I have a notebook I carry around all the time. If anyone knows anything about me- they know I almost always have a notebook with me. I’ve had this habit since I was in high school. It started with “THE BOOK,” which was kind of a public slam-book. After that, I started carrying a notebook around all the time. It was my journal, list book, idea book, good for quotes to remember, notes, and nonsense. Over the years the books have been different, some big, some small, some more interesting than others.
Six or seven years ago I was visiting a church- which was hosting a visiting preacher. I’m sure that guy meant well- but his message was waaaaay off base. I needed something to distract me from his awful theology, so I opened my notebook and started taking notes. When I say “taking notes” I almost never mean that I am writing down anything useful. I’m usually writing down words and phrases that catch my imagination or make me smile. When the speaker mispronounces a word or uses a mixed metaphor- when they say something odd because they are nervous, or they are thinking faster than their mouth is moving. I’ll write down verbal ticks- and other things that the speaker would never remember having said. I write down bad grammar and incorrect statements.
Sometimes when all the magic in the universe comes together, and I’m not distracted by any of the above misfortunes, and I can focus on the actual message of the speaker or at least their intent, I write down phrases which seem to be important- or which cause a mental image that I think I can put on the paper.
So- I have notes in my notebook. I also have lists of daily chores, grocery lists, Christmas card lists, to-do lists. I have recipes, calendars, addresses, phone numbers, and of course nonsense. I have stickers, pictures, drawings, and tiny sized memes.
I’m writing this because I only have two pages left in the notebook I started in March of 2018. It’s hard to change books- it’s hard to decide which one will be the new one- the one that will be with me every day. How I will do the lay out- if I will include sections (as I should do to help it make more sense- even to me.) I try to guess how long I think it might last (I was pretty close on the last one.) I try to keep my life in order-
But- as usual, it is way too messy to be bound.
