The Starring Me! Journal Origin Story
And that’s how The Starring Me! Journal was born. It’s a place to capture your “episodes,” your plot twists, and the characters that make your story worth watching. Because your life really is the best show you’ll ever be part of—and you get to write the script.
When I was a kid, I had a giant color TV in my bedroom. And by “giant,” I mean the kind that could double as a piece of furniture—one of those hulking beauties that hummed when you turned it on. I watched a lot of TV. (I was bummed when the picture tube went out in the middle of watching “How to Beat the High Cost of Living.” Hmph!)
Here’s the thing: for a while, I thought TV shows were just… regular people in their houses, doing regular things, but with cameras built in everywhere and hidden. So naturally, I assumed my house had cameras too. Which meant, in my young mind, somewhere out there was an audience watching me.
Was I brushing my teeth?
Folding my socks?
Pretending to host my own talk show in the mirror? (It was the “Harpo Pudnick Show.” 🤷🏼♂️)
Yes. And someone, somewhere, I was sure, was riveted.
Fast forward a bit.
When I moved to Chicago on my own, I didn’t know a soul. I had a tiny apartment, a city of strangers outside my door, and a whole lot of evenings to fill. So I started journaling—just me, my pen, and whatever happened that day.
But here’s where it got interesting: my journal entries started reading less like a diary and more like… TV show recaps. It was a way I could feel more active in a new life I was building, where I felt anything but that—entire episodes of a completely made-up series starring me. I even gave it a title: Chicago Lives. Each “episode” had plot points, guest stars, and commentary on the day’s drama, whether that was braving the CTA in rush hour or trying to make friends with my barista.
It was ridiculous. And wonderful. And oddly enough, it made me pay attention to my life in a way I hadn’t before. If you’re writing a show about your own life, you start noticing the scenes worth remembering—the little wins, the absurd moments, the people who walk in and steal a scene or two.
Years later, when I started thinking about creating a guided journal, I came back to that idea: life as a show, with you as the star.
And that’s how The Starring Me! Journal was born. It’s a place to capture your “episodes,” your plot twists, and the characters that make your story worth watching. Because your life really is the best show you’ll ever be part of—and you get to write the script.
So grab your pen. The cameras are rolling.
—Ron
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