This morning I was looking over the schedule for the SEG IQ Earth Forum and a 35 minute block of time caught my eye. Did they not have enough talks to fill the morning? Perhaps. So instead a discussion: Do we need an Interpretation Journal?

What a cool idea! The book versus the machine. Deliberate and community-supported penmanship for scientists to connect with their work. A hand-crafted symbol of romantic scripture in the midst of the sound and fury of a working realm infested with white noise and draining digital abstractions. Old school fights back against tech. Getting back in touch with the analog world, chronicling observations, geologic doodles, jotting down questions and nonsense precisely at the teachable moment.

The da Vinci of seismic interpretation?

I wondered how many other interpreters might be longing for the same thing. Surely if it is to take up a slot in the conference agenda, there must be some ample demand from the geophysical workforce. I want to be a part of it. I start early. I built a wiki page, a series of notes to corral group action and discussion, somewhat naïvely anticipating roaring praise for my inititiative. Most folks have notebooks with shopping lists, and phone messages. But a dedicated, deliberate interpretation journal is refreshing. Just me, my thoughts, and my project. Me getting back in touch with my cursive.

Just now, I realize, while instant-messaging with Matt on Skype, that it is not a Diary the conference organizers are after, it's a Journal. Capital J. As in publication entity. A Journal for Interpreters. Huh. Well, I guess that'd be good too.

The image of Leonardo da Vinci's journal was modified from an original photograph by user Twid on Flickr. Click the image to view the original.