Inconsequential Journals

    We had our first bit of snow recently. It was beautiful and a little exciting. Sticky flakes clung to trees and grass but melted quickly on the warm pavement. I like to keep track of weather; temperatures, storms, rainfall, etc. It just something I find interesting. This year, I hope to record our snow fall.      However,  what I really want to share with you is last year's project. Some of you may be aware of the weather afghan. It's a blanket you crochet over the course of a year that records the temperature. A color is assigned to every ten degrees or so and you crochet a line to represent the temperature for every day. I enjoy knitting and crochet so this idea seemed really fun. But, when I thought about the time commitment and expense,  I gave up on it. Then, I had a new thought. I could draw the afghan in my journal. It would cost nothing and take no time to simply draw a colored line for each day.       Now I will admit to forgetting to do it some days. If this happ

    While the stores started weeks ago, many of us will mark today as the "official" start of the Christmas season. Suddenly, we find ourselves in the middle of a Hallmark movie with music, lights, decorations and delectable baked treats. It's a lot...but it's wonderful . Try to put aside your stress and worry to focus on the pleasures (at least for a little while). Take time to make a page about your favorite part of the season. You don't have to celebrate Christmas to find something you enjoy. Maybe you appreciate the lights downtown, the abundance of peppermint or listening to The Nutcracker Suite. Even if you can't wait for it to be over, add a grinchy, grouchy quote to fit your mood. You might be glad to put a little merriment in your day. 

      With Thanksgiving just days away, you may think that this is the wrong time to be journaling. Everyone has extra duties and some of us are cooking the meal, a monumental task itself. But, that is exactly why you need to step away and do something for yourself. Journaling is perfect because you are completely in control of how much time you spend. Five minutes may be all you need to regroup and tackle those more onerous preparations. Give yourself time to make a drawing or list your favorite holiday films. Here are some ideas I find inconsequential but appealing. Five things to journal while taking a break this Thanksgiving... 1- List all the foods you'd eat at a Thanksgiving meal made just for you. 2-Engage in some elementary school fun. Make a hand turkey or create words from the letters in Thanksgiving. 3- Note your three favorite floats from the Macy's parade. 4- Draw the pennant of your favorite football team. 5- List four famous people you'd like to have at your

       Fall is the time of year when I rediscover my interest in cooking. The heat of the summer has finally gone and soup finds it way back on the menu. Dishes that were unthinkable in July are happily consumed again. But, like the rest of you, I get sick of the same rotations and turn to the internet for inspiration. Recipes of all sorts abound. With so much to chose from, I sometimes forget what I tried or how much my family enjoyed it. So, I added a section to my inconsequential journal. On each page I write out the recipe then rate it. I set up a system to record difficulty of preparation, expense, and finally reception.  Most of my attempts fall somewhere in the middle. However, I have stumbled upon a few hits that I am glad I took the time to write down. Later on, I expanded a bit to include sections for holidays and special occasions too. This is not to suggest that it has become a sort of cook book section of my journal.  I think of it more as a recording of experiments rather

      November is a month that always feels short to me. It starts with the last vestiges of Halloween then quickly moves through to Veteran's Day. By the time you reach Thanksgiving, the winter holiday season is underway. December is full of so much to do and think about, it is natural to want to get started early. But, if like me you are working on being more present and in the moment, embracing November may be beneficial. One easy way to do this is with a bucket list. Merely brainstorm some things you'd like to do in the month of November and see how many you can accomplish. Try to keep it simple. Life is busy so if your list is full of day trips and get togethers with friends, you may want to scale back. Think small moments like making chili or visiting the library. Here are some ideas to get you started. Eleven things to put on a November bucket list...                         1- Take a walk on a local trail or around town                         2- Make a fall or Thanksg

      I really enjoy the outdoors. A fun afternoon might include a hike, visit to the zoo or picnic in the park. However, one of my main goals with inconsequential journaling is to find something that stands out every day not just on a weekend excursion. That does not happen all by itself. Sometimes you have to create those moments. This led me to rediscover my own yard. A lot more happens there then you might imagine. I started by making a check list of common animals in the area that I thought I might see. Not only did I spy everything on the list, but I also added to it. My yard has been better for animal viewing than any hike I've taken. Our neighborhood is apparently home to not just chipmunks and robins. I saw a fox, deer, and flock of turkeys. Even if you don't share these circumstances, you'll have plenty to note. Check out the parking lots and common areas near your home. If you live in the city, I encourage you to examine the sky. What type of clouds do you see? W

      The best part of inconsequential journaling is that it really doesn't matter. So, pick up whatever you have on hand and get creative. Notebooks (spiral, composition, etc.) work well because they are inexpensive and you can fill them up without guilt. But, if you would rather invest in something nicer go right ahead. Just remember to purchase something with plenty of blank space. You don't want to have a lot of quotes or prompts already inside. This journal is for you to personalize. A pen or pencil will get you a long way, but you will want color too. I like to use colored pencils because they last a little longer and don't bleed through thinner paper. However, there are tons of writing implement options out there so have fun!     In addition to color, most of you will probably want some form of organization. This doesn't have to be a long thought-out plan. You can simply follow the calendar or decide to devote several pages to a certain topic. The following are s

       I have enjoyed all sorts of journaling in the past. My tween years were chronicled in a lovely rainbow diary. College notebooks contained doodles a plenty. My calendars were adorned with drawings and quotes to compliment a mood or season. I had pages and pages of different lists. Then, the pandemic hit. Everything was thrown to the wind. My dinners couldn't be planned days in advance when I didn't know what was available at the store. Everything on my calendar was canceled. My mood tracker was one solid color of stressed.      I began to reevaluate how I wanted to keep track of things. As one day slipped into another, I found that I wanted to remember more of the little moments, find joy in the everyday and not worry about next month. That is when I decided to start an inconsequential journal. Nothing in it was a wellness plan, to do list, or bill paying schedule. This journal was simply for fun. As time went on, I discovered that I love this type of journaling far more