More General help Please

[larsjones]

I can honestly say that this forum is great. I love how asking a really stupid question gets a serious answer. That said:

One of my biggest leaks online is not noticing things like betting patterns. I have no idea how I make the decisions I do, and lots of times am surprised when I'm right. I guess it's a conglomeration of unconcious experience gained from playing hands.

What kinds of notes should I be taking? How often do you take notes? Do they help?

For instance:
If you're approaching the bubble in a 180(my favorite tourney), do notes help you to determine whether to call when shoved to you? Is it REALLY just a guessing game? How can I get better at this point in the game? In 180's, I bust 32nd ALL the time. In other tournaments, I bust as a result of not putting my opponent on a hand accurately, or gambling in a bad spot(which is of course, my fault). What sort of help can you guys offer, if any? If this needs to be in a MTT forum, I apologize.