Scribblings

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by Taylor514ce

Open your moleskine to the first page. Get a nice pen, I prefer rollerball fine point. Ready? Write down "Chinese people tie their toes in knots so they cannot grow any."

There. Now you will feel free to use the notebook to write nearly anything.

I fear my writing has suffered a permanent and fatal blockage, caught out by allowing the Fool to chew the fat too often. The Fool invades forums with foolishness (naturally) and surreality as a substitute for creation. He has a monopoly on my brain-space, and, though entertaining (to me), is ultimately pointless. Yet, like drug, I cannot stop, even if he's the death of Me.

I perform a similar ritual with new notebooks, typically transcribing a Japanese or Chinese poem. My current notebook has this on the opening page:

Once, far over the breakers,
I caught a glimpse
Of a white bird
And fell in love
With this dream which
obsesses me.

- Yosano Akiko

I like this, though I've given it insufficient contemplation.

I didn't realize that was okay (other's work, for inspiration, yes?). Can I use a retractable pencil?

On the facing page is the XSLT Identity Transform.

Excuse me, but...eww (sorry. My Being cries out against logical left-brain practicality, which is all it sees in the above. My Mind acknowledges that my Being doesn't see through the same eyes as yours and is, by definition, differently-motivated).

Although not that specific field, my field of expertise is, or was, very broadly related, in that it was Systems Administration, "Technical Manager", and IT Project Management. Some days, most days, all days I guess, with only the left-brain working, even if working exceptionally efficiently and well, I felt dead inside, mostly because I knew I was naturally good at it, but I also knew it didn't amount to a pinch of shit in importance or creation. For the next half (of my life), I'd like to see what the rightbrain can do (hopefully it can reintegrate the leftbrain)

I just have to subdue the Fool, and open the Moleskin to the first page perhaps...?

Cheers,
Marc

[Taylor514ce]

I always forget the Identity Transform, and since it's the starting place for all XSLT, it's always somewhere in my current notebook. But you're right, it's a bit stark for a notebook scribbling, which is why it is tempered by a doodle of boobs. Well, entire upper torso... I can never get the elegant lines of an upraised arm quite right, though.

Perhaps an excerpt from Li Bai's poem "Setting Out Early from White Emperor City" would be more appropriate for you, in literal translation:

Two riverbanks gibbons' voices cry not end

So I offer you the Chinese character for gibbon. Doodle away.

And more on Chinese Gibbontry, the Gibbon Mask. It'd look great in a beanie...

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

That would be wonderful. I could come along, and take photos, from a distance.

we'd make quite the spectacle... probably the most apt description would be "unforgettable".

Originally Posted by montsnmags

My favourite graffiti cannot be posted here due to obscenity, obscurity (for those outside of Oz), because recent history has made it somewhat redundant.

don't let that stop you (i certainly didn't).

Originally Posted by montsnmags

I bought a Moleskin, but I feel I would be desecrating its blank potential with any of the words I wrote in it.

Originally Posted by Taylor514ce

Open your moleskine to the first page. Get a nice pen, I prefer rollerball fine point. Ready? Write down "Chinese people tie their toes in knots so they cannot grow any."

There. Now you will feel free to use the notebook to write nearly anything.

i also suffer from notebook insecurity when confronted with a notebook with a reputation. so far i've overcome my intimidation by not buying classy notebooks, or by hijacking non-notebook items which can nonetheless serve this purpose. if you're still worried about desecrating the Moleskin Sanctity, go buy yourself a 2007 agenda (it should cost you about a penny, obviously) ; i've got a whole stock of ones from the 20th century which are hardbound and a nice size, and they even have a full-color atlas in the back. (i love maps.) you can write anything you want on a page that says "september 24, 1998" on the top. trust me. you can even write anything you want on a page that says "january 1, 1998".

taylor, i will remember your solution for the next time i'm confronted with a *really* nice notebook i'm afraid to write in with anything other than a fountain pen.

[GeoffC]

Scribblings ?

Small squirrels ?

Otherwise - nope ...

[GeoffC]

Moleskins users include Van Gogh, Chatwin, Hemingway, Matisse and Céline .
You are , therefore , all in excellent company - as usual ...

Hey what's up guys , this is a sane thread ...

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

Moleskins users include Van Gogh, Chatwin, Hemingway, Matisse and Céline .
You are , therefore , all in excellent company - as usual ...

precisely. thus the intimidation.

Originally Posted by GeoffC

Hey what's up guys , this is a sane thread ...

give it time. it shouldn't take long to degenerate...

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

precisely. thus the intimidation.

As I said earlier - you are in sublime company ...

[Taylor514ce]

Moleskine.

Prepare to be intimidated.

[Patricia]

I can understand this intimidation thing. I can only write happily in two ways:either on the computer (because that's temporary and the words can be changed) or using a pencil (ditto). I usually have several propelling pencils and a cheap notebook in my bag. Even then, I'm quite likely to scribble on the back of a computer printout.

[zelda_pinwheel]

used envelopes from the mail are good too. ironically, i often have several used enveloppes covered with writing tucked inside my notebook (which is preferably 1. cheap 2. kind of ratty and worn in or 3. not technically a notebook at all).

[Taylor514ce]

Share, share what is in your notebooks, whatever they may be! Be not ashamed.

****

Incunabula: prior to 1501 a.d. printed with movable type, also the primal beginning of a thing.

"...how much a part of curiosity is uneasiness." - B of A&S

at CN Tower
sudden vertigo --
your arched neck

neck/column/tower... your long white neck. Curve.. subtle curve. smooth

at CN tower
sudden vertigo --
your smooth curved white neck

[doodles: circles, curves]

[Patricia]

You want my shopping lists?

[Taylor514ce]

Sure. That'd be lovely.

[Patricia]

"Bread.
Milk.
salad.
Chickpeas.
Collect dry cleaning."

Actually, I have 3 or 4 old lists in my bag. I find that items tend to recur, so I sometimes just pull out a list at random and buy things. This works surprisingly well.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Patricia

"Bread.
Milk.
salad.
Chickpeas.
Collect dry cleaning."

Actually, I have 3 or 4 old lists in my bag. I find that items tend to recur, so I sometimes just pull out a list at random and buy things. This works surprisingly well.

hey ! i do that too !! i thought i was just insane, but if you do it too then it must be a perfectly reasonable method of grocery shopping.