I don’t think most men keep diaries because we are not certain whether or not they are admissible in court. Putting my innermost feelings, fantasies, and desires down on paper is a bit threatening to me. That is one reason I have never sought a counselor or therapist though I am probably in dire need of one. Trust someone with my most private thoughts? Not bloody likely!! Writing this little blog gives as much insight into me as I am comfortable revealing to anyone. There is only one person on this planet that knows pretty much everything about me and she knows who she is. I do take comfort in not having to keep any secrets from her. The amazing thing is that with all that knowledge she still hangs around. Maybe she is ghostwriting my diary.
I recently heard a couple of great quotes on this subject that I found interesting. I do not know whom to credit but: the first is: “Only good boys keep diaries, bad boys don’t have time.” I don’t think of myself as a bad boy at all but I am definitely not a good enough boy to leave a paper trail. It is also my experience that most women have no use for a really good boy. The second is “Real men don't keep diaries, they write journals.” I do neither. Regardless what you call it, it is documented evidence. On a positive note, if I ever chose to keep a diary (I am confident enough in my masculinity to call it that), my handwriting is so bad that not even forensic scientists could decipher it. There is much better penmanship on cave walls. I have been told that I have the handwriting of a serial killer. Another good reason for not keeping a diary. Don’t you think?
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Dear Diary- Sunday Scribblings 8/19/07
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
14 comments:
Blogging is kind of like modern day diary keeping in a way.
I think a diary is many things to many people. A friend of mine stumbled upon a stack of little diaries by her grandmother, she was so disappointed to open them only to find they were lists of things/jobs/chores that she was hoping to achieve an any given day, why she kept them is beyond any of us, but there were apparently books and books of these so called list.
Ahh, but they do blog.
See, someone did make it to the end of the list :).
Strauss:
You are right. I think the main difference is that a diary is meant to be private. That is why they often have locks on them. In a blog we air what we choose to reveal to the world. My world is actually about a dozen readers.
I have a very good friend of mine, too, that knows ALL of my secrets. He is the only one that I tell everything too. Even my own husband, who I have been married to for 16 years doesn't know as much about me as he does. I trust this man explicitly. He is truely my best friend.
"The handwriting of a serial killer." Love it! I am with you on the unwillingness to reveal too much. My wife knows where all the skeletons are buried, and that is how I like to keep it.
My brother, who is a psychiatrist, is always pushing counseling on everyone, including me. If I have made it this far without seeking help, I am not about to start now.
AMEN Herb!!!
I don't need no stinkin's therapy. My life is great. I depend on the neighbor's dog and the voices inside my head tell me what to do. I do get tired of that constant ringing in ears and I think the CIA is trying to record my thoughts through my cellphone. Other than that I think I am pretty well-adjusted without any help.
I make it appear on my blog that I am open and willing to write about anything.
I'm not.
No one knows my secrets. I'm not that open with anyone.
I'd like to be, I suppose, but so far, nope.
My dad used to write diaries in his latter years. I never read those when he was alive. After he was gone, I was astounded to read his diaries. I got a lot of insights into his way of thinking and was humbled to know his thoughts about us, his children. Though he never expressed it to us in a verbal way, he loved us unconditionally. We knew that but never heard it ever from him. His diary revealed all that he could not articulate.
Sorry to take so much of your blog space. I just couldn't stop myself.
Tis true.. we women like the bad boys! If I found out my man was keeping a diary I'd bake him a quiche and kick him out the door.
Gautami:
Thanks for sharing that very heartwarming look at your dad. I think many of us dads are far more proud of our kids than we let on. Too bad that we sometimes have to die before they know it. Such is the nature of the beast. As far as my blogspace. I think there is always room for your great comments.
Lucy:
I just ate a raw steak and chased it with a glass of warm milk with a hair in it.
There is a place for discretion and privacy. Without it, we'd drive everyone else crazy. . .who wants to know the intricacies of our unique bizarreness? That being said:
"What was that anyway?"
I think some therapists are pompous to think they can "fix" anyone.
Most of therapy is talking to someone who isn't supposed to repeat what you said. It's like a best friend whose can lose their license if they betray your trust, and you don't have to listen to their garbage. (So therapy can be a win-win situation if all your friends are killing you with their drama.)
I love the serial-killer comment. Since you didn't reveal the source of the statement, perhaps the other person is not a handwriting expert, but a serial-killer himself.
I think blogs are a good place to share what you are willing to share. I better not tell your second grade teacher you have the handwriting of a serial killer. She may feel responsible!
IEG:
She is off the hook. We didn't learn cursive until third grade in those days.
i was smiling when i saw the picture of the dog. and i was smiling all the way to the end. i like the touch about the serial killer. oh and yeah, you're right. serial killers MUST never have a diary. =)
Post a Comment