A Centenary Celebration!

From my journal: November 4, 2020, Newbury Park, California

“A Journal Journey has finally launched! Yay!…Have been so nervous about sending my posts “out there”… What if I can’t come up with ideas to write about?  What if I get negative feedback? What if no one reads it at all? Glad Robert has given me the push I need…but still scary!”

Today is my 100^th blog post on ajournaljourney.com! Wow! I can’t believe almost two years have gone by since I sent out my very first post into the world! The idea for A Journal Journey came to me a few years back, but it didn’t come into being until we cleaned out our attic and I rediscovered all of my journals and photo albums packed in cardboard boxes sitting in the dark, collecting dust.  A number of those containers have accompanied us on our many moves within U.S. and even abroad.  So, in fact it’s been a journal journey, figuratively, as well as literally!

On my Homepage I mentioned that I have been recording my life experiences for decades. As a child I journaled about home, our neighborhood and school. As I got older and my world expanded, I wrote about new friends, school events, and rites of passage. Going away to school, I noted the transitions from living at home to sharing space with roommates. After college, I recorded observations on landing my first “real” jobs and the ups and downs of creating and navigating a life in the Los Angeles area. Happily, my journaling days continue.  

My blog is truly, a phrase I will borrow from one of my recent post titles, a labor of love. Each week it takes about 20 hours to write one post. Sometimes the idea will come first, then I peruse my journals looking for an entry that will relate to it. Other times, I come across something in a journal that spurs on the subject. Once written, edited, and revised, (many times!) I then track down photos from an album, my phone, or folders on my computer to go along with the post. Finally comes, the selecting of the all-important title!

I left the work force a few years ago, so why do I do all of this? To me, writing is like breathing. I can’t imagine living without it. However, it is not always easy and can be quite challenging. Even now, after writing approximately 120,000 blog post words, I still feel nervous, yet excited when it’s time to create a new post. This keeps my mind engaged and helps me continue to hone my writing skills. It gives me a chance to share my life adventures with family and friends, new and long-standing, and near and far. It keeps me living in the 21st century, as I continually learn how to use technology. (Argh!) It gives me an opportunity to relive a time, place, and event. When positive, it’s pure fun.  When it’s not, it’s a chance to understand on a deeper level and appreciate my growth. And while I still write letters, poems, and stories, my blog has expanded my reach and has put me in touch with people I wouldn’t have otherwise connected with, for which I am grateful. 

Each post is meaningful to me, and just like children (in my case, fur babies!), they all have a place in my heart. However, if asked which ones are my top five favorites so far, they include: “A Hanukkah Gift for Christmas”, “A Recipe Handed Down”, “What I Would’ve Said”, “Never Forget” and “A Special Summer Place”.

Now 100 blog posts in, I am encouraged to keep going. Thank you so much for reading my blog each week! With the ever-increasing demands put on our time these days, it’s great knowing you are setting aside a few minutes to read what I write. Thank you for your comments! Hearing from you, let’s me get to know you better and further connects us. And thank you for being a part of keeping my love of writing alive!  I appreciate each and everyone one of you! My hope is that my posts are relatable and perhaps leave you with something to think about, or at the very least, I hope they bring about a smile. Thank you so much for your continued support. I’m so glad that you are on this journal journey with me. And considering the sheer volume of journals I have, we’re really…just getting started!