Jess Goes Interactive

You know there's something about writing with a pen on paper that will never be eclipsed by newer forms of media. I've kept a journal in some form since I started high school. For quite a while, it has existed in two forms: as a notebook that I write in, and as a Word document on the computer.

I found I was never quite able to stop writing in a paper journal. Writing by hand is a slower process, and I think it allows one to be more reflective; the time it takes forces you to think about what you're writing; to determine how best to say what you're thinking or feeling in as few words as possible. Quite a contrast to the modern Associated Press news article that so obviously relies on Copy-and-Paste functionality.

As for Israel, I would love to hear about your experiences there. It's fascinating that the places where 90% of the Bible took place still exist (in some form anyway)--I'll have to visit someday.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. My brother and I recently discussed the issue of presence vs recording while on a journey.

I found in Japan I recorded more in various formats than I ever have on all of my previous trips combined, and it was an interesting experience. It was in part due to the fact that this was my first time travelling with my laptop, and having a high-speed internet connection in my main place of residence.

Also, this was my first time travelling alone through a country in which I did not understand the language. This gave me a lot of time to think, reflect, and spend as much time as I wanted to recording my thoughts and experiences. Also, since I stood out whever I went, I felt somehow more free to look as touristy as I needed to - there was no way around it, so I just gave in to it.

Yes, I'm now able to discuss my trip with visuals and audio to support me. Moreso, however, I am very pleased with the recordings I made for myself. Video and pictures will never truly show how beautiful the country side of Japan is, or how it felt to walk around the temples, but when I look at them I am reminded of those feelings, and I think that is important.

And, if you are bored, you can see for yourself the fruits of my labor at http://kelleeinjapan.blogspot.com Maybe it will challenge/support your opinions, depending on what you think of it. Mostly, it was an experiment on travel-logging, so I'm up for feedback!

Jess I appreciate your aesethetic, as Mike said. It does us good to have people taking more time to be in the moment, where they are.

Still, someday I would like to see you experiment with more vivid means of recording. Next time you take a trip, make an audio recording! Make a video! Something -

As you've said, you have a lot of experience with pen and paper, and still cameras. Give yourself a chance to experience other tools, and give us a chance to see through your eyes with them!

I must say, as someone who hopes to have hot chocolate with you, I'm still missing some kind of immersive media experience here - taking only a pen and paper and then saying words can't describe Israel? Write through the cliche! Don't tease me!

I guess there was something about Israel in particular, perhaps the Judeo-Christian religious context, that kept you from wanting to record it in media? Too personal a trip -

Whereas Japan, it somehow invites photography? Accordingly - I've seen many more photos of Japan than I have of Israel! Humph. But maybe that's just me and my media space. I was hoping to visit your Israel MediaSpace Jess!

You are quite astute, Justin. I have not experimented with media recording on other trips, and so have not yet come to grips with how to record without feeling like I'm putting a screen or headphones between me and my environment, cutting me off from my own experience of a place. And you're right, this trip was too personal for me to experiment with. And some of the places I visited were too personal to everyone that I felt it would have been highly inappropriate to treat them as the subject of external scrutiny.

But your challenge has lots of merit. I will try to experiment with recording on trips of less personal emotional weight and see if I can unload some of the intellectual baggage I seem to carry.

And you're right - it is disingenuous of me to say that words can't describe my experience and then offer words as my main artifact. I have two explanations. The first is that I wrote that piece the same way I write poetry - I pick up a pen and the words just come out. If I can't find the right words, the piece dies. And on the eventing of December 24th, I couldn't find the words I wanted to describe my experience. With more reflection, I probably will be able to put my thoughts into writing. The second is that reading the words on the page is what made them sound cliche - in my head they were beautiful and accurate. So maybe I'll just do better at telling you a story about my trip in person. Israel has been a story passed down for thousands of years - if you have the chance to hear it told instead of reading it, it becomes more personal.

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