I have created a shorthand for my notes when I am reading. It has now spilled over to my notes from interviews / podcasts as well.
The idea to do this came after listening to Tim Ferriss interview Maria Popova.
One shorthand I use, is L&P which stands for ‘language & phrases’.
When I come across some L&P that I love, I underline it and mark it L&P.
Then I turn to the back of the book, where I have a section for ‘language & phrases, and I put the page number.
This means, I can grab a book, turn to the back, look under L&P, and see all the ‘language & phrases’ I enjoyed from that particular book.
So. I thought I’d share 10 L&Ps with y’all.
‘in a world of sameness’ - The Practice by Seth Godin (p. 167) - *we don’t wanna be in this world
‘genetic throwback’ - Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams (p. 145) - *the character’s mother didn’t look like her parents
‘you are present when you are away’ - The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley (p. 237) - *Betty talking to Malcolm X on a long-distance call - he was talking about how he barely gets to spend time at home / with her
‘SUCKcess’ - Keep Going by Austin Kleon (p. 93) - success on somebody else’s terms, underserved success, when success or chasing after it starts to suck [paraphrased]
‘productive procrastination’ - Keep Going by Austin Kleon (p. 154) - avoiding work by doing other work
‘language used by God to indicate what he should do’ - The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (p. 92) - putting words to what an omen is
‘mental candy’ - Atomic Habits by James Clear (p. 175) - he removed social media (mental candy) off his phone Monday thru Friday so he could work without distractions
‘catalog of experiences’ - The Daily Laws by Robert Greene (p. 155) - looking back and realizing how all of his experiences landed him where he was/is
‘tattooing a sentence on someone’s memory’ - Will by Will Smith w/Mark Manson (p. 359) - he loves shock value (I know what you’re thinking on that)
‘It began, like many stories do, with a man’ - The Warmth Of Other Suns’ by Isabel Wilkerson (p. 20)
Please share a phrase you’ve come across that you loved or added to your repertoire.
“There were two libraries in Harlem, and by the time I was thirteen I had read every book in both libraries…” - James Baldwin via The Marginalian
THAT’S IT Y’ALL - see ya here next Sunday at 3:33p CT
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Hugs & LOVE Y’all,
Sally Mc