Tuesday, December 21, 2010

My offline journal

My technique journal's been fleshing itself out nicely lately. I use Freemind's mind-mapping software. I chose it because it gives you a flexible way of noting techniques...and, well, I like charts:) They help you see things. It's been especially helpful in finding holes or areas where I've been placing proportionately more attention...or not enough.

It's solved my biggest problem when it comes to journals. I have WAY too many and keeping topics organized can be a hassle. On top of that, I have the bad habit of grabbing the wrong one when I'm in a rush. Little notebooks all over the place. Movement exercises, Spanish, Cooking, Mandarin, Spiritual, BJJ technique, Chinese group...tiny books all over the place. Now, when I learn a new trick to countering defense to armbars from the mount, instead of trying to squeeze information into the margins of that first, tattered page that I created for armbars, I can just go and modify the note on the armbar node.

5 comments:

Josh Kruschke said...

Nice. I use iThoughts on my iPhone the sameway. It really helps me see the big picture. Did I just sound pretentious, oh look at me I've got an iPhone aren't I special, and by use the word pretentious did I compound the mistake? I now I've done it I used it twice in the same sentence. I really need to end this comment on an upbeat by say I to find mindmapping a great way to organize your thought and to see if there is any holes.

Josh

A.D. McClish said...

HAHAHA Joshkie, your comment cracked me up. I like the idea of being able to link the techniques together. I have no idea how to use that kind of software though.

A.D. McClish said...

Also, Megan, I too have way too many journals!! And it bothers me when I accidently grab the wrong one and have to jot BJJ notes in my devotional journal or something. lol Nice to know I am not the only journal abuser out there.

Deborah Clem said...

Wow. All ya'all are rabidly organized. I don't even fold my socks.

Megan said...

@ Joshkie...lol...I've never tried iThoughts. Pretentious or not, I'm going to check it out.

@A.D. That is EX.ACT.LY...what I do. It just got to be too much, so I had to start separating stuff out. The software's really easy. Just clicking to add new nodes and typing. Here's a link if you want to check it out. It's free! http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

@Dagney...lol. Just letting you know I'm stealing the phrase "rabidly organized." That is all.