Monday 4 February 2013

Taking notes.

I’ve talked before on this blog about research. I write on a computer, but I take notes with a pencil. It’s still the best technology if you want to get a great deal of information on a single page – and by far the best technology if you want to compare three bits of information from different sources.

 The drawback is having to read your handwriting, though. A scribbled note can degenerate into...well, it can be hard to say what.

 A wuveless lion?

 Wuveless? What’s that supposed to mean when it’s at home? I’ve never seen a lion with a wuve (whatever one of those might be) but ...well, is it likely to matter? Can’t I just use lion and never mind the wuves?

 Hang on, though...is that a u? Or an n? And that squiggle at the beginning...

 That might be an m.

 Muneless?

 No, no, maneless! They were maneless lions in Mica’s valley!

 Phew, it’s a good job I realised: because, let’s face it, shaking its mane is the sort of thing I could have easily imagined a bolshie Ice Age lion doing.

 Narrow escape from making a horrible mistake there.

2 comments:

  1. Phew! I love pencils. I like the fact that you can rub the marks out...and they are just...well, COOL! Find pens quite cool too. And as for paper don't get me started....the old technologies are ace! As for a maneless lion, he must have been jolly chilly is all I can say!

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  2. What a wonderful thought! I'll tell you something that's just struck me: the lions in Trafalgar Square are there because some lion bones were dug up when they were excavating the site; but the sculptor Landseer must either not have known that they would have been maneless, or he must have had very bad handwriting, because they have the most luxuriant locks imaginable.

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