I've always said that talking to yourself isn't a sign of your going mad, but a sign that you maintain a sliver of sanity somewhere within you. Then again, this is me who originally said this, and I'm the one who runs a blog called 'Journal of an Insane Author'. Heheh.
However, I believe I have a point. (Well, I would, wouldn't I?) Talking to oneself allows one to put things out in the open and sort them out much easier. Our heads get crowded from time to time, whether with thoughts or voices or pictures, and we naturally need a sort of cat-flap for them to let them out unimpeded. Enter the mouth, the voice box and the uniquely human ability to talk to oneself.
But this post isn't about how and why folk talk to themselves or to dummies in order to get those thoughts straightened out. Instead, it's about how to encourage doing so.
Recently, I got given a fair amount of money to spend upon myself, so naturally I dished out on some things I've been gazing at for a while: More Story Cubes, Iron Maiden albums, and...
A Digital Voice Recorder, or dictaphone to those in the know. I've actually been on the lookout for one of these beauties for several months, hoping to find one cheap enough to be affordable but high enough quality to make for some interesting usage. I found one on Amazon (as you do), and, needless to say, bought it.
After the regular mishaps and antics (courtesy of the Royal Mail), I eventually got hold of the device to find myself in possession of a remarkably small piece of tech. I put it to immediate use three days after getting it.
I've always said that using something in the environment it was designed for is the best way to get the best out of something - for example, the only way you can really make use of an ROV is for it to be underwater - so I took it to the usual spot, and became embroiled in a chess game. Me being me, I said to myself, "This is great. A crowded environment with background noise and all that, with some friendly banter between me and Bats here. This is just prime."
Switched on the recorder, and ten minutes and a chess game later, voila! I have a recording, mostly of my talking to Bats and her talking back to me. A few minutes of editing later, and I had some pretty funny clips that I can now play back whenever I wish, including one of Bats saying: "I'm trapped in a dictaphone factory and the machine is going to kill me soon... Aargh..." (Sigh. What a life, eh?)
OK, nice story, but that's not really the point. The point is that I could actually listen to that recording and retrace my steps through certain parts of the conversation. That was important. Now it means I can follow my own thought processes, which is great, because no-one else can. Ell-oh-ell. (Enjoy that one, Bill.)
In short, this dictaphone shall help me realise what goes on in my own head. Plus, it'll allow me to listen to myself play music and record clips of stuff on the web and lectures and things. But the following what's going on in my head's better.
Of course, in order to conduct an experiment like the one that I am subtly proposing, I must talk to myself. A lot. (Service as usual, I guess.) That means closed doors, conversations with others in which I can have a monologue and stuff like that. But trust me, this'll turn out fine.
And, now, I'll just edit the recording I made of myself talking me through my thought processes as I wrote this.
How do I take out all that horrible keyboard clacking? Just... eugh...
See you, crazies. I'll be off to the Sane Asylum, where I can take refuge from you crazy people.
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