Journal #1451
Posted Tuesday, November 14, 2006 @ 01:19 PM
Ever since reading this post by Raul about journal projects and signing up to participate, I've been anxiously waiting for one to arrive. Apparently all the journals were lost before they made it here. It's been quite a while since Raul started the project, and I'll admit I forgot that it existed until recently.
Having rediscovered the idea, I've decided to start my own journal project, in which I hope you'll all participate. But I'm getting ahead of myself. What's a journal project? The 1000 Journals Project explains it this way:
The 1000 Journals Project is an ongoing, collaborative experiment attempting to follow 1000 journals throughout their travels.The goal is to provide a method for interaction and shared creativity. If you ask a kindergarten class how many of them are artists, they'll all raise their hands. Ask the same question of 6th graders, and maybe one third will respond. Ask high school grads, and few will admit to it.
What happens to us growing up? We begin to fear criticism, and tend to keep our creativity to ourselves. Many people keep journals, of writing or sketching, but not many share them with people. (When was the last time a friend invited you to read their diary?) You will not be judged here. And you will have company. This is for you. For everyone.
Essentially, each person keeps the journal for a week, writing, pasting, drawing, painting, and generally doing whatever it is that person feels he/she should do with a journal, before mailing it to the next person in line, who fills his/her own pages before passing it down the line.
Although the body of readers here remains small, each and every one of you that I've made contact with is creative, expressive, and interesting. The conversation is what makes writing here so rewarding. Every now and then I'll receive a lengthy email from one of you—frequently someone I've never met in person—responding directly to something I've written, offering me some encouragement, or generally continuing some bit of conversation conceived here.
I'm addicted to this kind of thoughtful communication, and ideally, this journal will be a more tangible form of that. You are all so interesting—photographers, writers, artists, students, geeks, strangers, living everywhere from Alabama to Italy to Bosnia or New York. Even my high school buddies are scattered cross-country. The fact that we're all here at this one internet destination for a few minutes every now and then seems a good enough excuse to properly introduce ourselves and collaborate on what I hope will be a fun and rewarding project. And it seems like this journal could do a good bit of traveling, which is exciting.
My only fear is that the journal will get lost. This seems to be the primary cause of death when it comes to journal projects.
I considered running the project myself through email and flickr, but discovered 1001journals.com, which generates pages and organizes email addresses and sign-up lists, essentially creating a profile/message board-type space where everyone can convene. Our journal's page is here, journal #1451. Since I'm using 1001journals to keep things organized, if you want to participate you'll need to sign up for an account there, which is fast, easy, and to the point. I've sent out some invitations through email to those of you I have addresses for or that I'd like to participate. However, if you haven't received one and would like to participate, leave a comment, drop me an email, or let me know your username on 1001journals and I'll be sure to invite you. The more people that participate, the better!
I'll post periodic updates here on the project, once it gets started. I've never used 1001journals before, and it may be a learning experience. I'm still uncertain how the order of contributors is determined.
Leave a comment or drop me an email (glynnish [at] gmail [dot] com), and sign up for an account. Don't be shy!
UPDATE: There seems to be some trouble with the invites I sent out through email. Let me know if you have a problem with them, and I'll try resending.
UPDATE: Invitation by email address doesn't work properly. The best method is to sign up first, then let me know your user name. Invites by user name seem to work just fine.
Glynnis - This sounds like a lot of fun! I'd love to participate, thanks for the invite. For some reason, the invite is not working, although I did register... do you think you could try it again? :-/
14 Nov 2006, 2:48 PM.
I'm ditto to everything that Erin said! I signed up and now my invite isn't working. :(
14 Nov 2006, 3:03 PM.
I'm not sure what the trouble is with the invites, but I've tried resending them. Hopefully that works -- let me know. If not, I'll open the journal so it's not invite only.
14 Nov 2006, 4:44 PM.
It still isn't working for me. This doesn't shock me. ;] My name is ashalee if that is easier..haha.
14 Nov 2006, 5:16 PM.
Eek! This does not bode well. I tried sending it to your user name instead. Let me know if that also doesn't work.
14 Nov 2006, 5:45 PM.
It loves me! SCORE!
14 Nov 2006, 6:11 PM.
I signed up. I'm lizott on it (big surprise there). Can I join your journal, friend?
14 Nov 2006, 11:24 PM.
hey glynnis...my invite seems to be kinda busted. can you resend? i registered under username elizzle if that helps at all. thank you!
15 Nov 2006, 5:30 PM.
Hi there! I'd love to participate too if there is still space available. My username on 1001journals is Sabine...
Sounds like a lot of fun!
:)
24 Nov 2006, 10:43 PM.
Hi again!
I added myself to the "Get in Line" section of 1001journals. Is this enough to particiate or is there something else that would need to be done?
Thanks! Have a great day!
:)
24 Nov 2006, 10:45 PM.
according to the journal's page, the status is closed, and this girl can no longer sign up. I would love to be involved!
28 Nov 2006, 7:51 PM.
Sorry Alexa! The journal's rather small and all the spots have been taken. However, I have a rather reasonable fear that the journal may get lost (these things happen, when you're passing it through the postal system to so many people), in which case I'll probably start another. I'll be sure, when I do, that you get a chance to participate. However, there's no reason why you can't start your own! It'd be a fun thing to pass around to classmates/ASFA grads.
28 Nov 2006, 8:42 PM.
Ah crap, I think you've got me onto something now...
28 Nov 2006, 9:34 PM.
Where am I?
Welcome to the past, bucko. You're swimming through the archive of rocket-fish.org. If this isn't where you were headed, I suggest you get out of here while there's still time.
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