What a brilliant idea! And wonderful examples. Love the Rorschach joke. Yes, what about Daedalus? But what does it mean that I found a dead bird in our barn/garage yesterday that hadn’t made it back out?
I’m trying to leave a comment when I get to the end of a Substack piece I’ve enjoyed reading. Can’t always manage it, but here you go!
I really enjoyed this AJ. I am always thinking of things I should make or do...inventions I should create, apps I should build. But I have too many ideas to make them all. So, I created a notebook I call my "idea graveyard". I write them out, "Here lies the Uber for youth sports & extracurriculars. You had potential, but I know I will never do this. May it rest in peace".
I've found it to be good for my mental health because I get closure.
Lol! I call mine an idea sanctuary, because I like to believe they are there for safekeeping until I can get to them, though it’s likely most of them are in a graveyard and don’t know it yet! 🙊
Because close to 100% of my reading anymore takes place on my Kindle, I use its "Highlights and Notes" feature kinda like your One-Thing list (although obviously it works only for books). Because these highlighted elements are automatically posted to my Goodreads account, too, I often just go to look back at the notes and so on from books I read a while ago.
When I'm in an art museum, even if they don't allow photos of the artworks, I often take photos of those little "caption" cards affixed to the wall/pedestal -- especially when there's more than just the artist's and work's name, the dates, and so on. Some museums REALLY work the content on those captions, to include bits about the artist's life, an interesting technique used in bringing the piece to completion, etc. Then I can just go back to look at those photos later, like, "Oh, yeah, I remember that [painting/sculpture/photo/etc.]!"
But yes, I really need to do this with other media too. Thanks!
I actually started reading this with the "really?" attitude but by the end of it was thinking how wonderful it is. A lot of folks talk about keeping journals and such, and that may help some, but the process can often be tedious and if you never go back and look at them then they lose the point. But this is both a simple way to keep a record and a good way to look back through them. Love this ideaa!
I love this! Many years ago I used to have a Moleskine notepad where I’ll write down all those things. You made want to upgrade it to a digital version :) I agree with you. It’s hard to keep in mind all those brillant lessons we come across everyday. But they can last forever when we keep them in one place.
Thank you for this! I tried carrying a commonplace journal and umpteen pens to write in it - too heavy, and too organized. Eek. My brain loves the idea of one thing - and for that matter one pen and one tiny journal. It all feels doable, and like something that will grow my valuable with each entry. My gratitude for starting me down the path of a fun new project.
Question: How important to you is it to remember where it came from? Is the idea the main thing or the ability to tie the idea to something you experienced (read, watched, heard, etc)
I keep a "quotes" file, which has languished at times, but your article gave me several contenders for a new addition (I added the Bertrand Russell quote.)
Reading this morning, I added this one to my list:
I love this and have started my own. Including my One Thing from this essay, "Because everything has a nugget worth saving, even if it’s an example of what not to do."
What a brilliant idea! And wonderful examples. Love the Rorschach joke. Yes, what about Daedalus? But what does it mean that I found a dead bird in our barn/garage yesterday that hadn’t made it back out?
I’m trying to leave a comment when I get to the end of a Substack piece I’ve enjoyed reading. Can’t always manage it, but here you go!
Thanks Wendy! And I love the leave-a-comment project.
I really enjoyed this AJ. I am always thinking of things I should make or do...inventions I should create, apps I should build. But I have too many ideas to make them all. So, I created a notebook I call my "idea graveyard". I write them out, "Here lies the Uber for youth sports & extracurriculars. You had potential, but I know I will never do this. May it rest in peace".
I've found it to be good for my mental health because I get closure.
I love the idea graveyard. Can you rename it the idea coma unit? Because who knows, maybe it will come back to life? Or is that not enough closure
That's a great suggestion. Coma unit makes it less permanent.
Lol! I call mine an idea sanctuary, because I like to believe they are there for safekeeping until I can get to them, though it’s likely most of them are in a graveyard and don’t know it yet! 🙊
Because close to 100% of my reading anymore takes place on my Kindle, I use its "Highlights and Notes" feature kinda like your One-Thing list (although obviously it works only for books). Because these highlighted elements are automatically posted to my Goodreads account, too, I often just go to look back at the notes and so on from books I read a while ago.
When I'm in an art museum, even if they don't allow photos of the artworks, I often take photos of those little "caption" cards affixed to the wall/pedestal -- especially when there's more than just the artist's and work's name, the dates, and so on. Some museums REALLY work the content on those captions, to include bits about the artist's life, an interesting technique used in bringing the piece to completion, etc. Then I can just go back to look at those photos later, like, "Oh, yeah, I remember that [painting/sculpture/photo/etc.]!"
But yes, I really need to do this with other media too. Thanks!
Excellent, thanks John. I'm with you, I also take photos of paintings, cartoons, book pages I like, then I go put them in the One Thing list later.
I actually started reading this with the "really?" attitude but by the end of it was thinking how wonderful it is. A lot of folks talk about keeping journals and such, and that may help some, but the process can often be tedious and if you never go back and look at them then they lose the point. But this is both a simple way to keep a record and a good way to look back through them. Love this ideaa!
I love this idea AJ! I wish I had started doing this much earlier in my life.
I love this! Many years ago I used to have a Moleskine notepad where I’ll write down all those things. You made want to upgrade it to a digital version :) I agree with you. It’s hard to keep in mind all those brillant lessons we come across everyday. But they can last forever when we keep them in one place.
I'm jealous of the Moleskine. I may have to downgrade to analog!
Thank you for this! I tried carrying a commonplace journal and umpteen pens to write in it - too heavy, and too organized. Eek. My brain loves the idea of one thing - and for that matter one pen and one tiny journal. It all feels doable, and like something that will grow my valuable with each entry. My gratitude for starting me down the path of a fun new project.
Question: How important to you is it to remember where it came from? Is the idea the main thing or the ability to tie the idea to something you experienced (read, watched, heard, etc)
I keep a "quotes" file, which has languished at times, but your article gave me several contenders for a new addition (I added the Bertrand Russell quote.)
Reading this morning, I added this one to my list:
We sometimes eclipse our own dreams with reality.
Patti Smith, M Train
Thank you! 👏😻
I love this and have started my own. Including my One Thing from this essay, "Because everything has a nugget worth saving, even if it’s an example of what not to do."
Apropos, a fine poem by one of our finest poets: https://dailyish-poem.wyrdbyword.xyz/archive/00173-failing-and-flying-jack-gilbert/
Such a great poem, thank you! I agree, I hate it when people say someone's marriage failed. It ended, yes, but it might have had many great moments
Love this idea
Thank you J just J
Literally stopped reading this to go set up a one thing list in notion and then came back to finish the article. Brilliant idea.
Thank you Sophie! I love that.
This is wonderful, thank you. What a great thing to do! And I loved so many of the snippets you shared.
Thank you Ros!
Brilliant idea. I also forget too much of what I consume. Thank you!
Love it, thanks Ben!