Organizing Ideas

*Warning: I really love organizing stuff, not even making this up. Cleaning? Okay, it's part of life, I do it, but organizing is sooooo. much. fun.

For some reason, the subject or organization seems to be popping up a lot around me. Several friends have ventured into different techniques and types of organizing routines, and I think it is wonderful that there's so many sources for this. Yet it is often much harder in practice than in thought. It's easy for me to do it because I love to do it, but that doesn't mean all of my stuff is perfectly arranged (oh, I do so wish it was).

I'm one of those artistic people who has tabs upon tabs open in their brain constantly. The weird thing about it, though, is that I don't see myself as ADD, or at least, not very much. I know what ADD is, and ADD people describe what it's like to me, yet I do not fully comprehend it. If there are too many people and too much noise I notice everything and nothing at the same time, and just panic, but it's not ADD. Usually, I end up hyper-focusing because there's too much going on, and then I don't notice everything I'm supposed to while all that's unimportant is suddenly taking up 100% of my brain power. (Yes I realize that sentence was a bit needlessly lengthy.) It is completely normal for me, when I begin a task, to not be able to focus on anything else. I don't see anything else in the room but that task, and depending on it's level of intensity, I often cannot even verbalize anything beyond what I am accomplishing. This is nice for writing, it makes thinking creatively come as naturally as breathing, but it is not okay when you have several tasks to complete. Therefore, I've had to find ways to scratch down ideas to at least get them off my mind without worrying about forgetting them. Once they are scratched out on numerous pieces of paper or notebooks, I have to decide what to do with them.

What didn't work
College-age me had a basket that I dumped random scraps of paper into. Maybe twice a year I would go through this basket and read all the notes, trying to decide if I could remember why I wrote weird things like colors + made-up names + words like "furling" and "clandestine". Pieces of poetry that was awful, a half a Bible verse, dates, and Sindarin words all littered the basket. If I could remember what it was for, I would keep it. If I couldn't, I threw it, unless I liked how it sounded (even if I didn't know why). This got to be a problem, because by the end of the day I might have thrown out only three pieces of paper. I didn't know what to do with this stuff except organize it by little piles by associations I might understand, but no one else would. Slowly, over time, I've learned better ways to keep these things a bit more organized (though not perfectly so). I thought I would share, because many of my ideas came from others who also were searching for ways to organize creativity or even just tasks in life.

The Everything Notebook
The Everything Notebook is something I came up with on my own. Into it goes notes from articles I read, mythology I find intriguing, things I want to do or see, ideas to write about, characters I may want to explore today. I keep it readily available to jotting down anything I want, because it is exactly what it is called. It is for everything, in no particular order. I do date the pages and cite information when I copy it. My favorite type of notebook for this is a spiral-bound one, with the perforated edges. This way pages can be easily and neatly torn out and clamped into three-ring binders or stashed neatly in folders if I need to organize them further. I might keep a three-ring binder for story ideas, another three-ring binder for recipes, and still another for magazine articles. The beauty of this is that it eliminated a lot of scraps in a basket, and made it easy to organize later.

Journal
How I journal has changed tremendously in the last few years. In my youth, it was only a journal. More recently I've found that by journaling my devotions side-by-side with my life it becomes easier to think of these two things as one. I used to write in my journal here or there when time allowed or when important things happened. My devotional notebook was kept just to answer questions from books or study-guides; sometimes I copied down a verse I really loved. Then one day I recognized that while one held my beliefs, the other showed my practices. I needed to practice what I believed, but instead I used to journal to vent where I thought it was safe to vent. It wasn't gossip, and it wasn't complaining to anyone, but it was still complaining. It occurred to me that that if I wrote out my prayers my mind wouldn't wander as much praying silently. I'd be able to use the small snatches of time I had instead of complaining about how I let things distract me. The "journaling" has become more prayer-like because instead of venting, I'm thanking and then petitioning God. It also focuses me to think of Him first before I start journaling.
I've also combined into this journal some to-do lists. This was because a friend shared with me her Bullet Journaling (which is brilliant, and for ADD people it is probably a life-saver). It have found it's sort of nice to be able to look back on a to-do list I had from a few weeks ago and see all I've accomplished. Sometimes it's just a nice sense of accomplishment, or to remind me of something else I need to do. I had tried adding a calendar to mine (most Bullet Journaling suggestions include one) but I've found that I like having my calendar separate. I myself do not use a bullet journal, but I encourage you to look it up and check out the different kinds there are if you're looking for ways to organize or keep track of things.
I usually purchase notebooks that I really like for this, or save the prettiest ones that people gift to me for this. The pens I use for it are also important to my organization. Organizationally, I think in color [or even alphabetically, or associations only my brain connects but that I can't explain- never numbers] (does that sound weird?) so I purchased pens I really love in different colors, and assigned the colors to specific types of notes in my journal. (Ex: black are my daily notes, blue is for to-do lists, purple is for literature I'm reading, red for ideas that pop up as I'm journaling. I jot it down and go back to what I was doing before.) Using colors helps me when I'm flipping through the journal trying to recall something or find a note I made to myself.

Sticky Notes (or mini pocket notebooks)
A must-have, for those creatively-manic people like myself. they are great because they are small and sticky. I can jot stuff down while I'm on the move and slap it on a coffee mug until I get back a chance to shove it into my journal. When I get home I can stick them elsewhere, or just throw them away when I can't remember what "Favorite pens" was for (why did I feel the need to list favorite brand names of pens?). This is nice for on-the-go but it a pain to organize later sometimes, so I use it only at work now since I don't have the option to drag a notebook around with me while cleaning.

*As a side note, I do prefer sticky notes to scrap paper because, well, they are sticky and can't be lost as easily. They can also be attached in some kind of order to notebook pages so I can pretend they're in order instead of stuffed in a pocket or folder somewhere.

Sermon Notes
I use notebooks that fit into my purse for this, and I also use the same notebook for lectures at theological events (like the Philadelphia Theological Reformed Conference or Logos). These I do not typically save once they are full. I confess, I only take notes in order to pay attention. I cannot pay attention unless my fingers are moving or I'm holding onto a pen. So if you catch me drawing in church, I'm not distracted, I'm trying to pay attention.

I learned also about a technique which I have yet to try, but would like to, called Pomodoro Technique. It's meant to help people who have trouble focusing; I wondered if it might help me focus better when writing because it teaches you to focus fast. (Most of my trouble with focusing on writing is simply because I have no where distraction-free to write, so I'm trying to learn to write with it.) Supposedly this technique works by setting a timer for yourself, and working without stopping for an allotted time. (I had initially read 25 minutes, but I've also heard variations since then). You can take a 3-5 minute break with the timer goes off, and jot down one tally mark. This is repeated until you have four tally-marks, and then you take a longer break and start over. If anyone has ever used this, let me know how it worked for you. Was it helpful? Did you finish your tasks better with it?

Do you have any other thoughts on organizing your ideas? What do you do with them? Are you a paper-saver like me and are you still trying to find the "perfect" solution to organizing and storing them? I'd love to hear all your thoughts on this!

Interview with Lyla

Updates first, interview second!
1. Blog updates: So, I have updated the blog again (obviously), but less obvious is that I have also added the ability to subscribe to my posts via email. You can find the subscription button on the right sidebar, at the very bottom under all the other necessary nonsense I've included on the blog.
2. Writing update: I've been very bad about writing lately. I have too many reasons why and I'm not going to bore you with a list. Mostly I just can't seem to reach that "beyond this very second" level of thought in the last week. Tonight (I actually mean Wednesday night, because I'm editing this and adding to it tonight so all I have to do tomorrow is hit "publish" because I am weird about planning things like this sorry about the rambling) I am enjoying calming camomile tea while thinking about how grateful I am that it is already Wednesday, and I have only four more days until I can rest on the Sabbath. What a great gift it is.

For now, here is the awaited interview!

Interview with Lyla

Lyla was kind enough to grace us with her presence today! I hope that you will enjoy this interview with her and are able to get to know her a little better. Lyla's quite a different sort of character than I've done before, so I'm just getting to know her, too.

What is this?

Will you please not touch the keyboard.

Why?

Don't hit that button.

How does it work?

I don't know, Lyla. Can we please continue?

It doesn't interest you to know how this thing that you use to write letters to others works?

No, but I thoroughly appreciate that it does work, and those who do understand how it works. Did Fallyn arrange your hair today? It is very nice.

Fallyn is quite artistically talented.

Are you ready to start? We're starting anyway, whether you like it or not.
*glowers at me*

What's your full name?
Lyla Fox.

Are you married?
Why are you asking me this, you should know.
Lyla, they don't know it. Talk to them.
Oh.
Your smile is a little sinister. Loosen up a little. Much better.

*clears throat*

What country would you most like to visit?

I would never leave England, but I suppose Rome, Italy.

What country would you conquer?

Conquering countries is of no concern to me. I have my own things to keep me busy, but if I must answer, America. Who is asking this question anyway?
Lyla. Seriously. I know this is very out of place for you, but please try not to make it too difficult.

Do you have a favorite color? 
Lime green- it is exquisite, and matches my eyes. 

What is the first thing you remember building?

I made things with my father. Together we assembled mechanical mice, which frightened my mother but also made her laugh. *Smiles sadly*

Cat or dog person?

 This is a rediculous question.
Answer it anyway, Lyla.
Cat.
Why am I not surprised?
What did you just mutter about me?
Nothing, Continue.

What do you think has been the biggest influence in your life?

My father. My mother. Oh, that there could be a way to bring them back. Then Henry, whom I hope never to speak to again. Oh yes- and Rex, of course.

What is your favorite time of day?

Night, when I am most alive with my inventions.

Have you ever broken a bone?
I have only broken a toe, when running down the street and tripping over someone's dropped hat boxes.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?
I would love to eradicate the strange, unexplained criminal activity off the streets of London, and find some answers to my parents death, if they yet exist. Once this is accomplished, I could marry a decent fellow who is not necessarily wealthy but can at least afford me one lime-green silk gown and allow me to fill our home with curious inventions of my own making.

Chocolate or vanilla?
Do you have to ask? Chocolate, for it is the most decadent thing I've ever tasted in my life.

Name a memorable holiday dish you won't soon forget.
I was once invited to a lovely holiday meal where they served a plum pudding. What fantastic fun it was to set it alight with fire first! I did rather enjoy the roast, too.

Thank you, Lyla. That was very nice, we truly appreciated your presence with us tonight. Short but sweet, just as I promised to you. 
I hope the rest of you enjoyed this short interview with Lyla! She's so fun to write, and I hope you had as much fun listening in as I did writing this. 
Happy Thursday!