Tuesday 17 March 2009

The Ones That Got Away

As we've already discussed, I'm rather fond of notebooks and carry one around with me most of the time. This is so that I can fool myself into thinking that I may actually write something at some point. Sometimes it actually works. However, those occasions upon which my brain generally decides to play along always happen to be those times when pen and notebook are nowhere to be seen.

I'll be happily wandering along the road or sitting on the train/bus/tube/irritating method of public transport of my choice when, all of sudden, that thing happens. You know the one. A something in your head collides with another something in your head and the idea starts to form. The inner voice begins to speak. The monologue or dialogue commences. And you think, "Yeah, this will be good. What a fascinating insight into whatever it is that the subject of the thing is going to be about. Top banana. I should write this one d- Oh, I don't have a pen or anything to write on. OK, I'll just remember really hard. Come on, brain, remember the things. Remember the stuff. Remember that bit that was wryly amusing and painted you in a terribly witty light. Remember. Reeeemeeeemmmmbebbeeerrrrrr."

And then I stop to cross the road or get off the train/bus/tube/irritating method of public transport of my choice. A new song comes into the brain via the ears. The brain shifts track and settles into a new tangent. Probably about what to have to lunch. Or if I did actually remember to send that email last night. And so, the something disengages from the something else and the idea is no more.

I lose more blogs that way.

8 comments:

Zina said...

ha, I do that too. I usually get about ten pages in before I see another pretty notebook, and then I have a notebook affair, and then I forget about both of them.

Brandy Wilcoxen said...

I have the same problem, so many thoughts left incomplete because my mind likes to wander off.

That Baldy Fella said...

Rachel May - My current notebook is almost full for the first time ever. It's my longest notebook relationship. But I suspect I shall move on to the next one when this one reaches its end...

Brandy Rose - Yeah, exactly, I'm easily distracted by other thi- oh, look, a squirrel!

Anna Russell said...

Same problem too! I'm that crazy person on the train who is either writing on her hand or repeating a phrase over and over to myself so I don't forget it before I get to a pen.

That Baldy Fella said...

Ah, I think I'm the one who's got a constantly shifting facial expression as he acts out bits and pieces in his head...

Anna Russell said...

Yes! I do that too - glad it's not just me.

Vic said...

I write things down on the backs of receipts, and jam them in my purse.

Now I have six pounds of receipts with scribble on them that I can't read.

That Baldy Fella said...

I don;t think that would work for me, I don't have a purse.

Plus people would get annoyed when I try to pay with a list of scribbled reasons why Back To The Future is great.