Notes on Notes (2nd February 2008)
There are hundreds of things I’d like to work on. Jotting them down in my notepad is one way I keep track.
The quality of these notes varies. At primary school (ages 6 to 11) my teachers nicknames me “Hieroglyphic Sid” due to my handwriting. I took to writing in all-capitals on exams and was granted extra time to do so. Even my uppercase letters are barely legible to anyone else!
Here are the best and worst of my current notes. Dozens of old notes live in a ring binder.
Messy Page
- Presentation with meaning, including:
- significant colouring;
- borders in several styles for urgency;
- underline for headings;
- crossed out when completed;
- and horizontal rules for sections.
- Multiple lines of text in each marked line.
- Text is wrapped in and around other text.
- Text is written vertically. Some upwards, some downwards.
- Some text goes around corners.
- Every bit of paper has text on it.
- Title and start date are surrounded by content.
Typical web pages are tame compared to this!
Tidy Page
In contrast, my neat notes have:
- One line of text in each marked line.
- Underline for headings.
- Title and start date are well spaced.
- Most of the paper has no text on it.
The other side of the paper has some tidy notes, too. The power of the scanner’s light made them show through the paper like a mirror image watermark. They are invisible under normal light.
Ideas
Spreading notes across multiple pages, each with a distinct topic, makes them easier to follow. Lots of short, clear pages beat a big, messy page. Just like on the web.
The scanner’s software has a remarkable UI. I’ve taken screenshots and written notes. Haven’t started the web page.