My First Journal, by SashaQ
Created | Updated Jun 10, 2018
June Create: My First Journal, by SashaQ
This month's Create Challenge inspired me to look back at my journal and see how I had used it in the years since I became a fully fledged denizen of h2g2 in 2009.
I am careful with my journal these days, because I'm not ready for my anguish to disappear from the front page of my personal space just yet. However, looking further back I see I did add random snippets to my journal every now and then, although the main flurries were in relation to h2g2's November journalling marathon NaJoPoMo.
I enjoyed celebrating things that h2g2ers especially would understand, like Edited Entry Front Page success, further fascinating Entries and that other epic writing challenge, NaNoWriMo.
My first h2g2 Journal from 17 May, 2010 is an example of such a celebration. I went to an event where a group of people gave a presentation about how they learned to be themselves and became much happier as a result. I found I had a lot in common with them, although in other ways I was different, and realised for the first time that I could be myself too. I was too shy to say all this, but felt the need to mention it somehow, so I contented myself with:
Monday 17th May was International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intern..._Against_Homophobia_and_Transphobia
Following on from that, I found that spending less time trying to fit into a set of narrow expectations meant that I had more time to develop my self-confidence, and that has stood me in good stead since then. I lost my job in 2010 but seized the opportunities in a new one, building networks of people who worked well with me in spite of, or perhaps rather because of, who I am, as mutual respect helped us all to get things done. I was bold enough to say, 'Yes' in 2011 when my partner and I discussed whether to meet in person for the first time. I have learned a lot and shared my new knowledge with h2g2. My career has continued to improve as setbacks again led to better opportunities and further excellent networking. I support h2g2ers in whatever small way I can and h2g2ers support me.
And all that was helped by me opening my h2g2 Journal and starting to write!
