How do you log your observations? (very long)

I've been round and round on this over the years. One issue that vexes
me is whether to organize my notes by date of observation or by object
being viewed. (or by constellation? or by type of object?) I've
thought about, but never gotten around to giving every page of two in a
log book the name of an object, with subsequent observations being
recorded on the same page. (Say 110 sheets for the Messiers!) It would
probably be organized at the highest level by constellation for easy
return access. (I count print it out based on some observing list, too.)

How do you ORGANIZE your log?

The other, considerably more complex matter, and one of personal style
no doubt, is how involved the log should be--and what format to do it
in! I've penned in notes in the margins of star atlases, on flapping
in-the-breeze stapled printed lists, and in the Night Sky Observer Guide
books----each beside the object in question. With my frequently
illegible scrawls (caused both my poor handwriting and trying to write
in the dark when it's cold), I've also tried the Palm route, using
Grafitti and text macros in HanDBase to record notes & drawings *by
object* & automatically entering date, seeing conditions, which scope,
and which eyepiece (even had some of the NGC designations in there for
auto entry: "extremely", "bright", "middle", "suddenly", "round").
That's intriguing because I can organize the log around a database such
as "The Best of NGC" or "SAA's top 100" which will also tell me what to
look for. But if often seems like work!

I've used a 1/2 sized spiral ring binder, with entries by dates (great
for browsing back over time, though 15-20% of it is illegible). I've
also used the Palm's memo pad, writing in notes by dates, 90-95%
legible. I've tried cassette recorders, digital records, and a Palm
with Voice memo feature and transcribed my notes the next day.

But, in the end, each method seems to fall apart; never quites work, and
I never stick with it. Yet that nagging feeling remains that "if you
didn't log it, you didn't see it" (and that's often true, as it can be
difficult weeks later remembering which sprial galaxy had the detail one
spotted, or which unusual colored double one encountered).

I'm interested in what approaches others take, which they've discarded,
which ones work out best for them. I'm hoping to glean some ideas about
how I should do this.

Larry Stedman
Vestal