I’ve been keeping a journal on and off for over 30 years. It has never been a literary work, merely a recounting of what was going on that day, what was good, what wasn’t. A few years back, I started to make sure I wrote what I was thankful for each day. There is always something to be thankful for, even if it is just being alive. I’m glad I’ve kept with it because it’s fun to look back sometimes and see what I was doing and thinking about all those years ago. It really puts your life in context.
Unfortunately, I’ve lost a few of the journals along the way, but I do have a good selection across the three decades. Today, I looked at the entry for 11 September 1991. My concerns of the day were studying for my graduate econ classes (701 which was micro and 711 which was macro) and feeling isolated because all I was doing was studying, eating and sleeping.
A quote from the entry:
[Charles] Holt’s paper is interesting. It shows the results of some experiments which contradict standard public goods theory. I want to know more.
Holt is an interesting guy and still at UVA. Professors never retire.