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Memory Planning
The Art of Documenting Your Family Vacation
by Colleen Langenfeld
You have saved and planned for your family
vacation.
You are drooling with anticipation.
You dream of idyllic time spent with your
spouse and children.
Of course, you'll be taking photos to
remember this great time spent together.
Maybe using a video camera, too!
Would you consider doing one more thing?
Locking in those great moments forever
with a little 'memory planning'?
What's that, you say?
Memory planning. Simply put, plan the
'taking' of your memories and you will end up with a more vibrant and satisfying
collection of mementos. Much better than just a few rolls of film or cassettes
of videotape.
Intrigued?
It's easy!
- Start by collecting brochures,
postcards, ticket stubs.
- Keep a small notebook or assign a family
member to take notes. At moments when someone says 'this is the best time ever'
ask him or her to describe their feelings & jot down the details.
- If using a video camera, narrate what
was exciting or compelling about the event you are taping.
- Try to identify scents and sounds with
events as well as visual clues. Write these things down in your notebook and
collect samples when possible.
- Be a reporter; always ask yourself and
others 'why' when they say they love something. Identifying the why helps to
stamp the event firmly in our memory.
Doing these steps faithfully will really
help later on when you are pulling all of these independent parts together. Your
accurate journalizing will make all the difference, says Lygia Brown,
Independent Scrapbook Consultant:
"After safely preserving our photos, the
most important part of scrapbooking is journalizing. Compare a beautifully
decorated album with no words, to one with words and you will see the value of
documenting events, people and places. Journalizing adds meaning. Use the
questions of a journalist as a guide. (Who, what, when, where, or why?).
Journalizing is a priceless enhancement."
( For scrapbooking questions Lygia can be
reached at Lygiabrown@yahoo.com
So make sure you plan your memories this
vacation with as much care as you plan your route. Pack a small bag designed to
hold the memorabilia you will collect plus your journal. Schedule the time now
that you will need after your trip to complete the archiving of your vacation
memories. You'll be so glad you did!
Colleen Langenfeld helps busy working mothers find career helps,
organizing tips, meal-planning, wellness ideas and more using the free Working
Mothers Great Idea Kit at
http://www.paintedgold.com/moms
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