You're in class, and you hear something interesting. You're watching a video, and they're talking about cool stuff. You have an interesting thought or idea. You want to write it down. You don't want to forget. Where do you write it down? How do you make sure you can find it later?

I've tried different tools, and approaches. Handwritten notes. Digital Handwritten notes. Digital Notes. Notebooks. Obsidian. Notion. OneNote. Evernote. I've tried different frameworks. Zettelkasten. Second Brain.

So far, nothing's ever stuck. I use one approach for a bit, and then I run into something interesting where that particular medium can't capture the idea the way I imagine it. So I switch. Again. Then, when I come to look for that idea that I know I wrote down somewhere, I can't remember where I put it.

After thinking about it, here's what I think makes a good note-taking system:

• Easy input. The more you have to think about what to name a note, and where to keep it, the fewer notes you're going to make.
• Multi-modal. Different ideas demand different structure. Some ideas need tables, some need text, and others, diagrams. You need something that can capture everything, and store it in a meaningful way.
• Easy Retrieval. The moment you need a note is generally when you've forgotten the contents. All you have is a vague recollection of an idea or word in the note, and a sea of notes to go through. You'll need something that can make sure of the notes you've captured and retreve the ones most relevant for your query. Having the search run fast is just icing on the cake.
• Reliable Storage and Access. Your collection of notes eventually becomes a treasure you hoard and keep safe. It better be safe, and resilient. But, at the same time, you should be able to access it when needed.
• *Vim keybindings. When you use vim and it's keybindings across most of the tools you use, text editing just doesn't feel the same without it. Not everyone will feel the same about it, and that's alright. For me? It can be a deal breaker.

As I write this, I've been using Obsidian for the last couple years, and it's almost perfect. But, the itch to switch is back, and I'm not sure why. No other tool that exists right now is particularly interesting to me right now, either, so I'm not sure what I want.

Maybe it's time I go looking, or make something on my own.