Hey Patty,

I understand about paper and pen. I get that way about books too. I'm a gadget guy who owns an usual amount of Apple products, yet I find myself longing for the smell and feel of a good book.

I have a friend who says, "If I don't write it down, it didn't happen." There's another adage that says history is defined by the victors - but it's more than that - history is the story of what gets written down.

I did a paper in college on the recreation of Israel as a nation state. It was interesting to dig through the archives - they have on file and for public access some of the most mundane documents: letters to and from minor level diplomats that determined things like seating arrangements at meetings, agenda items, etc...some of it felt like a policy-wonk's todo list.

A really good list can live beyond the moment.

Thanks, God Bless,
C