Figured it might be a good discussion question. Crossposted to [email protected].
Especially as someone who wants to help grow [email protected], and to participate to help it grow, but in the end I come from [email protected] and I think of what I have far more as a Personal Knowledge Management System than a journal. I spend far less time on personal feelings and thoughts and “what did I do today?” and a lot more on making it a knowledge repository for Future Me. And if what I do is actually pretty separate from journaling it would be cool to know so I don’t invade threads I shouldn’t be talking in.
Is it publicly accessible? I would like to see what’s in it as It’s something I’ve been considering doing myself for all my ‘Linux’ tips and tweaks as I have no idea where to share them (they’re in a markdown file for now).
Like in actual letters (written to yourself, maybe)? I like the idea.
When we were in our twenties, my best friend and I (we’re still besties all those decades later) were studying far away one from the other and we wrote to each other a lot. Like, a lot, multiple times a week if not daily. A few people knowing the intensity of our exchanges compared us to lovers (we were not, we were just avid to share ideas and fun together). It was a rich (and real fun) period that ended with us moving to… email.
I miss that intensity (and the fun, too) and our absolutely un-censored exchange of ideas.
I mean, no matter how stupid, daring, unpopular, clumsy was whatever we wanted to try we would do it. We feared no judgment from one another (and certainly no hate or public shaming, like we can see happening way too often online) and we also feared not looking like amateurs (that we were), or to show that we mastered not what we were writing about. Imho, that freedom was essential to us growing because it allowed us to experiment and to explore things and ideas without self-censoring or caring about one’s own image/reputation. Something not many people would dare to do nowadays online, alas.
Probably even more than that freedom, I miss that it was obvious (for some of us at least) that if we wanted to fuel a friendship (or even just really keep in touch) we would exchange snail mails with those persons we cared about. And that we would have to take the time to write letters (or cards) to them and more time to read theirs, carefully.
Back then, I received such letters almost every single day, and I wrote almost daily too. This year, I’ve received one letter, and I sent two… Which is double what I received and sent last year :(
Sure! I’ll DM you, since I don’t want to dox myself.
Yeah, exactly. Sometimes to myself, or an imaginary recipient. Sometimes I even address my entries to the day of the week, like “Dear Sunday” (Sunday gets a lot of sober reflection, it being just before the plunge back into the work week). Wednesday on the other hand is like a friend I mean to keep in better contact with, but never quite make the time.
Looking forward to your message!
I like the idea and since we’re about to begin a new year, I don’t know but I 'll consider stealing it from you and maybe make of my journal a correspondence for the next year? To see how it goes.
Now, would that be to my (older) self or something along your line? Addressing myself to some ‘friend’ (I could be trying to write like I was writing to my best friend back when we were young), be it an imaginary one or be it the days of the week (each with their own qualities, I quite like the idea). I will let that sink (sink in?) and see how it turns out. Thx!