I first read about the macabre executioner’s diary in my local West Australian newspaper yesterday. According to both news stories the diary is going up for auction along with a well used tape measure. While I don’t think I’d want to own such a diary, I do think the information is fascinating from an historical point of view. It’s also interesting to note that although Henry Pierrepoint’s diary lacked any details of his emotion, the handwriting and condition of the entries began to reveal his true emotional state, anyway.

Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from Morguefile

Post from: Blisstree

An Executioner’s Diary

Today was Melbourne Cup day here in Australia. Now, for a race that’s run in Melbourne, Victoria, it’s kind of weird that it’s known as the race that stops the nation. But it really does. It’s so quiet out in the streets when the race is run. The entire nation tunes into that short race. Many more dress up and indulge in a full day of celebration, gambling and other entertainment.

As for me, well I didn’t even know which horse won until I logged onto hotmail. The news shorts let me know the winner. It’s all a bit of a non-event for our family. A lot of people place bets on the Melbourne Cup horses yet never do at any other time of the year.

Is there a national event you don’t take part in simply from lack of interest? Do people think you are strange for your choice? Do you do anything else or just treat the event like any other day? Use the ’stops the nation’ idea as a journal writing prompt and write about events that have stopped the nation throughout your life or wherever the line takes you. Enjoy and discover as you writing in your journal.

Heather
Photo used with permission from stock.xchng

Post from: Blisstree

Race That Stops a Nation

Digging around inside the bag later while we sat for a break in a cafe my son found chocolate, a balloon, an activities mag, a bit of advertising about the shopping centre & a wish list. This was discarded immediately, as he’s a bit young for lists just yet. I slipped the list inside my journal and didn’t think much else about it. Not until later while driving home. It was printed on a strong piece or card with soft blue ink. There was space for five items on the wish list.

I couldn’t help thinking creating your own list template would be a fun holiday project for the kids, or just for yourself. Use your computer to create a template, decorate then or after printing so each wish list is individual. I’m planning on using the one I scored today, but as a journal writing prompt to use in my own journal.

I had a bit of a search online tonight, but didn’t come up with much to share with you besides websites that had wish lists you could create and store online. I was hoping for some pretty holiday themed ones you could download, or something like that. Please share any good templates you know of online or that you have created and are willing to let us see by using the comments section below. Don’t forget wish lists aren’t just for Christmas, so I’d be happy to see any kind.

Heather
Journaling Tools – Go deeper and reach higher with hundreds of journal writing resources.

Life Journal Software

Post from: Blisstree

Wish Lists

Listography Journal: Your Life in Lists
List Your Self: Listmaking as the Way to Self-Discovery
More List Your Self: Listmaking as the Way to Personal Discovery
The Book of Lists (I don’t think is really a journal writing book, but I’m sure it could fire your imagination with list writing ideas.)

Leave a message in the comments section below if you have used any of these books. Also, please share any others you know should be on this list.

Heather
Journaling Tools – Go deeper and reach higher with hundreds of journal writing resources.

Life Journal Software

Post from: Blisstree

Books for List Lovers

Dedicate a page, or two, to your 100 things list. Decide what you will list, write as many as you can then leave the page/s and come back to it over the next few days or even weeks. Perhaps a journal entry on what you will list is a good idea, too.

I decided to create a gratitude list in my journal, as I’ve been feeling a little taken for granted recently. A great way to take the focus off my woes is to have a good look at the great things that are happening in spite of my feelings. Today I made it to 45, so I’ve only got another 55 things to add to my 100 list.

If you join in & decide to publish your list on your blog, be sure to share it on Shai’s blog as well as here so we can all take a look and be inspired by your 100 list.

Heather
Journaling Tools – Go deeper and reach higher with hundreds of journal writing resources.

Life Journal Software

Post from: Blisstree

100 Things List

Why ten things? It’s a doable number. You can scratch around in your brain and find ten things in response to any of the prompts I used. If you tried twenty it would be too many. Five might not be enough of a stretch. Of course, that’s entirely up to you. The point is to list your response.

Topics to list are everywhere. Ten travel destinations you dream of visiting; ten things you wish for; ten reasons to finish school; ten things you love/hate about where you live or your job; alternately, ten things to do before you die; and so on.

A list is attractive when you don’t really feel like writing a lot. A list doesn’t necessarily take a long time. You can return to your list and add more any time you like. You can use the listed items as prompts and write on one item in depth. For example; with the list of ten favourite foods, is there an interesting reason why that food is on your list? Perhaps freshly baked bread evokes a particular memory or time rich with satisfying emotion.

Nan Fischer has an exercise for creating lists titled Journaling Seeds on her Inspired to Journal website. Check out the rest of her website while you’re there for more journal writing inspiration.

Heather

Post from: Blisstree

Journal Lists