I’ve been journaling for 52 years and I’m still surprised at the difference between “calendar” events and the “parallel universe” of epiphanies, synchronicities, serendipities, dream messages, and all those moments that nod to me (to each of us!) in private conspiracy!
I've been journaling every day for the past three years and love that, but I also pull images from the internet like a maniac, and have since it began. I also regularly go through them and discard a bunch but keep the best stuff, which I back them up on CDs, which I still burn. Now I feel like going to find some old CDs and see what all I have on there.
Inspired by Austin Kleon I've been taking brief notes every day since 2022, then at the end of each year transferring them from my phone into a Word doc and including photos and things I've screenshotted throughout the year (then compiling a list of 100 Awesome Things!). It's amazing how often I write about some things and photograph completely different and they don't overlap. I clearly visually notice things but don't think they're important enough to write about and vice-versa. The end-of-year collation is SO enjoyable - I get to revisit so many memories that without my brief notation and revisiting would be lost forever. This year I've gone back even further in an attempt to try to wrangle all my digital photos... EEEK! What a mess my files are, and what gems I've found. I have no idea how to make it all work and make it accessible for the longer term, but for now it's so beautiful just to remember and to be grateful for my past self who noticed and recorded different things.
My Time Capsules are buried around the world--they aren't digital. They don't have GPS locators--but will be able to be unburied by my heirs. They have maps of the 5. One in Ketchican, one in Killarney Provincial Park in Canada, one in Nicaragua, one in Cuenca ECuador and the last in a Cemetery in Paris!
A LONG work of love. Exact locations and directions and photographs as well as a special bank account I've begun to travel to these locations...all in my will.
I’ve gotta give your playlists a listen. Thanks for sharing them here!
In the meantime:
Although I’m a voracious reader, I always resisted physically marking up or highlighting favorite passages in books. (See: https://medium.com/maundering-me-so/a72c85bd67a6) But once I got my first Kindle, waaaay back when they first released them, I turned into a highlighting/annotating fool. Later, I found out that — because I’d linked my Goodreads and Amazon accounts — I could, anytime I wanted, go back to check those highlighted passages on Goodreads. (Aside: as long as I’ve synced the Kindle!) It’s been a boon for tracking my reading habits and reminding me what I used to be interested in (and may need to reacquaint myself with).
I love this. I often feel overwhelmed or frightened by what I’ve left behind (not sure why), but you’ve inspired me to think of it as a treasure hunt. I’m going to make it a goal to do some exploring today. I’m also enjoying your Spotify playlists!
I keep a commonplace book where I write down quotes (with citations so I can look it up later if I want to), word definitions, and writing prompts. It often feeds my journaling. I am looking forward to looking over the 2024 entries. I usually send the 'gems' to a friend who got me started on this almost ten years ago. I enjoyed your post.
I’ve been journaling for 52 years and I’m still surprised at the difference between “calendar” events and the “parallel universe” of epiphanies, synchronicities, serendipities, dream messages, and all those moments that nod to me (to each of us!) in private conspiracy!
That's amazing -- and delightfully said!
I've been journaling every day for the past three years and love that, but I also pull images from the internet like a maniac, and have since it began. I also regularly go through them and discard a bunch but keep the best stuff, which I back them up on CDs, which I still burn. Now I feel like going to find some old CDs and see what all I have on there.
Sounds like a worthwhile task for sure!
Inspired by Austin Kleon I've been taking brief notes every day since 2022, then at the end of each year transferring them from my phone into a Word doc and including photos and things I've screenshotted throughout the year (then compiling a list of 100 Awesome Things!). It's amazing how often I write about some things and photograph completely different and they don't overlap. I clearly visually notice things but don't think they're important enough to write about and vice-versa. The end-of-year collation is SO enjoyable - I get to revisit so many memories that without my brief notation and revisiting would be lost forever. This year I've gone back even further in an attempt to try to wrangle all my digital photos... EEEK! What a mess my files are, and what gems I've found. I have no idea how to make it all work and make it accessible for the longer term, but for now it's so beautiful just to remember and to be grateful for my past self who noticed and recorded different things.
That's quite a system! And it seems to be working well for you. Happy gem-hunting : )
My Time Capsules are buried around the world--they aren't digital. They don't have GPS locators--but will be able to be unburied by my heirs. They have maps of the 5. One in Ketchican, one in Killarney Provincial Park in Canada, one in Nicaragua, one in Cuenca ECuador and the last in a Cemetery in Paris!
A LONG work of love. Exact locations and directions and photographs as well as a special bank account I've begun to travel to these locations...all in my will.
That's AMAZING!
I’ve gotta give your playlists a listen. Thanks for sharing them here!
In the meantime:
Although I’m a voracious reader, I always resisted physically marking up or highlighting favorite passages in books. (See: https://medium.com/maundering-me-so/a72c85bd67a6) But once I got my first Kindle, waaaay back when they first released them, I turned into a highlighting/annotating fool. Later, I found out that — because I’d linked my Goodreads and Amazon accounts — I could, anytime I wanted, go back to check those highlighted passages on Goodreads. (Aside: as long as I’ve synced the Kindle!) It’s been a boon for tracking my reading habits and reminding me what I used to be interested in (and may need to reacquaint myself with).
Oh that's cool. Thanks for sharing that info!
I love this. I often feel overwhelmed or frightened by what I’ve left behind (not sure why), but you’ve inspired me to think of it as a treasure hunt. I’m going to make it a goal to do some exploring today. I’m also enjoying your Spotify playlists!
That's the spirit! And very happy to hear that about the playlists :)
I keep a commonplace book where I write down quotes (with citations so I can look it up later if I want to), word definitions, and writing prompts. It often feeds my journaling. I am looking forward to looking over the 2024 entries. I usually send the 'gems' to a friend who got me started on this almost ten years ago. I enjoyed your post.
That sounds like a great practice!
Loved the music links - thanks! McDonalds though? Never! All that intensive farming and plastic waste - just can't ever be justified, sorry...
Happy New Year Rob! I have almost finished The Art of Noticing. What's next?
Ha ha no pressure right? We shall see :)
Love!