A diary is a very handy gardening tool

From eu.mycentraljersey.com

It is official! We are in the mid-winter doldrums.

The days seem to be continuously cloudy and gray, and although the weather forecasters keep talking about the daylight hours growing longer, it is difficult to notice when it’s merely a minute a day. Yes, this is the time of year to think of springtime and prepare for those outdoor activities to come.

It may sound old-fashioned, but if you are not doing so already, you may wish to consider taking up writing a diary for 2021. Whether it is gardening, exercise, a new diet or something else that requires recording dates or amounts, a diary is a very handy tool.

In addition, January is a great time to reread your thoughts from last year. As a gardener, it is good to note new plants that excelled or those that failed to live up to expectations. It is also good to note the weather conditions, as that can readily impact the end results. If you are seeding out vegetables or flowering plants indoors under lights, keeping track of time is important.

 

For example, did the seed germinate in the time indicated on the package and did you start the seed too early or late for the seedlings to be ready for containers or the garden? Obviously, the first year it is based upon your research, but in the years to follow, your diary will contain all the secrets you need!

Although we are still several weeks away from starting plants from seed, now is the time to order seed! In fact, I have been hearing from other gardeners that some seed is already sold out! If this is your first year at gardening, this may not be such a hardship, as you can substitute in another plant without hesitation. However, if you are a veteran gardener, not growing your favorite tomato can be a huge disappointment!

If tomatoes happen to be one of your favorite vegetables, consider registering for "Coffee Talk for Home Gardeners – Let’s Talk Tomatoes!" by going to bit.ly/3611hjj. The event is held from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Feb. 6. The program will inspire you to try new varieties and provide information on choosing the right tomato for your tastes and needs. 

A diary is great for notes about plants and seeding, but it is also important for keeping track of your soil. Gardeners and Farmers alike have become increasingly aware of the need to keep soil healthy so it in turn can support healthy soil life. Initially, it was understood that topsoil contained organic matter in the form of humus, combined with sand, silt and clay, but no one realized the degree to which soil was "alive" with beneficial microorganisms.

One gram of soil, a pinch, conservatively contains 1 billion organisms. These organisms help your plants to grow and flourish, indicating how important it is to learn more about your soil and get it tested every two to three years. To keep this soil life flourishing, it is important to know the acidity vs. alkalinity of the soil, the soil type and the existing fertility of the soil. The Soil Testing Laboratory can bring all of the information to your fingertips. See bit.ly/2NfjSkY for information on testing and remember to note the test results and the year it was conducted in your diary. 

January is also a month when it is too easy to become stationary in our favorite comfortable chair, preventing us from getting the needed exercise for a balanced and healthy life style. This healthy life style should actually begin during the childhood years. The 4-H youth development program invites all members in grades 4-6 to join the From Home Step Club "My Body and Me." The focus is to learn how to maintain a healthy body while doing interactive and engaging activities.

Go to bit.ly/38ZtfOi if your children are 4-H members for information on this Step Club. Otherwise, consider signing your son or daughter up for the 4-H program, which uses a learn-by-doing approach to teach children how to become competent and contributing citizens of the world. This too is something to record in your diary as your children respond and grow while learning life skills through 4-H programs. 

Recipes are always appropriate for a diary! After all, who does not enjoy partaking in some nutritious and delicious food! If you enjoy soup, join Jennifer Korneski at noon Jan. 26 by going to bit.ly/2Y4PfAN

Jennifer will be making a chicken provencal soup, perfect for a winter’s day. Or, perhaps your fancy is a plate of delicious deviled eggs. Join Jennifer again at 11 a.m. Jan. 29 by going to bit.ly/3611nrb for this free event.

As the days lengthen ever so gradually, gardeners find solace in preparing for spring. In addition, we can also take up a new habit to make gardening or any other new found activity more enjoyable with less guesswork. Dear diary...

Bruce Crawford is the program leader in home and public horticulture at Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Cooperative Extension of Somerset County. Email him at bcrawf@sebs.rutgers.edu.

https://eu.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/land-environment/2021/01/24/diary-very-handy-gardening-tool-gardener-state/4232350001/ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Centuries-old diary of Polish countess discovered

From ampoleagle.com

The Diary of Countess Anna Maria Berezowska,
A True Story Edited by John A. Stelnicki and Iris Hart
Book Review

Some 20 years ago Push Not the River, a historical romance novel by James Conroyd Martin, was published. Conroyd Martin’s work was based on the unpublished diary of Polish Countess Anna Maria Berezowska. His book was very successful, and he followed it up with two more Polish historical novels,  Against A Crimson Sky (2006) and The Warsaw Conspiracy (2012) as part of a Polish triology.

The diary that inspired Push Not the River, translated into English, has now been published, some two centuries after it was written. If you like sweeping romantic epics like Dr. Zhivago and Gone With the Wind, you’ll likely enjoy the Diary of Countess Anna Maria Berezowska.

In his preface, John Stelnicki explained that the diary was passed down over the years by his ancestors, and he had studied and discussed it with family. At times he let close friends and aspiring writers read it, and he had the diary copyrighted in 1960. He eventually signed a contract with writer James Conroyd Martin to novelize the diary. Push Not the River turned out to be very popular, and was even published in Poland as Nie Ponaglaj Rzeki. 
Stelnicki eventually decided it was time to publish Anna’s diary without novelization, “as she wrote it and as she intended it.”

The events in the diary take place in Poland in late 18th century, during the tumultuous time leading up to the 1792 Partition of Poland. Berezowska was a naive young woman born into nobility and living with her parents in Sochaczew, a town east of Warsaw. When her parents died unexpectedly she was taken to live with an aunt, uncle, and two troublesome cousins in Halicz. The 17-year-old Anna then began keeping a diary in which she describes the difficult personal events that she had to deal with, including an arranged marriage, rape, and brutality.

While her personal life is in a state of upheaval, so is that of her beloved Poland. This is the time of the rise and fall of the May 3rd Constitution, the first democratic constitution in Europe. A series of reforms that culminated with the signing of the Constitution of May 3, 1791 by King Stanisław August Poniatowski  reduced the power of the nobility and gave human rights to peasants. It led Russia and Prussia to attack, resulting in the second partition of Poland.

 

The diary is unique in that Anna provides a view of life in 18th century Europe  not only from the perspective of a woman, but from a member of the nobility as well. As such it does not deal much with the actual events that occurred as Push Not the River did. Instead, it is a touching personal account of the personal life of the Countess as it is impacted by the turbulent times. 

We read from Anna’s perspective just how hard life could be for a woman of that time, even a woman of noble birth. Her life was made all the more difficult by the violent period during which she lived. 

At times the diary is so compelling and descriptive that it’s hard to believe that it was the work of a teenaged Polish countess living in the 18th century.  We are indeed fortunate that, more than 200 years after it was written, this diary is available for all of us to read.
To obtain a copy go to Amazon or https://www.countessanna-diary.com.

https://ampoleagle.com/centuriesold-diary-of-polish-countess-discovered-p15075-222.htm 

Getting Into the Habit: Journaling

 From theyorker.co.uk

By Ifra Mahmood

 

Whether it be to learn something new, escape reality for some time, or simply to enjoy some down time, everybody places a lot of emphasis on the countless benefits of reading for pleasure. It’s probably a huge goal for many people in the new year, and understandably so. However, when was the last time you ever sat down and did some writing for fun?

It has been suggested that writing can optimize your creative potential; improve communication skills; generate clarity and congruence; improve organisation; and ingrain learning. Reportedly, journaling can initiate a domino effect because once you are able to grasp one practice you are initiating your ability to function as per a routine. So, what exactly is the best way to maintain a journaling habit?

There is no right way to journal. It takes many forms and is a unique experience for each individual. Some choose to treat their journal like a diary to simply recall the day’s events, others treat it like a to-do list. Some find it useful to track their health data, others concentrate on positive affirmations. It is entirely up to you. 

Personally, this week while journaling every day, I kept the content of my writing quite broad. This way I was able to discover the most ideal journaling style for me. MTo get the most out of journaling would be to make a list of prompts i.e:

My personal tip to get the most out of journaling would is to write a list of prompts, for example:

-goals and targets

-achievements and accomplishments (big and small)

-what you are grateful for

-intentions

-weather

-mood/ feelings

-sleep

-food diary

-worries

The results

Mood: Not only is January a tiring month, it is riddled with the constant pressure to dictate a perfect year. With the introduction of a national lockdown, uni deadlines and the weather inducing a sombre mood, it is easy to feel apprehensive and overwhelmed. Being able to have a personal and private place to process particular events, thoughts and feelings was relieving. Because I was journaling on a night, I found myself looking forward to having a place to vent my feelings. As absurd as it may sound, I genuinely felt my anxiety reduce noticeably in just one week.

Productivity: If there are small practices that you are trying to keep consistent throughout the day, such as tracking your sleeping patterns or screen time, then keeping a small section for this in your journal is not only a good way of keeping consistent with journaling, but also helps you to trace your progress and reward yourself for any achievements that you may otherwise deem insignificant. For me personally, something I am aiming to improve on is calling friends and family more. I was able to do this more frequently than I usually would this week, which was satisfying. 

Creativity: Because there really are no limits on how to journal, it is a good opportunity to tap into your creative side and see what innovative ideas or concepts you can conjure up. On days you choose not to write, you can doodle; you can collect little receipts; you can stick your polaroid and photos into it; it’s entirely your own choice.

Rating

Overall, I think journaling is comparable to taking pictures, the exact objective is obscure, but it is fun to do anyway and so, I would rate this experience quite highly. I found that journaling every day reduced my screen time, helped me to organise my thoughts and made me feel more positive.

http://www.theyorker.co.uk/lifestyle/getting-into-the-habit-journaling/ 

 

 

 

Dear Diary: Keeping track - and on top - of modern life

From stuff.co.nz

By Kylie Klein-Nixon

There’s a little ritual I like to perform every January.

I hit my local stationery store and splash out on a pretty paper planner.

In it, I record my good intentions for the upcoming year: I will organise my life and work, I will maximise my usefulness and manage my time more effectively. I will get myself properly sorted.

Then I pop the diary on my nightstand . . . and promptly forget about it.

I know I’m not the only person who does this. Don’t even front, New Zealand.

US author and designer Ryder Carroll knows a bit about this cycle of disorganisation.

As a kid, Carroll struggled in school, finding it all but impossible to concentrate on anything that didn’t interest him. He was eventually diagnosed with ADHD, which, at that time, was not well understood.

"I was forced to figure out ways to become organised and productive to make my way through school, and I did that using the only tool really available to me, which was my good, old-fashioned notebook,” he says, on a call from the US.

RYDER CARROLL

US Author and Bullet Journal creator Ryder Carroll with his "bujo"

 

After prompting from friends and co-workers, he shared the method he created BulletJournal.com, espousing a deceptively simple and versatile system for managing your time, thoughts and productivity effectively, “in order to live intentionally”.

“It didn't arrive fully formed,” he explains. BuJo, as its fans call it, evolved through years of trial and error.

“I designed it to be very flexible, because I needed something to organise the way my mind works.

“When you have ADHD, your mind works in many different ways all at the same time. You think in images, you think in words, you think things simultaneously. I needed a system that could very quickly react to the way that I was thinking.”

A Life Saver?

From such intensely personal beginnings, BuJo has grown into a global movement so popular and effective The New Yorker called it a “cult”, while still asking if it might “save your life”. Carroll’s book about the process, The Bullet Journal Method, is a New York Times bestseller, and there are millions of #Bujo and #bulletjournal posts on Instagram.

“It's not a finished process. A big part of bullet journaling is that it continues to evolve alongside its user.”

That’s why it works as well for a busy mompreneur, as it does for a mechanic; and as well for a teenager heading off to university, as it does a nurse managing a hospital ward. The tools “interact with each other, but also stand alone”, you just use what’s helpful and leave the rest behind.

It’s also the reason you’ll have seen BuJos that look less like diaries than art works: Fans have picked up the ideas Carroll created and run with them.

Some journals look more like an art project than something you’d use to keep you on track

Don’t let all the gorgeous double-page, calligraphy- flower- and washi-tape-covered spreads – that’s Bujo talk for layouts – put you off. While Carroll is delighted folks have turned bullet journaling into a rich creative outlet, one that’s often meditative and part of their thinking process, he stresses that’s not what it was designed for.

"Fast forward a couple of years now, people feel like the declaration is the purpose, and that’s backwards,” he says.

“When people see my tutorial videos, they're often shocked, because my handwriting's not great. It's black-and-white, it's kind of messy. That's where you begin. I encourage everyone to start there."

Carroll’s own Bujo is functional, minimal and personal

 The Analog Revival

All you really need is half-an-hour, a pen and a notebook.

After just a few weeks of using a slightly truncated version of the method, it’s working for me.

I start the day with a list of tasks already created from rapid log – and what I didn’t get to yesterday. I can spread my work out over the week, so I have fewer high pressure days. I hit the ground not just running, but sprinting every single day, and find it easier to switch off at night.

Also, and don’t tell my boss, but for the first time in my working life, I feel genuinely on top of things.

And what’s more, I’m actually using that notebook. Trust me to come late to the analog revival.

The digital revolution may have started more than 20 years ago, but Kiwis have been returning to the pen-and-paper fold for a while now.

The Kiwi Way

Alongside independent journaling systems such as BuJo, more structured, guided planners like the Passion Planner, Daily Greatness, The Makers Journal and Kiwi-designed options such as Kōura, and Littleline, have surged in popularity.

"I did an initial print run of 25 diaries," says Kelly Dare, a mum-of-one and developer of the Kiwi-designed and made Kōura diary, a self-care and mental health tracker with the tag line kia māia, kia atawhai (have courage, be kind).

"I thought I might sell out of those before Christmas. But I've just done the biggest order from my print person, ever.

"I think people are really looking for ways to put 2020 behind them and think, 'how do I actually shape my world, what works for me’, rather than being told what to do."

Dare was looking for a system where she could put her thoughts down on paper and feel like she "was actually achieving something every day".

"That's where Koura came from, needing something to make sure that I was looking after myself.”

 KELLY DARE/KOURA Dare's self-care tracker is simple, clean-lined and functional.

It hinges on a system called Power, that encourages you to track the five things you do each day to promote better wellbeing and self-care.

They include a physical activity; one good thing for yourself, such as getting your hair done or even just getting out of bed; watching yourself take care of yourself, focusing on it; eating something that makes you feel good (be it a piece of cake or a salad); and relaxation and rest.

When friends and whānau would come to her stressed or overwhelmed with life, Dare would share the technique with them. The obvious benefits they gained inspired her to create the journal.

"It's these five things that you do every single day, and they don't have to be big things, they don't have to be training for a half-marathon, they don't have to be like going full keto, or whatever the big dramatic thing is at the moment.

"It's just doing little things every day that add up to a big thing."

The journal can also help you plan your day, make it easier to prioritise doing those five things, and then reinforce how good they made you feel – like a gratitude journal dedicated to yourself.

"I just think there's something really special about writing something down on paper. Because it creates the practice of self awareness, you're really thinking about what you did, sitting there and putting it down.

"I get to the end of the day and I fill it out and I'm like, 'oh, I felt like I had a terrible day, but actually, I had a really good coffee with someone at work'. So in connecting pen to paper and thinking through it, it creates that feedback loop."

Practical Tool

Even when we use our planners for more practical purposes, they have a de-stressing and uplifting effect.

Busy mum-of-two and product manager Allie Sinclair is a paper calendar advocate. Her planner hangs on her kitchen fridge, at the heart of the family home, where she and her husband can see it every day.

"I put everything on it. I've literally got it beside me now, because I was wondering when we're having time off over Christmas . . . It just means I know exactly where I need to be at what time."

She also uses a meal planner, to organise food and snacks for the girls well in advance, so she no longer has to spend half the evening figuring out what’s for dinner.

Using the planners, designed by her friend graphic designer Kelly McCabe “takes the stress out of the whole week”. She just puts half-an-hour aside on a Sunday morning to plan her week and the family’s meals and, for the rest of the week, she doesn’t “need to worry about any of that”.

“I can move stuff around – I do that, depending on how the day's gone – but at least I know that everything's ready to go. It’s just so much easier, especially when you're working.

"I've always quite liked the tactile quality of having a calendar. I work in the digital space, so I do understand it and there are a lot of positives to it. But using the calendar, seeing it on the wall, at a glance, and actually writing things down, I love it.”

McCabe, also a busy mum-of-two, had new mothers in mind when she started designing her Littleline collection of planning pads, particularly the entrepreneurial kind, who are trying to balance a small business with a hectic family life.

"I know a lot of mums with small businesses are just trying to have that kind of creative output, to do something for themselves that they enjoy.

"Being able to set aside time to do that, it's so important. It’s so important that we have time to ourselves. For me, that's definitely designing and creating stationery. That's my self-care, actually."

One unique tool in her self-care stationery kit is the Pre-Pillow Planner, a pre-bed detox for your brain she designed because it was something she was already doing to help her wind down.

"When you've got a lot going on, lots of to-dos and whatnot, it encourages you to plan out your next day before you go to bed, so you can get a peaceful night's sleep.

“I always plan out my next day before bed otherwise it'll just be chaos in the morning."

Hand Made For You

Over and over again, studies find that people who take notes by hand are able to reflect on their intentions more clearly, and retain information for longer, says Carroll.

"I think there's a couple of reasons for that. Studies suggest that using your hand to write connects your mind and your body in a way that typing does not. People who are learning new languages learn much faster by writing them by hand, because character recognition is sped up.

"Of course, I didn't know any of this stuff when I was developing bullet journal, I just knew that I remembered things better when I wrote it by hand.”

PROPHSEE JOURNALS/UNSPLASH

Writing by hand is more meditative, it helps us to remember and reflect

Handwriting slows us down, creating mental and emotional breathing space that tapping away on a keyboard or phone never does. It’s meditative.

"I think in this day and age, we often mistake convenience for efficiency.

"Let me be clear, it's much slower to write by hand than it is to type. But I see that as a feature, and not a bug. Because you use more effort, you'll be more deliberate with the words that you choose.”

HOW TO CREATE A BULLET JOURNAL

Grab a pen, ruler and notebook.

Make the first two pages an index and number the rest (you can do this as you go).

The next four are a pair of “future logs”, two two-page spreads divided into six sections each, one for each month. Add the page numbers for these to the index.

The next two pages are your first monthly log. On the right page, mark the dates down the side, with their corresponding week days next to them. On the facing page, log all the tasks you have to get done this month.

The next two pages are your daily log. Here you capture all your events, notes, appointments, ideas and thoughts each day. Order doesn’t matter. You’ll know what’s what by the bullet points in front of them: Dots for tasks, a dash for notes, a circle for events. Add the pages to the index.

A star next to the bullet makes it a priority, or important. An exclamation mark means “inspiration”.

As each task is achieved, put a cross through the bullet. If you move a task to a later date, turn the dot into an arrow to show it’s been “migrated”.

At the end of each day, week and month, review the tasks and see if any are still worthwhile pursuing and migrate them to an appropriate date.

Add or change bullets, “spreads” or page styles to suit your needs and creativity.

This is just a brief overview of the technique. For more in depth explanation, and some excellent videos, check out Ryder Carroll’s website bulletjournal.com, and grab a copy of his book, The Bullet Journal Method.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/how-to/123350174/dear-diary-keeping-track--and-on-top--of-modern-life 

Nothing in the diary? Now's the time to start keeping a daily one

From telegraph.co.uk

By Laura Freeman

My diary is no dazzler, but it is a relief valve, a place to siphon off and spit out and seethe and soothe and settle scores 

Over Christmas I unwrapped a new diary and a 2021 calendar. A different Dutch flower painting for every month of the year. Presents, kindly meant, but feeling just now like a rotten joke. So far I’ve put in a friend’s wedding, postponed from September – and that’s as much as I can muster.

This time of year is usually lovely and longed-for. Hunker down and cuddle up. After a December of office parties, carol concerts, nativity plays and all the family gang together, it’s a blessing, really, in the shortest, darkest days of the year, to nest, read and potter.

Instead, I’m crawling the walls. Almost all year we’ve stayed at home. We did it because it was necessary, and at first we did it gladly. Now, I cannot be the only one who wants out. Out out, party out, new-outfit-in the-Boxing-Day-sales out. While I’m a stickler for rules and will do what I’m (Tier 4) told, I’ve had enough of this cowering, mouse-hole existence.

Watching Bridgerton on Netflix, I swoon and sigh. Not at Regé-Jean Page as the Duke of Hastings, smoulderingly dismounting his horse, but at balls, levees, operas, nights at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. And I hate parties. It’s a standing family tease that I sat mutinous and miserable in a corner at my own third birthday while everyone else had cake and games.

In any normal year, I’d dread the sequinned New Year’s Eve invitation. But at the tail end of 2020, the thought of Auld Lang Syne on the sofa feels as flat as week-old champagne. We are promised a return to the Roaring Twenties as soon as we’ve all had our vaccines. Truly, we’re ready to roar.

As for New Year’s resolutions, I make the same one every year. Keep a diary, keep it up. I mean a diary-diary, a Dear Diary, a Secret-Diary-of-Adrian-Mole diary. Not a dry record of appointments, holidays and haircuts – if you can get one – but a means of taking one’s pen and mind for a walk.

“I sometimes wonder,” wrote Sir Henry “Chips” Channon on November 20 1936, “why I keep a diary at all. Is it to relieve my feelings? Console my old age? Or to dazzle my descendants?” My diary is no dazzler, but it is a relief valve, a place to siphon off and spit out and seethe and soothe and settle scores.

During the spring lockdown, when all days in our small flat seemed to seep into one, it was a way of staying sane. Writing gave order to numberless days. I didn’t once do Joe Wicks or Yoga with Adriene, but keeping a diary was a daily exercise in spirit stretching and mental keep-fit.

Reading those entries now, each day comes back bright and distinct. I remember being mostly morose, but, here, opened at random, is the night we watched The Blues Brothers and danced around the laptop. “Good to boogie,” I wrote. It was.

Don’t, however, do a Bridget Jones. No calorie counts, no units of booze, no January self-flagellation. Better the Parson Woodforde approach – eat, drink and be sherry merry – especially if we have another lockdown.

“The trouble with all momentous periods of my life,” wrote Vera Brittain on December 11 1936, putting her finger on the diarist’s curse, “whether due to public or private events or to a mixture of the two – is that I never have time while they are going on either to take things in properly, or adequately record them.”

It’s a strange thing, but there has never been a better time to get into the diary habit than now, when all diaries are empty.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/12/29/nothing-diary-nows-time-start-keeping-daily-one/ 

 

 

 

How Keeping a Journal Improves Health for Older Adults

From southfloridareporter.com

Did you know that writing in a journal has powerful health benefits? Most people don’t associate diary-keeping or journal writing with the elderly, but there are many advantages to starting this habit or keeping it up well into your later years. 

Stimulates Cognitive Function & Memory Retention 

Writing something down helps you to remember it. This is how we learned all those years through school. Seeing things on paper and reading them back to yourself boosts memory and comprehension, which leads to improved cognitive processing. If you’ve been out of the habit of writing, engaging in this regularly will form new neural pathways and connections, which help keep the brain sharp, too. 

Reduces Stress

There’s a reason therapists suggest writing in a journal. Transferring overwhelming thoughts and feelings onto paper helps our brains process and organize our emotions and reactions to what is happening in life. Writing down what we’re experiencing helps us examine, understand and move past difficult situations. Essentially, it helps us complete what author and psychologist Emily Nagoski calls ‘the stress cycle’. 

Improves Sleep

Ever lie there awake at night unable to sleep because your brain is going a million miles a minute? When we’re overwhelmed with anything from to-do lists to big life decisions, it’s hard for our brains to shut off and relax. Writing helps. You can make task lists for the next day to help put your mind at ease so you won’t forget anything. Or, you can get your thoughts and feelings out on paper so that they’re not living so much in your head. Replace screen time with journal time and you’re guaranteed to see a noticeable difference in the time it takes your mind to quiet and enter a sleepy state. 

Fights Depression

It is widely accepted that writing in a journal has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression. Specific to seniors, this habit can support coming to terms with aging and subsequent lifestyle changes. It can promote mindfulness and help older adults to live in the present moment rather than worrying about what the future holds. Furthermore, journalling can help process complex emotions and difficult medical situations one may be facing. 

Creates Peace of Mind

Some older adults treat journalling as if they are writing a memoir. They might craft letters to their children or grandchildren as part of the legacy they want to leave behind. They may also see their journals as something special to leave to their descendants. It can give older adults an enormous sense of peace to know that they’ve communicated their wishes, hopes, proudest moments, best advice, life lessons, etc. with the people they love and care about the most. It is truly a gift to pass something like this onto future generations. 

Helps With Rehab

Seniors who are in the process of recovering from a serious injury or illness can benefit from journalling about their rehabilitation. Writing down what helps, what they’re finding difficult, how they’re feeling, and what symptoms they’re experiencing can help inform health practitioners and caregivers involved in their therapy. In turn, this can lead to a quicker recovery and better health outcomes. 

https://southfloridareporter.com/6-benefits-of-journaling-for-seniors/

Personal diaries that were published after a celeb's death

 From nickiswift.com

Personal diaries and journals are often thought of as gateways into the mechanisms of a person's mind — how they perceive not only themselves but the world around them. They are seen as spaces of ultimate privacy, where secrets can strip their coats off and thrive. Of course, celebrities aren't any different from anyone else in this sense: our favorite stars also need a place to breathe, to think without consequence, and express themselves without outside judgement.

"I guess in my diary I'm not afraid to be boring," humorist David Sedaris, for example, once told NPR. "It's not my job to entertain anyone in my diary." Although fans so often feel connected to celebrities, the dubious question that begs to be answered is this: Should the general public have access to those diaries? It's a gray moral area, but the answer, more or less, seems to point to yes. In fact, it has become a bit of a standard practice for celebrities' diaries or journals to be published posthumously. It might be considered an extra treat for the fans, a parting gift of sorts by getting to "know" our favorite stars on a deeper level.

So, whose tell-all diary should you consider keeping on the coffee table? These are the personal diaries that were published after a celeb's death.

Kurt Cobain's journals offer insight into his mind

When Kurt Cobain, legendary frontman of Nirvana (who, at the time, held an esteemed position as one of the biggest bands in the world), died by suicide at age 27 on April 5, 1994, the world stood still. Cobain's unmistakable talent and unique, daring voice has since forever cemented his place as a music icon, and fans have continued their fervent search for new sources of material to cling onto. So when Journals, a collection stemming from various diaries Cobain kept across years, was released in 2003, fans desperately flocked to pore over the pages. 

The New York Times bestseller consists of hundreds of intimate entries and drawings, dating from Cobain's pre-Nirvana days right up to the band's peak, all of it scrawled out in inky pen. The lists, letters, manifestos, and lyrics drafts document the musician's feelings as his dreams were realized, and act as a sort of autobiography where we lack the chance at a proper one. "On his notebooks he wrote 'if you read you'll judge,'" NPR notes, "which sounds a little more sinister when you learn that his widow [Courtney Love] made $4 million for the publication of these private diaries."

When director Brett Morgan released the documentary, Montage of Heck, in 2015, Cobain's journals (via RogerEbert.com) helped to provide an authentic view at the man himself, rather than focusing on the legend. If you're still itching for a new Nirvana song, Journals might be the next best thing.

Nina Simone's highs and lows are documented in her diary

The inimitable, enigmatic gem that is Nina Simone needs no introduction. Known for her divine musical talents, with hits like the fiery "Mississippi Godd*m" and the classic "I Put a Spell On You," her impact as a musician and civil rights activist is still deeply felt today. Although her personal diaries were never made directly accessible to the public following her 2003 death at age 70, writer Joe Hagan had a chance to go through them seven years later, reporting back with his findings in a piece written for The Believer.

"Unknown to anyone save her husband," Hagan wrote, "she kept a small, leather-bound diary" throughout the 60s. "By turns luridly raw and heartbreaking, Simone's diary and letters illuminate her defining years as an artist," he explained, adding, "Occasionally, she seemed to take great solace in getting thoughts on paper, often in her most desperate hours." Indeed, the diary reveals the edge beneath Simone's silk, the electricity that ran through her as a result of her struggles with fame as a Black woman, an abusive relationship with husband Andrew Stroud, and an intense battle with bipolar disorder — which was only appropriately diagnosed two decades later.

To peer into what her life was really like behind the music may feel like spying, which is especially true of one entry in particular, where Simone writes, "Terribly tired and realize no one can help me — I am utterly miserable, completely, miserably, frighteningly alone." Truly haunting.

Alan Rickman's diaries are set for release in 2022 

When actor Alan Rickman, beloved for his memorable and much adored roles as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter film series (among many others), passed away in at age 69 in 2016 as a result of his fight with cancer (via The Guardian), his devoted fanbase was no doubt devastated. While the star's onscreen talent and legacy would forever live on in the work he left behind, fans had some new Rickman content to look forward to at last: 2022 would see a collection of his staggering 27 diaries, which he kept from the '90s (when his career really began to take off) up to his death, released as a book. 

Aptly titled The Diaries of Alan Rickman, per The Guardian, Rickman had actually planned on publishing the diaries himself prior to his passing (unlike several others celebs on this list), meaning the book would be edited (by Alan Taylor) and released to the public as he had intended. With Taylor calling the collection "anecdotal, indiscreet, witty, gossipy and utterly candid," Rickman's widow, Rima Horton, told the outlet she was "delighted" about the publication. She added, "The diaries reveal not just Alan Rickman the actor but the real Alan — his sense of humour, his sharp observation, his craftsmanship, and his devotion to the arts."

Sylvia Plath's lush personal diaries

Now regarded as an extension of her work, as well as a piece of art in its own right, the Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath gives us an intimate look into the mind of one of the greatest poets of all time. Following Plath's 1963 death by suicide, a highly-edited version of her diaries was published in 1982, comprised of only a third of the original source material, per the British Library. However, the highly-praised, unabridged, and essentially untouched version of Plath's diaries — spelling errors and all — was released in 2000.

Written in the poetic language she was best known for, Plath's journals offer a vivid sense of her personality and enhance the mystique of her legacy. The library notes that we can better understand her work when we read these entries, as well as hear her pain and passion, as her ambition practically electrifies the pages. In one entry, which is dated sometime before her initial suicide attempt in 1953, she writes, "Stupid girl. You will never win anyone through pity. You must create the right kind of dream, the sober, adult kind of magic: illusion born from disillusion."

"[Documenting] Plath's extreme loneliness and the pain of being an outsider," as the library puts it, these entries feel like a conversation with Plath herself, allowing the reader to get to know who she was beyond her talent.

A personal journal exposes Ian Curtis' struggles
 
The blue-eyed, magnetic 23-year-old Ian Curtis of Joy Division has long held the public's attention — even before his unfortunate death by suicide in May 1980, per History. His dance moves, which seemed to straddle the line right between erratic and oddly beautiful, made him an exciting performer to watch. Curtis' halting stage presence, paired alongside the band's stirring discography of songs — such as "Love Will Tear Us Apart" and the aptly named "Disorder" — have made Joy Division an undoubtedly timeless classic. 

In 2014, a grand collection of handwritten notes and lyrics by Curtis was released for Joy Division fans called So This Is Permanence. The writings included are thoughtful, philosophical, and beautiful, with The Guardian calling the book "a visual counterpart to their sound, which was otherworldly and intimate, a hitherto unheard mixture of haunting melody and metallic clash." The writings shine light on the gleaming chaos that existed inside of Curtis, as a result of his battles with fame, depression, and epilepsy. In his large, sweeping handwriting on yellowed sheets of notebook paper, Curtis writes out lyrics that would make his name in music history with a maturity beyond his years. In co-editor Jon Savage's introduction, for example, Curtis muses in a 1979 note, "Reality is only a term, based on values and well worn principles, whereas the dream goes on forever."

Tupac Shakur's poetic diaries reveal insight into his mind  

Released just three years after Tupac Shakur's tragic death at the age of 25 in September 1996 (via Britannica), The Rose that Grew from Concrete offers readers insight into one of the talented minds to ever grace the rap scene. Of course, we mean the music legend himself — Tupac. Remembered for furthering the genre of rap into the mainstream with his utilization of narrative storytelling, coupled with his expertly-crafted rhymes, Tupac's murder was a loss for the entire music industry.

Through this collection of his writing, then, fans felt as though it was a bit like hearing what else the late star had to say. Composed of several of his poems, doodles, and notes — all written between 1989 and 1991 with the same buoyancy for which he was known — Scholastic notes that it "captures [Tupac's] unrivaled passion and candor," as well as his "most honest and intimate thoughts, giving insight into his enigmatic life and its many contradictions."

Laying it all bare from discussing deep sadness to sharing questions following a miscarriage, the book ends with a final striking poem, aptly titled, "In the Event of My Demise." Musing on the tragic, eerily on-the-nose idea of his life ending before he has any say, Tupac notes with a bright sense of hope (via Genius), "I have come 2 grips with the possibility / And wiped the last tear from my eyes / I loved all who were positive / In the event of my Demise!"

Jean-Michel Basquiat's ingenious personal diaries

Known as "one of the most important artists of the 1980s," per the Princeton University Press, Jean-Michel Basquiat's diaries — simply titled The Notebooks — reveal that his process never truly ended between paintings. He was always creating and innovating, trying to go further with his neo-expressionist art — even if certain work was never originally intended to be seen publicly. The collection was released 2015, 27 years after Basquiat's death at age 27 in 1988 from an unfortunate heroin overdose, per Biography.

Taken from the many classic black-and-white composition notebooks he kept throughout his life, the collection is comprised of thought-provoking poems, commentary, and basic drawings. All written in Basquiat's infamous straight, stick-man handwriting, one page simply reads, "There is a race on," among other words and phrases that have been crossed out. Meanwhile, the images Basquiat jots down are very much like his artwork, a bit incoherent but seething with an urgent message.

"The late artist's rarely seen personal writings and sketches are expressions of 1980s downtown New York, and, perhaps, of his truest vision," reads The New York Times Style Magazine's review. "... Reading them puts you in the world of the paintings through sound alone."

These personal diaries expose Marilyn Monroe's underbelly
  
Although this collection was released in 2010, it truly could have been released at any time and had the same effect — that's how deeply Marilyn Monroe's impact and relevance as a Hollywood icon has remained. Composed of several letters, notes, and poems Monroe wrote throughout the course of her life from behind the cameras for which she always seemed to be posing, Fragments reveals an underbelly to one of the world's most celebrated of celebrities. She passed away nearly five decades prior in 1962 at age 36 of a sleeping drugs overdose, per The New York Times.

Both sad and uplifting, the collection aims to tell her story from Monroe's singular perspective, giving the world a genuine and realistic peek into her beliefs and way of thinking. This is told in various mediums of typewriter sheets, handwritten notes, and pages from an actual diary with photographs in between. Noting that "themes of loneliness, sadness and disappointment" make up much of the writing, the Daily Beast's review reads, "The dark side of Marilyn is not exactly a revelation. What does come as more of a surprise is the joyous, functioning Monroe that also leaps out of these pages."

Indeed, as Monroe writes in one passage, "Only parts of us will ever / touch parts of others / one's own truth is just / that really — one's own truth."

Heath Ledger's unsettling Joker diary

In 2013, a documentary titled Too Young To Die revealed the private diary Heath Ledger kept in preparation for his iconic role as the Joker, in what would be his last and most celebrated film, 2008's The Dark Knight (via BuzzFeed). His performance would win him a posthumous Academy Award, and curate Ledger's legacy as one of the best actors of his generation. However, it would also signal the actor's ultimate demise, as he would accidentally overdose on various prescription medications that January, according to CNN. He was 28.

The diary has not been officially released to the public in full, but it reportedly reveals the somewhat unsettling process Ledger underwent to play the villain, including handwritten notes, photographs of the original comic version of the Joker, and images of Malcolm McDowell's character in Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange. Ledger also writes out his lines in the diary to prepare. "I sat around in a hotel room in London for about a month, locked myself away, formed a little diary and experimented with voices," Ledger previously told Empire of the diary in 2007 (via BuzzFeed). "... He's just an absolute sociopath, a cold-blooded, mass-murdering clown."

Known for the isolation and studying that went along with his method acting, Ledger's own father described the Joker diary as "a whole new level" for his late son. Hauntingly, Ledger is said to have written the words, "BYE BYE," on the last page of the diary as he finished shooting The Dark Knight. 

Andy Warhol's zany personal diaries
 
Released in 1989 under the simplistic title, The Andy Warhol Diaries, this collection has allowed fans of the quirky, ever iconic Andy Warhol to crawl into the artist's head, beneath his platinum blond hair, and see the world from his perspective. With entries spanning from across the late '70s up until 1987, just before his death of cardiac arrest following gallbladder surgery at age 58, per The New York Times, Warhol's daily life is documented through a series of long, full, and specific entries. Details of his lavish New York lifestyle are tallied up, including summaries of various dinners with friends, what their conversations were like, who wore what.

However, despite his influence still being recognized within the modern day art world, Warhol only briefly mentions his art throughout the book. Per The Guardian, there are no monologues about what the work means to him or his next big idea. In a 2010 revisit, the outlet measured the entries to the comparatively "lame" celebrity postings in the Twittersphere: "Andy's inability to present himself in a media-friendly light, not hiding his self-absorption, hypochondria, vulnerability or rudeness, shocks because of how rare it is to us now. Just maybe, in his diaries as in much else, Warhol was way ahead of the game."

So, while not as emotionally telling as other posthumously-published diaries on this list, The Andy Warhol Diaries still provide a look into the life of a high-brow artist for those curious.

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