In the last post about structuring commonplace books, I detailed Jenny Rallens’ method of organization. In this post, I am going to be giving an overview of English philosopher John LockeR…
In the last post about structuring commonplace books, I detailed Jenny Rallens’ method of organization. In this post, I am going to be giving an overview of English philosopher John LockeR…
In the last post about structuring commonplace books, I detailed Jenny Rallens’ method of organization. In this post, I am going to be giving an overview of English philosopher John LockeR…
Some of you may have been overwhelmed by the amount of things recommended to include in your commonplace book by the “John Locke” and “Jenny Rallens” methods. I’m here…
Both of the ways of structuring a commonplace book that I’ve covered (the Jenny Rallens and John Locke methods) involved tagging your entries in some way. For the Rallens method you put the t…
Like many thinkers of his age, John Locke maintained a commonplace book, an intellectual scrapbook of ideas and quotations he’d found in his readings. In order to be useful, such a book needs an index, and Locke’s method is both concise (occupying only two pages) and flexible (accommodating new topics as they come up, without wasting pages in trying to anticipate them). The index lists the letters of the alphabet, each accompanied by the five vowels. Then: When I meet with any thing, that I think fit to put into my common-place-book, I first find a proper head. Suppose for...
John Locke's unique method of indexing his common place books.
Sunday, 6.20am Sheffield, U.K. The business of Education, in respect of knowledge, is not, as I think, to perfect a learner in all or any one of the sciences; but to give his mind that disposition …
John Locke's unique method of indexing his common place books.
There are many different ways to structure a commonplace book, but here I will discuss one of the most popular methods: the “Jenny Rallens Method.” Take the parts you like, and leave ou…
I keep a commonplace book because I want to keep track of the best articles and books I read. A commonplace book is like a “thinker’s journal” that serves as a focused act of self-reflection and way…
Writers use journals, notebooks, project file folders or binders to capture brainstorming ideas and plans. In the 1600s, commonplace books came about
I keep a commonplace book because I want to keep track of the best articles and books I read. A commonplace book is like a “thinker’s journal” that serves as a focused act of self-reflection and way…
As the New Year begins, the commonplace book tradition is alive and well, at least as well as any tradition can be that has lived as long and through as many centuries as it has. Nancy Kelly writes a beautiful blog on the importance of commonplacing and some of its historical antecedents on her blog, Sage Parnassus. A friend who introduced me to the commonplace book tradition and I am sure has read every book in the New York Public Library sends me a passage from Willard Randall’s Ethan Allen: His Life and Times. (I guess this is one she hadn’t got around to yet.) “In my youth I was much disposed to contemplation…I committed to manuscript such sentiments or arguments, as appeared most consonant to reason, lest through the debility of memory my improvement should have been less gradual. This method of scribbling I practiced for many years, from which I experienced great advantages in the progression of learning and knowledge…of grammar and language, as well as the art of reasoning…” In a 19th Century American Literature class at St. Mary’s College in California, Professor Barry Horwitz requires his students write in their online commonplace book during each class period. They are instructed that each entry should include at least three quotations they found significant from the class readings. He tells the students to choose passages that offer a powerful statement or one that helps to understand the text or that makes a strong impression, say one you disagree with or one that rings true to your life. As the term progresses, each student’s commonplace book is posted on the class website. An example of those from one class of twenty-eight students is shown here. Have a look--each one is distinctive, annotated thoughtfully, with attractive themes. Periodically, “The Berkeley Daily Planet” publishes Dorothy Bryant’s annotated diary of the passages she adds to her commonplace book. Here is her latest: “He who despairs because of the news is a coward, but he who sees hope in the human condition is mad.” Albert Camus, 1943, occupied France. Bryant comments: “Camus wrote that sentence in his journal as he began dangerous underground work in France against the occupying Nazis. Under these conditions, his terse statement sounds like one of those dark jokes one makes in order to ease tension when engaged in activities that may bring capture, torture, and death at any moment. Today, in more “ordinary” times, this statement seems merely an echo of our passing thoughts as we scan the daily news in print or on TV. Do we ever pat ourselves on the back for maintaining this heroic balancing act? We should. Happy Holidays. The “American Scholar” continues its practice of including a commonplace book section at the end of each issue. It does so by collecting notable quotations on a single theme in a two-page spread without comment or annotation. Fear was the theme of the Winter 2012 issue. “Fear is the basic condition…the job that we’re here to do is to learn how to live win a way that we’re not terrified all the time.” David Foster Wallace “I begin to believe in only one civilizing influence—the discover one of these days of a destructive agent so terrible that War shall mean annihilation and men’s fears shall force them to keep the peace. Wilkie Collins. Here are a couple on Fear from my commonplace book: “Is it so that everything we do is done out of fear of loneliness? ….Why else do we hold on to all these broken marriages, false friendships, boring birthday parties? What would happen if we refused all that, put an end to the skulking blackmail and stood on our own?” Pascal Mercier “…sometimes seeing one’s fears written down, seeing them articulated, can reduce their efficacy. I don’t mean that having them before you on a piece of paper causes them to evaporate, but it can lessen their potency.” Elliot Perlman
Why I'm ditching the bullet journal and turning to a zibaldone or commonplace book. The surprisingly long history of bujos.
So I've been gone for a while. That's my bad. I'm sorry. School, both teaching and attending, has been kicking my butt. Between getting the kids ready for the EOG tests and taking this special education course for my license, I am pooped. NOT TO MENTION, my family came down from Pittsburgh and I was swept up in all that wonderful family drama excitement. But now that I'm back, I thought I would discuss what a commonplace book is first, then how I was introduced and why I am obsessed! A commonplace book is an old idea that people are putting new spins on. Wikipedia defines them as: Commonplace books (or commonplaces) were a way to compile knowledge, usually by writing information into books. Such books were essentially scrapbooks filled with items of every kind: medical recipes, quotes, letters, poems, tables of weights and measures, proverbs, prayers, legal formulas. Commonplaces were used by readers, writers, students, and scholars as an aid for remembering useful concepts or facts they had learned. Each commonplace book was unique to its creator's particular interests. I googled images of commonplace books and I was blow away. I really loved this one. Source Needless to say, planner ladies (and gents I guess) have put their on stank on it. I was first introduced to the idea of a commonplace book after reading "A discovery Of Witches" and the main character had one when she traveled through time and it was some amazing relic by the time they returned. I had to have one. Some days I just write quotes and definitions of words that I want to use later one, and other times I talk about what is happening in my life at the current moment. It may or may not be important :) Honestly, It's just whatever comes to mind. I also use it for recipes, to document places I've gone, or to do writing prompts. Of course, there is an abundance of washi, stickers, and color all over the place. It really just depends on what I have going on. I decorate my pages in advance with the washi and sometimes with the stickers because I absolutel hate a blank page (here are some of the ways I decorate). I have to do something to take away my blank page fear. I try to have an overall color scheme, but I honeslty just do what I want. I think we lose the calm that comes with journaling when we focus too much on what everyone else does. I adore the planner community and all the inspiration I get on Instagram, but I have to make things my own. I like to think I have my own style. This page below is actually out of my bullet journal. I tend to get all crafty with all of the notebooks inside my ZenKraft. and believe it or not, I've actually pre-ordered a ZenKoraft in this deep sea blue color. I know I have an obsession, but I just can't seem to resist. Once I see it, its like this frenzy comes over me and I just have to have it. This was my new years resolution page at the end of 2014. I thought I'd include it. As of late, I've been doing a lot of thinking about being an expert. In general. Being an expert at something you love. Do you feel like you're an expert at anything? I don't. I feel like I am a jackie of all trades but a master of none. And in the age of the interwebs, that is just unacceptable. I think I should put some effort into the things I really want to become my expertise. Like blogging, or photography. Ohhh or wine..... must try lots and lots of wine.... What are you an expert in? Or are you a jack of all trades?
As I mentioned yesterday , if you see me out in person, odds are you will find a notebook somewhere on me. I have them coming out of my ears...
Last year I began keeping a Commonplace Book. I wanted to copy quotes I had found or heard from various sources. Having them all in one book...
Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation by Steven Johnson This is one of my top reads from 2012 …. In fact it would probably rank as one of my top reads ever! It certai…
Writers use journals, notebooks, project file folders or binders to capture brainstorming ideas and plans. In the 1600s, commonplace books came about
Dear Lissy, Hooray for summer vaca! You'll be heading off to camp in a few weeks, but right now you're trying to keep yourself busy wi...
I have collected and filled notebooks for years, mostly recording things I was learning, other times journaling or Morning Pages. Beginning in my teens, I continued sporadically, and by my late twenties, I was deep into yoga and yogic philosophy, filling several notebooks with wisdom. I didn't know there was a name for what I…
“Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information upon it” Samuel Johnson Like many of us when we start writing in a fresh exercise book, James Boswe…
A commonplace book is described this way: “Commonplace books (or commonplaces) were a way to compile knowledge, usually by writing information into books. Such books were essentially scrapbooks filled with items of every kind: medical recipes, quotes, letters, poems, tables of weights and measures, proverbs, prayers, legal formulas. Commonplaces were used by readers, writers, students, […]
As the New Year begins, the commonplace book tradition is alive and well, at least as well as any tradition can be that has lived as long and through as many centuries as it has. Nancy Kelly writes a beautiful blog on the importance of commonplacing and some of its historical antecedents on her blog, Sage Parnassus. A friend who introduced me to the commonplace book tradition and I am sure has read every book in the New York Public Library sends me a passage from Willard Randall’s Ethan Allen: His Life and Times. (I guess this is one she hadn’t got around to yet.) “In my youth I was much disposed to contemplation…I committed to manuscript such sentiments or arguments, as appeared most consonant to reason, lest through the debility of memory my improvement should have been less gradual. This method of scribbling I practiced for many years, from which I experienced great advantages in the progression of learning and knowledge…of grammar and language, as well as the art of reasoning…” In a 19th Century American Literature class at St. Mary’s College in California, Professor Barry Horwitz requires his students write in their online commonplace book during each class period. They are instructed that each entry should include at least three quotations they found significant from the class readings. He tells the students to choose passages that offer a powerful statement or one that helps to understand the text or that makes a strong impression, say one you disagree with or one that rings true to your life. As the term progresses, each student’s commonplace book is posted on the class website. An example of those from one class of twenty-eight students is shown here. Have a look--each one is distinctive, annotated thoughtfully, with attractive themes. Periodically, “The Berkeley Daily Planet” publishes Dorothy Bryant’s annotated diary of the passages she adds to her commonplace book. Here is her latest: “He who despairs because of the news is a coward, but he who sees hope in the human condition is mad.” Albert Camus, 1943, occupied France. Bryant comments: “Camus wrote that sentence in his journal as he began dangerous underground work in France against the occupying Nazis. Under these conditions, his terse statement sounds like one of those dark jokes one makes in order to ease tension when engaged in activities that may bring capture, torture, and death at any moment. Today, in more “ordinary” times, this statement seems merely an echo of our passing thoughts as we scan the daily news in print or on TV. Do we ever pat ourselves on the back for maintaining this heroic balancing act? We should. Happy Holidays. The “American Scholar” continues its practice of including a commonplace book section at the end of each issue. It does so by collecting notable quotations on a single theme in a two-page spread without comment or annotation. Fear was the theme of the Winter 2012 issue. “Fear is the basic condition…the job that we’re here to do is to learn how to live win a way that we’re not terrified all the time.” David Foster Wallace “I begin to believe in only one civilizing influence—the discover one of these days of a destructive agent so terrible that War shall mean annihilation and men’s fears shall force them to keep the peace. Wilkie Collins. Here are a couple on Fear from my commonplace book: “Is it so that everything we do is done out of fear of loneliness? ….Why else do we hold on to all these broken marriages, false friendships, boring birthday parties? What would happen if we refused all that, put an end to the skulking blackmail and stood on our own?” Pascal Mercier “…sometimes seeing one’s fears written down, seeing them articulated, can reduce their efficacy. I don’t mean that having them before you on a piece of paper causes them to evaporate, but it can lessen their potency.” Elliot Perlman
A commonplace journal is not complicated and doesn't need to be fancy. It is simply a place where notes and quotes from our reading are kept. The simpler
I had the opportunity to write for Dirge Magazine while it was still online (Rest in Peace). I learned so much as a writer from the editors, so I wanted to make sure I was able to save my favorite …
