We just finished watching Bridget Jones’ Diary, and I started to wonder how many people were inspired by the movie to keep a similar diary– a diary where they innumerated their “misdeeds” (for lack of a better word) that they wished to control and change.

I have lots of diaries. I kept personal diaries for the longest time, and let me tell you, those are wonderful to read again years later. You can obviously tell when you’re happy or when you’re depressed. During the personal diary years, I also kept diaries that documented my food and exercise habits or my activities as I tried to change something about myself.

Then I quit keeping any kind of diary because I figured email was documenting my life well enough. I just don’t throw away any email. But then one day at Barnes & Noble I was seduced by the cutest little book full of blank pages. I had no use for it, so I couldn’t sensibly buy it. So I made a use. I decided to write my mom letters and when it was full, I would mail it to her.

Then Dudley started to keep an online diary that was a lot of fun to read, so I started doing that. So I have two diaries running at once right now.

However, neither diary is entirely “personal.” The cute book is eventually going to my mom, and some of my family and friends read the online diary (I think). There’s certain thoughts that I can’t broadcast. So I think it’s time to take up the personal diary again.

And having just recently watched Bridget Jones’ Diary, I think I might take up the “monitor, control and change certain habits” diary as well, being the New Year and all, time for resolutions.

Ramble ramble ramble. I believe that was the end of that rambling thought. Except for a piece of advice: keep a diary. Even if you don’t change. Even if, years from now, you still weigh the same and have the same habits you’ve been trying to change for years. Diaries remind you of what you were like when you were younger and that’s never a bad thing. And this advice pertains to all people, even if they aren’t so “young” anymore. Thoughts captured in time are always fun to reread years later.