Sharing a Journal

[Sarah M]

So we've been apart over a month, now. ...That sounds like a long time, and it feels like it was ages ago that I last saw him, but it's also gone quite quickly, which makes me think hopefully the time between now and when I see him next (probably December) will go by a little quicker. It should do, since I start university soon and he's possibly getting a job that would earn him immigration points for Australia. ...I'm a little chuffed that he's looked into our points system and calculated that he needs just forty more points to get in. But that's not for a few years.

Any who... Back on track.
We bought a diary together in Chester when we spent a weekend away there last year. It has a day to a page, so we could write lots while we had it. He has had it over Christmas and January, and it has finally arrived here for me to write in February. (I'm lucky, 'cause I get the easy month - our anniversary, Valentine's and it's short!)

I've already written the story of our anniversary (had-I-been-there style) and decorated it to stick in. I've kept notes of what I've done during the days I missed during the postal stage and will be putting those in soon.
I have to say, as expensive as it is (our journal's pretty big and around 1kg at the moment...) it's a really good idea! I love being able to read a month of ramblings, poems, pictures, drawings, stories and everything else that he's done just for me. He showed me pictures while he still had it and it made me so excited and proud! He really put a lot of effort into it. And for someone that doesn't tend to say much, he certainly shows how much he cares! It's so special that it's just for us. We put whatever we want in there. Whatever we know will make each other smile...:o

Not to mention, it's lovely knowing that every other month you'll get a parcel in the mail. Sending them isn't so bad, either! ...I like giving, just as much as receiving presents from Matt. So this is perfect.

So has anyone else done this and found it useful, or is anyone thinking of trying this? It doesn't have to be a diary, I don't think. A journal works, too. But we chose an A4 day-to-a-page diary because the dates are there and the lines are there and it makes you write that much. Which is nice...

[Rach321]

That sounds wonderful! I tried this with my SO, but I never got it back from him!

[szrhappi11]

me and jeff started one before christmas. he had an empty one and i went and bought one. we decided to each have one then exchange them. well around christmas we had some problems and stopped but now things are back on track and goin really well. so i just asked him the other day if he wanted to start journaling again for each other. he said yes but his scheduale is kinda hectic hes finshin up school. so well see. i hope to exchange them soon i cant wait to see what hes written and drawn.

[Zephii]

We exchanged letterbooks It's like keeping a diary but written to the other person like a long letter, we had one each and would swap when they were completely full.

I really like the idea of sharing one book though!! I don't know how you manage it with it being in the post for so long. A letter book would take 2 weeks from Aussie to Canada, and one week in the other direction. I think if we shared one we'd never actually have it long enough to fill it in!

[Sarah M]

Yeah - the postage is an issue, but we send it on the last day of every month and keep note of the days we don't have it for. I just finished reading through what Matt has put and I just can't say how wonderful it is. It's expensive, because we bought a big diary. But if you don't have much time to write in them, a small one is perfect - two days to a page and A5 size, or so. And if they're lighter, you can send them through express. I believe it's worth the extra cost.The letter books sound great, too!

[Zephii]

I think it'd be worth it too! Think of the memories later when you're all old and wrinkly and can go through it together....
where abouts in Oz are you?

[Sarah M]

Yeah - exactly. I'm tempted to take some photos of what he's put in and what I'm putting in (once I get around to it... I get nervous before I actually start being creative) and show everyone. I hope we can do that. I think we'll have at least two or three of these to look over, eventually. That's if all goes well. =]

I'm on the far south East coast.

[Taija]

I love that idea!

I made Jesse a huge scrapbook for our anniversary and I noticed that I really like doing that kind of creative artsy stuff (although it takes me ages because I'm such a perfectionist!).

[Sarah M]

Haha - Taija, I'm the same! I made Matt a scrapbook for Christmas (just as I was leaving to go home) and am really enjoying this creative stuff. At least the journal has a purpose, which makes it easier to start. =] I'm a perfectionist, too. It's a hassle, right?!

[ioanna]

i wish i could do that, it is so personal... too bad postal services between here and the US are such a pain! and he's not much of a "words" person, so i dont think hell enjoy it as much as i would : p

[Sarah M]

now things are back on track and goin really well. so i just asked him the other day if he wanted to start journaling again for each other. he said yes but his scheduale is kinda hectic hes finshin up school. so well see. i hope to exchange them soon i cant wait to see what hes written and drawn.

...how is that going? have you got it back yet?

[Sarah M]

he's not much of a "words" person, so i dont think hell enjoy it as much as i would : p

Matt's not a very wordy person, either. But he's great with poems and found heaps of pictures that he's stuck in a coloured, and even drawn some... It could work! I mean, all mine's writing... Save for a few photos.

[Mio]

That's cute!

[BJL_Sweetheart1109]

I wish the SO was more into writing. This is cute, but I don't think he'd do this. He might keep it up for a little bit, but he's just not a big writer. Besides, he does much of the same stuff everyday (as do I) and I know he would rather relax and just zone out in front of the TV. Cute idea though!

[Alisz]

Yay, for great minds thinking alike :P I had this idea too and sent my boyfriend a notebook for Christmas that I wrote some things in for him. It was a moleskin notebook that I liked cuz of the little pocket in the back for loose papers and stuff. I thought it'd be something he'd like since he's always telling me he has an easier time writing things than verbally expressing it. He's written some short stories too that were really good. ^^ I don't know if he's used it tho. He's been pretty busy lately and I don't want him to feel like it's a chore. :/ So, I guess in theory it was a good idea, but maybe not so much in practice is our case. ^^;;

Edit: XD Weird, after a few days I mentioned this here... out of the blue he tells me that he's been writing in it. ^^;; Now I'm boggled because I dunno when he had the time to since if he's not at work, we're usually talking or he's with family.