Noted

When I really want to remember something, I write it down where it could disappear at any moment.

An unsaved, unnamed notepad document, open on my screen. Its analog equivalent might be a scribble on a piece of tissue so light it could be blown away by the slightest window breeze.

I didn’t start using the doc as my personal RAM on purpose. It is open to serve as a scratch pad, for links copied intermittent of bit.ly-ing, for text pasted in and copied out as a transitory step to remove hidden formatting.

But then concepts started to end up on the white notepad square, phrases I fell in love with that had no immediate application, or names for things I had never thought to name. Recent examples: “mermaidleprechaungenie” (a perfect amalgamized term for any supposed magical entity); “Soup Kitchen Man Is Angry” (a phrase that richly deserves to be illustrated).

Those phrases are no longer on my screen, or written down anywhere (except wherever I originally ran into them). My computer restarted for an update, perhaps, or my husband happened to close the doc when installing my new monitor. Yet I remember them perfectly. Things I enter into the document live in front of my face for a while, and because I know they aren’t safely archived elsewhere, I don’t let them escape. They become part of my current worldview.

When you want to remember something, don’t save it.

GregHoy_1421

2 thoughts on “Noted”

  1. This comment is probably meant for the “Go Wiki Yourself Post” yes?

    As I noted, Andrew did successfully set up the page for Neshaminy Creek Brewing. Perhaps it’s easier to get the materials and copy together and have a friend do it for you? As far as I know, Andrew (Nusca, currently at Fortune) has set up dozens of Wikipedia pages for a variety of local businesses.

  2. Did this work?

    I included myself as a “notable person” in the Lititz PA wiki page and I’ve remained on that page for about 6 months… But it seems like so much work of submission to get the whole business submitted. A girl here said she tried it once for the business but they rejected it. Did you have any success?

Thoughts?