# Do you keep a journal?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-a-journal/843545>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [November 16, 2019, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-a-journal/843545 "2019-11-16T18:25:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Bibliothecarius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b2d939/32.png) [@Bibliothecarius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bibliothecarius)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-a-journal/843545/21 "2019-11-19T08:33:21Z")

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I came across this just yesterday: [the world’s most obsessive diarist.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Shields_%28diarist%29)

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**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-a-journal/843545/22 "2019-11-19T15:28:58Z")

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> [@Bibliothecarius](#):
>
> I came across this just yesterday: [the world’s most obsessive diarist.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Shields_%28diarist%29)

> [@](#):
>
> He also left behind samples of his nose hair for future study.

Who would you leave it to? Johns Hopkins?

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-a-journal/843545/23 "2019-11-19T20:08:54Z")

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I don’t keep a journal, but I still have a book of poetry I wrote in college, over 50 years ago. Haven’t read it in over 40 years.

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**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-a-journal/843545/24 "2019-11-20T05:42:04Z")

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Yes. No. Maybe. Sometimes. Depends. I’ve kept occasional and travel journals, and now post odd whats-happening notes at another site, and throw certain memorable ideas into NOTES files. But nothing constant or reliable.

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**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-keep-a-journal/843545/25 "2019-11-20T21:15:19Z")

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I’ve kept a journal since 1995. (I tried to keep a diary when I was nine or so, but gave up.) It’s helpful for knowing what to say in my weekly letters to family members.

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