one of those leather bound deals where you replace the calendar pages yearly (I’m currently partial to Franklin Covey “Blooms”, & I prefer 2 pages to a day). I keep track of phone calls, goals, etc in there. It’s basically the journal of my self-employment, but also contains much more. I write all over that thing!
AND last but not least, the Tea Journal, which can be anything from a cheap spiral bound to my current incarnation, a Peter Pauper Press book with a beautiful cover by Josephine Wall, entitled “The Spirit of Flight”. I saw it at Barnes & Noble, & had to have it!
http://www.josephinewall.co.uk/spirit_flight.html
My tea journal contains lists of teas I’ve traded with people, lists of teas they sent to me, along with any cards or letters, lists of teas I’ve ordered, biz cards from companies, addresses of all the people I’ve traded teas with, lists of samples companies have sent me, etc. I also make a page for each tea, notating my perceptions while drinking it. It’s fun to go back, & drink it a different way, & make more notations.
All this journaling keeps Ms Theresa happy because she feels somehow organized, & it keeps little terri happy too, because she gets to use pretty colors, & draw pictures & stuff, & she gets to pick out the next one, when the current one gets full.
I prefer to keep ‘REAL’ journals, because someday our current technology might fade away, & I want to leave behind something solid that my children will be entertained by when I am gone, LOL. Also, I really enjoy writing :)
PS… over the years, I’ve gone through a variety of self-help modes, in which I’ve kept related Journals: Various 12 Steps, Peaceful Warrior, etc. I have a Comfort Journal somewhere in my bedroom, though I haven’t needed it lately, from years ago when I read The Woman’s Comfort Book. It was a great help to me during a rough stretch in my life. http://www.amazon.com/Womans-Comfort-Book-Self-Nurturing-Restoring-ebook/dp/B007OWRBUY/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411498796&sr=1-2&keywords=book+of+comfort
AND I used to keep an Artist Journal, ala “The Artists Way”
http://www.amazon.com/Artists-Way-Julia-Cameron-ebook/dp/B006H19H3M/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411498948&sr=1-1&keywords=the+artists+way

Pretty much all of those kinds of journals have been combined into my bedroom journal now.