--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am very, very old-fashioned and clumsy…" description: "\"I am very, very old-fashioned and clumsy. I use those long reporter notebooks. This is what a troglodyte I am. The night before I go off on a trip, I t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/david-quammen-9256_about_i-am-very-very-old-fashioned-and-clumsy_44086.jpg" --- # I am very, very old-fashioned and clumsy. I use those long… ![“I am very, very old-fashioned and clumsy. I use those long reporter notebooks. This is what a troglodyte I am. The night before I go off on a trip, I take a scissors, I pull out about four of these things, and I cut off the bottom inch and a half so this thing is only that long. You know why?…” quote by David Quammen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/david-quammen-9256_about_i-am-very-very-old-fashioned-and-clumsy_44086.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/david-quammen-9256_about_i-am-very-very-old-fashioned-and-clumsy_44086.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/david-quammen-9256_about_i-am-very-very-old-fashioned-and-clumsy_44086.jpg) > “I am very, very old-fashioned and clumsy. I use those long reporter notebooks. This is what a troglodyte I am. The night before I go off on a trip, I take a scissors, I pull out about four of these things, and I cut off the bottom inch and a half so this thing is only that long. You know why? Because it fits in a zip lock bag if I do that.” [David Quammen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-quammen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker prefers analog tools over digital, adapting them for practicality by trimming a notebook to fit a zip‑lock bag. **In simple terms:** Analog preference, practical adaptation Key Takeaway Old‑school tools can be made functional Themes tradition practicality adaptation technology minimalism Mood nostalgic pragmatic Type personal anecdote humorous When to use this quote - pre‑trip preparation - field note‑taking - travel gear organization Key Concepts analog tools personal workflow physical organization Practical Applications - personal productivity - travel planning Questions to Reflect On - How does using analog tools affect your focus? - What trade‑offs arise when you prioritize simplicity over convenience? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/am/) [Bag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bag/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Before](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/before/) [Bottom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottom/) [Clumsy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clumsy/) [Clumsy Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clumsy-use-653244/) [Cut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cut/) [Fashioned Clumsy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashioned-clumsy-653245/) [Fits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fits/) [Four](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [I am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-am/) [Inch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inch/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Lock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lock/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Notebooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notebooks/) [Notebooks Troglodyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notebooks-troglodyte-653246/) [Off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/off/) [Old fashioned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-fashioned/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Pull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pull/) [Reporter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reporter/) [Scissors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scissors/) [Take](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Thing Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-long-653247/) [Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things/) [Things Cut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-cut-572518/) [Those](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/those/) [Trip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trip/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Very](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very/) [Why](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/why/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Zip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zip/) ## Related quotes > [“There are things that cut through swathes of memory, there are things you take with you that are non-essential, that drag you down, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-lee-koe/there-are-things-that-cut-through-swathes-of-memory-there-are-things/) [Amanda Lee Koe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-lee-koe/) > [So, I was always frustrated having to write and having to cut things. Why should you have to cut anything?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nelson/so-i-was-always-frustrated-having-to-write-and-having-to-cut-things/) [Ted Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nelson/) > [Paul Taylor's 'Offenbach Overtures' has lots of zip and charm, and its pair of dueling soldiers in red, who end up starry-eyed about each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/paul-taylor-s-offenbach-overtures-has-lots-of-zip-and-charm-and-its/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [During National Playground Safety Week, I'll celebrate common-sense safety. I'll also celebrate skinned knees and bruised elbows. I'll celebrate so-called 'dangerous' playgrounds - playgrounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darell-hammond/during-national-playground-safety-week-i-ll-celebrate-common-sense/) [Darell Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darell-hammond/) > [I have a sweet tooth for reading, so books migrate to my zip code en mass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-olivieri/i-have-a-sweet-tooth-for-reading-so-books-migrate-to-my-zip-code-en/) [Dawn Olivieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-olivieri/) > [I try to lead a pretty active lifestyle. My biggest hobby is traveling with my family. I love to travel to new places and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-sunshine/i-try-to-lead-a-pretty-active-lifestyle-my-biggest-hobby-is-traveling/) [Caroline Sunshine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-sunshine/) > [I like a very sexy silhouette, and I like to feel like when you put something on, you zip yourself into it, and you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-wren-scott/i-like-a-very-sexy-silhouette-and-i-like-to-feel-like-when-you-put/) [L'Wren Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-wren-scott/) > [It was the roughest day of my career, my final day of shooting on 'Breaking Bad,' knowing that I will never be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/it-was-the-roughest-day-of-my-career-my-final-day-of-shooting-on/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [The Swedish engineer who invented the zip fastener made a greater intellectual leap than many scientists do in a lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/the-swedish-engineer-who-invented-the-zip-fastener-made-a-greater/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [“Share them with only people who can help you with information and support. When you meet negative people, zip your mouth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/share-them-with-only-people-who-can-help-you-with-information-and/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [My second year in the league I played zip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-redick/my-second-year-in-the-league-i-played-zip/) [J. J. Redick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-redick/) > [I've never done a zip wire. I'm a scaredy-cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-baxendale/i-ve-never-done-a-zip-wire-i-m-a-scaredy-cat/) [Helen Baxendale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-baxendale/) > [“Better channel your words into prayer, than into complaints. Zip your mouth and make a plan.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/better-channel-your-words-into-prayer-than-into-complaints-zip-your/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“In your anger, zip your lips!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/in-your-anger-zip-your-lips/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [There is no such thing as a long piece of work, except one that you dare not start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-long-piece-of-work-except-one-that-you/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) ## More by David Quammen > [I wrote four novels, but then I realized that the world didn't need me to be a novelist, but the world could use me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-quammen/i-wrote-four-novels-but-then-i-realized-that-the-world-didn-t-need-me/) [David Quammen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-quammen/) > [Most Americans know nothing about the African forest, and it seems to them a very scary, spooky dangerous place. 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Now I don't read much, only occasionally, such as a Cormac McCarthy or a Jim Harrison novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-quammen/i-used-to-read-only-fiction-now-i-don-t-read-much-only-occasionally/) [David Quammen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-quammen/) > [The swallow that hibernates underwater is a creature called yearning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-quammen/the-swallow-that-hibernates-underwater-is-a-creature-called-yearning/) [David Quammen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-quammen/) > [“It comes and it goes. But epidemiologists have recognized that, with measles virus, as with other pathogens, there’s a critical minimum size of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-quammen/it-comes-and-it-goes-but-epidemiologists-have-recognized-that-with/) [David Quammen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-quammen/) > [Whether you like the label 'Anthropocene' or not, whether you find the prospect of what it signifies inevitable or appalling (or both), the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-quammen/whether-you-like-the-label-anthropocene-or-not-whether-you-find-the/) [David Quammen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-quammen/) > [Ebola isn't a respiratory virus. It doesn't spread through the airborne route. 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Some aspect of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-quammen/an-amplifier-host-is-a-creature-in-which-a-virus-or-other-pathogen/) [David Quammen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-quammen/) [Explore all 73 David Quammen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-quammen/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' 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