What I've learned from writing a journal

Yesterday was the 5 year anniversary of my daily journal chronicling events of my life. I began writing the journal in the summer of 2006 after a breakup with my first serious girlfriend. It was a cathartic experience, helping me get my thoughts out in a way that made sense. After that I was hooked. I only wish I had started sooner. I start out every entry with a thought of the day. Sometimes it involves work, sometimes a funny thing that happened, sometimes a girl.   There's always a topic and then I go from there.

It has been the best decision I've ever made. I read the ones from years ago and am amazed how much life has changed. The stuff I used to worry about in college seems ridiculous now. It's also incredible how much life in general is different. When I was with someone, almost every entry was about the ups and downs that is a serious relationship. Now most of my entries revolve work, partying, and the river.

If I've learned anything from this journal it's that no matter how bad of a day you have it will always get better. Just because you are going through a hard time at the moment, doesn't mean things will never be good again.  There will always be better days. 

I recommend everyone write a journal. It doesn't have to be every day, but a couple times a week. 20 years from now when you are married with 3 kids and your memory isn't what it used to be, you can pick up the journal and it will all come back. In the end memories are all we have.

The little moments are what matter

Drinking and grilling with my college buddies. These are the moments that matter

I don't really remember my high school graduation, my senior prom, my first time driving. I remember nights like last Sunday night on the beach drinking Natty Light, talking about life. I remember flashlight tag games with my friends as a kid. I remember playing Parcheesi and listening to Oldies 100 with my dad every night after school. I remember walking to the bars with my best friend Jimbo after drinking and jamming out to Roxanne at my apartment. It's not the big moments that make up your life, but rather the small ones that make us who we are.

A lot of my fondest memories are when I was young. Maybe it's because those are the years I'll never get back. The times my neighbor and I would spend all day building a dam on the Potomac to catch fish, or floating down on an old air mattress. I remember jumping on the trampoline with my cousins from California listening to Great Balls of Fire. I remember the countless scrabble games with my grandma at Fallen Leaf Lake. I remember the basketball games at Village Green, all the parties Jim and I went to at Umass, Billy D's famous dance moves.

It's funny how we are all raised to think certain major events will be the ones we remember. But when you look back I think you'll realize it's the little ones that are embedded in your mind forever.

This is a question for the girls

"This is the opposite of what I am talking about"

I was standing around tonight at a party. Two great guys who are very nice were chillin but the girls went to the guys that pretty much sucked. I'm facsinated by this. Do girls want deuchebags? Are they afraid if they commit to a good guy and get hurt? It actually is really interesting to me. If you are a girl what attracts you to another guy? This is fascinating to me. Guys like girls for what they look like at first but girls don't think the same. Is this biological? I truly am fascinated.

Right now you think I'm some sad, pathetic, resentful guy. I'm really not. I got laid last week but I'd still say this. This fascinates me but I want to know why. Do they want a guy that makes an ass of himself so later they can say that and control the situation? The funny thing is these questions will never be answered because similar to guys girls would never admit any of this. This is a scientific experiment much more interesting than anything I could think of in Science class. What do you think?