I'm a meticulous note-taker. Throw me into a meeting and I've got the "stuff" - note pad, a few varied coloured pens (partial to purple and green am I), a highlighter or two. What throws me off and brings out my inner kindergartner is when those who are not as organized ask for pages out of my notebook and borrow my pens or scratch words, with my highlighters on pages ripped from my notebook.
My note-taking all falls down in the execution of course. Because I have this ongoing fantasy that I can remember every icky bicky thing and what I'm supposed to do before the next meeting. What truly galls me are those who scribble one word notes to themselves with my gear and at the next meeting and with their to do list completed, will remind me what I had agreed to do for this one. What happened, did I forget? Of course not. Just deferred. Ahem.
You have no idea how often I'm caught unawares by this false assumption that my memory is remarkable. Well it is if you want me to recall the day I rode my first bike or the mornings I went rabbit hunting at the age of 4 with my grandfather. But last month?
There really is no further space for new files in the recesses of my brain.
I have to break down and haul out the notes and fumble over them and tick when completed.
I hope I remember to do that.
I was going to write a comment, but I cannot remember what I wanted to say. Mind you, I cannot remember my name either, so I'll just sign
ReplyDeletemissus!
LOL, we're in the same club. Though you're probably far more mature about your pens and paper.
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highlighting and comments I make as I read
ReplyDeleteyoungest daughter said "I do not like reading your books
because I feel like I am reading your diary...
Oh I do take notes when I read Ernestine but in a separate notebook, I don't mark books as I'm always loaning them out or donating them.
ReplyDeleteI love what your daughter says!
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I claim the problem is not that we're all getting more forgetful; it's that we all have so much more to keep track of these days ... keys, wallet, cellphone, etc., etc., and then the passwords, phone numbers, i.d. numbers, etc. etc., etc.
ReplyDeleteI hear ya Tom, but we have devices to do a lot of this work for us. Or so I'm told. Can't remember by whom. :)
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Ah, yes, the day I rode my first bike...I remember it well. Now, what was it you said?
ReplyDeleteLOL.
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Reading this and your last post I realize (and I am not proud of it) that I have taken "chilling" to a new level. And I am not retired like some of your readers. More shame on me. I shall now go into my heart, soul and whatever else plays a part in my general disarray and try and remember how once upon a time I was Ms Efficiency herself.
ReplyDeleteWith you in my thoughts,
U
Ursula, I made a great pretence of being efficient and organized but secretly, I wasn't. It was a performance. My mind is frequently elsewhere. A far more interesting elsewhere than the banal stuff around me.
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You have a mind for taking notes because you see the whole picture. I wonder if it's such a job for you in part because you have to filter out what others may not see or want to know. I might share a sheet of paper but I draw the line at sharing my favorite pens.
ReplyDeleteYou do an amazing job of taking stock of how you're doing in the midst of all the activity, things you want to do and things you feel called to do. I think that is a difficult balance and would like to be able to pull it off as gracefully as you do.
Sharon you credit me with more than I think I'm capable of but I will bask in that for while. And fantasize about new notebooks and fetching pens.
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I am like you too, but with simpler tools. I never go out without my little spiral notebook and a pen. And I also resent others not so prepared wanting to tear off a sheet or borrow my pen to scribble their own notes!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad I'm not alone Rummy in my possessiveness about my bits and pieces :)
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Ummm. Spam. I will try my best to sparkle with spam.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I enjoy taking notes and writing them up, though some find them rather impressionistic. My tools are simple: a pen, a small legal pad.
Personally, Hattie, I love graph paper, there can never be enough. A friend found these small graph notepads in Paris and I was sick with envy.
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Ut oh. I'm probably the one sitting beside you that forgot something. No, I'm usually prepared but sounds like you are prepared with a capital "P". You are the one we are always glad is there.
ReplyDeleteUseless as my note taking is in propelling me to action steps, Barb. You are probably an actioner.
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The only things I take meticulous notes of are discussions with my doctor and work meetings it's my job to minute. There's nothing else I take notes of. But like Ramana I take a notebook everywhere so I can jot down anything interesting or useful. Thankfully people seldom ask me for a pen or paper.
ReplyDeleteYou must look forbidding if people don't assume they can crawl all over your stuff, Nick. Doctor notes? I forget to the point that my doctor grabs my pad and scribbles notes for me. Seriously.
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I think I would have only one pen and one piece of paper (at least visible) anytime I was going into a group I knew was going to ask me to provide supplies for them. Then I can simply say "Sorry, but I need this pen & paper"). Perhaps in time they'll learn to bring their own. They won't as long as you enable them. Guess I'm a Scrooge! I don't mind helping once or even twice, but after that they're abusing me.
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