Larry Stedman wrote in message ...

How do you ORGANIZE your log?

Unlike some other people here, I find it rather unsatisfying to observe
things and *not* have a permanent record. For instance, last night,
toward the end of my session, I was looking at M81 and noticed some
condensations in its halo that I had never seen before. But by then
I was tired and my hands were cold and I just couldn't bring myself
to sketch or record them. So next time I observe M81, I will have to
start from scratch -- no way am I going to remember where those
condensations were. On the other hand, I *will* remember their
existence even without a formal record, and it will inspire me
to spend some effort on this particular galaxy -- one that I have
never really come to grips with.

These days I mostly record stuff on a digital voice recorder --
except last night, when I had forgotten to take mine. It saves
precious time under the dark sky at the expense of less-precious
time transcribing the results during the day, and also helps a
lot with the cold-hand problem.

Then I transcribe it onto a computer, where I keep it organized
with the aid of various tools I have hacked together. I find it
essential to have the stuff organized both by observing session
*and* by object, and I'm certainly not about to create my own
index by hand.

I still haven't quite figured out how to deal with my sketches.
Scanning them and recording them electronically sounds promising;
maybe that will inspire me to buy a scanner at long last.

Now if only I could figure out how to make sketches without
getting cold hands -- and without blinding myself with my
red flashlight. I also wish that my sketching skills were
better. Yes, they improve with practice, but *very* slowly.
This is one area, I think, where innate ability counts
for a lot.

- Tony Flanders