Confession time – for years, the most intimidating part of Notebooking was the first page of a new notebook. It terrified me. After all, that was the page that I’d always have to see for the rest of the notebook’s life. And if anybody was to sneak a peek at my notebook, it was the most likely page that they would see. Forget about being “stranger safe”, I wanted it to be brilliant.
Consequently, I always tried to be lofty and verbose with that first page. And I was always disappointed with whatever I wrote. I’ve tossed more than one notebook in the trash because I hated what was on that first page.
I don’t feel that way anymore. That’s because I discovered that it was better to have fun with the first page than to be profound. If I have a deep thought, that’s fine for page 2, or 10, or 65. But the first page sets the tone, and the best tone for Notebooking is set with a good sense of humor. Over the (many) notebooks I’ve completed since then, I’ve tried a variety of ‘first page fillers’. Here are some of my favorites:
Stealing the opening sentence from a famous (or not so famous) book:
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. —Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
Ages ago, Alex, Allen and Alva arrived at Antibes, and Alva allowing all, allowing anyone, against Alex’s admonition, against Allen’s angry assertion: another African amusement . . . anyhow, as all argued, an awesome African army assembled and arduously advanced against an African anthill, assiduously annihilating ant after ant, and afterward, Alex astonishingly accuses Albert as also accepting Africa’s antipodal ant annexation. —Walter Abish, Alphabetical Africa
Similarly stealing song lyrics:
This is the end, beautiful friend
This is the end, my only friend, the end
Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
I’ll never look into your eyes, again
Can you picture what will be, so limitless and free
Desperately in need, of some, stranger’s hand
In a desperate land (The Doors “The End”)
Oh, baby, baby
The reason I breathe is you
Boy, you got me blinded
Oh, baby, baby
There’s nothing that I wouldn’t do
It’s not the way I planned it (Britney Spears, “Baby One More Time”)
Fun or Random Dedications
- To my first grade teacher, Mrs. Swayne, without whose tutelage I would be ill-equipped to form the letters contained in this volume.
- From Google’s daily doodle – Dedicated to Begum Rokeya, on the 137th anniversary of her birth. She pioneered education for females in what is present-day Bangladesh. She authored essays, short-stories, articles, and books. But she is best known for ‘Sultana’s Dream’, a science fiction piece about a feminist utopia. To you, Begum!
- An infamous or unfamous person – To Jeff Gillooly, you hired a henchman to make your girlfriend’s figure skating dreams come true. When that failed, you masterminded the first celebrity sex tape. You are a true pioneer!
- A fictional character – This notebook goes out to Ann Perkins, you poetic, noble, land-mermaid.
Some silly list that can be compiled over time:
- Recommendations that prove Netflix does NOT know me
- Books or movies that I DON’T want if I’m stranded on a deserted island
- 10 favorite tv shows from my childhood
- Famous people I wouldn’t be excited to meet, but would talk with anyway
You can go on and on. The specifics of what you put on your first page matter infinitely less than the tone you set. Set a tone you can live up to, set a tone you can be proud of, but most of all, set a tone that helps you to have fun!