Back in December 2008, I wrote a post called Finishing a Notebook. At the time, this still felt rather significant as an accomplishment. My notebook usage before the early 2000s was often very fickle– I’d start one, decide I wanted to try something else, then maybe go back to something I’d tried before, then move … Continue reading Unfinished Notebooks
I shared this article on Instagram recently, but wanted to write more about it here. Don’t Keep a Diary. Embrace the Fragments of Real Life Instead. The author Daniel Poppick talks about how diaries are often kept in a way that can sound a bit stilted or self-conscious: I’ve never consistently kept a diary. On … Continue reading Keeping a Notebook vs. Keeping a Diary
It’s been ages since I updated my “using now” photo, and while some things have stayed the same, there have been some changes along the way. I’m still using my Nolty Gold diary/planner to log exercise, meals, to-do lists, and grocery lists, as well as noting appointments and keeping track of habits. More details here: … Continue reading Notebooks I’m Using Now: Summer 2025
For anyone who might have been put off by some unwieldy cookie consent banners on this blog, I hope you will now see an improvement. Thanks to a new reader who sounded the alarm, I dug deeper into how to properly set up a consent management system, and changed the default message so it will … Continue reading Technical Update
A few months ago, I wrote about my latest work notebook, a vintage Filofax. It’s working so well for me that I wish I had bought a Filofax in this size years ago to use for this purpose. I can’t help regretting all those wasted decades of using random office supply closet notebooks (as well … Continue reading How to Use a Notebook When Your Life Isn’t Busy
This year, I feel like I’ve seen more Instagram and blog posts with this title than ever before. Setting up one’s planner for the coming year means different things to different people– for some, it seems to be an elaborate and labor-intensive process! I admire the creativity and care, and I’m sure beautiful, hand-crafted planner … Continue reading 2025 Planner Set-Up
If you’d like to see notifications about my posts on Bluesky, now you can! I just realized dlvr.it had stopped posting my updates to Twitter-I-mean-X and Facebook about a month ago, so it seemed like a good time to jump on the Bluesky bandwagon. I probably won’t be posting very actively but there will at … Continue reading Notebook Stories is Now on Bluesky
I have saved almost all the pocket size notebooks I’ve used in my life, except for the very earliest ones. I was drawn to small diaries and notebooks before I could even write, and the very first ones I remember using were Hallmark promotional diaries given away at the local drugstore– but I don’t have … Continue reading Hallmark Diaries from the 1970s
Back in July 2021, I wrote about how I’d just transitioned to a new work notebook, a Mnemosyne notebook from Maruman. When I wrote that post, I wasn’t happy with the size and dot grid and how those were working vs. my desktop space and the size of my handwriting. But I ended up sticking … Continue reading Finishing a Work Notebook
It goes without saying that at least one notebook has always and will always be part of my every day carry— EDC for short. While I might go for a 20-minute walk in the neighborhood without a notebook, at all other times, I have to have one nearby. But lately I’ve been having some serious … Continue reading Every Day Carry Notebooks
