losing it

I've just had one of those moments that happen too often. When a thought I've been happily following simply slips away while my mind snagged on something else. I'm a lateral thinker and talker, constantly interrupting myself to say remind me to tell you about that later or to stop, mid-sentence, to follow another tangent whose logic is entirely apparent to me. Not always so to others. And there's the related problem of other people sparking off new thoughts that I need to follow - and on it goes. I fear it makes me seem scatty at best, tiring (or mad) at worst.At the weekend, whilst waiting for lunch, my request for a piece of scrap paper (to jot down a trail of thoughts) was met with a holding gaze of disapproval as a waitress slowly tore a ticket off her book for me to use. This came after my asking to move tables and usual menu indecision and marked me out as a person to be hustled out as quickly as possible.

The pressure of the mental catherine wheel is eased by jotting things down: pinning words and phrases and little mind maps that spiral in different directions. But while I always mean to carry a notebook, my restless jigging about of bags means too often I forget to transfer it. So the stack of notebooks and pens that I stockpiled for various trips have now been scattered around every conceivable pocket and bag. It's the only way.

Comments

[Anna]

Ha! I know I shouldn't giggle at this, but I do because I so understand -- smart thing to have a notebook in every spot -- I haven't been organized enough to do that, but I should. When we packed for this last move I put all the various little notebooks, each with four pages filled, in one box and there are so many of them! They now reside in a drawer under the desk just waiting for me to think through a thought long enough to scatter them amongst my bags as you have done.

[little house]

giggling is good ;) I have a feeling it won't take long before the whole pile of notebooks end up in one bag anyway...

[Denise | Chez Danisse]

Oh no. I believe I lost my comment. Let me just say, I relate to what you've written here, more than you know.

[little house]

It's very reassuring to hear that Denise! I realise, too, that I must seem to be a waitress-botherer ...rather I'm just fussy, indecisive and underprepared ;)

[Hila]

Yep, a notebook it is! I carry one around with me all the time, because ideas and thoughts have a habit of popping up at the strangest moments.