What are "notes"? Doesn't all money that isn't Funny Foreign Currency come on a little plastic card?

(I mean, that's the other thing. I don't *carry* cash, most of the time. When I'm away from home I'll usually keep $40 or so on me in case I want to hit something cheap in a hurry - roadside food stands outside Canada rarely take plastic for some weird reason - but that's all. Cash is... awkward.)