The February Philanthropy Circuit

Posted on January 17, 2015 by Maggie de Barra

Choose your own adventure this February with either Friday Night Live Encore at the ROM, or the Book Lover’s Ball at the Toronto Reference Library.

February: our longest shortest month. The rare sunlight, the chilly walks home from the subway station, the promise of a Roll Up the Rim win, and a brief repose on Family Day.

But all is not lost. The Royal Ontario Museum (the ROM) is bringing back Friday Night Live, their ingenious summer fundraising initiative, for one night only on February 6, 2015. This FNL’s theme is: Carnival – so costumes are encouraged! I do love a good costume party. The early bird tickets have sold out, but there will be some tickets available at the door. My advice would be to go really early to avoid the lineup. There will be a line. When I was at the Fashion-themed FNL in 2013, the lineup stretched all the way across Bloor, and down University past Museum Station! I had never seen such a long lineup before! These Friday Night Live events are so fun. They open up so many collections to you and you can wander around the museum grabbing cheap food and drinks, looking at the Dinosaurs and other exhibits, and dance away in the main atrium to bands and DJs. The FNL season usually runs for 4-8 weeks in the summer months and they are always packed. The tickets are really reasonably priced (under $40) and you can buy ROM bucks at the door ($6 for food and drinks). If you can’t make FNL Encore, then make sure you visit in the summer!

And for the 1%, there is always the Book Lover’s Ball. This year, the Book Lover’s Ball will be held on-site at the Toronto Reference Library on February 5, 2015. This charity gala has won a bunch of awards and offers you the chance to rub shoulders with celebrity authors while raising money for the Toronto Public Library Foundation. Seems like a great idea in theory, but with individual tickets starting at a whopping $750 each, I’ll pass on this one!

It doesn’t matter whether you’re donating your time or money this year, just make sure you pick a worthwhile cause that you really care about. It always feels great to do good in your community.

Dot Com Boom

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Maggie de Barra

I finally caved and bought www.maggiedebarra.com!

For a long time on my About Me page, I had written “Maybe one day I’ll buy my own web domain and stop doing everything for free. But that day is not today.” Well, my friends, that day is today. Well this year really. I bit the bullet and bought www.maggiedebarra.com and www.maggiedebarra.ca! Using my fantastic computer skills, I even re-directed MaggiedeBarra.ca to MaggiedeBarra.com and I mapped my WordPress blog to MaggiedeBarra.com! Does this make sense to you? It does to me! I owe it all to my many hours spent back in high school hacking websites to copy and modify their code.

I really do enjoy the structure and style of WordPress and I am happy to continue using their publishing platform. I used GoDaddy as a host because Diggnation brainwashed me many years ago. In addition to these new matters, I even updated my Theme to give it a mini face lift!

What’s in a Name?

This blog has been Paper Clips for so long. Paper Clips by Maggie de Barra. It just makes sense to me. It sounds and feels so familiar! I couldn’t bear to change it. I did run through many other possible names (I wanted to call it In Medias Res back in third year, though I couldn’t seem to make it work…) but I kept coming back to this one. That or simply calling it MAGGIE DE BARRA, which sounds ever more pretentious and narcissistic than owning a website that is simply your first and last name dot com. And so, I will continue using Paper Clips by Maggie de Barra as my go-to until another name strikes me, or I get a cease and desist order!

To Blogue or Not to Blogue

I think one reason why I waited for so long is because, in addition to being extremely clumsy, I’m really shy! I am. With minor online exhibitionist tendencies in the form of public tweets and private instagram photos, but at the heart of it, I am shy.

I remember reading somewhere: It’s not personal branding, it’s just living your life online. And yes, my generation is doing just that. Your online presence is a mural, and every tweet, photo, and post is another brush stroke.

I thought for a long time that if I could hide behind maggiedebarra.wordpress.com it meant that I was projecting to the world that I was not really serious, that I could stop at any time, and that I’m simply indulging an odd, online hobby. But, attaching my name, and throwing a few dollars consideration at it, that means I am proclaiming, loudly: Hello, world! This is really me and I am serious. I am still shy, but I’m working on it.

Type-Casting

For a long time this website had been a “student life” blog, documenting my experiences as a college and university student between 2008-2012 (what a nice time capsule!). Since I am now a young, urban, working professional, it has really morphed into something totally unique. It is not a millennial blog, or a fashion+beauty blog, or a foodie blog, or a music blog. As much as I’d like it to be, it is not my dream Modern, Moderate Feminism Blog (#modfem). I write about my life and experiences and things that are interesting and important to me. I write a lot about Canada and Toronto because they are the centres of my universe.

One term that I have always loved is “hyper-local”. I came across this term when it was applied to a few Ottawa blogs back in university. They would cover all the local goings-on: restaurants, concerts, cafes, shops, and local politics. They weren’t exactly travel blogs, but they’d be worth checking out if you were going for a visit to learn all about the cool local spots.

And so, I think in 2015 I think I will try to write more about the people, places, and things I love, and to embrace the hyper-locality of it all!

If You Aren’t Outraged, Then You Just Aren’t Paying Attention

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Maggie de Barra

Ignorance is Bliss.

I understand, I think, for the first time why most people prefer those sugar-coated, mind-numbing movies and TV shows packed with celebrities and other pleasant things.

Watching the National last night, I realized that Peter Mansbridge and his guests were not discussing the possibility that this is our “new normal” – they were confirming the obvious. An over-used term, but still applicable. These recent attacks, homegrown and ruthless, in Ottawa, in Sydney, and now in Paris are horrific and terrifying, to me anyway. I feel like we are all at risk now. This is our normal, we of the post 9-11 generation. Which city will be next and when? London, Washington, Berlin, Rome, Tokyo? Toronto has been spared for now, but for how long?

I remember learning in journalism school that therapists and journalists have higher levels of something like secondary PTSD. While they may not be experiencing these events first-hand, their exposure to first-hand accounts on a regular basis can generate a wave of similar symptoms.

Watching all these news programs, reading these articles (some fantastically well-written, answering the questions I didn’t think to ask), following the chaos of Twitter – it can be exhausting. I found relief last night during the commercial breaks of the National, with previews for silly shows about space, animals, and consumer trends. It was like a dose of comfort before getting back in the ring when the program started again. I felt like a character in Brave New World, but it wasn’t taking hits of Soma that made me feel better, it was television. And with it, the promise of a familiar-but-novel distraction, spread to the masses to keep us somewhat entertained, but mostly chained to our couches, away from the news, newspapers, books, and somewhere out there, the truth.

Bonnaroo Expansion Heads North!

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Maggie de Barra

Canadian music fans won’t have to travel too far this summer to get a piece of the festival circuit.

Update 14/02/2015: For more information on WayHome and the lineup, click here.

Lolla

Summer is made for cottages, road trips, baseball, patios, and concerts! The National Post is reporting that Bonnaroo has confirmed a Canadian expansion of their popular music festival! I’ve been following these rumours for a while now, and I’ve been hoping for a Toronto/Ontario music festival for ages!

I’m a two-time Lollapalooza alum, and it would take a lot to get me out there again. It’s about a 12 hour drive from Toronto, plus tickets + accommodations + food. It’s hard on your vacation time and your wallet.

The US has Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and more in the summer. Up here we really only have Boots & Hearts (all country music-not really my thing) and Osheaga in Montreal. I’ve never been to Osheaga because both Osh and Lolla usually fall on the same Civic Holiday Weekend each year.

This festival will take place one week earlier – clever – and will run from July 24 – 26, 2015 at the Burl’s Creek Event Grounds (home of Boots & Hearts) near Orillia, about an hour north of Toronto.

Coachella just released their lineup today, so we can bet most of these bands will be playing the summer festival circuit. Some good ones on the list: AC/DC, Tame Impala, Jack White, the Weeknd, alt-j, Ratatat, Father John Misty, Drake (headlining!), Florence and the Machine, David Guetta, Brand New (high school nostalgia), and more.

Looks like a good mix of genres and popular/indie bands. Happy to see Toronto represented by two major players- the Weeknd and Drake. Interesting that Drake is closing Sunday. He started from the bottom and now he is at the top of the headliners for Coachella. We’ll probably see a lot of overlap at Osheaga, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, and Bonnaroo North or whatever they decide to call this new festival. More to come!

Update 14/01/2015: Bonnaroo has released their lineup here. No word yet on #BonnarooNorth.

Happy New Year!

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Maggie de Barra

Cheers to 2015!

2014: A Year in Review

Posted on December 31, 2014 by Maggie de Barra

A month-by-month play-by-play.

This year has seen a lot of ch-ch-changes: big and small, good and bad. I changed roommates, I changed jobs, my family structure has changed, and our country was changed forever.

Heads up: this is long! (Shout out to my friend Jen for taking most of these photos! She has curated a photo essay of my youth.)

January

Coming down from the Christmas season is always a blur. Trying to fit in all family, friends, and events you couldn’t squeeze into December. Somehow I managed to see The Nutcracker (twice in one year is always a plus), Les Miserables, Heartbeat of Home, and I saw Jay-Z again! He was great with Kanye during Watch the Throne, and he is just as good solo. I got some good ice time at Harbourfront, and at the little rink near my house, and even some twizzles on the Canal in Ottawa. There is nothing so soothing as a few solitary, silent laps on the ice.

February

At one point in early February, I wrote the following in my agenda: “work panic attack / existential crisis / major anxiety“. Talk about dramatic. February was awfully stressful, at work and at home. I had coworkers coming and going and our team was in a flux. And at home, my roommate was set to move out any day, and I was constantly in limbo trying to plan for my sister to move in. I was a wreck every single day. I felt anxious all the time and I was barely sleeping. I had awful chest pains and heart palpitations. I needed to make a major life change, and in February, I started to do just that.

In February, our Social Committee at work set out to raise $1,000 for the Red Door Family Shelter. We managed to loop in Valentine’s Day and the Olympics into our fundraising through dress down Jersey days and selling Candy Grams.

Candy Grams

It was a great success and we beat our goal! I loved taking charge of these events and it really brought the spirit in the office to new heights, and it felt so good to be doing something together as a team. And, we got to watch so many events on the TV in the boardroom! It was great. The men and women both won Gold in Hockey, and we hosted an awesome brunch to celebrate the gold medal game!

March

In March, we also threw a team together for the Escape the Winter Beach Volleyball Tournament. We lost every game, but we had a fun time.

Beach Volleyball

We went to Medieval Times one Saturday night and it was so fun! Our section was cheering so hard and we were so into it. But again, our Knight didn’t win. As a lifetime Leafs’ fan, I’m used to it now. And I caught a Raptors-Golden State game as well. I definitely want to check out some more games in 2015. The crowd at Raptors’ games is so loud and wild. The fans cheer for each basket and every play, unlike the suits at the Leafs’ games who are always on their phones.

April

April was crazy for both work and home. My team was up in the air and I had no idea where I fit in anymore, and I was working insane hours. I also had to juggle one roommate moving out and another moving in. It was tumultuous, and it really did a number on me. My stress was so bad I landed myself in the hospital. I also got three cavities (my first ever).

May

In May, I think I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Having my sister move in with me was the best thing ever. We had such a fun summer. I’ve never watched so many movies in my life. The weather finally let up and we got some weak sunshine. The ice only went under the lake the week before May 2-4, so that weekend up north was really chilly! It seems like it went right from winter to summer, no spring at all. But it was super relaxing – something I really reaaally needed.

Toronto

I had my best friend Lil come for a visit from Australia and we had some much needed girl time (pedicures and picnics etc.) and I also made it to two Jays’ games.

June

Watching the World Cup in the boardroom and after work this summer was so fun. I’ve been a Netherlands’ fan since grade ten when I had an exchange student named Nienke. I’ve had a soft spot for the Dutch ever since. My love for the Oranje threw off my office pool, but at least I got to see that magnificent victory over Spain. Payback for 2010!! In June I also got to meet one of my idols, Hillary Clinton. As of today, she has still not announced anything! Summer is for the Blue Jays, and I managed to fit in one more, against the Yankees. And Canada Day is incomplete without a jaunt in the woods, so we went up north again for the weekend. And, I tried a Weber’s burger for the first time!

July

My girlfriends and I spent a beautiful summer Sunday on the Island riding bikes around and reenacting scenes from Now & Then.

And I got to live the dream and see Beyonce and Jay-Z together at the On the Run Tour at the ACC. They are both amazing live! I’ve seen them both twice now so I’ll lay off for a bit. Wait for another album to come out. I am still holding out for another good Kanye album so he can redeem himself. We also had a girls weekend in Niagara with good food and wine, and great company.

August

In August, I made some big moves at work. It was a relaxing month because I had over three weeks off between my old job and my new job. One of those weeks was spent up north at the cottage and it was the perfect way to wind down after a wild few months. I also got to cross my last must-see band off my list – Arcade Fire at the Molson Amphitheatre. I’ve now seen everyone I think! Every band on my list. What a triumph! It was the last weekend of the summer and it went out with a bang.

September

I went to my first wedding! It was a hoot. I also started doing yoga, which really did wonders for my stress levels. It’s just a nice way to chill out and relax. I also got to see a Leafs’ exhibition game, and it was my sister’s first Leafs’ game so that was nice to share with her.

October

I saw Joffrey Lupul buying records at Rotate This on Queen. I didn’t realize it was him until he was walking away so I didn’t even get to say hello. Nobody was bothering him, and he just looked like a regular guy. I saw him at a Vampire Weekend concert a few years ago, so I know he has good taste in music. I saw Tennis again at the Mod Club for their new album. And, we spent a day at Forsythe Farms to pick pumpkins and get lost in a corn maze. It was a perfect fall day.

I went to a Toronto Public Library Lecture series about Emma, my favourite Jane Austen novel. I was the youngest person there, but it was still fun. My family and I went to see Book of Mormon and it was so funny!! I just loved it and highly recommend it if you don’t mind extremely rude jokes about everything and everyone under the sun. I also went to see Bastille at the ACC. I thought Bastille was an indie band, I had no idea they had such a huge following, or that the entire following was under the age of sixteen. My sister and I were the oldest people in sight!

October 22 will stay with me forever, as long as I live. There was also the scandalous news about Jian Ghomeshi. I received an email from the Carleton School of Journalism which was much appreciated. They were reaching out to current and former students to make sure we were all okay. They had sent something like 70+ interns to CBC over the past few years, and one student (that they knew of) was placed with Q. I am keeping an eye on this, his trial will certainly be something else.

I did my civic duty and voted in Toronto’s municipal election. John Tory was elected but only by a small margin. I really think that if Rob Ford ran for Mayor, he would have won. This scares me.

My friend Dana brought me to see the former Governor General, Adrienne Clarkson, present a CBC Massey Lecture on the paradox of citizenship. It was timely and interesting based on our recent election, and the Ottawa Shooting.

For Halloween, I was a Mummy! I am continuing in my quest to be all the things I wanted to be as a child/teen but was too embarrassed/shy to be. Back then I just wanted to be something cute (but inevitably lame). Now I realize that I have to dress for only me! I have been a Mummy, Beyonce, a Cat, and a Robot. I’ll start brainstorming again in the summer.

Oh, and I turned 26!!!!!

November

November 1 I will always remember for my Grandpa Pat. November was a month filled with lots of family and friends. I definitely felt the love. We have always been close and tight-knit. We are so much stronger now.

I managed to snag some more Leafs tickets, but it was for that dreadful 9-2 loss against Nashville. We put our Christmas tree up on the same day as the Santa Claus parade. All this wait until Thanksgiving thing is an American idea. In our house, the Christmas season starts on the day of the parade. I like to get a full eight weeks of Christmas celebrations each year.

December

I got some professional head shots taken. I’ll be adding them to my LinkedIn profile in the New Year when our new website goes live. I saw Arcadia with my Uncle John. The play was really long, almost three hours! But it was very good, and I left wanting to know more which is, I think, a good sign. I got to stop by the Santa in the Junction Winter Christmas Market – more of a sidewalk sale than a market!

We went to see the Donny & Marie Christmas Show at the Princess of Wales Theatre! It was so good, the perfect mix of Broadway, Christmas songs, Oldies, and Pop. The ladies in the audience were going crazy for Donny, but he was so sweet and hugged them all! And, Kate and I snagged some rush seats to The Nutcracker.

December is always a whirl with lots of family and friend dinners and parties. I do love a good Ugly Christmas Sweater party. Great news: my best friend Lil from university just got engaged (!!!) and she asked me to be a bridesmaid (!!!!!). I am beyond thrilled. Two things on my mind right now: 1) save up for my ticket to Australia! 2) save up for bridal party expenses!!

My sister and I also went to see Jersey Boys in December. It was amazing, as always. It was my fifth show, her tenth show. It gets better and better each time. We met the cast at the stage door and they are so nice! We joined them for a beer at a nearby pub after the show. They’re just like us! I cannot recommend this show enough, it’s always a good time.

Conclusion

And now here we are, the last day of the year and I will shortly be heading out of the city. I’ll be joining my best friends up north to ring in the new year in the wilderness.

How did I do on my goals from last year? Don’t care! What am I planning for next year? Nothing at all. Just be myself. It’s been working for me so far. I’ll keep you posted.

Happy New Year! Cheers to 2015!

Ballet Review: The Nutcracker

Posted on December 23, 2014 by Maggie de Barra

The National Ballet of Canada’s annual production of The Nutcracker is a festive and fun way to get into the Christmas spirit.

Going to see The Nutcracker at the Four Seasons Centre has become one of my favourite Christmas traditions, next to watching Little Women on Christmas Eve (sacred in our house). There is something so magical about Tchaikovsky’s suite, and this grand holiday spectacle. I look forward to it every year, and I still get chills each time.

The opening scene, a Christmas party, with all the aunts, uncles, and cousins spilling in for a visit is such a familiar scene. In my head, this is how we all arrive on Christmas Eve, dressed up and synchronized, but we end up looking more like a pack of Griswolds in Christmas Vacation.

This year, the show only runs from December 13th to January 3rd – only three weeks! I wish they would start on December 1st or so, three weeks isn’t long enough. I know that these shows do a short run time to ensure a packed house each night, limiting the supply to a high-demand market like Toronto. But, would it really hurt to extend by two weeks? If there were empty seats, there would be more room for Dance Break and Rush seats, and they would be able to reach a wider audience who may not have had the opportunity to see the show otherwise. I read that 40 per cent of a ballet company’s revenues are generated during the Nutcracker season. Wouldn’t it be better to extend the run to increase the revenues? And, I think it would be beneficial to extend the run for another two weeks so they can increase the number of future patrons who may never have had the chance to see the show during the regular short run.

The National Ballet of Canada does a Russian-style show. The opening scene takes place in a snowy barn and everyone is bundled up. It has been in this style for some time now. My friend, Kate, who bravely faced the box office line in the morning, told me that she has seen a Canadian-style production with dancing Mounties and Canada Geese! How fantastic would that be? While I do love this beautiful, red and gold, Fabergé egg style, I would really love to see something new. Surely, it must be about time for a change. But, it’s not as if they can just re-design and re-choreograph the whole thing. Or, can they?

There are so many lovely, familiar numbers in the Nutcracker. That feeling of awe when the tree grows in front of your eyes, the Waltz of the Snowflakes, the Arabian Dance, the Shepherdess and the Fox, and the Bumblebee. I especially love the Dancing Bears. The NBC released this cute video with some rehearsal footage. I always loved how they look so graceful despite their large size and clumsy footwork. The company does a great job of including all ages and skill levels in each number.

The little lambs are so cute! They brought them down into the hall during intermission for photos.

I’ll never forget my first show, I was so impressed that they brought a real horse on stage! You can imagine my shock when I saw how well the horse was trained, especially when it started dancing around to the music! I didn’t realize until the very end that it was simply two male dancers in a very realistic horse costume.

I have said before, the Waltz of the Snowflakes is my favourite number of the whole show. I just love the corps de ballet. They are strong but graceful, beautiful, and synchronized. I’ve learned so much about the different levels in a ballet company thanks to the city.ballet. series on AOL. It’s a very entertaining behind-the-scenes look at the New York City Ballet. Definitely check it out!

I think the Nutcracker is such a hit, with me anyway, because it shows me exactly what I want to see during the holidays: heartwarming scenes of family, charming Christmas spirit, beautiful costumes and scenery, and a fantastically talented orchestra accompaniment. I’ve had seats in the past overlooking the orchestra and it is so fascinating to see the musicians live. They are tremendously talented.

If you have not yet seen The Nutcracker, it is well worth the trip. If you’re in Toronto, ticket prices range from $60 to $160, but definitely see if you can take advantage of some of their discount programs: Dance Break or Rush tickets (you can usually snag a seat for around $40). Or, you can watch the Mariinsky performance of The Nutcracker on YouTube here.

The Nutcracker will really take your Christmas spirit to the next level. With just one more day to go (!!!!), and my Christmas shopping still not finished – I’m halfway between bliss and stress! I should be very thankful, however, because at this time last year, our whole city was covered in ice, and our power was out for THREE DAYS.

Cheers to you, wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a safe and healthy New Year!!

Canadian Christmas Cards 2014

Posted on December 1, 2014 by Maggie de Barra

Combining my two great loves: Christmas and Canadiana.

Canadian Christmas Cards | Paper Clips by Maggie de Barra

December is here! Time to crack open the Advent Calendars and tuck into all the Christmas movies. Our tree is up, the Christmas village is sprawling, and the carols are on repeat. It really is the most wonderful time of the year.

Spoiler alert, friends and family: I picked up these adorable Hockey Christmas Cards when they were on sale back in January. I can’t wait to send these little guys out. I also picked up some traditional holly+ivy style cards as well. Now if I could only find some time to sit still for an hour to write and post them all!

I’ve been wandering around midtown Toronto trying to find some more adorable Canadian-themed Christmas and Holiday cards and, great news, I’ve found quite a few!

My favourites, far and away, are from Wendy Tancock. She designed that cute little hockey card above. Wendy is a Toronto-based designer and man, do her cards speak to me!!

Witty and keyed into our popular culture, you can’t get much better than these cards!

Will and Kate! The Raccoons! The fighting Leafs and Habs! I can’t get enough of these. I’m really hoping to see Wendy and her adorable cards at the One of a Kind Show, or maybe Santa in the Junction Winter Market.

If you’re looking to buy a Christmas card for charity, there are several options as well.

The Canadian Cancer Society is selling some really cute Holiday Cards for $1 each. Proceeds raised from the sale of the cards will help to fund cancer research, vital information programs, and compassionate services for people with cancer and their families. Canadian Cancer Society Christmas Cards can be purchased by mail, fax, or online.

And, I especially love Unicef Canada‘s Holiday Cards. They really do a great job of capturing just what a Canadian winter looks like. Unicef Holiday Cards come in packs of 116 for $50, and can be purchased at IKEA, Pier 1 Imports, Hallmark stores, Loblaws, and Walmart.

So go forth and send some Christmas Cheer to your loved ones! I’m sure it will brighten their day!

Canadian Christmas Cards 2014 first appeared on Paper Clips by Maggie de Barra.

Are You Clumsy or Just Lazy?

Posted on November 24, 2014 by Maggie de Barra

Stumbling along the fine line between careful and careless.

When I meet someone new, there is a race against the clock to get a wide-sweeping disclaimer out there in the open: I am very clumsy. If we go for a walk, I will trip often. If we go out for a meal, I will spill food and drinks.

It’s nice to say it out loud a few times to lay a good foundation for when an accident inevitably happens. Oh, you’re surprised I knocked this whole display over? You really shouldn’t be seeing as I’ve already told you at least once a day for the last three weeks that I am a Clumsy Person. A stumbling, bumbling, butterfingers…

I once heard a comedian make a joke about not using napkins in his lap (lapkins? anyone?). He said that as a grown man, he believed in himself enough to get the food from his plate to his mouth. Me on the other hand, well, if it were socially acceptable for adults to wear bibs in public, I would.

Case in point: Yesterday I cut my top lip while aggressively eating an avocado right out of the peel. Was I really in such a rush? No. Was it that good of an avocado? Yes, but not enough to stab myself with a spoon.

But it goes beyond tripping over my feet and spilling coffee everywhere and always. I’ve had a few incidents that have really put my health at risk: setting my hair on fire, getting electrocuted, etc.

My problem is that I am often absent-minded, not day-dreaming exactly, just that my thoughts can wander elsewhere. I barely give a second thought to the menial tasks of everyday life: eating, walking, etc, and it gets me in trouble. I am quick to blame it on being “clumsy”, and I am now afraid it is just a myth. Claiming to be clumsy all the time is a cop-out. I fear that I’m actually just lazy and careless. If I could re-align my priorities, I’d focus on being present, conscious, and intentional in all things. If anything is worth doing, it’s worth doing well, no matter how menial it may be.

Real Maggie is clumsy, Ideal Maggie is careful.

Are You Clumsy or Just Lazy? first appeared on Paper Clips by Maggie de Barra.

Image source: 1.

The Joys of a New Journal

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Maggie de Barra

Full Disclosure: If we’ve ever spoken, I’ve written about you in my journal.

I hope you don’t mind that I put down in words…

I finished another journal. A pretty thing, embossed with Tudor Roses and gilt pages, purchased from a museum gift shop in Washington. It was bigger than what I’m used to, but it fit in my purse and was mostly discreet at coffee shops.

I had purchased the successor a few weeks ago. I like to keep the spare around in case I fall into a spell and run though the last pages faster than anticipated. Is there anything worse than having a mind raging with things to write and no journal nearby? Or maybe having a notebook, but no good pens?

I have found that buying a new journal before the old one is finished is a bit like declaring the heir before the reigning monarch has died. Your hopes and dreams turn to the novelty. In the past, I’ve found myself wasting pages full of nonsense just so I can move onto the next.

I have been keeping a journal since December 21, 2001. Nearly 13 years! Almost half of my life!! Save for a few months here and there, I have mostly recorded every day of those 13 years in one way or another. Journaling is a tool that I use to achieve all the “selfs” I was talking about.

I keep a diligent agenda, the Moleskin Weekly Notebook has been my favourite for the past 6 years or so, where I keep a detailed record of the day-to-day goings on: my work hours, funny things that happen throughout the day, what I make for dinner, noting mood extremes either happy or sad, time spent with friends and family, and my gym schedule. Basically, all the facts.

This may seem excessive to some, but I’ve been doing it for so long it is just a part of who I am: constantly taking notes, making plans, scheduling ahead. If I don’t get through my thoughts as I write in my journal during the day, once a week or so, usually on Sunday, I’ll pull out my agenda and transfer in the details of the week with expanded thoughts or comments. I had taken to calling it my double journal system- the agenda and journal working in tandem. Using these two books, I can basically track every day of the last 5-6 years in great detail.

I have a big box stuffed with my old journals. Too many to count now. This box would be the first thing I grab in a fire. It is my life’s work, my legacy, and my greatest accomplishment, thus far. Self-indulgent and narcissistic, maybe. Therapeutic, calming, and essential for good spirits, definitely.

This is how I keep track of my feelings, loves, dreams, fears, big thoughts, and plans. It is one of my dearest friends. Within those pages I can be honest about everything I’m thinking and feeling. I don’t hold anything back. I have thoughts and feelings for a reason, and I think it would be a disservice to suppress them, so I explore them fully.

Logistically, the best time for me to write is at lunch. With a coffee, and a good pen, sometimes earplugs, I can get about 30 minutes in during the day. Sometimes over the weekend I’ll have a marathon session and hammer out pages for hours. Sometimes I’ll take breaks… circling back to tackle an issue or a tricky problem.

If I don’t write for a few days, and I have my agenda building up a list of bullet points to address, I get stressed. I imagine it’s like being an addict, I actually crave writing in my journal. Sometimes, when I purposely avoid writing, it’s because I have an issue that I’m trying to avoid. I don’t want to write because I know I’ll have to confront it. Those are usually the times when I need to write the most.

My greatest wish would be to one day publish these journals. I see the paradox here. While, yes, I am writing for myself, I do write with the understanding that one day these may be read by others. Millions of others? Perhaps. When Anne Frank heard on the radio that journals and letters were being collected for the historical record, she began to edit her work and started to revise for the purpose of publishing. She was writing on a small-scale, but with the bigger picture in mind.

While I would love it if the things I wrote entertained or inspired people, I don’t know if anyone but myself would find it relevant or worthwhile. I’m sure it will need to be many years from now to soften the blow to my friends and family. FULL DISCLOSURE: If we’ve ever spoken, I’ve written about you in my journal. Some more than others.

I do have more to say on my favourite topic, but with this, I’ll let you go. Wishing you many happy hours of self-exploration and insight through journal writing.

Remember, the unexamined life is not worth living!

The Joys of a New Journal first appeared on Paper Clips by Maggie de Barra.

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