So...starting a book

Well, I'm not really starting a book, but I am using TravelinOma's advice on starting a book while jumping into my first ever personal history project.

A few years back, a woman in my neighborhood (and family history extraordinaire) gave a Sunday school lesson about how to start your life history. She suggested starting a 3x5 card filing system to get thoughts, memories, and events down and organized. The idea is to get any bits and pieces of your history down whenever you think of it. I thought this was a great idea! Here's the gist:

1.) Create sections in the file box that are divided by significant portion of your life. For example, Birth-5 years, Elementary School, Junior High, High School, College are all titled sections.

2.) You can further divide each section into more specific categories and events if you wish.

3.) Then, whenever a memory comes to mind, you can write it down on a 3x5 and file it away.

A wonderfully easy way to get a jump-start on personal history! I loved this idea, but never found the time to set up my index box. When TravelinOma posted about starting a book, I was inspired to combine the two ideas.

Yesterday, I created a folder on my computer titled Megan's Personal History. I then created folders within that folder for each chapter of my life. I even got some important documents out, scanned them, and saved them in the appropriate folder. It was so exciting! Aren't you proud of me?! (Maybe even a little?)

My chapters are:
Hopkin Family
Birth-5 years
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
College
Marriage & Motherhood

Within each folder I have additional folders.
For example, within my High School folders I have:
Sports
Music
Friends & Boyfriends
Teachers
Trips
Jobs
Graduation

I am thrilled and anxious to have an actual writing project to get started on. I have felt compelled to get some personal history down, especially the earlier memories, before I forget the details and emotions along with the events. Now I am more motivated than ever! And I find that as I sit down to write down a small memory more details come to mind and before I know it, my one sentence has turned into a full page memory. It is very exciting. Mostly because it is do-able.

So what about you? Do you keep a personal history/journal? Do you have a writing project in the works?