Category Archives: Personal

When Do You Get Nervous?

Let’s say you’re packing for a short trip. Like, just a long weekend. In your own country, in an area with plenty of stores where you could conceivably buy any of the widely-available brands of notebooks. Maybe even in an area with a few cool gift stores that stock cute upscale Japanese notebooks. And let’s … Continue reading When Do You Get Nervous?

Vacation Notebooks and Art Supplies

I’m enjoying a week at the beach, and thought I’d share what notebooks and pens and art supplies I brought with me. Since I traveled by car, I didn’t have to worry about packing light! First, here’s what is in my bag every day, which of course I didn’t change for my vacation: There is … Continue reading Vacation Notebooks and Art Supplies

My Daily Notebooks: Moleskine Alternatives

One thing I have been bad about on this site is following up on my notebook reviews to see how notebooks perform and hold up after being used daily til they are complete. My “everyday carry” notebook habits are pretty consistent and skew heavily towards the older Moleskines I’ve stockpiled over the years, but I … Continue reading My Daily Notebooks: Moleskine Alternatives

What I’m Using Now: October 2018

My last update was in May 2018, when I shocked everyone by not having any Moleskine notebook in my daily carry. Let’s see how things have changed since then! I am still using the Leda Sketchbook shown in the May 2018 post. I’m almost done with it and am planning to replace it with a … Continue reading What I’m Using Now: October 2018

Revisiting the Past: 1980s Roaring Spring Spiral Notebook (2009)

Continuing to celebrate this blog’s 10th anniversary, here’s another blast from the past– the past of this blog, and my own past as a notebook addict! The post below is just one of many I’ve written about my own collection of notebooks saved from throughout my life. (See My Collection) The 1970s and 1980s ones … Continue reading Revisiting the Past: 1980s Roaring Spring Spiral Notebook (2009)

Revisiting the Past: More on Finishing Notebooks (2014)

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of this site, I thought I’d revisit some popular posts from the past. This one is from 2014. In it, I talk about an important shift in my notebook usage habits– from being fickle and switching notebooks before finishing them, to filling every page. You can see the comments on … Continue reading Revisiting the Past: More on Finishing Notebooks (2014)

Ten Years of Notebook Stories!

September 12, 2008: 25 people died in a train collision in Los Angeles. Top Wall Street bankers and US government officials met in a panic to try to save Lehman Brothers, as the country began to tumble into the biggest financial crisis since the depression. David Foster Wallace committed suicide. But on the brighter side of things, … Continue reading Ten Years of Notebook Stories!

Notebook Addiction at Different Ages

I’ve been thinking about what it’s like to be a notebook addict when you’re a kid vs. as an adult. I know this site has some teenage readers, and I sometimes hear from parents whose kids love notebooks. I myself was obsessed with notebooks before I even knew how to write– I recently found an … Continue reading Notebook Addiction at Different Ages

Public and Private Notebook Contents

As I noted in my recent “using now” post, I tend to carry around a sketchbook and a journal, two separate notebooks. (And this year, I’ve added a third standalone notebook, a Nolty diary for logging, planning and lists.) There are a few reasons for this– paper type is a major one. I enjoy writing … Continue reading Public and Private Notebook Contents