So last month one of my 4x6 cards was just me raging about how much I hate the language program we're using. This is our second time learning a language, and the first time around I was a paper, event-only kind of scrapper, so while I have a page about language school, it's mostly about how much fun we have with our friends, not at all about how I felt during the process. Which means that I really have NO IDEA how I felt about it at the 3 month mark; I only remember the good, so I can't really compare the two experiences so far. Hopefully {fingers crossed} I'm gonna get to the end and be like, "This was a great process! I love learning to speak Tagalog!" But I don't feel like that now. Anyway, Joel was reading the card, and he asked me not to put it in the album. He said he wants to be able to show the album to people without worrying about what they'll think or about offending them. I want the album to reflect our real lives, even the hard stuff, but I do see his point. What do you think? Should I just make a filler card to go over it or should I keep it as is? I suppose I could always make a layout expressing my feelings and put it in my AAM album. What are you gals doing about the yuck stuff? Are you including it or are do you just want to remember the good?
I think that's tricky... maybe the people who look at your album are overwhelmed and think the way you do... if you gloss it over, they'll feel isolated. If they can't relate, then you'll feel odd. Good luck, what ever you decide to do!!
I think I"d go the route of making a card to slip over my thoughts to display to the public. Then you could put a tab of some kind on your card so you remember it's back there so you can pull it up when you want to look at it.
If you want to show the album, hidden journaling seems the way to go. I would want to keep this journaling in the album rather than put it someplace else.
I put everything in my album - the good, the bad, and the ugly. However, not many people see or read it - only my immediate family. I like the idea of keeping the journaling in there only hidden.
I don't do PL, but I love the idea of a tab with a covering over the journaling....it keeps it real and authentic to your experience and memories, but hides the more "raw" parts of it from tender sensibilities
Everything goes in ours. The only thing I would leave out is anything that would hurt anyone's feelings if they picked up the book. Of course, they'd have to really read stuff and not just gloss over it to actually get their feelings hurt. I've been trying to capture the entire gamut of our emotions over the past year or so in my layouts and in PL. So I agree with the suggestion of a filler card and a tab to remind you.
I am ditto-ing the filler card with the journaling hidden. Because it is important to remember the process, but I can understand your husband's sensitivity to it too. btw, I am sorry that the language learning is so rough right now. I hope it moves forward to the 'enjoyable' part quickly for you. It is SO tough! Hang in there, friend!
Of course, my first reaction is, 'Bite me, husband. This is my flippin' book. If you want it to say something different, YOU do it. Mmmhmm. That's what I thought.' I suppose that is not the best reaction, however.
My husband is the same. He asks me all the time about why I put pictures/journaling about the kids in bad moods or with boo-boo's, ect. I told him that it's called "project life" not "project fake." If I were only to put the happy moments and I'm so happy stuff in it, there would be like 3 pages for the last year and a half OR just a bunch of photos with no words. lol
i totally agree that an album documenting life should document all aspects. my life is full of every range of emotion. i don't think it's real at all to exclude the bad and make it all shiny and sparkly. that's just not me.
Kellie, let me know if you need help with Tagalog! Where in the Philippines are you? I'm in Quezon City.
