I never walk out my door without a pocket sized notebook and several pens stuffed in my purse.

It’s an occupational habit because you never know when you have a need or opportunity to jot down newsworthy notes, an important phone number or address, the inspiration for an article, a catchy news report title, a captivating addition to your vocabulary or random thoughts on any subject matter that peaks curiosity. These are handy references in moments when the mind unexpectedly goes blank.

Countless notebooks, large and small are piled up on top of my desk and stashed away in recycled boxes kept below. Just recently I began to purge the collection accumulated over decades on the beat, daring not to peruse the scribblings inside that would soak up hours of revisiting times and places of a distant past. Oops, I´ve already veered way off the topic at hand.

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