Keeping Track

As a collector of books, it's not unusual for me to keep collections of journals or diaries that other people wrote.  I have my Grandpa's journals kept in the desk he made; and they span from 1926 to around 1984.  He lead an amazing life and wrote every day.  

I find that there are fictional diaries of people I find fascinating that I collect as well.  For example, I found a couple of journals that were written around WWII by two different people who did totally different jobs, but socialised within the same circles.  The first one is 'Observations From The Bar: Aerobleu, Paris 1947 - 1950' by Leslie Anne Nash.  She is a bar tender of a bar in Paris in the middle of the Second World War and it's of her dealings with people, who came into the bar and how Paris looked at that time.  The second one of these was written by a man who frequented the bar - a pilot - who was in love with her and it's titled 'Aerobleu: Pilot's Journal, 1939 - 1959' by Max Morgan.  I love both these books and their format is totally different to any book I have ever owned in my life, so I have never parted with them.  Really, I should read them again; as they were great books.

I have 'The Diary of Anne Frank' as well; however, I've never finished it, but I have tried.  

And I also have my own journals.  They may be a little bland - of everyday things - but there are some high points where I go places, enjoy a great night out, go on holidays (and there I use a travel journal) but then, I journal for my private reasons.  I get the best ideas for writing.  I also have around 35 journals I've written in since I began journaling in 1997; and have had to store some away in containers!  Now, that's a lot of journals to keep!  My journals aren't all the same.  I buy them from a particular store and they cost around $25.00 each and have gorgeous colours and designs on them, are fully-lined and have plenty of space in them to write in the margins if needs be.  But there's a funny thing I do with my journals.  Seeing that while I keep the one I'm using on hand in the living room (as I sometimes write during a television show late at night before bed), I sometimes find the most fascinating things during shows and adverts are said and shown to me; and I must write them down!  So, in the back of all of my journals, I have to leave around 3 pages spare so I can write down book titles, people's names, websites, ideas and other things I find interesting from the television... and I title it 'To Google'.  I began doing this about two years ago and have about four journals filled up at the back with all kinds of things that have been scribbled down in note form.  The funny thing is that sometimes, I'll remember it's there and find it and use those notes while other times, I won't.

So, do you keep a journal? How long have you kept yours?  Is it for ideas, your personal private thoughts or other things as well?  Do you do what I do with mine and scribble ideas in the back?  If so, what kinds of ideas do you have in yours?  Until my next post, Happy Reading!