Pile of Index Cards

# I decided to move this web site from “All rights reserved” to Creative Commons.

My work on this site is licensed under Creative Commons License. You can freely distribute my works, including all text on this site as well as photo on flickr, under the license (ver. 2.0 for flickr photo).

That is, you can cite the text and photo on your blog, use for educational purpose, save on your HDD, and share with your friends without permission, unless you earn money or do business using my works. All you need is to put my name “Hawk Sugano” or “hawkexpress” somewhere together. Please read license condition for detail.

I wish this will help your intellectual activity. ;)

ref : @blog, Statistics

According to the statistics of my system, at the beginning this year, it was only 20 cards per month. But in March, it jumps to 400 cards, which records the maximum through this year.

The differences in February and March are,

• hipsterPDA format (portrait) to PoI format (landscape)
• Pigment pen ; black ink to blue ink
• implementation of four card rule
• implementation of Icon and Tag rule
• chronological order in a card box

Most of key features of the PoI system was established in March. Thanks to the chronological order, nothing is stop my writing indexcards. I found the PoI method is really effective and fun for me. It is clear the PoI system/method dramatically improved my output (20 -> 400, 20 times).

It followed by minimum in May (besides February) when my job had been busy. Then it gradually increased until August. In the beginning of July, I introduced Flickr, and in late August, I started start this blog. The number of cards reflects my mental state as well. Main reason of decrease in September was, according to my Record Card, I was mentally depressed. After that, the number gradually recovered.

It seems the number converge and approaches to equilibrium now. The equilibrium point is about 10 cards/day (300 cards/month). If I include cards for “work”, then the number is doubled, 20 cards/day. Perhaps it is comfort number for me.

As a summary of this year, as well as a sample of introducing the PoI system/method ;)

From a curiosity, I wonder how many cards I wrote this year. Here I use indexcards in the “life” dock as a sample for simplicity. The card system for “work” is extended PoI and more complicated than “life”.

Since it takes some time to count them one by one, I used trick to count easily.

1. Measure a weight of the cards of each month, by using a scale.
2. Divide the weight by 1.5, that is a weight of single card in gram (150g for 100 papers).

That’s all. This is another advantage of using indexcard :)

I measured a weight of cards of each month. The figure above is a number of card per month, since February 2006. It was when I start using 5×3 quadrille card. Total and mean are summarized in a table below.

ref. : The Indexcarding PoI Starter Kit

I have been preparing to provide the starter kit, and just finished. Now I’m ready to take your order. You can order Correct’s indexcard, dock, and Kokuyo’s fieldnote via the Service page. I accept a credit card and PayPal account for payment . For a moment, the postal fee is 10 % off. :)

Please let me know if you have question. Please use comments below, or send me an email.

I wish your merry X’mas and happy new year!

Revised 2006.12.30 00:22 : Add photo of the packs.

ref. : Divergence, convergence,
a discussion related to indexcard @ Flickr

I call a state of my Dock like this title. I have never think my Dock as gem box. There are gems, but not all. And it’s totally o.k.

See a Pyramid in Egypt. It is constructed by pile of stones. The stones is useless if it is divided one by one. But if a stone is uniform block and well organized, even though single block is useless, it is possible to become such a great construction.

Even group of several stones, it is possible to metamorphose into a gem. As Josh and Jamie wrote before (here and here), we are trying to find pattern between our individual thoughts, events around us. If we could find a pattern from several “stone” cards, the knowledge generate new “gem” card.

Conversely, if my Dock is full bunch of gems, it means I try to write and select only gem all time. It will be stressful. And the system doesn’t succeed to function as capturing “any” idea.

There are tons of stone card, tiny and apparently useless ideas, in my Dock. But I don’t know their true worth at the time I write them. As Steve Jobs said, all we can do is to connect dots (cards) backward. So I don’t trash any single card. Rather, I keep all of them for future use.