The Journal

May 2008
Volume 9, Issue 5

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to May 2008!

Last month, I updated The Journal's installer, jnl4setup.exe. The Journal software itself is unchanged (no bug fixes or new features). But if you need to re-install The Journal (for whatever reason), I recommend you download the installer program now available from the Web page.

This month's tip tells you how to add descriptions to your images, and then how to search through those descriptions. And, of course, we have another set of prompts for free writing, journaling and memoir writing.

Thank you for choosing DavidRM Software's The Journal!

Download the latest update of The Journal from here:

http://www.davidrm.com/download/jnl4setup.exe

Check to see if you have the most recent update of The Journal by clicking on the Help menu (in The Journal) and choosing Check for Update of The Journal.

Add-on Packages Available for The Journal

MemoryGrabber - Start your autobiography or help your loved ones start theirs.
Learn more about MemoryGrabber for The Journal.

Writing Prompts 1 - Improve your writing skills!
Learn more about Writing Prompts 1.

Writing Prompts 2 - Prose Challenges by Mike Hommel - Stretch your mind and your writing skills!!
Learn more about Writing Prompts 2.

Devotional Prompts 1 - Keep a record of your reflections about God, yourself, and others!
Learn more about Devotional Prompts 1.

Extended Security - Do you need a higher level of security?
Learn more about Extended Security for The Journal.

Steve Pavlina's Templates - 20 journaling exercises to help you discover your life purpose, assess your relationships, solve your problems, and more!
Learn more about Steve Pavlina's Templates for The Journal.

To order the add-on packages for The Journal, or to order The Journal on CDROM:
1. Click on the Help menu in The Journal.
2. Choose "Upgrade The Journal".

TIPS & TRICKS

TIP: Adding Descriptions to your Images

You already know you can have digital photos, scans, or any other type of image in your entries. But did you know that you can add descriptions to your images? This description will "pop up" whenever you move the mouse over the image, just like on a Web page.

Select the image by clicking on it, and then click on the "Edit" menu and choose "Edit Image/Object Description..." (hot-key: Ctrl+Shift+D)

Image descriptions can be short and simple (example: "Baby, 2 months old") or as long as you want (example: "Grand Canyon at dawn. Vacation 2007. We arrived while it was still dark and ..."). If you want to include more than one paragraph in your description, you will need to check the "I want to enter multiple paragraphs (ENTER doesn't close)" option.

NOTE: When you print the entry, only the image is printed. The image description isn't printed, currently.

TIP: Searching Image Descriptions

The Journal's "Search Entries..." command (on the Search menu; hot-key: Ctrl+Shift+F) can be used to search through your image descriptions. So you can find all the photos of your children or from your vacation to the Grand Canyon.

Enter the word or words you want to look for. Then un-check the "Search entry text" and "Search entry names" options to limit the search to just image descriptions. Select the category or categories you want to look through and click on "Search".

WRITING EXERCISES

Free Writing Prompt - Write for 20 minutes using the following as your starter: "The Chameleon Spoke"

Journaling Prompt - Describe the various ways you seek external validation and approval. Do you have a friend or family member you can always count on to appreciate you or your efforts? Who do you wish you could count on? Do you know who counts on you?

Memoir Prompt - Tell about your most interesting/intriguing/infuriating encounter in an elevator.

SUBMISSION INFORMATION

If you would like to contribute to the "How I Use The Journal", "Writing Exercises", or "Tips & Tricks" sections, or would like to submit an article about journaling or another The Journal-related topic, we would love to hear from you.

Submissions for the newsletter should be sent to: davidrm@davidrm.com

If you are submitting for a particulare section, please indicate which one. Try to limit your submissions to 500-1000 words. Submissions may be edited for length and content.

If you prefer to remain anonymous, please state this in the email. Otherwise your name (but not your email) will be used in the article heading.

As always, if you have any suggestions for, or bug reports about, The Journal, please feel free to email them. Both are always welcome.

Editor: David Michael (davidrm@davidrm.com)
Copyright © 2008 by David Michael.