The Notebook?

So twice today - once while at the beach, the second time while walking down the street, past a coffee shop - I witnessed something:

A person sitting and writing in what looked to be a journal.

I find this interesting.  Was said person seriously journaling?  Do people do this?  I did this when I was in junior high/high school.  It's not that I think is this a juvenile activity, per se.  It is just that there is something unusual, to me, about adults doing this out in public.  What else could they be doing?  I assume if it was something work or academic related, there would be some other books/notes/paperwork spread out, and, more noteworthy, it would be being done on a computer (or some form of electronic device).  I can't imagine, these days, doing any form of writing or work on paper for this reason.  This is mostly because paper doesn't have a backspace key.  Or an easy way to insert an idea.  Or to simply edit something.  How did people possibly write pre-word processor days!?!?!  I guess there must have probably been a lot of committing to one's original ideas and less editing.

I digress.

Is it possible that someone sitting and writing in a notebook is doing something other than journaling?  If so, what?  Does anyone else see these people sitting around, writing in notebooks, or is it just me?  What do you think of these peeps?  What's their deal?