The Journal Newsletter
Introduction
Welcome to June! Summer arrived here early this year, but maybe it will mellow out before the month is over.
A couple users tell us how they use The Journal this month. Plus, I show how you can use your own background images in your entries and give some tips on creating background images. Finally, we have a new set of writing prompts.
Thank you for choosing DavidRM Software’s The Journal!
Tips & Tricks
TIP: Adding Your Own Entry Background Images
The Journal 4 comes with a small collection of entry background images. To further personalize your journal, you can add your own background images.
1. In The Journal, click on the Options menu and choose User Images…
2. Click on Load Image, and select your image file.
3. Set the image type to: Background Image
4. Set the “Position” to: Center
5. If you want to adjust the text margins, click on Margin Offsets…
6. Check: Equal Values
7. Set the offset you want from the edges of the entry editor (most of the time, you will use values from 10-50).
And that should do it.
There are a lot of pre-made images on the Web that are designed to be used as Web page backgrounds. Those will usually work great in The Journal.
If you want to create your own entry background images, here are some tips:
- Open Space is Good – If you are using a digital photo, pick one that has a lot of open space in the middle of the image. Pictures of the sky and ocean are good examples. You can have palm trees or other objects along the left side and/or bottom to set the location and the mood, but try to keep the middle clear.
- Keep it Simple – Expanses of sky and water are very simple backgrounds, making it easy to read text against them. If you really must have that brook bubbling over many-colored rocks, then:
- Experiment with Masking – Most image handling software will allow you to mask or “washout” images making them seem dreamier or more cloud-like. This can make it much easier to read text over those images. Or:
- Experiment with Font Colors – Maybe if you switch away from dark/black fonts to lighter/white fonts you will be able to read text shown over the image.
- Use JPEG Images – You can use either Windows Bitmap file (*.BMP) or JPEG compressed files (*.JPG) for your backgrounds. JPEG files are usually much more compact, so you should choose those when you. Fortunately, most digital cameras create JPEG files automatically.
Writing Prompts
Free Writing Exercise – Write for 20 minutes using the following as your starter: “Overdrawn flowers”
Journaling Exercise – Do you interpret your father, and his actions and emotions (or inaction and lack of display) differently now than you did when you were a child? Do you see your father in yourself?
Memoir Prompt – If you attended college, talk about how you decided on your college major. Were you influenced by your parents? Future job prospects? A guy/girl you liked? Even if you didn’t go to college, talk about what influenced your life after high school.
How I Use The Journal
Editor’s Note: The Journal is used by people from all over the world, from many nations, representing a variety of personal, professional, and religious backgrounds. Journaling is by definition an intensely personal undertaking, so it should not be surprising that when someone writes about how or why they keep a journal that they will end up sharing personal information. The Journal Newsletter does not support any particular personal or religious lifestyle, but rather attempts to support anyone who keeps a journal, for whatever reason they do so. Thus, the views and opinions expressed in “How I Use The Journal” are solely those of the submitter and not necessarily the views of DavidRM Software. Whether you agree with the submitter’s views or not, I encourage you to read the article and glean from it the information and techniques that “ring true” for you.
How I Use The Journal
by Ed
Well, it has been a while since I started using the Journal, sometime in 2004. I have used it to record all sort of things, but the most use I give to it is to take personal daily inventories of my character assets and my shortcomings. I have then created a history of my feelings and daily moods that I can use to track my progress or set backs in the way I handle life affairs. I have gone then on to utilizing affirmations that help me with some of the daily issues I deal with.
The journal’s image posting capabilities has allowed me to visualize the outcomes I want to see in my life.
I’ve also used the journal to write goals, lists, research on the internet and other miscellaneous activities. I really have enjoyed utilizing this magnificent brain tool!
How I Use The Journal
by Matt Morgan
I recently purchased The Journal in an effort to get myself more organized in the office. I am frequently losing details of tasks worked, and I decided that I am more likely to track my work more closely if I have an electronic notebook. However, I have gone in a very different direction with The Journal.
I love to make bread. I’ve had a passion for such for many years, and I have recently decided that I would like to open my own bakery at some point in the future, once I have the resources necessary. In the meantime I have concentrated on perfecting my craft.
Another recent purchase has been that of a digital camera. I thought one evening while making rye bread that I should document the process at each step, by taking a photo at each stage in the process. With pictures in hand, I needed a vehicle for pulling them together into a cohesive group that explained what was happening. It dawned on me that The Journal could do this for me.
I have added pictures, recipes and explanations of my bread-making efforts into The Journal, so now I have an electronic scrapbook and diary of my bread making. Each recipe gets its own page in a loose-leaf notebook and has all of the tips and tricks I have adapted for it, as well as an account of when I made each recipe and for what occasion each was made. Of course, the pictures are an integral part as well, the result being my own private e-zine of my own creation.
When I do finally get my bakery off the ground, The Journal will be right there with me.
Submission Information
If you would like to contribute to the “How I Use The Journal”, “Writing Exercises”, or “Tips & Tricks” sections, or would like to submit an article about journaling, writing, or another The Journal-related topic, we would love to hear from you.
Submissions for the newsletter should be sent to: support@davidrm.com
If you are submitting for a particular section, please indicate which one. Try to limit your submissions to 500-1000 words. Submissions may be edited for length and content.
If you prefer to remain anonymous, please state this in the email. Otherwise your name (but not your email) will be used in the article heading.
As always, if you have any suggestions for, or bug reports about, The Journal, please feel free to email them. Both are always welcome.