The word zibaldone (meaning “a heap of things”) was first used in a fourteenth century poetic work by Franco Sacchetti. Within a few decades the word came to mean a notebook that contained a blend of literature, elemental science (such as astrology, cosmography, alchemy, etc), prayers, and personal memoirs.
The keeping of a zibaldone is a more freeing exercise than keeping a commonplace book. One can follow one’s nose in amassing beautiful or important bits of knowledge without running into predetermined walls, or being forced to catalog things like an entomologist sticking pins in his specimens.
A zibaldone isn’t the best tool for learning a topic, given its lack of rigor, but it is fun and a great way to help you capture and remember the things you discover as you wander from one area of interest to another.