The order of time Carlo rovelli
title: “The-Spark-File”
layout: note
date: 28-08-2022
last_modified_at: 2023-12-08 12:09
writing line and idea in one big file to sort through later. Comb through it regularly when uninspired and see what jumps out at you. Similar to a Writers Notebook, but digital and searchable.
Ideas compost. The spark file is the compost pile where things break down and combine in new ways.
I’ve kept a spark file for years and it’s many, many lines long. Because it’s Plain Text, it’s still a compact file and able to be easily searched and looked through. I have it stored as an org file in Emacs and have a function to show a random headline.
It’s useful to look through years later and see the start of ideas.
- This idea comes from Stephen Johnson
It is also an example of the Collectors Fallacy in action, as you can store endless amounts of information and be overwhelmed by it.