Do you journal? ….
Not sure if “journal” in the context above can be used as a verb, not unlike “Google this or that”, but the word journal has become a verb to me recently. As I continue down this path of “enlightenment”, that is making serious changes in what I think and cherish I have found “journaling” to be a new addition to my normal daily routine.
So do you journal? …. If so what do you write about? ….
Some time ago it was suggested I read “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron. I don’t have any formal art education, per se, and my photography has mostly been self taught. But I’ve tasked myself with learning more about the art and what I might do to improve my work. I think it has led me to strive to find that creativity that must be lingering somewhere inside. Is that the left or right side of the brain? I’d have to “google” that and I don’t have time right now to go down another Google rabbit hole that the internet has allowed. Let’s just say I’m aware that there are two sides to the brain and those way smarter than me have figured out which side does what. But at the moment I’m not interested in knowing any more than that.
So back to the first task Julia asks her reader to accomplish that has led me to “journaling” and that is to wake a half hour earlier and write three pages of longhand. I thought I’d be smart as I’d been using Evernote to store all my digital crap and hey why not just type away to accomplish this task assignment. What I found after more than a month doing it my way was that my writing did not feel personal.
I’ve now kind of set a new habit on wanting to write and getting my thoughts on “paper” so I began a search for an appropriate paper format to actually write on. Of course, along with paper there’s the writing instrument you write with. I’ve now created two new dilemmas to my life. I remember seeing a photograph another Facebook member posted in a photography group I follow and it was a beautiful image of a Montblanc 149 Meisterstuck Fountain Pen. Wow, chu-ching, that’s a lot of cash for a pen I said to myself.
I settled on a Leuchtturm pocket notebook and whatever I could find to write with. I carried the notebook with me everywhere and writing everyday has become a daily habit. As I was getting toward the end of my first notebook I still wanted to try writing with a writing instrument that was “more” personal than a basic ball point pen.
My search for an alternative to an expensive Montblanc led me to a Parker 51 vacumatic fountain pen made in the 1940s. I found one a reconditioned one on eBay. I did buy some Montblanc ink while traveling through the Atlanta airport to fill it with. To me it has made difference when I write. Plus I have moved to a Midori Traveler’s Notebook and have incorporated the Bullet Journaling system to my daily routine.
So this morning I thought I’d make a photograph “journaling” in my favorite chair drinking a Nespresso gathering my thought’s for this post.
Duane Pandorf Photography 
Thanks for this post. I’ve been looking for a new system to keep organized and I think I will give bullet journal a try. That Traveler’s notebook looks interesting and something I may try. I’m curious to hear your thoughts on it and if it’s worth the price?
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Thanks for stopping by Scott. If I didn’t mention it above I think this journaling thing is a personal thing. What I like may not be anything that gets you going. I’ve tried the Franklin/Day Planners over the years and until now couldn’t understand why I could never keep them up to date or use them on a regular basis. The freedom of being able to write when and where on the page and put your todos in an unrestricted manner how made it fun for me.
Having said that, I’m still getting used to carrying around the Midori Traveler with just their Grid Notebook that I had to order separately. The Midori Traveler comes with the Blank Notebook (no lines or grids). If you do a Midori Google search or on Youtube you’ll find that most people fill their notebook up with all kinds of stuff. All I have in mine is the their Grid Notebook and I did make a 6 pocket craft folder out of an old file folder to keep receipts and notes. If you want to be a true minimalist I’d try the Leuchtturm Medium Grid notebook (http://goo.gl/7K2K9G).
I bought my black Midori Traveler from this eBay seller and haven’t seen it priced any lower (http://goo.gl/uf6Upy)
And this is the Grid Notebook I purchased separately for my Midori (http://goo.gl/E289JT)
With any “blank” notebook that doesn’t restrict how or where you can write makes all the difference in how YOU use YOUR system. That’s the flexibility of the Journal Bullet system.
Let me know how you make out.
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I came across a post once that described my exact dilemma with journaling. The author said that most people start journaling and either list what they did that day, or complain about things that bothered them. This was my main issue with journaling. While a daily journal must include these things (because this is how we function in the world) the problem was that when I looked back at my entries, they were either boring (went to school, took a walk, did homework, zzzz) or they came off as incessantly whiny. The author said that you should try to just write down one or two things you noticed that day, or the day before. This subtle change in approach has really helped me stick to journaling. By expanding on one thing, it allowed me to explore a topic, be more aware of my memory and place in that moment, and ultimately be more perceptive to everything around me. I’m trying to find the original post, but it appears that that was a rabbit hole from long ago that I can’t find my way back to. If I find it I will edit this.
I am currently using a custom notebook that someone made by taking the front and back from a hardcover book and binding it with a spiral and blank pages inside. This allows me to write on both sides of each page without fighting the binding, and a hard surface for writing on the go. They also randomly inserted a few pages from the original book, which provides an interesting source of inspiration and connection.
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