Notebooks and Journals (103/365)

I love notebooks.  I've had my share of notebooks over the years - Moleskine, Markings, Picadilly, EcoSystem, Composition, mini Compositions... I've yet to find one that I really, really like though; even the ones that I bind myself!  I think that it's because I have a very specific format that I like to write in.

Lately, I've settled on the mini composition notebooks that I found at Dollar Tree (here); I like these ones because for one, you get 3 of them for $1.00, but more importantly, the paper is good AND it's got sewn binding.  I hope that they never stop carrying these and if they do, I hope I get a heads up somehow so that I can stock up.  They're just about the perfect size for EDC purposes, to always be able to jot down random thoughts and lists at any time.  My current mini composition notebook is set up in such a way that the first half takes care of two months' worth of agenda stuff (with a page for future appointments) and the second half made for notes and lists.  I like this format the best so far for every day notebook use.

For journal use, I've used plenty, as listed above.  At one point I used only fountain pens in the Moleskines and was disappointed at the hit and miss of their paper quality.  But I've since switched to using fountain pens for notetaking in school and a Zebra F-701/F-301 for everything else (I got tired of people borrowing and misusing my FPs).

I'm fairly picky with my stationery and I think that the aesthetics of the Moleskine (and the no name purple one shown above) is what makes me willing to spend the extra bucks on them over that of Markings an Picadilly.  I really like that the pages are flush with the cover.  I've yet to find a Markings or other readily availble brands that is made that way.  I don't know... the cover overhang just bothers me.  I'd really like to EDC a pocket sized Moleskine, but the size is a little too big for that.  That's where Field Notes, the "Fauxlants" that I make, and the mini compositions come in, I guess.  Maybe if I start carrying a purse more often, that would happen.  o_O

I've still got quite a few unused notebooks sitting on my bookshelf.  I'll get around to using them eventually.  I was talking to J the other day and geez, opening up and taking that first step to writing in a brand new notebook is NERVE-WRECKING   Gosh.  (That purple one above is about to be deflowered.  Nerve-wrecking, I say!)

Christmas Round-Up 2011 :)

It's been an interesting Christmas season this year.  Here's a quick recap of what's gone down so far:

First up, I made my first gingerbread house with Sis.  :)  The first attempt proved futile, as our frosting cement was much too runny.  After tweaking the recipe a bit and creating a thicker sugar glue, our second attempt at building a house took but 5 minutes.

That blog of frosting in the front was supposed to be a snowman, but the piping bag exploded and we had to stop there before frosting got all over.  That to the far right would be my station wagon.  :)

Next up, I opened my gifts from sis early.  She'd made me a stocking and filled it up nice and neat, considering I'd never had a stocking before.  It was even written with "La La" on it.  :)  Yay!  It's now hanging in my room.  Within this stocking, I received:

A cuddly cow (that smells like tea!) that you can microwave and a brand spankin' new journal.  :D  Joy!

And a sriracha shirt!  She knows I love the stuff.  :)  Love herrrrr!

Not shown that were also in the stocking included neat little mitten/gloves and a fluffy purple bird pen.  The gloves are sitting in my drawer and the pen on my desk.  :)

And from my immediate family?  I got socks.  Regular ol' socks.  I thought that stuff only happened in movies.  :(  I'm not even an ankle sock person unless it's summer time and I'm wearing shorts...

At least the Pumas have purple stitching.  :)  I like purple.

For sis, I'd gotten her the Pro Mark II 9000 Canon printer and a boatload of photo papers.  I warned her that it'd be of apocalyptic proportions.  I'm not quite sure if she believed me until she'd seen them all.  :)  Thank you, Staples, for all of your FAR and almost FAR deals.  :)  I'd also given her a GIANT stocking, in which I'd thrown in little piggy items; USB flash drive, note pad, and an Angry Birds King Pig pen.  I don't think she'd opened it yet, but I sure hope she likes it.  It was hidden within a Choco Pie box, buried under Choco Pie and resealed to just look like regular 'ol Choco Pie.  :P

My brother on the other hand, received a Pop phone and a bunch of Hello Kitty items alongside random things I'd found from the Dollar Tree that reminded me of our childhood.  Our toys are making a comeback!  :P

Retiring the Moleskine

Next month, my first ever Moleskine will be a whole year old.  However it's only been filled about half way through.  But I think it's time for it to be retired. 

It was one of those days again when I have trouble sleeping so a lot is on my mind.  I'd decided to maybe write in my journal, but couldn't come to write in it; the last entry was from after Joe's incident back in April 2011.  Reading the previous entries before that, the year was just filled with a lot of sorrow and anger.

By all means, I think retiring it is the best thing to do and start anew.  After all, our lives are too short for anything other than ensuring each others' happiness.  Smiles all around.  :)