Looking today for(any) inspiration I reached for my daily journals. One journal is for my stream of consciousness and is often filled with things that are cluttering up my life involving cleaning, errands, bill paying and other things grownups have to do.
Another little journal is a record of the books I’ve read with a very brief comment about them. This helps me remember what I have in fact read as titles and author names sometimes are forgotten or confused. It seems I’ve also recorded many books and comments about them in my stream of consciousness journal, forgetting to put them in my reading journal. It appears that I’ve read a fair bit over the past year of journal keeping.
Another journal is for my weight release and eating habits which are incredibly boring to read but somehow, after a period of time seem to be effective, slightly, but hallelujah anyway.
Also there is a tiny little pocket journal decorated with a jaunty Christmas reindeer to record my efforts to walk more despite the aggravations of arthritis and other issues.
My journals are self obsessed and at this stage of my life that is perfectly understandable. There were the years, another lifetime, when demands were otherwise. ( Honestly I could write a book about it!)
Oddly enough there isn’t a journal about writing and there really should be one. Creative writing for me has numbed and withered on the vine so I will start writing about writing again and let the air get at it despite the irritants, rashness and discomforts of it all.
Thanks for listening, dear blog.
An Embarrassment of Freedom 
This is great!
I have these journals too, so now I know that I am not as obsessive as I thought I was because others do this too.
I also have a poetry journal and quotes where I write down those inspirations so that I may easily go back to them. And yes, I include those in my daily journal so sometimes I have to go back to that instead.
I spent 40 years in marriage and caring for family so it is great to have the freedom to fill these journals with whatever I want.
When I’m out, perhaps in a coffeeshop or library, I’m often asked…”why are you writing in that journal”? It must look very old school and non tech to many.
How interesting to read of your various journals. You inspire me to get more diligent in my journal keeping. I agree – there does come a time in life when focusing on your development and interests is essential. Like you I spent years caring for family.
Thanks for your comment. yes, I have little books stacked beside me as I read to jot thoughts in. I carry a writing journal when I go to the park, or take a long drive in the country or hang out in a coffeeshop because that is when inspiration (sometimes) comes along.
I’m just back from painting in my studio – your many journals came to mind as I cleaned up for the day and decided I needed to pull back and have a rethink 🙂 I’m planning on making some simple journals later today. (I really like making them too). It’s good to communicate with another journaller – I must get into the habit of taking one with me when I go out.