Bright Idea Journal Ideas are an important part in our lives.

Without ideas, progress will not be made, change will not happen, and the development of human will stop. Ideas are all around us, but they will appear suddenly as well as disappear. Therefore, we need to capture our ideas when they flash across our minds. Through doing my Bright Idea Journal in Creative Problem Solving class, I had chance to find out and practice how to recording my ideas in the best way. I was required to record at least 10 ideas per day in 10 day- process. After thinking which method I should use, I have decided to use index cards, note book and my cell phone in order to keep track of my ideas. Beside, these stuffs also could help me to record my ideas anytime, and anywhere. Firstly, I put the index cards in some places that I usually stay, such as kitchen, bed, study table and restroom. I used small size of the cards so that I could keep them in my pocket or my purse to write down ideas at any time. Another thing I have done is keeping a notebook by my bed. I often have the habit of thinking before I sleep, so there are a lot of ideas come to me at night. The notebook was an essential part of my process because it is the easiest way to do a brain dump right away. For example, if I have an idea for my paper, I write down what I want the paragraphs going to look like. I figured out that many times writing down one idea spurs other idea. I also used the highlight to remind me what I need to look at more deeply later. There were not only words, but also some drawings, maps in my notebook which could help me look back and create more quickly. The last tool I have used to capture my ideas was my cell phone. I have used it to record my ideas when I was not available to take note, such as when I was on the way, in stores or taking a bath. Every morning I have collected all of my ideas of the day before, then arranging them in specific groups.

Although I just have worked on the idea catching process for 10 days, I found that it profit me a lot. Before doing this process, sometimes I lost my ideas because of not capture them at the time they come to my mind. There were some great ideas coming to me while taking a walk, but I have forgotten it by the time I got home. Sometimes, the ideas popped into my minds when I was having meal; however right after that they run away with my food. Even when I could remember then, it wasnt quite the same idea as it was when I first brainstormed. After this process, I understood that ideas are like butterflies or birds because they just come to us and remain for a while. If we do not catch them quickly, they will go away then it is not easy to get them again. Following are 10 of 100 ideas that I recorded: 1 Making a cleaning schedule for my apartment. 2 - Dressing up for this Halloween as a bunny. 3 Throwing a girl night with my friends 4 Decorating bottles to use them as vases. 5 Holding Bible study night on every Sunday. 6 Making an apartments fund. 7 Making a formula list for my finance class. 8 Going to Abilene to visit my friends uncle in Labor Day. 9 Studying in apartment life when library closes. 10- Using newspaper to make a basket.