Journalling - Paper Or Digital - Privacy Worries

[Plume145]

Big, enthusiastic +1 on what wyldphyre said about leaving the money already spent on scanning out of this decision. I really think it complicates the issue and is liable to steer you in the wrong direction. Plus, 150 quid is not the kind of amount that's so crushing it would make the difference between solvency and bankruptcy unless you were REALLY thoughtless with your finances and paid that money out of your food budget or something of the kind, and nothing in your post makes you sound hare-brained!

[N2theBreach]

I'll offer that since you haven't thrown the old diaries away, you really do want to keep them. If it were me, I'd keep them as they are. When you want to read one, just lay it on a table, so it's easier to handle.

 

As for the suggestions of others, there is some very of good advice offered.

 

I sense you prefer journaling with pen and ink, so do that.

 

As for security, I suppose you've heard that locks are only there to keep the honest people out. If someone is knowingly doing something they shouldn't, and their desire is strong enough, they will find a way. Given that, I think the locked tin is sufficient because people who are close to you will be the only people who have access. If people who are close to you go to the effort of picking a lock, you may need to reconsider your relationship with them.

 

Having said that, I don't know how easy or expensive it is to get a safety deposit box where you live. If it is a reasonable option, it would be a secure alternative, albeit less convenient if you want to read an old journal spur of the moment.

 

Good luck.

[Daisy]

Lots of wisdom there, N2.

 

If people who are close to you go to the effort of picking a lock, you may need to reconsider your relationship with them.

 

I'd remove the word "may" with "absolutely must (and can't afford not to)" but yes, truer words were never spoken.

[fiberdrunk]

For future journals, have you thought about using invisible ink, like Noodler's Blue Ghost? You need a UV light to see it. Another option could be to learn shorthand or invent your own encrypted code, or even write in a foreign language (the more obscure the better... one that Google Translate doesn't know). With all these ways you could keep writing in your notebooks. For your current journals, I'd lock them up or hide them (secret compartment perhaps?)

Edited December 26, 2012 by fiberdrunk

[JefferyS]

I am sort of hypersensitive to these things, having been traumatized during my youth due to a family member opening and reading all of my mail before I got to it. All of my deep, personal thoughts go into Day One (Mac program) safeguarded by a password. My written journals are primarily academic.

[Citygirl]

Thank you for your helpful suggestions. Part of me does steer towards journalling with pen and paper, keeping the old ones under lock and key is OK but that could be a bind with the current one as it would be pain unlocking it every time I want to write in it.

 

Another worry about the locked tin is that, and I know its morbid, but what about when I am gone, someone will have to go through my stuff and will be maybe forced to get into the tin incase anything they need to deal with is in there. I wouldn't want anyone, especially my boyfriend and family, to read any hurtful words in there.

[wallylynn]

You never mentioned if you re-read your journals.

 

I'm not a psychiatrist. But it seems writing all this stuff down and hiding it is not being therapeutic.

 

What are your thoughts regarding the journals you did destroy? That should be your baseline regarding destroying your current journals.

 

Buy a scanner and scan new pages of entries yourself.

[Citygirl]

I do sometimes re-read my journals and like to know they are still there in some form. I do regret destroying those other journals and wish I'd have at least had them scanned first.

[Yomillio]

Everyone seems to have covered this pretty thoroughly, but just keep in mind that journaling on your computer is just as "safe", if less so, than a loose journal. Someone can find the files just as easily as a moderately hidden journal - and once they do find where you keep them on the computer, they will have easier access to more information than if they just cracked open a written journal.

 

You certainly have options depending on which route you want to go; I think you may be overthinking it, but even if you do have reason to be that concerned, you should be able to find a way to make it work.

[Renfield]

I wouldn't want anyone, especially my boyfriend and family, to read any hurtful words in there.

 

 

That line makes me wonder what you are writing about.

 

If I found my wife or one of my children's journal (I don't know if they keep one), after they died, I can't think of what they would need to write for it to be "Hurtful"

 

If we had a blazing row, and they hated me that day, then that's understandable. Or if they got bored of my jokes, and wrote that, then it wouldn't bother me.

 

If on the other hand they were writing things like they don't love me, they wished I was dead(without an argument or something), then I suppose that would hurt. But without trying to be a relationship councillor, if you think that, then you should not be in that relationship.

 

I'm sorry to say this, but I think you are putting too much value on what you are writing.

[fiberdrunk]

Everyone seems to have covered this pretty thoroughly, but just keep in mind that journaling on your computer is just as "safe", if less so, than a loose journal. Someone can find the files just as easily as a moderately hidden journal - and once they do find where you keep them on the computer, they will have easier access to more information than if they just cracked open a written journal.

 

 

WordPerfect lets you password-protect individual documents. Maybe Word and other wordprocessing programs do, too. Might be worth looking into. From what I remember about WordPerfect, if you forget your password, the company will not help retrieve it for you (of course, there is no WordPerfect company any more. It got bought out years ago by Microsoft.) So keep that password safe.

 

eta: Just checked Word, too. It does have password-protection on individual files. Go to Tools then Options, then select the Save tab and type in the password you want to use.

Edited December 27, 2012 by fiberdrunk

[wallylynn]

eta: Just checked Word, too. It does have password-protection on individual files. Go to Tools then Options, then select the Save tab and type in the password you want to use.

Just to clarify, (at least the older versions of word), that the password protection is not encryption. It's just to prevent casual snooping. There are plenty of password "cracker" programs that will open the file. Though that might be enough considering you're using a tin box, not a safe.

 

I'm hesitant to suggest any encryption software since (if done correctly) a lost password means irretrievable data.

 

Oh I just remembered, if you have a camera or smartphone, just take pictures of your journal entries. No need to do fancy character recognition or anything.

[alexander_k]

One thing that I've learned over the years is that documents -analogue or digital- get lost and destroyed (despite Bulgakov's brilliant assertion that manuscripts don't burn - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Master_and_Margarita) or fall into the wrong hands. Don't lose too much sleep on such matters, even if much depends on them. If the content is important, someone will remember it; if the documents are important, there's bound to be a copy somewhere; if nobody remembers and there's no copy, then all is lost and you shouldn't cry over spilt milk.

[Citygirl]

I wouldn't want anyone, especially my boyfriend and family, to read any hurtful words in there.

 

 

That line makes me wonder what you are writing about.

 

If I found my wife or one of my children's journal (I don't know if they keep one), after they died, I can't think of what they would need to write for it to be "Hurtful"

 

If we had a blazing row, and they hated me that day, then that's understandable. Or if they got bored of my jokes, and wrote that, then it wouldn't bother me.

 

If on the other hand they were writing things like they don't love me, they wished I was dead(without an argument or something), then I suppose that would hurt. But without trying to be a relationship councillor, if you think that, then you should not be in that relationship.

 

I'm sorry to say this, but I think you are putting too much value on what you are writing.

 

Hi, I can see where you are coming from but I don't write anything top secret or awful but sometimes negative feelings when I've had an argument. I know, as you say, that people could read it and see it as written in the heat of the moment but sometimes it gets more sensitive than that. An example is at one time I didn't get on with my brother and sister in law and wrote about this at the time in my journal, saying that certain things were unfair etc. Now we get on very well, our parents have died and we need each other so I would hate for them to come across anything negative I have written about them in the past and spoil the relationship we have now.

[Renfield]

I wouldn't want anyone, especially my boyfriend and family, to read any hurtful words in there.

 

 

That line makes me wonder what you are writing about.

 

If I found my wife or one of my children's journal (I don't know if they keep one), after they died, I can't think of what they would need to write for it to be "Hurtful"

 

If we had a blazing row, and they hated me that day, then that's understandable. Or if they got bored of my jokes, and wrote that, then it wouldn't bother me.

 

If on the other hand they were writing things like they don't love me, they wished I was dead(without an argument or something), then I suppose that would hurt. But without trying to be a relationship councillor, if you think that, then you should not be in that relationship.

 

I'm sorry to say this, but I think you are putting too much value on what you are writing.

 

Hi, I can see where you are coming from but I don't write anything top secret or awful but sometimes negative feelings when I've had an argument. I know, as you say, that people could read it and see it as written in the heat of the moment but sometimes it gets more sensitive than that. An example is at one time I didn't get on with my brother and sister in law and wrote about this at the time in my journal, saying that certain things were unfair etc. Now we get on very well, our parents have died and we need each other so I would hate for them to come across anything negative I have written about them in the past and spoil the relationship we have now.

 

But unless you are dead, your brother is unlikely to read it, because he would have to break into your tin to get it (And if he did, you wouldn't have a good relationship any more), and in the event that you are dead, what does it matter? (Just my opinion)

[nicholasyeo]

As all this is being said, I think that privacy matters are quite a relevant problem when it comes to myself. I do not journal, mainly because I am afraid that my journals are a leak of information (it doesn't matter what) and I do not feel like sharing my life and thoughts with anyone other than myself. Often I feel a hesitation to write when putting my fountain pens to paper. My notebooks, beautiful as they are, have been used as a storage of information and facts and things that I like, which does display my interests, but not my direct thoughts. The temptation is always there and I would love to unleash that stream of consciousness onto the paper but it hasn't happened. Not yet at least.

Edited December 27, 2012 by nicholasyeo

[wallylynn]

and wrote about this at the time in my journal, saying that certain things were unfair etc. Now we get on very well, our parents have died and we need each other so I would hate for them to come across anything negative I have written about them in the past and spoil the relationship we have now.

Do you temper/balance that by writing about the current good relationship? If not, that's the source of your worries. "All we are are our memories," said someone wiser than me.

[Citygirl]

I know that once we are dead we don't know anything but I still wouldn't want to leave behind anything that is going to hurt my family or leave bad vibes.

[Citygirl]

Hi, well its New Years Eve and I am thinking of trying to make a decision about these journals so that I can spend tomorrow, New Years Day, either shredding them or deciding how to keep them and maybe going through them and deciding which parts to maybe blot out.

 

I have gone through all the replies and more people advise to keeping them rather than tossing them. I will let you know what I decide, it will be either of the following:

 

Keep the old journals and carry on journalling on paper

 

Destroy the old journals, keep a paper journal of non-private things and other things type on the computer

 

Just journal on the computer and keep a small diary of observations (ie day to day)

[Merrib]

I'll throw my 2 cents in. I have many journals that I have filled over the years and all I do is keep

them under lock and key to keep them safe from prying eyes. I feel that either paper or computer is about

the same security unless you encrypt everything that is important on the computer. So it all boils down

to what you feel comfortable with.