I will now share my ten days of accumulated wisdom and experience about bjournals. It's important that I don't use "Easy to do, hard to do well" in this, because that's a dangerously lazy precedent to set. I could say that about the next ninety-nine projects as well.
Writing your journal online is egotistical in the extreme if you're not trying to provide something to a reader. My partner reviews books, and she does it very well on her Cozy Little Book Journal. My oldest friend writes comical, anecdotal stuff (you probably heard about his snowblower ad on kijiji, if you live in Atlantic Canada). Me, I've been talking about the bjournal itself, complaining about it. There are people who can just set out to improve themselves, get up and be better. If you can't, you (and by you I mean I) can write about yourself (Iself). Suddenly, you create an imaginary audience that is fascinated with your struggle. And disappointed when you let them down. Pre-Internet, didn't you wonder about the person you knew who wanted you to read their diary? Worry about them, worry about their need for that level of attention, or that even in their own personal book recalling their innermost thoughts, they might be holding back because of what an eventual audience might think?
Not now. Now our diaries are public domain. We want people to laugh, commiserate, and write notes in the margins.
So, there it is. I have a bjournal. I have a place to make myself report on my attempts to learn new information and new skills. I have personal guilt-based motivation and a worry about what a presumed society will think if I backslide. I believe I have created an imaginary religion of one.
Tomorrow begins project 2 - Improve Flexibility (Touch my toes, try to do the splits). I can do it at home, My daughter can help me, and it will probably amuse anyone if I get some pictures. Decided to change categories after all.
-Mike
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