Weekly Diary Quote ...

"The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another"

James Barrie (1860-1937). Author of Peter Pan ....

Another Movie Journal!

Sometimes you take a chance when you watch a DVD ... you never know if the movie will be any good or not ... and if you're me and into researching journals and journal use you never know if there will be a journal in the movie or not!

We watched Turistas on the weekend. Bad choice. Horror movie, pretty poor all around. HOWEVER all was not lost! This John Stockwell horror is about a group of tourists stranded in Brazil after a rickety bus with a rough driver wipes out their transportation on a cliff ...

I'm not here to tell you about the movie ... but about one of the characters ... and the journal of course. One character is writing in her travel journal. It appeared to have some pics and well as small amounts of writing in it. She was working on it when the bus crashed ... everyone turned over again and again .... and she got out of the crashed vehicle, totally overturned ... and next shot she had her journal in her hand again! Terrible editing, but I was pleased to see the journal survived ... I saw little point to the journal in the movie so was surprised at the billing it got in terms of air time. But pleased nonetheless of course.

Ahhhhh travel journals. One of the original types of journals kept ...

A Summer Journal

The Christmas season is upon us ... and here in Australia it is also the beginning of long days, warm days and nights, and thoughts of the coming long summer break. Even for those who don't take a long holiday during summer, there is a sense of holiday in the air even in the busiest of workplaces as soon as December hits ...

December 1st marks the beginning of summer. For a few years in a row, a dear friend and I kept a summer journal. We would meet on Dec 1 (the first time was at a gorgeous cafe in Northbridge, whose name escapes me, but whose Strawberry Shortcake I still lust after). An entry would be made on the 1st and we would set some summer goals - usually ones about enjoying ourselves over summer.

We would then take turns having the journal and writing in it. There was hardly more than a dozen entries each summer ... but we did this for years. And then each Dec 1 became even more fun as we re-read past entries, and had a laugh or two before setting more summer goals.

I can't remember when we stopped doing this. But I do know she still has it in a box of goodies somewhere ... and I might just suggest we pull it out again this summer ...even if just to read ...

Writing with a friend you love and trust with your summer secrets, is one of life's really special memories ...

Diary Quote for the Week!

In Hollywood now when people die they don't say, 'Did he leave a will?' but 'Did he leave a diary?'

Liza Minnelli

To Do List Vs Journal

Journals take many forms ... and one is the notebook full of to do lists. Always a fun way to record part of your life, while also being useful. There is a To Do List blog (recently published as a book ... congrats!) .... worth a visit for to do listers!

Journal Writing Conference

For those of you in North America (or planning a trip next June) there is a Journal Conference coming up ... special topic writing to heal ... check it out here! (And if you go you must tell me about it!).

Diary Quotes

I'm searching for quotes about diary and journal writing ... will share some here ... (do send me some if you know any). Can't help but start with good old Oscar Wilde ...

"I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train. " Oscar Wilde

Beach Journal ...

Bought the perfect journal for beachy summer journalling ... the shells are real ... the string is string! :-) Love it.

Student Journals

I 'fessed up to my student group today! I am marking papers from the lecturing I have been doing this semester and left some of the best till last! The student journals. I confessed to them that I love reading them - and had told them this in the first workshop 12 weeks ago ... I've been honest. It is such a privledge to read their musings, hear about their growth, and see all the things they experience and learn. Better still they are only a PASS or FAIL. I can't hack it when journals for tertiary students are given a GRADE. Defeats the whole purpose ...