I use the idea that writing regularly in this blog is a good way of staying in touch with myself. I like to take notice of both pleasures and pains that occur in my life, maybe think about how and why they happen. Sometimes I give myself a pat on the back or admit to being lazy or irresponsible when I look at what is going on.
I guess that the more I allow myself to notice what is going on with my life, mind and body, the more I catch glimpses of what is happening, even quick messages about ideas, feelings and memories. I mostly use "salience", what sticks out, what pops up, what comes to mind. I like to sit with a blank sheet of scrap paper and a pencil and see what comes to mind when I ask myself
What am I thinking?
What has happened lately?
What pops up in my mind?
I realize that tons of things happen that I don't notice or even can't perceive, such as clouds passing over, neighbors walking by or birds and critters carrying on their lives around me. Just about every sentence I have written so far in this post could be the focus of further thinking.
My friend mentioned the other day that she was reading an old diary she had written years before and something in it sparked a thought. She took a piece of paper and made a note about the idea. Then, she wondered if it was at all sensible to be taking notes on one's own writing. Today, I read about a web site called Book Traces that focuses on notes writers and readers have made in book margins. There was a case where someone stole a book, started reading it and was struck by a idea. The thief made a note in the margin.
I am not sure how note-taking changes as I age, but I find that jotting down the essence of the theme helps me put it in perspective. I can return to it or combine it with other ideas. I like to work at notes until I have at least five themes before focusing on one to blog about. Sometimes, I transfer unused themes to a computer document in Google Drive. I can go back to those sets of themes when I get tired of what I am thinking about or bored with what comes up in a particular day.
What I noted for this blog post was "Should I be making notes on my own writing?" My answer is "Sure, go ahead. Whether my earlier writing is from years ago or an hour ago, me and my head are in a different place now and I may be glad to have any note I make."
