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I’m an underliner.
I underline. Here's some thoughts on why I do, and perhaps you'll see why you should too! Think about the power of sharing with others some of the most memorable things that you've read recently, all in one place.
I underline things I want to remember. I even do it in magazines (mine, not the ones on the rack). I obviously don’t underline library books, much to the relief of my former-librarian mother. I’m not as bad as a pastor friend who uses a ruler to underline (his pages are amazing displays of his fastidiousness and almost resemble art).
There’s a strange thing about my underlining. For strange reasons, it helps me remember what I’ve read. My brain is funny that way. I’m not claiming photographic memory at all. I am a forgetful person (another post for another day). Yet, when I underline, I grasp the message better. I remember concepts and contexts when I interact with pen on paper.
I rarely read on my iPad. I prefer to hold a book or magazine. I need the tactileexperience. Even when I read articles online, I find myself bookmarking them or saving highlights from them to my Notes app on my Macbook. (See the video below for how I do that.)
I use Pocket to bookmark entire articles. In fact, Pocket is my source for my two blog series: Nuff Said and The Roundup. I usually just peruse Strangely, I do use a Bible app a lot, but it’s the Olive Tree Bible Reader which allows you to underline/highlight just portions of a verse.
My daughter clued me in to using felt tip pens for my highlighters a while back. I used to simply use ballpoints. (I have a thing with pens.1 )
I underline phrases that inspire me. I underline an author’s epic use of an analogy. I underline a text when it’s simply exquisitely formed – an admirable use of the language. I underline a well-articulated point or paragraph.
I have a few codes when I underline.
- I’ll draw a star next to something that I think “this was especially great.”
- I’ll draw an arrow in the margin pointing to an underline that I think “pay attention to this!”
Here’s to all the other underliners out there!
If you underline, I’d love to know! Leave a comment, especially if you have some quirks or a personal system or method to your madness.
Stay tuned for a new series here
The whole concept of underlining struck me as a great idea for a series here… Underlinings. (I hope that doesn’t sounds a bit like something you’d wear with your swimsuit). I’ll be sharing with you short bits of provocative, inspiring, beautifully-written and helpful things that others have written that I’ve… underlined recently.
I am a LONGGGGGGGGGGGG time underliner. I firmly believe it helps one to remember what they’ve read. It’s been proven that taking notes, with a real pen, pencil, not some computer.. helps student learn and remember so much better. Actually holding a real book in one’s hands helps one remember what they’ve read. I still underline constantly. It’s like a tactile thing that I can’t help myself from doing. I can’t read without underlining, unless it’s a fictional book just for pleasure. My bibles all have so much underlining and writing notes in the margins and notes all over that… Read more »