02 August 2013: My Weekend Schtuffs

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!)

Notebooks - of the paper kind

Spring semester is coming up soon, which means ink up the fountain pens and get them notebooks ready!  However, I'm finding a hard time looking for notebooks online - the search term always brings up the notebooks of the electronic type.  Sad face.  :(

Two semesters ago, I used Cornell notes with grids printed on the backside of recycled paper.  It worked fine but it became a hassle to punch and put into their respective folders and rings (for the Rollabind ones). This year semester, I got a leg-up and have already gotten the pages printed and put into notebooks ahead of time for each course I'm taking.  :)  That should work out fine.

As for my journals, my pocket Moleskine has been filled up.  That one will be going into the bonfire for Joe, seeing as how it was a journal I'd kept for specifically for him after he'd passed away.  As much as I liked my graph ruled Moleskine, it proved to be too costly for my budget (~$10.00).  I'd then switched to the Markings brand I'd gotten from Staples ($3.00 - $4.00 on sale, $6.00 otherwise).  It was nice in that it was Moleskine-eque, with the back pocket and elastic band and all, but it's a little too bulky.  Or their covers, too gaudy (the patent leather is just weird).  Some of them are nice, I'll admit.  But their quality is a bit of hit and miss.

HOWEVER.  On a recent trip to Office Depot, I spied these little gems:

Upon closer inspection, they turned out to be almost an exact duplicate of the Moleskine brand.  I love the thin hard covers, similar to that of the Moleskine (bleh @ Markings' bulky ones!).  They also had the soft covers available in a variety of colors.  And the best part?  The $3.99 price is their regular price~!  No more having to wait for sales and such.  I hadn't yet picked one up, but I'm hoping that the paper is decent and that there is enough of a demand that they can continue to have these in stock.  You just can't beat that price and that classic notebook look.  :)