Journals and Diaries

[Ransom]

Since we're on round two of the sketchbook journals, I was kinda curious as to who on the Pub keeps some kind of journal or diary. Is is GOP correct or mundane? Do you keep more than one? What kinds of things do you put in them (without revealing anything too personal, of course)?

So far, I have four going.

Computer diary — very personal stuff, written in dialogue. I picked a fictional character from one of my manuscripts to converse with. Sounds sort of weird, but it works.

A small art journal 6" x 6", full of pictures, quotes, clip-art, snippets of stuff, art experiments, etc.

A small, cheap (cost $1 ) ring notebook that I keep on our boat, to log in weather, water temp, small craft warnings, what we did while aboard and off, when on the coast.

And just started a large art journal 9" x 12", which will hold collage work, writing, and altered photos.

I don't work/write in all of these every day, and usually the computer one gets the most attention, becasue it's quick and easy. But I do have fun with the others.

So, do you keep journals or diaries, and if so, what kind?

[CrazyCholeBlack]

I have several.

My personal blog, but well you already know about that one now doncha

Of course I also have my costuming blog where I keep track of what I'm doing sewing wise and share tutorials. It's my little way of giving back & helping out others that might also be just starting out.

http://slightly-obsessed.blogspot.com/

I also keep a spiral. It holds my life; phone numbers, notes, directions, addresses, grocery lists, random ideas, websites I want to visit, drawings from my kid when she gets bored, flyers and basically everything else. I go through about 1, 5 subject spiral a year. I lost one once & nearly had a fit till I tracked it down again. Like I said, it holds my life.

[Red Cat Jenny]

I have two journals. One which I keep electronically and which contains a plethora of items. I am a saver of scraps of information whether it be history, travel, some person or thing whether it be a collectible, an artist musical or writer or painter. A bit of architecture, anecdotes, quotes thing to research or finish researching "someday when I have time"

File "someday I'll have a blog" under that same statement. I'd love to have a blog. Just the word "Blog" is cool...

Say it..b l o g.....

The other contains items I am writing, ideas, I am an endless dictionary and Thesaurus addict and I save words that strike my fancy for future use. Sometimes an unusual word and it's definition alone can inspire a chapter or a even whole concept.

Then theres a diary journal well locked away.

About half a year ago Patrick Hand I believe inspired many of us to keep a Pyrate journal. I have a box of many scraps and notes and have practised my pen hand. When I'm ready I'll be springing for that leatherbound, handmade Amalfi paper journal to scrapbook it all in. That was a great idea! Since I have been here with you fine peeps for just over a year there have been many things and memories to add. I look forward to many more.

Great question Ransom. From whom I have now one or two more things to add to just that Also having a fictional conversation partner..neet idea! Huzzah! * must be that beautiful herb garden that fosters such creativity

[Patrick Hand]

I have the "Pyrate Journal" that I started last year..... but I haven't done much in it over the Summer, so I have a lot of catching up to do........

I have to finish the instructions on how to make a shirt, and add all my new weaponry..... and the events I went to during the Summer.......

This is the title page from it....

...........

[Ransom]

I have several.

My personal blog, but well you already know about that one now doncha

Yes, I do. So surprised that you would bother with one more of the Pub's "silly threads." Surely it doesn't impart any meaningful information. It's just for fun, after all.

Yeah, Cat, having a fictional character to converse with can be fun. They can play devil's advocate, argue with you, poke fun at you, and ask questions that you might not ask yourself — even though, in a weird way, it IS yourself.

Very kewl, Patrick.

[Red-Handed Jill]

I recently started a blog, which is a big leap of faith for me. When I was young, I kept a diary but my bratty cousins got a hold of it and read it, so that was the end of that. I kept another as a young adult, but there was WAY too much incriminating evidence in it, so I burned it. I'm much more circumspect with my blog.

[LadyBarbossa]

Very cool, Patrick! Nice layout.

I generally don't upkeep a blog of any sort. Tried a couple including on on LiveJournal. Generally abandoned it all. My life is too complicated and dramatic to even think about putting it down for all to read.

If there be ANY Journals, I've 4 of them, leather bound that I purchased from Barnes and Noble looking at least somewhat period correct in which I intend to use for the purpose of Crew logs, Captain's Log and such. They are not big by any means. 2 are rather small pocket size but lots of pages. All 4 are mighty nice.

~Lady B

[captjacksparrowsavvvy]

I write online in my myspace blog but not daily.

And I dabble in writing at home in a notebook that no one reads but me. Very good for stress and anxiety to write down stuff...

[Iron Jon]

I just pick up a couple of these little journals to try and practice my sketching when I go to events. I think they should be "period" enough for my use. They are about 6" x 5" and have 150 pages or so. I also have one of those brass "mechanical" pencils from JAS Townsend that are supposed to be from the late 1600's.

[Patrick Hand]

I think they should be "period" enough for my use.

period... Diempher rolled up paper in a bamboo tube.....

Astetics be the argument here.... how cool does it look.....

So Iron Jon.... yers be good enough fer you (and it looks cool )... but that ain't all that counts........was it fun.....

It's wot ye put in it wot makes it fun......

If I was trying to show a period Buccaneer's journal, or a Pyrates log .....then I'd have to work on it, an make it "Period".....but that would be sonething else.....

But what do we write in them...... is it fun, or period ? .....

RATS.... just rattling....

But heck... everything we do dosen't have to be period.....

as long as it's fun......

Or something like that.....

[HildeKitten]

I have a livejournal blog (hildekitten). I like livejournal because it allows you to make private posts, friends only posts and public posts. I don't write any really personal stuff in there though, because you never know with the internet.

And apart from that I have a notebook, to write random things in like addresses, measurements, etc etc etc :)

[Ransom]

I just pick up a couple of these little journals to try and practice my sketching when I go to events. I think they should be "period" enough for my use. They are about 6" x 5" and have 150 pages or so. I also have one of those brass "mechanical" pencils from JAS Townsend that are supposed to be from the late 1600's.

Ooo, these are VERY nice. I think they would fit right in at an event.

Patrick, you should post a picture of the journal you made for the first round. It's small and simple, so maybe an easy thing for someone to make?

I have a love/hate relationship with my journals. I like to write/do artwork in them, but they make me feel guilty if I haven't done any entries in a long time. I hear them mubbling among themselves, "Where is she...you seen her?...why start up with us, if she's going to lapse?...I don't think she likes us...well, maybe not you, but she does me..."

That's why it's kinda fun to have a fictional character to talk to in the one. If I haven't entered anything in a long time, he always asks, "Where the hell have you been?"

[Patrick Hand]

Patrick, you should post a picture of the journal you made for the first round.

.........

It was kinda simple.... wot I did is machine sew (right through the exact center) about 30 pieces of paper together, with the bottom sheet being a chunka cardstock..... I then glued (using contact cement) the leather cover to the cardstock...... then folded it into a book.... so it ends up being 60 pages.....

For the Second Round of the Pyrate sketchbooks, I machne sewed (I think it was ) 13 sheets of paper(so each signature is 26 pages) to a chunka ribbon under the cardstock.... folded them over, and then repeated it two more times.... so I end up with a sketchbook with three signatures (the sections of paper ) sewn to cardstock with ribbon to re-inforce everything..... then I contact cemented it to the leather (OK... I hadda get a little "crafty... and add some cord to the back.... but that was still just glued into place......before I covered it with the leather.......