I have a notebook that I keep by my computer. I was just noticing today that a majority of my notes have to do with business contacts I have made with other good-guy small online sellers over the years. I figure my notes go back about seven years to when I first started online selling. Sure when I go back to several years ago I see things that are like flashbacks for me. "Hey I remember that now, how could I have forgotten about that?" Back in the day I started a notebook for keeping records of my transactions but expanded it pretty quickly to include my notes on networking stuff. My initial reason for starting my notebook was to just keep business records of who I sold what to and when. Plain Jane transactional stuff. My notebook quickly got more "networkingish" than transactions-based because when I was starting out as an online seller I had maybe 30 sales a month and I had to learn a lot more before I could earn. Probably stating the obvious here, I lose stuff constantly and my bookmarks folder has maybe 5000 bookmarks in it so keeping me focused is a constant challenge. If I had a dollar for every unanswered question I ever had about online selling I'd be uber rich now. I'd be lost without my notes but you probably already know that."Who cares if you keep a notebook Dude?"Sometimes I get a personal message on Facebook or email from someone I barely remember. I have found out over and over again that it really helps me to get focused when I can go back and look at my notes to jog my memory. I like to feel like I know who I am talking to but also I really like (and need) to remember non-biz stuff that's important. A close online seller friend of mine just posted something cool on Facebook after a long absence. I didn't recognize her at first when she popped up again on Facebook because her name and her profile picture had changed. She morphed and I was a little confused by the change. I went back to look at my notebook and realized who she was and how I knew her. I had made a purchase from her in the past, had kept the paperwork on it and saw I made a few quick notes at the bottom. I saw that her daughter had frightening-to-Mom seizures when she was a baby. I had prayed for her daughter to be healed back then, reread my notes about it and posted a "Hey welcome back, how's your daughter doing now?" That's why I keep a notebook by my computer. That's why I need to have my memory jogged because that comment and her "All's well and good, thanks for the prayers!" rocked. I was really proud of that small business networking accomplishment ...and no way I would have made that post if my notebook wasn't two feet away from me.