# Do you have a journal... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 9, 2005, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708 "2005-07-09T03:45:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/1 "2005-07-09T03:45:10Z")
and if so, why? I have two. I have an online one and I have a notebook one. I have the online one so that way if I want to show my friends something stupid, or have them read something I wrote, all I’d have to do is link to them. Easier that way. I use my notebook one for my “deep” thoughts. For whatever I’m thinking that I don’t want anyone else to read. I use it mainly so in the future, when I’m thinking about stupid things I’ve done in the past (I do an awful lot of stupid things), and I’m wondering, “Why the hell did I do that?” I can read what was going through my mind. Anyone else? ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/2 "2005-07-09T07:57:26Z")
I was basically the same as you, but lately I find the “Private” setting on livejournal more and more convenient, and I haven’t written in my real journal in several months. I actually [“came out” via LJ](http://www.livejournal.com/users/matrixfrog/60872.html) a few months ago, and it was much easier and less awkward than walking around school announcing, “Yes, it’s true. I am gay,” to everyone, one person at a time. Only a few kids actually read it, but they told everyone else and word spread pretty quickly. But other than that, it’s just a place to record thoughts, especially thoughts that I want to share with everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Large\_Marge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@Large\_Marge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Large_Marge)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/3 "2005-07-09T10:42:28Z")
I have never kept a diary because I was always afraid my little sister would find it, take it to school and show it to all my friends. However, I just started my very first [blog](http://waikikiweekly.blogspot.com), which is a diary of my life here. Yeah, I know everyone has a blog. I don’t care. I really enjoy doing it, and it’s a great way for me and my friends to stay connected and share each other’s lives even when we’re thousands of miles away. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/4 "2005-07-09T12:17:07Z")
I started keeping a diary the day I turned eight, and I still do. They’ll get my diaries when they pry them from my cold dead hands. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/5 "2005-07-09T13:41:23Z")
I’ve started several in the past. Destroyed each and every one after a dozen or so entries. They all seemed self indulgent, whiny drivel which I would not want anybody to find. Especially not as part of whatever personal legacy I may leave behind to my kids. ---
**Author:** ![MissGypsy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8491ac/32.png) [@MissGypsy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissGypsy)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/6 "2005-07-09T14:06:03Z")
I used to keep a paper journal. I wrote about everything that happened to me, and poured out my innermost thoughts and feelings. I have stacks of notebooks full of this stuff. Then someone close to me decided to sneak a read, and it did not end well. So I quit leaving myself open to that. Now when I feel the need to write it all out, I tear it up and throw it away as soon as I’m finished. ☹ Shame, because I still find it therapeutic to go back and read some old entries when I’m feeling down, to remind myself that I’ve felt that way before and bounced back. I’ve only kept my old journals because they’re far enough in the past that nothing in them can really come back to bite me in the ass. Maybe it’s time to start again… ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/7 "2005-07-09T16:31:27Z")
[The Big Book Of Things Man Was Not Meant To Know](http://www.livejournal.com/users/doc_cathode/) A lot of people I know had LiveJournals. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I like writing and telling stories. If I want to write about something personal, I bury it under a few layers of symbols. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/8 "2005-07-09T19:50:15Z")
I have a livejournal. I’ve kept it up longer than any paper journal I ever had. It’s only been a few months, but I think I’ll stick with it. I enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/9 "2005-07-10T03:18:19Z")
I kept a notebook journal in and shortly after high school. I think I ended up having about 3 years worth of entries. I’ve had a [livejournal](http://psycat90.livejournal.com/) for close to 5 years now. I can see myself keeping with it for at least a couple more years, if not longer. I use my livejournal for private entries, for entries for just my husband and myself, for close friends, and for general blabbering. ---
**Author:** ![Large\_Marge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@Large\_Marge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Large_Marge)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/10 "2005-07-10T11:55:12Z")
What’s the difference between a LiveJournal and a blog? Is there one? ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/11 "2005-07-10T12:46:25Z")
I have an LJ, which I mainly use for posting stupid little things about what’s going on in my life, or asking local friends if they wanna hang out. If I post something which I really only want my friends to see I’ll use the private option, but that only happens rarely (Heck, I once complained about my roommate in public there, and I knew he read it regularly). Generally for me an LJ is about the comments and conversation which happens after a post I think the deal with an LJ versus a private diary for me is that other people can read it. I’m an attention whore–the entries aren’t just for me but for the people who read them too. I’ve never managed to keep up with a pen-and-paper diary, but I’ve had my LJ for over a year now. I also like knowing that random people can come by and read it. I’ve only had a couple truly anonymous responses (My roommate would occasionally post, but he’d identify himself) and I thought it was cool to know that stangers were reading my posts. **Large Marge** , they’re the same thing. Livejournal is just a blogging site, which makes it different from other blogs with stuff like LJ communities and such, but it’s basically a place for people to blog. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/12 "2005-07-10T13:27:41Z")
I have a [ul] [/ul] [Live Journal](http://www.livejournal.com/users/elfkin477/). Why? Because I signed up for the 50 Book Challenge in 2003 and it was…there. I update a few times a month for a month or two, then lose interest. Then think “hey, I should put this in my journal.” For some reason, I’m better at this during the summer. I think I’d write in it more often if I got more comments. After all, I have the thoughts whether I write them down or not ::shrugs:: ---
**Author:** ![gruver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/57b2e6/32.png) [@gruver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gruver)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/13 "2005-07-10T14:41:56Z")
i have a livejournal for private meanderings and a blog for work talk. ---
**Author:** ![bittersweet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@bittersweet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bittersweet)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/14 "2005-07-10T15:02:35Z")
I’ve kept paper ones in the past, but now I use [LiveJournal](http://www.livejournal.com/users/artyblue70/), and like it a lot. I don’t post nearly as much as I’d like to, mostly due to time constraints and computer-hogging by others, but it’s there. ---
**Author:** ![partlycloudy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/partlycloudy/32/3114_2.png) [@partlycloudy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partlycloudy)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/15 "2005-07-10T17:51:59Z")
I had a blog for awhile, but had a hard time keeping up with it. I’ve pretty much always had a paper journal though. I only write in it periodically anymore. I find it’s nice when I can’t sleep because I have too much on my mind. I will write some stuff down and then I don’t feel like I have to think about it anymore. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/16 "2005-07-10T17:55:21Z")
> [@MissGypsy](#): > > I used to keep a paper journal. I wrote about everything that happened to me, and poured out my innermost thoughts and feelings. I have stacks of notebooks full of this stuff. Then someone close to me decided to sneak a read, and it did not end well. So I quit leaving myself open to that. This happened to me as well. Now I live with someone who would never consider doing that, but it’s still hard for me to write anything freely. I guess I’m always editing for the eventual audience. I did have an online journal for a while, but I do better pen-to-paper, I think. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/17 "2005-07-11T01:55:16Z")
I have a paper journal and a LiveJournal (since 2002); my username on LJ is h0taru, if anyone wants to peruse or add me as a friend. 🙂 I have a hard time writing in my paper journal. Often this is because it’s so much faster for me to type than to write by hand, so I grow impatient. I also either read entries over and feel like a complete moron for what I wrote, or never look back and then end up repeating themes over and over. ---
**Author:** ![Liz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/liz/32/17737_2.png) [@Liz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liz)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/18 "2005-07-11T01:59:44Z")
I had an LJ a couple of years ago, but my FL got so big and unweildly [350+] that I felt like I had to write to an audience, which was defeating my purpose; not to mention that a cute little psycho decided to semi-stalk me and used it as a means of keeping tabs on me. I downloaded the content, burned it to a CD that I chucked on a bookcase somewhere, and deleted the thing. I have a blog over at typepad now with the comments turned off, and only a couple of friends [and I guess the random stranger] stop by occasionally that I know of. I use it for rambling about world events that I’ll want to look back on later, writing down situations I’m trying to work out, a place for quotes I want to remember, pictures I come across, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/19 "2005-07-11T02:08:58Z")
When I was in elementary school and junior high, I was a dedicated diarist. I fell out of the habit when I was older, and couldn’t keep a journal even when I wanted to (like, when I was on a trip I thought I’d want to remember). So I resisted getting a LiveJournal for a long time, thinking I’d never keep it up. BOY was I wrong. I love LiveJournal. I use it for keeping in touch with my friends mostly, although sometimes I am amused to go back and read old entries. I’ve had my journal for about four years now. I don’t consider it a place for my most personal private thoughts in the tradition of a diary, but as my own little spot on the web to share what I’m up to. My own personal MPSIMS. I’m pretty chatty, but there is a _lot_ I don’t share. I’m now so addicted to journaling that when I couldn’t get online for about a week a couple years ago, I went out and bought a notebook, which I now obsessively carry around with me, just in case I feel the need to write something down when I’m not by the computer. ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708/20 "2005-07-14T03:31:15Z")
> [@Large Marge](#): > > What’s the difference between a LiveJournal and a blog? Is there one? LJ is a particular blogging program/host. All Live Journals are blogs, but not all blogs are Live Journals, etc. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-journal/311708.md?page=2)