Confessions of an On Again/ Off Again Passionate Journaler

My name is Todd and I am an on again/off again passionate journaler.

Every once in awhile my wife nudges me to consider the very large stack of books that sits next to my nightstand.  At one time they actually fit in the bedside table drawers, but now they’ve been annexed to allow for more books to reside in those places of comfort.  They are a mix of classics I’ve read multiple times and some that I’ve had for decades but haven’t read yet.  I’m reminded of an article I read by Scott Berkun with the title: “Why it’s ok to buy books and not read them.” Berkum lists several notions that resonate with me.  Buying books is hopeful.  It is like a trip you can take whenever you want.  “It provisions future curiosity since in 3 months or years I can easily read that book.”  There is even a Japanese word for buying, but not reading books.  It is “Tsundoku.” Somehow, that elegant word soothes me.

Recently, I ‘made some room’ for a few new books and actually passed on a few of my treasures to friends who I thought might enjoy them.  Believe me, it wasn’t easy.  In the process, I uncovered a stack of journals I have kept on and off through the last thirty years.  Like those ‘favorite and very special’ books, these journals have the magical ability to transport me through time and space.  

I opened the first, a neat and tidy black book. As I ran my fingers over the intricate ivy doodle I had put there I read:  “August First Day 1993 Vanstory Hills Elementary.  I arrived early at about 7:00 a.m. and I was really anxious today and tired.  Erica and I stayed up until 3:30 or so this morning.  We were working on things for the students…”   And just like that, the faces and names of those students rolled through my mind.  I could feel the incessant heat and humidity that was a constant in North Carolina that fall.  

Another, much bigger journal with a spiral comb binding was next.  Nearly a decade later:  “August 24, 2001, My hope is that I can make entries in this book at frequent intervals.  I’d love to commit to once a day, but that can be tough to keep up with, so I’ll try.  Life is going to get kind of messy soon.  Joyfully we are anxiously anticipating the birth of the newest member of our family.  Our ‘due’ date is exactly a month ago as of yesterday…”

“9-11-2001 OH MY GOD!  New York City has been attacked.  Two airplanes (American Airlines) were hijacked and flown into the World Trade Center in NYC.  Both towers have collapsed and thousands have been killed.  Another hijacked plane crashed into the Pentagon in Washingon, D.C. All aircraft have been grounded.  NYC is in chaos…”

A thick, bound book was next.  Rubberbands held race numbers, snapshots, concert and movie tickets within.  “August 25, 2012, First day of school 2012!”

I lovingly paged through these powerful pages.  Three hours later, I noticed it had gotten dark out and I was struggling to read in the dim light.  I switched on a light and made myself more comfortable, and I continued to read.  

Entry after entry, sketch after sketch, photograph or dog-eared concert ticket, boarding pass or travel map; each was a tiny ‘trip’ in my mind.  I re-experienced the struggle of those beginning years of teaching. I saw the unsteady and messy hand of a frustrated and sleep-deprived new father.  I looked with pride at the sketches and watercolor paintings I had made through the years.

Melissa Tydell speaks about the power of writing:  Writing Helps us, Heal.  In this article, she elaborates on the healing power of writing.  It:

1. Allows us to make sense of things.
2. Helps us let go and accept that we may never find answers.
3. Improves our mental and physical health.
4. Changes our outlook.  

Jackee Holder, in her fantastic Journal Journey Guidebook, guides beginning journalers in the art of exploring the power of journaling.  She gives many, but these are the three that spoke most strongly to me:

• A safe and private space for you to vent, emotionally and mentally
• An easy and accessible way to release mental clutter
• Where negative and emotional feelings shared on the page eventually create space in which you can connect with your natural flow.

In an article on Psych Central, Maud Purcell nails, what I think is the best reason to journal: “Through your writing, you’ll discover that your journal is an all-accepting, nonjudgmental friend.”

“What happens to us is not as important as the meaning we assign to it. Journaling helps sort this out.” via @michaelhyatt

Dominique Browning and I disagree on what is best to do with your journals.  In her article, Burning Your Diaries: First Person, she talks about how intensely personal her diaries and journals are to her.  She has a point. However, there are very few things I’ve written over the years that are truly things I would not want to share with my children or wife.  Of course, there are some yucky moments.  Some I’m not so proud of, but all in all, I think my stack of journals is exactly like me: unique, imperfect, filled with snapshots, drawings, paintings and little snippets of who I was along the way.  I hope someday my kids WILL read them and see that I was a passionate, dedicated husband, father, teacher and multi-faceted human.

Jackee Holder, in her Journal Journey PDF inspires me and I bet you will be too. It is a terrific primer on the power and value of keeping a journal. This beautiful 'gift' is available for free to download.

Two of my favorite elements are her 'juicing exercises' and 'simple writing prompts.' Both are sure to inspire and motivate you to start or continue journaling.

I hope my 'journey' inspires you to jot down your thoughts.  It is only in hindsight that we truly see their power and worth.  I know it has inspired me to be a bit more disciplined with my entries.  

Makerspaces: A Whole New Market for Authors? By Todd Burleson

Makerspaces:  A Whole New Market for Authors? by Todd Burleson

What is a makerspace and why should authors be interested?  A makerspace is a place where learners create, tinker, explore, prototype, fail, research, discover and learn through a variety of materials. The tools can be anything from cardboard to microprocessors.  A makerspace is about producing rather than consuming.  Makers learn to make stuff by making things. “Schools often forget this as they endlessly prepare students for something that is going to happen to them next week, next year or in some future career. Students can and should be scientists, artists, engineers and writers today.”

As this movement continues to grow, educators and parents are constantly looking for ways to dovetail literacy with it. Sometimes, for me as a librarian, I’m looking for a way to fold in a lesson.  Take  Not a Box by Antoinette Portiss.   This lovely story about creativity is going to be an excellent way for me to introduce the Global Cardboard Challenge to my school.  

This coming October, we'll invite the school and wider community to come visit our IDEA Lab and Project Room. We’ll have stations set up and manned by parents and students.  This will be everyone’s chance to visit and learn more about the makerspace we’ve created.  Following the Open House, we’ll gather to watch the film that inspired the idea behind the Global Cardboard Challenge.

Then, we’ll invite families to use the hundreds of pounds of cardboard, dozens of rolls of Duck tape, packing tape, Make Do Kits, zip ties and more to create with cardboard.  They might create an arcade game or a robot.  The only limit is their imagination.  Finally, we’ll end the day by taking a gallery walk to see one another’s awesome creations.  

One of the elements of the Maker Movement that is most inspirational to me is that it is breaking down the traditional borders around engineering and making.  Great books like Rosie Revere the Engineer , Crafty Chloe, Violet the Pilot,Iggy Peck Architect are some tremendous examples.  

So why should I as an author be so interested in the Maker Movement?  I see the answer to this question in two parts. The first is that this should encourage authors to seek those obscure heroes from history; there’s never been a better time to highlight them.  The second is that as authors, indeed as human beings, we should be ‘making’ ourselves.  This summer, as a result of my attending the CMK Conference in Manchester, NY, I went from complete newbie with coding and circuitry to realizing that, with just a bit of research, I could make THIS

Rather than paying $3,000 dollars for it, I could actually make it. All it takes is a basic understanding of code and circuitry.

I began to look at the world with a lens that helped me feel empowered. No longer was I merely a consumer, I was a creator.  This is the same sense of empowerment we want to hone in our students and teachers who are involved in the maker movement.  Indeed, this is what it means when you hear that education is preparing students for jobs that don't yet exist. We are preparing them to think, explore and imagine!

As authors, we are constantly mining the world for our 'next' idea. When School Library Journal leads with a "Maker Issue," this is a good sign that the concepts are pretty entrenched.  

So, get out there.  If you are a teacher, plan to visit a makerspace near you.  If you are a parent, grandparent, uncle or cousin, check out how you can encourage this type of thinking at home.  If you have never worked with tools or microcomputers, I encourage you to explore.  

Makerspace, Hackerspaces, IDEA Labs, Innovation Studios, Fab Labs, whatever we call them, they are popping up in public libraries, in former furniture stores and a school near you.  Go CREATE!  Go get inspired and then turn those ideas and the ones they inspire into a piece of literature that will keep the movement going!

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1  "Why the Maker Movement matters to educators | SmartBlogs ..." 2013. 23 Aug. 2015 <http://smartblogs.com/education/2013/08/20/why-the-maker-movement-matters/>