Who wants STUFF?!

Someone, somewhere out there had better be shouting “I do! I do!” right now!

Anyone who has been reading this blog for any length of time knows of my obsession with love-bordering-on-unhealthy-desire-for fondness of office supplies. Little pads of paper, pens, stationery, stickers, notebooks...I love it all, and going to an office supply store is an almost holy experience for me. Oh, I try to act all cool and casual, walk along like some average shopper, but inside, my brain is feverishly taking in each package of metallic gel pens, Post-It™ notes shaped like hearts and stars, and computer stationery with Art Deco borders.

But my extra-special love is of blank journals. I love regular notebooks, but the journals with cool covers are what really trip my trigger. In my younger days, I kept a handwritten journal, just in spiral notebooks. My hands and wrists can’t handle that sort of writing any longer, and my blog here has been a nice substitute, although it’s obviously not as personal. Maybe my love of these blank journals is a holdover from those days. I’m always checking out the clearance sales for such supplies, and if one of these journals is on sale, chances are good that I’m going to grab it. I love the ones with travel-themed covers, and ones with book-themed covers; I have Wonder Woman and Superman journals (still looking for a good Batman one!); “The Office” and Frank Lloyd Wright ones that were gifts from Cousin Shane; Paul Frank, Andy Warhol, and “I Love Lucy” ones; journals with flowers, journals with Deco patterns; even an AC/DC one.

I keep one by me for writing down reminders and lists (although lately I’ve been using some little notepads we got from charity organizations), one to write down my thoughts on the book club books, one for writing about other books (I’ve been negligent with that one lately, because Shelfari is so handy, but I’ll remedy that), and one for writing down odd little thoughts that I think might make an interesting story one day.

I could probably write for four hours a day and it would take me some time to fill all of these up. I probably never will. But there is something about the promise of a blank journal that makes me smile. It’s picking one up, opening the cover, and thinking, “What will I write in here?” It’s wondering if anyone in the future, whether family or stranger, will read these with the fascination that I’ve read other such journals, those written 60 or even 160 years ago. (I still recall being at my sister’s museum and getting to hold and read a small journal written by a Civil War soldier from the area.) My journals with lists and thoughts on books are pretty mundane, but I wonder if there will someday be someone with as much curiosity as me who reads these things and thinks, “I wonder what this person was like? What was her life like?” I should make sure I provide a link to this blog!

So ANYWAY, I was out running errands today, and hit the mother lode of office supply clearance sales at Target. Some cute blank notes, thank you notes, a nice little box of stationery, a regular spiral notebook that is 100% recycled materials, a packet of 12 Sharpie pens (I love Sharpie pens, the fine point ones, and this packet included two purple ones! Sing, choir of angels!), and finally—and this is the whole point of this entry—some very nice blank journals.

As I’ve mentioned, I already have a few of these. So I thought I would share my booty. Errr, bounty. I’m giving away the two journals in the picture. Consider it a celebration of the coming spring (it was beautiful here today!), as well as an appreciation for everyone who takes the time to read my ramblings. And for me, it’s a remembrance of my Dad—he’s the one who gave me this strange fondness for office supplies—because tomorrow it will be two years since he moved on. I know he would approve. :)

So if you share my love of blank journals, or just want something to doodle in, leave a comment here. I’ll leave it open for a week, so you’ll have until March 20th (let’s make it 6 pm EST). I will assign everyone a number (writing them all down in a journal, of course) and Sheeba will draw two numbers out of a jaunty chapeau. I’m sure Ken will be happy to give Sheeba a human hand with this. Everyone is eligible, family and friends (and friends of family and family of friends, also friends of friends and family of family...even strangers!), except for Ken. If for some odd reason he should suddenly develop a mad desire for a blank journal, I think I can set him up.

Here’s the important thing. You must make sure that I have your email address, either connected to your account, or left in a message. If I don’t have your email, I can’t contact you to get your mailing address if you win, and Sheeba will choose someone else. I solemnly swear that I will not pass your email addresses along to anyone. If you would prefer not to leave your email address in comments, you can send me an email at Luvrte66@aol.com, but if your email address isn't recognized, it may go to the spam folder. (Just title it "Nutwood giveaway" or some such thing, so I'll know it's related to this, okay?) I am also limiting this to those in the U.S., with apologies to my overseas friends.

Good luck, and happy writing!