One of my idiosyncrasies is my love of taking notes, copying quotations, making odd lists, gathering examples in various categories, and the like. I used to fight this impulse, because I considered it a waste of time, but now I allow myself to take notes without a purpose — Be Gretchen.
For example, I made this list of what public-art installations, based on classics of children’s literature, I would put in New York City. (I was inspired by the luggage trolley halfway through a brick wall at London’s King’s Cross station.)
Here’s the list I made today. It’s a list of my favorite two-word phrases that I have actually used in conversation:
– scintillating scotoma
– intangible hereditable
– mystical pigs
– spasmodic Hercules (from a quotation from Trollope)
Do you ever take notes without a purpose, or make lists like this? Or have any favorite two-word phrases yourself?
* I just heard last night that The Happiness Project will be #1 on the New York Times list for the third week in a row! Hooray! If that piques your interest…
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