What is a "Commonplace Book"

Commonplace books (or commonplaces) were a way to compile knowledge, usually by writing information into books. They became significant in Early Modern Europe.

"Commonplace" is a translation of the Latin term locus communis which means "a theme or argument of general application", such as a statement of proverbial wisdom. In this original sense, commonplace books were collections of such sayings, such as John Milton's commonplace book. Scholars have expanded this usage to include any manuscript that collects material along a common theme by an individual.

Such books were essentially scrapbooks filled with items of every kind: medical recipes, quotes, letters, poems, tables of weights and measures, proverbs, prayers, legal formulas. Commonplaces were used by readers, writers, students, and humanists as an aid for remembering useful concepts or facts they had learned. Each commonplace book was unique to its creator's particular interests.

So there you have it...!   .... and this is mine... actually the whole Web-Site is a sort of Commonplace Book

Ray Ingram

Coaching...It's not about writing songs... It's about learning how to sing them!

06.July, 2010 ... Houston, Texas

Today marked the first time in my life that I had to give in and admit that I can't take care of "everything" on my own. That's what way to look at it. On the other hand, I have always listened to my body and that is what I eventually did... and checked myself in to the emergency room. Now I can get back to pretending to be indestructible. 

12 July, 2010...Houston, Texas

Yesterday I coached a basketball game... that's nothing new.... but it was the first time in a lng time that I felt good coaching a basketball game. My team (on paper) had no chance of winning. The opponent was bigger, faster, stronger and in general just more athletic. They also might possibly have had better basketball skills. But, on this day the young men from Quakenbrueck, Germany played better basketball. They were more disciplined, they executed their offense, they played team defense and they paid attention to detail. They followed instructions to the letter in the last 1:30 of the game... They won 65:63... It was a good feeling.... Einige Beispiele.. (Weilheim-Leverkusen / Wuerzburg-Noerdlingen / Artland Dragons-Schwelm / QTSV (U16)-Oldenburg / QTSV (Damen) - Rostock / UNCA-UMBC / Leipzig Oberhausen) It's rare but it's possible... Now to the task of making it a regular occurance in Fulda... it's possible