UNITED STATES—I know I am old school because people think I’m crazy when it comes to the fact that I utilize notes, journals and looseleaf paper to keep track of things. Yeah, we have laptops and desktops, but the problem with technology is that it can always and I mean always have a glitch. A computer can work one day, and be completely inoperable the next day.
With that said, I love writing things on paper. Why? There tends to be a trigger with the brain when it comes to physically writing something with a pen and paper. When it comes to the grocery store, I ALWAYS and I mean ALWAYS write a list. I need to know what it is I need, so I’m not in a supermarket running around like a chicken with my head chopped off. It is crucial to make sure that you are not overspending, especially at a time when the cost of goods and services is still on the rise.
The Dollar Tree or Dollar Store (depending on who you speak to) is no longer $1, things are a dollar plus and some stores have even implemented new items that range between $3 and $5 dollars. The cost for a gallon of bleach has bloomed from like $3 to nearly $7 to $8 now. That is if you’re visiting Target people. The cost of laundry detergent I don’t even want to discuss anymore because you can barely purchase the item for under $10.
The reason, I’m pointing this out is by writing things on paper you know what you need, what you want and what you’re willing to spend. I can almost guarantee you most people don’t write things on paper. They go into stores completely blind and as a result they spend way more money than what they have to spend people. It is not just for lists though people, a pen and paper is good for note taking for students. I especially need it as a doctoral candidate because you have so much material to remember noting the important stuff triggers an impulse in the brain to remind you of certain information. Note taking is good for remembering certain ideas that might pop into one’s head.
I do this all the time as a writer, when a critical piece of dialogue or a potential idea for a film script jumps into my mind I write it into my book. I need that pen and paper to be prepared when something comes up that I never expected. It happens all the time as a writer, ideas come and go, and I don’t want to miss the opportunity for a good idea because I didn’t have a way of writing down what came to me that was vital.
The great thing about writing things down, whether for school, work or for personal use, you have something you can always go back to. You can store these items and reflect when you need them. I think this is crucial for journaling because it lets you see where you are and where you’re going. It is an opportunity for self-evaluation, reflection and an opportunity to be better. Pen and paper have been around since the dawn of time, just because technology has evolved doesn’t mean we can forget about the simple things we’ve always had.
