I don’t take notes.
Well, I say I don’t take notes but really, sometimes I do. It would be more accurate to say that I rarely take notes in the way that most people take notes.
I was recently in a meeting with my boss and he was detailing a lot of things he wanted me to work on. I sat there very quietly. I was processing all the information that he was laying on me – which was quite a lot compared to the meetings we’ve had in the past. As a side note, the increase in information and the amount of things he wants to see come out of my department can and is being taken as a compliment – means I’m doing something right.
Anyway, I wasn’t writing any of it down, which prompted him to say, "You’re not writing this down…"
My brain doesn’t work that way. In school, I wrote down the assignments but I didn’t really take notes. Other kids were scrambling and scribbling away in their little notebooks, but not me. I think I’ve got a better auditory memory – IF I AM FOCUSED ON THE SUBJECT. Bore me and not only am I not taking notes but I’m also not listening to what you’re saying, so you’re screwed if you expect me to remember any of it. Incidentally, I always did well on tests even though I didn’t take notes or study much – I processed the information in class as it was being shared with/taught to me.
It’s also amusing to note that when I am home, I could probably be best described as forgetful or scatter brained. At work, it’s the exact opposite. Perhaps it comes back to focus again – at work I am focused on the tasks before me, what needs to get done and when. At home, not so much.
That’s not to say that I’m not focused when I’m not working – I am, just not on the things that most people usually are. If left alone, I would probably never check my mailbox, for example. My brain is always working on things, though. I think that’s why I’ve always had difficulty falling asleep at night – my mind is still churning away on stuff and it takes a while to get it to wind down. Once it does, I’m out for a good long time. Which also makes it difficult to wake up in the morning.
Which explains my chronic lateness.
~P
