Continuing the Analog Trend

I keep voluminous notes. Even more now than in the past as I am both getting older and have a work life filled with distractions and interruptions.

This has always been a trial for a variety of reasons.

The left hand I was born favoring was slammed in a car door when I was three. This left me to make do with a decidedly less coordinated right hand. Despite this, I managed to achieve a measure of legibility throughout grade school. This was brought to an abrupt halt by a Nazi death camp matron turned penmanship teacher in the fifth grade. Being brutally steered onto the "right path" reduced my writing to a series of scribbles. When I would look at my paper, I was torn on what I hated more - The paper or her. The answer was her but that was a little uncomfortable for me to process at that age

Gradually, things improved in the handwriting department until the next roadblock was reached. My right hand was broken multiple times and decades of typing introduced carpal tunnel were thrown into the mix.

I resorted to keeping them electronically. First with a mini-cassette recorder. This never worked out because I felt ridiculous talking to myself. Next was a Palm Pilot. This was actually a good experience until Palm was sued and forced to release the abysmal Graffiti2. Next was Microsoft OneNote followed by EverNote and the various iOS solutions. Then back to where I am now - OneNote again. These things are serviceable but force you to conform to their idea of productivity. Conformity is not a skill I have ever managed to hone.

Today, I am going to head to the office supply store, work load permitting, and pick up a variety of notebooks. I've recently been easing back into the handwritten thing again but easing, like conformity, is something I am not good at. This will have to happen like my learning to swim did - Being thrown in a river and told, "You better figure it out quick". My survival beyond childhood is a minor miracle.

Once purchased, the note-taking apps will be deleted with the exception of OneNote as much of the content is shared with others. I'm kind of stuck with it in that respect. My private design notes will be transferred over though.

In the space of two days I have decided to eliminate e-book documentation and electronic note taking.

Stay tuned for my next post where I will doubtless discuss my decision to trade my BMW for a horse and wagon.