Documentation = Life (Atomic Essay Day 04)
I am what you would call a hoarder. From brown paper bags that come with Swiggy to Amazon boxes, from cute ribbons on gifts to those extra scraps of fabric - if I had unlimited space, and supportive housemates - I would keep them all. Interestingly, this behaviour also extends beyond the tactile world - I am also a hoarder in the digital space. I screenshot, bookmark, save, Pocket, IFTTT, you name it - if it can save or document things, I'm pretty sure I have used it.
My professional life unfortunately (or not) has only fanned this fire. As a designer, I was taught to not just capture the output but also the process behind it. As a photographer, developing a keen eye and finding stories & meaning where there is none is something that I have honed. As a researcher, I have lived with this fear of losing that moment and that place forever.
'If you didn't document it, it didn't happen' - is truly my mantra for life. I'm surrounded by tiny time capsules - notebooks, apps, books. Moments in time I manage to freeze just so that I can come and revisit them someday. I came across this tweet the other day & it only reaffirmed my own actions -
The thing about all these tiny capsules is a logistical one, it's a nightmare to go back and find things. Being able to capture things without a proper structure I've come to realise is worse than not capturing it at all. At least you don't have that annoying feeling of not being able to find something you know you have!
How do you capture and retain ideas, thoughts? Write to me, I'd love to hear from you!