[OT] Who else uses a notebook?

As Shawn alluded to in another thread, I keep a notebook on hand most of the time to jot down the random ideas I get. I have only done it 2 years or so and have already filled 2 2/3rds notebooks. I wonder how many more posts I would have if I started doing this before I joined A.net.

Anyone else do this?

I do this too, especially when I'm tired of sitting at a computer and just typing in ideas. Several years ago, I used to put everything down in notebooks, and have a nice stack of random bits of ideas, game data and other stuff written down in old notebooks stashed away in the desk drawers. Lately though, most everything is punched into the computer.

I used to, but I kept losing the notebooks. Generally right about the time Study Group rolled around.

I have about 10 notebooks and hundreds of loose pages. Unfortunately, the notebooks aren't filled, but if you combined all my notes, I might have close to 5 or 6 full notebooks. I also have at least 1 1/2 binders filled with notes also.

I use notebooks as well, especially once a project gets rolling.

I have a tendency to jump from one project to the next as my interests and inspiration shifts. Invariably, I return to my projects after some time away and having all of the old notes helps me pick up where I left off and figure out where to insert my new ideas and also improve on the older ones.

I've used notebooks for ideas since the mid-90s and and am slowly catching up with transcribing them into computer files once full. It would be ideal for me to make notes straight onto some portable device, but for me the technology interface, software and price are not there yet (I most certainly include the i-Phone in that).

This post has been edited by uncle_jimbo on Feb 23 2010, 22:01

Hi all

I lose notebooks but a few years ago when I had a clever cell-phone (blue tooth and decent-QWERTY-ish fold out keyboard) that could do such things I would type up notes on its little mini-word processor and later up/down- load them to my computer.

Since I stopped buying into the contract-means-we-own-you-soul-and-bank-account crap that is a cell phone contract in South Africa I can't afford such clever phones and that one broke down irrepairably eventually (about four years).

Damn you Nokia for making a product that breaks down after four years of ruthless use! Damn you for discontinuing the line.

i try the same thing now with a regular bottom of the range phone by saving a SMS message in the drafts folder and setting a reminder to read it later. Doesn't always work and being limited to a few hundred characters is a serious cramp on my note-taking style. Did I mention: DAmn you Nokia.

Regards
Orc

I don't use notebooks, but scrap sheets of paper.

Most of my ideas happen at work, where not only do we not have pockets, but notebooks. So, I would just grab whatever I could get my hands on (that isn't considered "confidential") and scribble what comes to mind. Initially with funny looks from the new people, but they eventually learned not to ask. All these scraps either get put in a pile to keep, or thrown out when my wallet and/or badge holder start to get too full. Most get thrown out, but eventually some wind up as keepers.

Unfortunately, my condition (ADHD) forces me to exert much of my energy into the suppression of random thoughts during the day. Like the 27 odd ideas trying to steal away my attention as I type this sentence. Carrying a notebook would only encourage the little bastards.

However, in response, or possibly out of desperation to relieve the pressure, I have adapted an ability to create at will. That is, to set aside an hour or two during the day to sit down at the computer and forcibly generate ideas. Everyone I've spoken to about this has responded with a phrase similar to, "That's the only time I can't think." but it works well for me about 80% of the time. Must be an ADHD thing. Although, I've heard many a successful writer say the same thing, that they have a set time every day that they just sit down and spew words out onto the page.

So, if I suddenly become independently wealthy, I will be spending much of my time writing, drafting, modeling and generally doing an excellent impression of a cerebral fire hose.

K.

If I win the lottery, I'll PM you about your bank account numbers. ;)

A few of my mildly ADHD friends find the notebooks useful for a focussing tool. The act of writing makes them use one idea for long enough that many others go by the board. Does this work for you, or not?