on my mind lately

A lot of stuff has been on my mind lately... As the quakers would say, I'm holding a lot of people in the light. Lots of recent things have been leading my thoughts to life and making the most of it while we're here. Being present. When my mind drifts to the journal project, I get really excited about what it'll be like to get them back, read some stories, connect with all of you. And like ben said, there's all kinds of unknowns right now, which i'm cool with too. Hope all is well with everyone out there who has been touched by the project. And fyi Ben is a National ultimate frisbee champion!

Book 1 on the move again...

After a delay for which I do not have any real excuse, I m here to let you know that Book 1 is on the move again.

It'll be moving to another geography, new persons. I do hope it keeps on good along its way.

Me, I'll be moving very soon too, for an extended period (about a year) in South America, with a one-way-ticket. Hope my path crosses with some of the followers of this journal or maybe some new journals.

Greetings from İzmir - Turkey...

Engin Kaban.

Book tracking :)

Thanks, Kirsten for blogging from London! Its pretty cool to hear that the journal project has been going for 9 months now.

Today, like back in July, I felt like leafing through this blog and talking about what's been going on with the journals out in the world. Seeing several posts from friends in London made me wonder where the Journals have been. We don't really know; and appreciate the unknown.

Still, here's what we do know in the form of a very small depiction recipients' locations - click on it to expand. Connecting the black dots are the plane rides for the Journals (minus the initial January 1 send-off from Atlanta):

The Journal has reached London today

Hello and greetings from sunny London. What a great little surprise it's been to receive the booklet in the mail today. Thanks Simon! And thanks Angela, great idea!
I will think of something to write and send it on asap, promise.
Wishing you all a great Sunday.
--Kirsten

the Lull

Despite the little lull in posts here, the Moleskines seem to be making their rounds. Counting up the number of Moleskine participants at the mid-point of the year is impressive. You may remember that our goal was to collect, if possible, the journals by the last day of 2009, having sent them out at the very beginning of January.

So, six months into it, those people who have both posted on this blog and (presumably) in one of the three journals traveling the world include:

• Angela and Ben
• Andres
• the Hoffman Family
• Kate
• Daniel
• Vahd
• Irene

I really appreciate the effort and hope to hear more soon.

(Perhaps this isn't the most titillating post. But I know there are folks checking into the blog - may be just me, lol. Anywho, here's to keeping up the global effort at connecting to people and their stories!)

Book 1 in the land of tulips, but not for long...

... as it will soon travel east :) Sounds like the book has had quite an adventure -- been across Atlantic and back again -- only to arrive in my mailbox last Friday. Thank you Vahd for sending it, it has certainly made my weekend exciting, reading and pondering what to write in the book.

Now, it is ready to continue its journey. At the moment, I wish I could deliver it in person to the next receiver. The same person who rocked my world with adventures many years ago. I hope we also hear from the person via this blog.

Best wishes,

Irene

Refresh Your Browser

Off and on for the last couple days, I've been wiping my eyes. The news of Pete's death has felt like a rock storm flying at my chest, hitting my lungs and heart and ribs.

A little while ago, on this blog, I discussed my friend's struggles and my effort to tie him in through this Journal Around the World project.

I just went to Pete's facebook page to download a photo of him and place it in this post. But the pain of his absence is too much bear, especially where he fully existed previously; and recently.

This grief hits hardest alone, but also with friends. I appreciate being able to grieve with you, semi-alone but also with friends.

We always look forward to hearing more from the Moleskine's latest locations. So please update us.

book one found its way to return to england

now the journal has made its trip accross the atlantic again!
today the first book just arrived in my home in oxford, uk.

mr. postman came to my house just before lunch time.
now it's here, being my guest...

i thought the book was supposed to be bigger. it's quite small in fact. light and almost the same size of passport.



thanks ben for sending it.

vahd

Journal 3 goes on ...

Dear All
After too long laying around Scanco Medical (with Andres and me), journal 3 is finally going on to explore the world.
Neither do I have a recent photograph of mine, nor do I have kids on my own (yet)... so here's a picture of my former 'me' (remember the 70s).



Cheers, Daniel

Workin It Out

Here's one little image of my addition to Book 1. This is leaving Atlanta soon and going across the high seas again...

Book 1 Re-Traverses the Atlantic

I explained in this earlier post my friend Big Pete's physical setback. And although book 1 was headed for his London home at the beginning of the year, today I received back from Mrs Big Pete that same moleskine journal.

From what I know, Big Pete's recent surgery went fairly well, considering it was invasive and intended to catch cancer in a sensitive part of the body. In her note with the returned book, Mrs Big Pete expressed her wishes that we get a journal back to him when he's in better health and able to do such things.

Here's a picture of the journal (beige with the blue handprint) next to Mrs Big Pete's note (beautiful cursive) and Royal Mail envelope, all on top of my pile of ultimate and ikea magazines

Inspiration

Above is a photo of the paper bag Angela and I practiced our hand prints on before stamping the spine of our Journals. Quick background for those visiting this page for the first time: my friend, Angela, and I decided to begin a project for 2009 that involves sending moleskine journals to friends internationally and ask for their contributions to the project. This blog follows the 3 journals and the people, setbacks, and stories surrounding them.

Quickly, I want to thank Andres for getting onto the website and sharing the photo of his daughter as well as giving an update for Journal 3. I also need to mention something about Journal 1. I'm going to make an appeal for your help today. 

Journal 1 initially went to my friend, Pete, in London. Pete recently discovered he had cancer in his throat area.  Because of this invasive disease, and procedures to remedy it, Pete has had to put many things on hold... I wish he were able to go on his planned trip to DC to visit GW friends. 

I'm bringing this all up to ask for your help. I want you to please take a couple minutes to touch Pete amid this trying time. I'm asking you, in the comments section of this post, to put up a joke or a recent story of yours. And hopefully he'll check the page and see a few heartwarming or humorous stories from the small community surrounding these Moleskines. Tomorrow is Pete's birthday and I'm planning to send him the link to this blog in a Happy Birthday email. 

Pete, if you're reading this, please click the comments link at the bottom right of this post. I'm looking forward to visiting with you when you're better - and seeing a story or memento from you in Journal 1 or on this blog whenever you're ready. 

Happy Birthday big man! I love you. 

Journal 3 has reached CH!

Hi there! Journal 3 has reached Switzerland (Zurich), Jan 14, 2009, thanks Angela! It's still too early on Wednesday morning, so not much inspiration yet to write meaningful stuff...
Could not find a baby picture of mine - so a Crate of Beer on a Sledge with my daughter will have to do :-). Tough mountain life we have here... Take Care, Andres

welcome!

Hi there! Yes, indeed, as Ben said, the journals have gone out to the world, and we await word from the recipients (Pete, Kate, and Andres). And I do wish that we'd taken pics of us sitting on the couch, thinking, writing, talking... or having Tiana paint our hands so we could make handprints on Books 1 and 3. But, since we didn't... we'll have to upload individual pics, or Ben and I can get together and take one together so you can put faces to the names. I was trying to find a characteristic recent pic of me, but I'm struggling a little. I'll get one up here soon. Meanwhile, here's a little kid version of me:

the journals have entered the world

New Year's Eve 2008, Angela and I literally joined hands in releasing three Moleskine Journals into the wide world.

On the couch New Year's Eve, we penned our opening pages and even decorated the Moleskines' covers (well, 2 of the 3 cahiers' covers). Looking back on the morning, I wish Angela and I would have photographed the event. To document it, and to set the example... Cause we want people who find the book to include pictures on this blog as well as stories (if they feel compelled).

Primarily, we're really excited to see friends (and friends of friends...) start posting that they've received the journal. Angela wrote a few weeks ago "it'd be cool to be able to see where the book has gotten to - before we get it back."

This blog is here so that "people can go to it and add comments when they receive the book... make this a multimedia event."