Stopping in the middle of a hunt to take notes seems like a good way to get dead.

But, like, what do we see in canon? Characters arrive, sometimes with a good idea of what's going on but often without one, consult the book, sometimes the book has the necessary information and sometimes it doesn't.

If you've driven 400 miles just to investigate something, and discover that your primary research resource has been filched out from under your nose, at the very least I think you'd be phenomenally irritated.

And this IS John Winchester we're talking about, the most secretive, control-freaky weirdo this side of the Unabomber. In a lot of ways, the book is his diary, and a self-righteous thirteen year old girl is as nothing to the anger of a private man seeing his private thoughts read without permission.

They consult the book (sometimes--we haven't seen it as much as time has gone on and they've hunted sans John for a longer period) during research mode, but often don't have it with them when they're actually hunting.

Sam and Dean, however, aren't the ones who wrote the book. It is possible, at least at first, for the book to contain new-to-them information. Which isn't the case for John.

That said, I believe wicked pissed would be an understatement for John's reaction afterwards.

That said, I believe wicked pissed would be an understatement for John's reaction afterwards.

Yeah, cause Dean really needs something else for John to irrationally blame on him.

But when they got the journal, Dean said it was Dad's prized possession, and his bible, and other things like that. I just don't see him knowingly going anywhere without it back then.

Which makes this:

That said, I believe wicked pissed would be an understatement for John's reaction afterwards.

Very true.

I don't think Whedon was ANY subtler about his Daddy issues.

In fact, I think his Daddy issues had way, way less nuance. Which is scary.

Yeah, from watching Mutant Enemy shows one would conclude that Roger Burkle was the only father in human history who was both present and caring.

Angel cared. Sure, he slit his kid's throat, but he did it with love.

Okay, upon deeper reflection and thought, I retract my accusation. Yeah, Whedon dad issues trump most people's.

*If* the hunt went well and John didn't feel the need to make immediate notes, or *if* the hunt went bad and John had to find medical aid, he might not have noticed the absence of the journal. Those are the only things I can see saving Dean's butt. Because it would have been Dean who paid, of course. First for not keeping an adequate eye on Sam, second for allowing Sam to steal the journal without being detected, and third because John wouldn't yell at his baby boy.

Were the brothers supposed to be 13 and 9 in this ep's flashbacks? They showed the date, didn't they? My failure at subtraction is showing.

Were the brothers supposed to be 13 and 9 in this ep's flashbacks?

It was Christmas 1991, which would make Sammy 8 and Dean 12, almost 13.

Okay, do I need to point out the irony here, that if Sam is 8 or 9 in this ep, that the Dean of, "When you were little, you couldn't have been more than five...I just wanted you to stay a kid. Just a little longer." would have been a nine-year-old Dean.

Already jaded. At nine. You really are damaged, Dean.

(That was a really jaded 12-year-old, by the way. And also maybe harboring a wee bit of resentment against Sam, who still got to be innocent and not know what really happened to their mom and what is out there in the dark?)