It was only a few weeks ago that I told you about my late friend Bird’s Gnome Gnotebook, the contents of which I was so glad to receive in the form of a fat photocopied packet. One of you alerted me to the fact that one can buy empty versions of these notebooks online, and I quickly sent off for one, as a remembrance of my beloved friend.
And to keep quotes in, of course! Anastasia recently shared this fun Ogden Nash verse (above) and I copied it at the bottom of the first page, where the gnome sits with his nose in a book. These contemplative gnomes will keep company with whatever I write here, on every page.
I must have a thousand quotes in computer documents, and another few hundred on papers bursting out of a manila folder. For years I used some very efficient software to help me in 
my collecting, called Smart Quote Organizer. But it eventually proved too hard for someone with my lack of computer savvy to maintain; every time we got a new computer or made major changes, I almost lost that data. Finally I did lose it, I lost all those hundreds of good quotes and was fairly deflated — for a few minutes. I realize that even the most excellent examples of pithy sentences are just representatives of truth and wit and wisdom. The substance remains with humankind. But I decided to return to more primitive methods of storage, while not abandoning my simple Windows document folders.
At left is a page in 
my first quotes notebook, which I arranged alphabetically in subject categories. Some pages are full and some are still completely blank, so I probably shouldn’t give up on it yet.
Of course I wouldn’t think of giving up reading it. Just now the words on this page with the heading Money have made me muse on whether I have violated any of my principles by spending on my new (technically “used,” though not written in) Gnome Gnotebook. I don’t think so.
Bird didn’t have her jottings in any particular order and I don’t plan to worry about that with my new book, either.
Above is the old notebook with the quotes all hidden inside, waiting to be pored over and contemplated. And here is another page from that book. Clearly I gave more attention to good handwriting in that previous era a decade ago, which is about when I started using this book that was gift from son Pathfinder’s family.
Many of these quotes on Life and Limitations immediately apply themselves to what could be called my hobby of collecting quotes – especially the reality of limitations. The Bible says that “of the making of books there is no end” (Ecclesiastes 12:12), and I don’t think I will run out of (quality – they must be quality) quotable excerpts from those books, or other writings or speeches or folksy proverbs.
I, however, am very limited in my time, my life span, and yes, my mental abilities. I am limited in how many quotes I can publish on my blog and still maintain good standing in the eyes of my readers. So that’s all for now, folks. Have fun with these!
Gladsome Lights 
I love your quotes and your quote book. I have mine scattered here and there. I have slips of paper stuck in every cranny. I need to organize my quotes better and I do love that Gnome quote book. It looks full of possibilities. Don’t you love things that look like they are chock full of possibilities?
I hope you have a lovely day.
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It is too early in the morning for me to consider my collections of handwritten quote books begun with various ideas of how they might be organized and then the piles of hand written journals, some definitely needing redacting or maybe a re-designation as kindling for a nice warm fire.
Your quote book is a treasure and I am not sure you could publish too many on your blog, you have culled through with such a delicate comb.
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I too have a hardback notebook that is filled with quotes that I want to keep. I’m so helplessly pathetic when it comes to computer things; I would not even think of keeping
something so valuable in that place.
Ogden Nash never fails to give me a lift in my day!
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I have faced a similar dilemma, but have decided to let it go. I do have a journal where I am recording things this year mostly things I read or come across in my devotions. I refer to it often so I am really glad I am doing it. You gnome is adorable and I like the remembrance that it holds for you.
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I love good quotes myself. Most of mine are written on scraps of paper or post it notes, which is why my purse always looks so unkempt.
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I have so many things saved on my computer, but I don’t really trust technology. Things crash too easily. I’m all for writing in “real” books! Love the Gnome Gnotebook! š
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Reblogged this on albits and commented:
I am not good at collecting things, though I admire persons who are, and do–faithfully. A recent post about happiness coming even to the boulder is another example–and it moved me enough to re-read and try to remember
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love your quotes and that lovely book!!! love to you! š
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What a delightful hobby! I’m glad you do this. I always tell myself, after reading a particularly good poem on your blog, “Well, MK, if you want it again, you can always find it on GJ’s blog!” Like I will remember! HA! š I like especially that Heraclitus quote. Perhaps our minds are rather like his river, or should I say our memory. We step back into our memories wanting to retrieve something — a quote, a poem, a book, an idea — but the water is new, the river is different, and we cannot step back into the thought we had before. That’s a limitation!
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I am so inspired to organize my journals. Mine are so spastic…what does that say about me? I love seeing your handwriting. Handwriting says a lot about a person…yours is just lovely.
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I loved this post! Loved seeing your beautiful handwriting, your selection of thoughtful quotes, your lovely notebooks! Emily Dickinson’s post is going to be in my mind today (as I sit down to make the lists of things that neeeed doing).
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Of course I always love the Chesterton quotes. And Ogden Nash is so clever. I like your new gnome notebook. I’ll have to check into getting one myself. I’m not good at organizing quotes. I count on Brainy Quote to do that for me, but if the grid goes down, I’m sunk.
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I *love* that you collect quotes! They are one of the few things I collect as well–though in a rather haphazard fashion in a document. They are so good to have around!
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Hello,
I have tried numerous times to publish this comment, and after your visit and exchange of comments re: your post at my own blog, Poppy View, yesterday, I am hoping that your finally receive it, after 3 months of its original, intended publication. Please notify me if you do.
Thanks,
Poppy
*******************************************
Hello there,
It’s so very lovely to meet you. Like you, I’ve always been intrigued by interesting quotes, and started collating them as a young girl, mostly from magazines and newspapers, or copying them down in a little journal, from textbooks, movies, books, or out of the mouths of wise family members, and friends.
When my mother purchased a book of quotes, during my high school years, I was elated, and on many occasions, we would sit after dinner, reading and discussing several quotes, from the very famous to the many Anonymous! Of course, when I moved to Crete, my mother gifted me with that same, now tea stained and tattered copy, and I reach for it on those days when I need the inspiration that comes from turning the printed page to discover what lies ahead. The anthology is called, ‘The Unfailing Lighthouse in the Life of Mankind’, by P.D. Vlachos, and as its title implies, the collection of quotes is like a lingering light in the distance that guides one’s spirit to sheer enlightenment.
I’m so sorry you lost your collection. I can imagine how frustrated you must have felt, since, just today, I completely deleted an entire email to my daughter, just before sending it! Let’s just say that this normally well mannered lady was not on her best behaviour after that!
Thanks so much for visiting Poppy View! It’s a shame you didn’t get to visit Crete, but maybe one day…
Wishing you a wonderfully inspiring weekend,
Poppy
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