I’ve missed writing in a journal. There is something so much more invigorating about watching the pen glide across the page – about watching the pages fill day after day.
I’ve been meaning to get back in the habit of journal writing for months. My OCD can take a large part of the blame. I was that kid in high school and college who would go home and rewrite her classroom notes so they were more neatly written. I do the same thing with journals. I have one in which to write my trains of thought and then another in which to rewrite them neatly.
I am fully aware of my crazy.
All of those half-used and fully-used journals (and a couple of other never-used ones too) from my jam-packed drawer of journals.
Well writing, rewriting, typing, and editing all just feels like too much work. So, I’ve been avoiding it. Until now.
I broke open an unused journal (one that’s been sitting in my drawer full of half-used journals and fully-used journals) tonight and here I am writing in it – without a first draft in another book!
It’s a big deal. Trust me. It’s already bugging me as I look over some rather sloppy words – but I’ll live, I’m sure.
I have a goal now to fill these pages. They’ve been empty for far too long!
Posted by Morgan Dragonwillow on May 8, 2012 at 9:12 am
You caught my eye on Twitter this a.m. and I decided to hop over and read what was going on for you. I can see why you caught my eye. I have a bit of perfectionist/OCD/crazy in me as well. It has taken me a long time to allow myself to not be so perfect in my creativity and that includes my writing. Good for you for taking the plunge into accepting the imperfections. I call it loving my perfectly imperfect self. Well, I am working on loving my perfectly imperfect self. Here’s to you loving your perfectly imperfect self!
Peace,
Morgan
Posted by Dayle Lynne on May 8, 2012 at 9:50 pm
Morgan, thanks for coming by and for letting me know I’m not alone! I like “loving my perfectly imperfect self”! I’m definitely working towards that!!
Posted by Lorelai on May 8, 2012 at 9:47 am
my crazy involves that if a journal doesn’t “feel right” i can’t write in it. all writers are a little crazy, it makes us fun
Posted by Dayle Lynne on May 8, 2012 at 9:54 pm
I totally get the “feel right” component too! I agonize over buying the *perfect* journal!
And yes, the crazy certainly makes us fun
(And by the way, that red notebook in the upper left corner – that’s my reflections journal from poetry
)
Posted by Jen Hurowitz on May 8, 2012 at 12:51 pm
Oh my goodness, I do the same thing! I hate scribbled out words or mistakes, so I would rewrite my journals. That got to be too tedious (so did hiding them so certain people wouldn’t snoop) so I stopped altogether. I’m trying to get back into it but the physical twinge in my arm gets frustrating.
Posted by Dayle Lynne on May 8, 2012 at 9:59 pm
I love being able to lie in bed and write – something I cannot do with a computer (I’ve seen people do it and I just don’t get how that’s comfortable)! I’ve only written once more in my journal since writing this (which I actually did 4 days ago). I writing other things in a notebook (the things I expect will have lots of cross-outs :p ). It’s amazing how we survived before computers!!
Having to hide your journals is a complete different thing and I’m so sorry you had to do that! I take respect for privacy very seriously!
Posted by thatgrrl on May 8, 2012 at 8:25 pm
I like your Twitter profile. Followed you back partially just for the clever turn of phrase.
I’m doing the Blogathon too.
Posted by Dayle Lynne on May 8, 2012 at 10:10 pm
Thank you for the follow and the comment
Always happy to meet another blogathoner! Looking forward to checking out your posts
Posted by anne katherine on May 9, 2012 at 9:12 pm
Is that pic really your journal? Wow. I can understand the impulse, though. I’ve never kept a journal, though I really should. I cherish the ones my mom left behind. And Iove to actually write freehand….I should get going on my own journal!
Posted by Dayle Lynne on May 10, 2012 at 10:37 pm
Yep, that’s my journal
Of course, I’ve written in it a whole 2 times 
You should definitely get a journal! I think my favorite part about journal writing is picking the journal . . . I agonize over it!
That is so fabulous that your mom left journals. What an amazing treasure!
Posted by Art therapy and a lost poem | I shall be a toad on May 13, 2012 at 9:21 am
[...] I was going through my drawer-o-journals the other day, I found my sketchbook from my art therapy days and started looking through it. Today [...]