Start an 'Outdoor Journal' now!
 It
is nearing ice-fishing season, a certain excitement fills the air.
This excitement enters my thoughts, clogging my mind of it's daily
routine, hindering my level of functionality, umm, shall we say it's
now similar to, "Yes teacher?!?" "No, I wasn't daydreaming."
I'm sure most fishermen recognize the 'fever'. It
has a profound effect upon most all of us. During this time, I
daydream of past outings -- some memorable and some not so. Some of
the fondest are of my dad, although he has passed away a few years
back, I still like to recall fishing with him. What would help my
fading memory any better than a journal could? I only wish I had
started writing years and years ago so I could recall every
momentous part.
The first journal I ever started was when I built a
new ice-fishing house. Ice shack, ice hut, call it what you will in
your neck of the woods. Anyway, I thought it would be a good idea to
record when the fish were biting -- according to the time of day,
barometric pressure, type of bait or lure used, and what size they
were. The journal, just a small notebook, was left at the shack on
the table. A host of other fishermen had a key to the shack and
would use it from time to time and jot down their musings in the
journal. Needless to say, other items were added to the journal, not
always pertaining to fishing. What great reading this has turned out
to be!
It was a good idea then and appears to be a better
idea now, ten years later. As I read it, I can't help but smile
about incidents, that probably would be long forgotten had it not
been for this journal. I wish my dad had had a journal that I could
now read. I wish my grandpa and his grandpa would have all had
journals. What great reading this would be indeed, for my children,
and myself and to be passed down through the generations -- almost
as valuable and priceless as grandpa's old gun that has been passed
down.
An outdoor journal is a record of experiences,
ideas, or reflections -- regularly updated. That is one of the
definitions for it, another is diary. I prefer to use the latter
because 'diary' sounds more like something my sister guarded with
her life.
The exercise of journaling is a good way to compress
your personal mannerism and outdoor characteristics into quick and
easy viewing. From time to time, I like to re-read the journal
entries, ponder and reflect upon the times when I wrote them.
Many people believe that they cannot write
adequately. Everyone can write! Maybe poorly at first but for some
reason, the more you write the better you get at it, your writing
skills improve with every journal entry. Even if you enter just one
sentence per entry, only once a week, it's a start. Soon the words
will flow more generously and freely. And believe me, someone,
someday will want to read it.
The Hermit Writer
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