[pct-l] Trail Journals

[Patrick Beggan]

I've yet to do the PCT (2008!) but I've journaled other major events  
in my life on the internet (basic training, medic school) and I find  
that people really enjoy a journal where events are taken in good  
humor. Like, we go our asses kicked in basic training for almost any  
excuse but when relating this to my transcriber in a letter I always  
painted it in a funny light. It really helps your situation as well as  
keeping your readers interested.

Also, writing down rules "in stone" is a mistake. The real proper  
thing to do is just keep your journal VARIED. You can get away with  
one whining entry if you really feel that the core of that day's  
experience was bad but if all your entries are just you complaining,  
no one is going to want to read it. You need to do all kinds of  
differents tones and styles throughout the journal and following a set  
of specific rules is just going to make it seem mechanical.