My notepads

This is just a short entry but it’s one I wanted to write.

One of my major joys in life is writing and it’s something I do whenever I have free time and am alone.

Generally speaking I use what I would call reporter’s notepads, but I’ve written in everything from pretentious Moleskins to old school exercise books.

And I’ve been doing it for years. Years and years and years. In fact the earliest memory I have of doing it is writing about the Atlanta Olympics. So...yeah......a LONG time.

I just haven’t shared it with anyone until today.

I use my notepads to write down quotations I like, to plan out books I’ve never written and to write (awful) songs and poetry.

Almost all my blog posts were written up first as notepad entries.

See.

As were the sketch versions of talks I gave and Bible studies I’ve led.

But I’ve also used them as way of journaling life.

So :

- if I’ve met you, I’ve probably mentioned you in a notebook entry

- if I’ve led a Bible study with you in it, I’ve written about it in a notepad

- if I’ve led with you on a Christian camp, I’ve written about it in a notepad

- if we’ve studied together then, (guess what?!) I’ve written about it in a notepad

- if I’ve asked you out, then firstly my apologies but also I’ve written about it in a notepad

- if you’re a sports team I support then I’ve written about you in a notepad (normally with tears in my eyes due to you being PATHETIC)

- if I’ve worked alongside you, you’re mention in my notepads

- if you’re one of the few people who I’ve counselled about relationships then it will have been recorded in a notepad. Though I haven’t kept a tally of my success rate.

- if you’re a member of my family then I love you deeply....and you’ll have been mentioned a lot in my notepad entries

- if you’re the Bible or theology then you get a lot of mentions in my notepads

- if you’re a thought I’ve had while my brain has wandered to some random places then you were probably written down in a notepad

Finally, if you’re worried about what I’ve written being seen by others then please don’t be – the pads and other bits don’t stay around for long.

They all get lobbed away, so all my thoughts disappear.

It’s a tremendously cathartic process.

In fact the prompting for me writing this post comes from the fact that I’ve just thrown away my latest batch of pads.

Eight of them, covering September through to mid-March, are now being processed by the good folks at one of Norfolk County Council’s recycling plants.

In all this I’ve found my rambling musings to be incredibly enjoyable and the whole process one that gives me clarity on my thoughts and peace in my mind.

If you have a pen, quill, paper or papyrus to hand then please, give it a try.

Debate warmly encouraged