[In the fall, Jonathan Vatner, Hue staff writer, took an introductory menswear sewing class. He has been blogging about his experiences on Hue, Too.]
Let it be said that Professor Blackman is a clear and patient instructor. Anything important he repeats five times, each time a little louder and slower. Yet, much like ancient manuscripts, my notes are often indecipherable because of heartbreaking lacunae. How can that be, you ask? Shouldn’t I know how to take notes?
I hereby present my defense: all the reasons I take terrible notes.
1. I needed to go to the bathroom or eat a sandwich during the lecture.
2. I heard the instructions but got overwhelmed by the terminology.
3. I couldn’t see the demo.
4. In watching the demo, I didn’t have time to write everything down and promptly forgot it.
5. I was panicking at the time.*
A page of my anxious scrawl
*Time-Limited Panic happens when something has gone wrong – I’ve broken my thread or jammed my machine or didn’t realize I hadn’t done all the homework or I thought a classmate looked at me funny. Time-Unlimited Panic occurs without a stimulus, and follows such common internal scripts as “I’m Going to Get a D,” “What on Earth is Her Name?” “I Wonder if Everyone Can See the Stain on my Pants?” and “In What Universe is This Considered Unskilled Labor?”
