Writing 3: Take Note
I enjoy notebooks. They’re such a simple pleasure. There’s just something about putting pen to paper and recording your thoughts. The feel of the paper, the scratch of the pen—it just works for me. Writing is a more tangible feeling than tapping on a screen. My problem is that I have more notebooks than I know what to do with.
I’ve got field notes (some with fancy covers, some naked but not afraid), bullet journals (shoutout to the Leuchtturm1917—those things are the Cadillacs of journaling), leather-bound beauties that make me feel like a pro, and of course, the humble grade school classic black-and-white composition book. I own enough notebooks to open a small stationery store.
Why so many notebooks? I don’t know for sure. Maybe, it’s an obsession. Because it doesn’t stop at notebooks—I’ve got pens, pencils, markers, highlighters, rulers, and erasers in quantities that suggest I’m preparing for an apocalypse where the only currency is office supplies. And yes, I pair specific pens with specific notebooks. It’s a whole system.
But here’s the thing—I forget stuff. We all do. Science backs me up—our brains are great at living in the moment and terrible at remembering most of what we would like to remember. That’s why I take notes. And why you should too. Even bad notes help. Good notes? They’re like little time machines that remind you of what you were thinking before your head wandered off left that thought in some dusty corner of your brain.
Notebooks aren’t just tools—they’re lifesavers. They are part of my every day carry (EDC). I use mine to track everything from garden plans to book quotes to random 3 a.m. ideas that could be my next personal breakthrough. The point is, ideas are fleeting. As quick as they pop into your head, they pop out. Note taking records and preserves your ideas for later pondering.
If you want to get into the habit, start by scheduling a little time to write. Once a week is fine. Nothing fancy—just you, a notebook, and your thoughts. Write down anything: things you want to remember, cool stuff you read, something funny your dog did. Use colored pens if that’s your thing. Or keep it classic with a minimalistic plain black ink. No rules here so do what feels right for you.
Just start with one notebook. That’s how I began—one turned into two, then three, then a... stationary store of sorts. But don’t worry about that now. It’s not about the number. It’s about the practice. The act of writing. The act of remembering. Thinking on paper. Capturing the chaos before it flies away.
And hey, starting is cheap. All you need is a notebook and something to write with. Though fair warning: today it’s one notebook, tomorrow you’re browsing fountain pens at 2 a.m. Welcome to the club.
