private void writeIntent() {
        cal = new GregorianCalendar();
        startDate = "";
        
        // get the current date
        currentDate = String.valueOf(cal.get(Calendar.DAY_OF_MONTH));
        currentDate += "-";
        currentDate += String.valueOf(cal.get(Calendar.MONTH));
        currentDate += "-";
        currentDate += String.valueOf(cal.get(Calendar.YEAR));
        
        try {
            FileWriter file = new FileWriter(fileName);
            JSONObject root = new JSONObject();
            root.put("startDate", currentDate);
            file.write(root.toJSONString() );
            file.flush();
            file.close();
        } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
		e.printStackTrace();
	} catch (IOException e) {
		e.printStackTrace();
	}        
    }