The Now & Later Notebooking method

Filling Your Notebook, Templates, The System

I make soap.  The process of making soap is simple but chemically complex.  One of the stages in soap making is something called curing.  This is where, after making the soap, you let it sit and occasionally turn the soap bars for even drying.  All of the soaps that I make need time to cure in order to harden and become milder.  (Bear with me here, this is going somewhere)  The time it takes to cure is anywhere from a month to a year.  As I make different soaps I sometimes experiment with different “Oil Bills”, that is the ratios of oils in the soap.  Between the time I make the soap with the new, experimental oil bill and the time I get to test the soap I used to forget which oils went into an individual soap.  This was an unbelievably stupid oversight on my part.

“Wow! What a great soap! I wish I knew what was in it.”

Or

“Just awful.  I wonder what I put in this one.”

Enter Now & Later Notebooking. 

Now & Later Notebooking is quite simply drawing a line half way down the page.  Writing on only one half thus allowing you to return to it at a later time.  While this works very well for soap making, it’s uses aren’t limited to hobbies inspired by Fight Club.

In fact, Now & Later Notebooking is useful for any time you want to come back to a particular topic.  Everything from a creative project to an enhanced planner can benefit.  The thing that makes Now & Later Notebooking so useful is it’s versatility and simplicity.  No complicated or too specific templates.  Just an easy line and the knowledge that you can come back to it if you want.

Still not convinced?  Here’s a few examples of where Now & Later Notebooking can help:

  • Recipes
  • Writing about events before and after they occur such as with a planner
  • Discussion notes for any kind of book club (which, I guess, includes church)
  • Contact information
  • Writing projects
  • Gardening
  • Restaurant review
  • Ongoing projects or contemplative musings

While it may seem exceedingly simple, you might find Now & Later Notebooking very useful.  What have you used it for?

 

Ask the Nerds! Help, I’m left-handed!

Ask the Nerds!, Uncategorized

Jennifer W. from Middletown, CT asks, “I’m left-handed. It causes all kinds of problems with Notebooking. Any suggestions to make my Notebooking experience better (aka less messy)?

Greetings fellow southpaw!  I have some good news and bad news.  As far as notebooks, you can use just about anything those elitist righties use.  That said, depending on your writing implement of choice, the paper in your notebook could become more important.  Let’s go through a few:

  1. Ballpoint pen The great thing about ballpoint pen is that it is so lefty friendly.  I, honestly, can’t think of a notebook it wouldn’t work on.
  2. Pencil  This can be tough since smearing could be an issue.  Most of the time, however, it won’t be.  As for recommendations, General’s Layout 555 is my favorite as it is pretty smear resistant, round barrelled and slightly thicker than most pencils.  This is good in case you hold your pencil all weird (as most lefties do).  It does have scratchier feedback compared to other premium pencils, so I hope that’s not a deal breaker.  Additionally, Apsara Platinum, Mitsubishi Hi-Uni HB, and Blackwing 602 are some of my favorites.
  3. Fountain Pen  I have no idea about the pens themselves.  I would think something fine point.  As for notebooks, Rhodia seems to be a favorite among fountain pen people.  Also, Lemome seems like it would be really good as they use 125 gsm paper (I think).
  4. Gel/Roller Pen  These will fall somewhere along the spectrum between ball point and fountain.  G2 seems to be the most popular but there are SO MANY better options.  Even a Leuchtturm has decent enough paper for these.  Just avoid Moleskine.  They’re crap.

I hope that helps.  Have fun and good writing!

7 More Content List items

Content List Ideas, Filling Your Notebook

Funny Lists Edition

  1. Top 10 nicknames that make no sense.
  2. Funniest ways to quit a job (this one’s cathartic).
  3. Funny things you’ve overheard in public.
  4. Worst times to Notebook (I’m looking at you “while skydiving”).
  5. Favorite episodes of the Simpsons (bonus points if you invent them).
  6. Invent some oddly specific holidays.
  7. Things that should happen to people who whine!!!!!

Ask The Nerds: My Notebook is Falling Apart

Ask the Nerds!

Our First Question! Matt P. from South Windsor, CT asks, “I’ve been carrying my notebook in my back pocket for about 5 months. The binding is falling apart. Is there anything I can do to save it?”

Great question!  Unfortunately, this has happened to me on several occasions.  First things first.  Triage!  Is it fixable?  I’m sure a quick google search could provide a tutorial about book-binding and you could use that as a guide on how to proceed.  But since you asked me, I’ll tell you what I’ve done in the past.

In a pinch I’ve used several crossing layers of transparent tape.  Packing tape has been the best but scotch tape will work.  That said, the best thing is to use glue on the spine if possible.  Then, hold it shut and tight with a clamp or a heavy book until dry.  Finally, consider sealing the torn pages with tape.  Bear in mind that glue can affect your notebook’s ability to lay flat.

Finally, it’s time to consider whether you were just being too hard on your notebook or whether it’s a quality issue.  Either way you might want to look for a sturdier notebook in the future.

As an example, the Rhodia Webnotebook I got a few years ago is about the toughest notebook I’ve found.  I’m not saying that it could repel a Mongol Horde, but I’m not saying it wouldn’t either.  No word on whether they are still made that well.  Lemome makes a cool notebook that seems tough as nails and lays very flat.  I haven’t used it yet so I can’t comment on it’s horde resistance.

 

Thanks for the question!

5 readily available notebooks worth mentioning

Notebooks, Reviews

Moleskine

Let’s get this one out of the way.  Here’s the pocket sized ruled Moleskine.  You can find them in all sorts of brick and mortar stores but, if I’m being honest, you shouldn’t.  It’s not that these are that bad 1but that there are so many better options that are cheaper and seem to have quality control standards.

Does it lay flat?  Of course not2.  How’s the paper?  Thin as a legal pad’s and too smooth to reliably get a roller ball writing.  Also, it’s worth noting that after opening it this far for the picture, it didn’t want to close completely even with the help of the elastic band.

 

Leuchtturm1917 A6 Softcover Grid

Next, we have the Leuchtturm1917 (pronounced LOYCH-turm) soft cover in pocket size (A6).  This is a good notebook with great features such as:  Lay flat design3, numbered pages, perforated pages in the rear, archival stickers in the pocket4, and a table of contents in the beginning.

As you might be able to see, this is their grid orientation.  Unfortunately, the grid is sub 5mm making it a bit too small for my enjoyment.

 

FIELD NOTES

I don’t remember where I got this Field Notes notebook.  Just in case you’ve been living under a rock 5 this is a passport style notebook.  If you followed our method for getting started, you’ve probably seen these.  I like them, they’re nice.  But, I like thicker notebooks better.  If you’ve only used these you owe it to yourself to try a “big boy/girl” notebook.

 

Conceptum A5 by Sigel

Speaking of which,  here’s my current favorite.  The Conceptum by Sigel in Steno-size (A5).  This thing has too many features to list here but let’s just say it has ALL THE FEATURES6!  My only complaint is that faux stitching around the cover.  It looks okay from afar but up close it reminds me of those “nice” editions of classic literature found at Barnes and Noble.  Nice from afar but SUPER cheesy up close.

As you can see it lays “mostly” flat and in fact it lays completely flat when using.  With great paper and generous ruling, writing in this notebook is a pleasure.  Who cares about a little fake stitching!?

 

Blackwing Slate

Finally, we come to the Blackwing Slate.  You may have noticed something odd about these pictures.  Yes, they all have the same pencil.  That’s a Blackwing 602 and it came with this notebook.  It’s an amazing pencil (yes, pencils can be amazing too).

This thing has great paper and thanks to it’s unique binding 7it lays completely flat making it a pleasure to write in.  Unfortunately, it isn’t available in pocket sized (A6)…yet.

I hope this was helpful.  As of the time of writing, these were all available online.  Enjoy and write well!

 

Notebook Review: Lemome Thick Classic with Pen Loop

Notebooks, Reviews

This notebook caught me a bit off guard.  While searching Amazon for notebooks (something I do too often), I found this notebook.  It seemed to have pretty good reviews but, as I’m sure you know, Amazon reviews are often suspect.  The number of times 5-star reviews are something along the lines of, “Arrived on time, 5-stars!” or “All the pages fell out, 5-stars!” are so numerous that I don’t really bother with reading them.  A quick google yielded very little information, although apparently they make some sort of bullet journal which means that any review will be heavily skewed in favor and probably on Pinterest1.

On a whim, I bought it.  I’m glad I did.  This thing is pretty great, though not perfect.  Let’s take a look.

While the cover is probably some sort of fake leather it feels nice and seems like it would be quite durable.  It has the standard elastic closure in black and a ribbon bookmark in dark brown.  I thought that these being a different color would bother me, but it turns out I don’t care.  Not even a little bit.  The Lemome sports a binding that is almost identical to the Palomino Blackwing Slate.  This is what caught my eye originally since it the Slate is one of the greatest notebooks of all time with an incredible binding that easily lays flat without any strain to the binding.  It also has a pen/pencil loop on the spine much like my beloved Slate.  While I love that it’s there I don’t often use it.  I guess, in that respect, it’s kinda like the ice cream shop at the end of my street.

Of course, one of the things that makes the Slate great is that it’s paper is so pencil friendly.  How’s the Lemome handle pencil?  Awesome!

Normally, I don’t like to include writing samples in notebook reviews.  Why?  It’s not because I’m embarrassed of my handwriting (although I probably should be).  I don’t like putting writing samples in a review because I’ve talked to other reviewers that do this and they tell me they get inundated with requests of this pen or that marker.  Ugh.

But, the Lemome has pretty smooth 125gsm paper.  I was curious about what it could do and I figured I’d post my findings.  Let’s start with pencil since I like pencil.  I wrote with the Tombow Mono 100 2B, the Kuru Toga 0.5mm in HB and the Palomino Blackwing (MMX to those in the pencil community thanks to the intrepid Johnny Gamber.)  As you can see in the “Smear Test” column, only the Blackwing smeared at all and that took some work.  I suspect that it would be fine under normal usage.  All the others wouldn’t budge even under excessive agitation (I’m really trying to avoid the term “heavy rubbing,” oops!).  The smoothness of the paper seems to be great at locking in just the right amount of graphite but it does seem to have a bit of equalizing effect on different grades of graphite e.g. different grades appear more similar than on other paper but it’s extremely smudge resistant yet erases well.  Not unlike Rhodia’s paper or Sigel’s Conceptum notebooks.

I threw a few other pens in there just because I had them close by.  The only other thing I want to mention is the fountain pen.  Readers will possibly remember that I HATE fountain pens.  Mainly because, with a combination of being left handed and having bad handwriting, I’ve got a serious case of sour grapes (but, then again, fountain pens are so fussy I’m OK with their absence).  The fountain pen in question has no branding and I received it as a freebie when ordering a Midori Travel Notebook knock-off from China.  The notebook was really good but the pen they gave me is the worst fountain pen I’ve ever tried.  It spews so much ink that just writing on the sheet left both of my hands stained somehow!

The reason I wanted to include it is to show that this torrent of ink doesn’t show through at all!  125gsm!  Believe the hype!

This picture brings up another feature that I never thought I’d see.  The thicker stock card before the first page of any notebook is usually glued to the first page as part of the binding.  All these years I’ve simply ignored the first page because of that.  It’s just annoying having the first page of a notebook be useless but there’s nothing that can be done about it…Or so I thought.

As you can see here, there is a crease right where the first page is glued to the cardstock cover.  That crease was not put there by me.  It came like that.  I know it isn’t a huge deal but it shows an attention to detail that shouldn’t be ignored.  Also, I love the minimal branding.

Now on to the binding.  Being a soft and different material than the cover, it’s supposed to be able to lay flat, completely and easily.  Does it?

Boy Howdy that’s flat!

So, are there any downsides?  Well sure.  Chief among them is the paper.

“What!? I thought you said it was great!!!!” you say.

“It is.” I reply meekly.

“Then what’s the problem, weirdo!?” you berate.

OK.  So, the paper is really great and thick enough for the naughtiest of ink fountains.  But that means that the notebook is going to be really thick too, right?  Well, it is thicker than any other A5 notebook I own but only has 180 pages.  That’s 90 sheets.  Is it worth a notebook with fewer sheets if they’re really good sheets?  That’s up to you.  For me the answer is yes.  Especially since they are still around 15$ at the time of writing this review.

Another downside is the pocket in back.  While most notebooks that have a pocket in back have the accordion folds reinforced with some sort of fabric the Lemome has only the cardstock.  This might be a deal breaker for some people but I use the pockets in my notebooks all the time and I’ve never had a pocket break on me and that includes some cardstock-only pockets.

So long as we’re here, I’d like to point your attention to the opposite page.  Yes the crease is there too.  I love the attention to detail!

When we look at the back we see that the minimal branding has gone from minimal to understated.  Classy.  And a far cry from all those bookstore notebooks that look like they’re were designed by Ed Hardy’s tee totaling,  daisy gardening grandmother.

All in all, I really like this notebook and can’t wait until I get to it.  I might pick another before word gets out and the price goes up.  You should too.  Or don’t, I’m not your boss.

 

What NOT to put in your notebook

Filling Your Notebook, The System

We spend a lot of time trying to give you ideas about what to write in your notebooks.  We don’t, however, spend any time discussing what NOT to write (other than whining).  That’s for a very good reason.  We don’t want to stifle you nor your writing.

I guess it’s time to stifle you.

Don’t put grocery lists.  Don’t put to do lists.  Ordering Chinese food for a group? Want to have everyone write down what they want to make ordering bearable?  Don’t use your notebook.

As a general rule, if you aren’t going to need it in a day, month, etc. find something else to write on.  A Spartan, for instance.

And now we break that rule

Some years ago I was an usher at a friend’s wedding.  One of my usher-ly duties was to introduce the wedding party as they entered the reception.  Just so I wouldn’t muck it up, I wrote their names phonetically and the order in which they were entering.  Having no other paper I reluctantly used a page in my current notebook.  Years later it serves as a unique souvenir.

Circumstances that are out of the ordinary can be a good reason to bend some rules a bit.  You might be glad you did.

6 Questions that Demand an Answer

Filling Your Notebook, Writing Prompts

Having a hard time getting your creative juices flowing?  In a bit of a slump?  we find that usually a good question is all it takes to get that pen moving.  Try these on for size:

  • What is a lasting childhood memory that, in the light of adulthood, couldn’t have happened due to absurdity?  (Personally, I have a memory of an episode of Sesame Street in which they instruct the viewer on proper butt wiping technique.  Nope!  No way that happened.)
  • What would your “deranged millionaire” hobby be if you won the lottery tomorrow?  (By the way, travel doesn’t cut it as deranged.  Helicopter pilot might and nose spray collector definitely does!)
  • Describe the best time you had doing a mundane and/or menial task.  What made it enjoyable?
  • Have you ever bought something you knew you weren’t going to use?  A book you would never read?  What was it?  Why did you finally go through with the purchase? (I’m actually REALLY curious about this one, please write in and tell us!)
  • Describe the best time you had at a fast food place.
  • Uncommon uses for a superpower.  For instance, using telekinesis to win an oyster opening competition (they exist!1).

 

Patience is a virture (why wait 21 days to assess your Notebooking)

Adventures in Notebooking

You’ve started Notebooking. Great!

You’ve found your time, your place, your notebook, and your pen (or pencil). Even better!

You’re a week in and ready to start assessing your new Notebooking habit. Don’t you dare!

Yes, it’s possible that within a week, you’re discovering things you like and don’t like about your writing. Or you’re regretting choosing an unlined notebook. Or you’re wishing you could add something you didn’t think of to your content list. We still caution you to wait.

There are a few reasons that you shouldn’t start your assessment until you’ve done a minimum of 21 days. 1

21 Days builds a habit

The science is out on how long it takes to build a habit. The truth is, it probably takes longer than 21 days. But it is certain that it takes at least this long. If you start tinkering with a habit before it is formed, you’re asking for trouble before you get started.

21 Days lets you experience your ‘rut’

It’s likely that somewhere in the first 3 weeks, you’re going to run into a problem or two. It’s hard to assess both the positives and negatives without going through a little bit of growing pains. You can’t solve a challenge until you’ve experienced it.

21 Days will use your whole Content List

Inevitably, some items on your Content List will seem like a better idea before you actually start writing. Once you start, you’ll discover that some aren’t as easy as you thought. But a difficult topic isn’t a worthless topic. Some of your best Notebooking will only come after you force yourself to notebook a difficult subject. 21 days keeps you from eliminating these valuable topics prematurely.

21 Days is long enough to develop patterns

If you’re going to make a mistake 2 once, you’re going to make it again. It’s easier to identify these problems after you’ve made them a few times. You don’t want to let your weak areas sit for years, but they need to sit long enough for you to discover them.

You can see there’s lots of reasons to wait 21 days to do your first assessment, but the number 1 reason to wait 21 days is…

21 Days is a tried and true method

All the nerds have tried Notebooking several times before finding the right formula. We’ve failed to assess, and we’ve assessed too quickly. We’ve found that waiting 21 days is the perfect balance of “quick enough to keep the excitement” and “long enough to have continuity”. 3 In fact, it’s worthwhile to assess every 3-4 weeks until you know exactly what you want your notebook to be.

 

The Pencil Idiot’s Top Pencils

Reviews, Writing Utensils

My name is Kevin and I’m an idiot for pencils.

You might think this is because they’re erasable or because they’re archival or maybe you think it’s because they’re comparatively cheap or because they write very nicely.  You might even think it’s because they evoke a sense of open ended learning we all experienced in childhood.  You wouldn’t, necessarily, be wrong but there’s more to it than that.

I love the process of using a pencil.  The sound as it scratches across the page fills me with a feeling of productivity.  The variance in pencil brands and grades makes choosing which pencil to draw out of the cup very fun and sometimes even whimsical.  Taking a break from writing to sharpen a pencil while my brain still churns on tends to coalesce my thoughts into something more expressible.  Some smell amazing yet some don’t smell at all 1.  I love all these things about pencils and so much more!  So without further ado and in no particular order, here are my top pencils!

 

Apsara Absolute  My favorite offering from Hindustan Pencils2, the Apsara Absolute sports a smoothly lacquered hex barrel that is a graphite grey with a slight warm copper tinge and a blue end dip.  Its core is thicker than standard lending it some break resistance.  While ungraded, it says “Extra Dark”, the core seems to me a bit like a 2B and the point retention is very much like a 2B.  I have no idea what wood these are made of (White Fir?) but it looks like Incense Cedar but doesn’t smell like it.  It sharpens very well and my box3 came with a very good eraser and a little plastic sharpener that works so well it’s in my top 4 sharpeners!  These pencils write VERY smoothly and would be worth a try at 3 times the price.  As of the time of writing you can find these for around 5$ a box.

 

General’s Layout No. 555 Sporting a large round barrel and an extra thick core that is very smudge resistant considering how dark it writes.  The General’s Layout also has surprisingly great point retention, meaning it stays sharp longer than it ought to given how dark it is.  It is a phenomenal pencil!  The Layout has scratchy feedback which can be a refreshing change of pace compared to the buttery smoothness found in other premium pencils.  The printing on the barrel is white and uses a classy vintage type face4 which, unfortunately, wears off really quickly leaving a plain gloss black.  Actually, the plain gloss black is kinda boss now that I think of it.  The best part of these fantastic pencils is that they’re sold at most craft stores!

 

Palomino Blackwing 602  There’s a near endless amount of people waxing on and on about Blackwing pencils.  I’ll try not to add too much.  I like all the Blackwings I’ve tried and the 602 is my favorite.  The ferrule is cool too.

 

Mitsu-Bishi 9800 B  Oh sure, when talking about Mitsu-Bishi pencils it’s almost sacrilege to not mention the venerable Hi-Uni.  And, of course, Those are great if a bit pricey (for pencils, at least).  But the 9800 is a simple green pencil that is extremely well made and writes VERY smoothly.  What’s more, they won’t break the bank.  They’re made of Incense Cedar5 so they sharpen well and smell great while doing it.  Also, they say “Matured” on them and who doesn’t like a bit of nonsensical branding?

 

Tombow Mono 100 2B  Here is the peak of what Tombow offers and they do not disappoint.  They’re smooth, dark, well lacquered and have a cool cap with a white stripe.  The box they came in is basically a display case for your desk.  Having come out in 1967 as a high end drafting pencil, using one fills my mind with images of pocket protector clad “buzz cuts” using slide rulers to get to the moon.  Great image, great pencil.

Well, there you have it.  5 pencils that a pencil idiot loves…today.  I might have 5 new pencils next week.  I’ll try to update this regularly.

The secret to easy flowing content

Content List Ideas, Filling Your Notebook, The System

Page eaters

What is a page eater?  While it may sound like a Harry Potter creature that didn’t make the cut, a page eater is a method for getting through lots of pages in your notebook.

Obviously, there’s more to it than that.  A page eater is, basically, anything you can write about at length and easily.  This could be anything from heady thoughts on a scholarly topic to a funny list of fictitious band names.  It might sound like cheating but, as you’ll see, page eaters have many benefits and have the potential to create great content.

First and foremost, page eaters destroy the tyranny of the blank page.  They can give you a sense of accomplishment and momentum.  Writing a lot, through the use of a page eater, is a great morale booster.  Always reminding you that you are a content creator with a lot to say.  Helping you to avoid whining (NO WHINING!!).  A few good page eaters in your content list and your notebook will flow out of you, through your hand, into a compelling, dynamic and multifaceted notebook.

Some examples include:  Funny lists, observations about your surroundings or people, personal recollections viewed in a new light, notes or reflections on a skill you’re trying to learn, brainstorming or flow charts. Basically, anything that’s compelling or entertaining enough to get you writing.

This begs the question, “Shouldn’t all items on my content list be page eaters?”  Hardly.  I suppose you could do that and you would burn through notebooks easily and you might even be proud of your notebook, at first.  Eventually, without challenging yourself, your notebook will be repetitive and boring.  It might be fun, even easy, but make sure you try to stretch your abilities every now and then.  Being able to see your growth over the course of a notebook is some of the greatest content of all.

You need to know this before you buy a notebook

Adventures in Notebooking, Notebooks, Reviews, Tips & Tricks

Notebooks come in many shapes and sizes making finding the one that is perfect for you just a few google searches away.  One option that’s often overlooked is ruling.  Here’s a brief overview of the most common options.

Ruled

Ruled is simply lines going across the page allowing you to write words without the sloping up or down as you go along the page.  Pretty standard but if all you’re doing is writing it really works best.

Blank

Are you an artist? Do you write with HUGE letters?  Are you a rogue cop who can’t play by the rules?  Blank may be just the thing for you.

Grid

Often called graph as it resembles graphing paper.  This one is useful for drawing diagrams, cartography, or your oyster knife prototype.  That said, I personally like grid as it allows me to turn the notebook sideways and also have a line I can write on without my sentences taking that plunge towards the end of the line.  Also, I’m getting really close to perfecting my oyster knife design.

Dot Grid

This is the polarizing one.  Dot grid is a pattern of dots where the lines of a grid would intersect.  This ruling is kinda like Bob Dylan, either you love it or you hate it.  Very few people are indifferent although many people just ignore the dots.  I thought I would love dot grid but I kinda hate it.  So, I guess the only way to know is to try it.

 

Those are pretty much it.  That said, the spacing and darkness of rulings can make all the difference.  Try to find one that fits closely to your preferred handwriting size.  Or don’t, I’m not your boss.

No bullwhips please

Adventures in Notebooking, Nerd Misadventures

When I was younger I saw the Indiana Jones movies.  Like many of my generation, it left an indelible mark on me.  One of the most lasting memories I have of the third film was the notebook.  In my mind’s eye, it was stuffed with all sorts of cool stuff.  It had fold out maps and pages.  It had all sorts of odd things stuck in the pages1.  I wanted one.  I wanted my own that was filled with my own cool stuff.  In retrospect, it’s what led me to buy my first Moleskine at a bookstore.  That desire is also what led me to fail utterly in filling it but that’s beside the point.  Now, years later, not only can you get all manner of leather notebooks online and there are even websites devoted to people’s notebooks that are just filled with dynamic looking ephemera strewn throughout.

Here’s the problem.  Those notebooks are a lie.

You might be thinking, “I could do one!  It could be a travel journal and I’d record all the cool places I’ve gone and fill it with souvenirs from my Hemingway-esque travels!”  I don’t know what your travel budget is like but if it’s like a normal person’s, it would take you a LONG time to fill.  Not to mention that, at least when I travel, it’s not all champagne and bullfights.

I’m not saying you can’t go make a notebook look like that, you could.  It might even be fun.  Lot’s of people do it.  It’s called scrap booking and I understand that it was very popular 10 years ago.

So, what to do?  Should you stick stuff in your notebook?  What’s a Notebooker to do?  Well, binding issues not withstanding, its simple, when in doubt be genuine.  That thing you want to put in your notebook, why do you want it there?

Because it would make your notebook look cooler?  Meh.

Because it means something significant to you and puts you in a good frame of mind?  Go for it!

Are you putting something in your notebook because you’re in the mood to put something into your notebook? That’s disingenuous.  Don’t do that.

So…

Movie ticket stub? Meh.

Cigar band from the cigar you had the night you realized you were in love?  Yes!

Sticker with the quote about the tides?  That’s scrap booking.

 

Ode to the Bic Cristal

Reviews, Writing Utensils

Ode to the Bic Cristal

December, 1950.  During the throws of the Korean war (the Forgotten War) and just in time for the Christmas shopping season, Bic introduced the Bic Cristal.

With its pencil-style hex barrel made of polystyrene that evoked a futuristic look and practical functionality.  It’s tungsten carbide ball machined to within 0.1 microns and enough water resistant ink to reportedly write over 2 kilometers.

The Bic Cristal has a permanent exhibit in the Museum of Modern Art.

 

In 2006 Bic announced they had sold they’re 100 Billionth!

Want to try one?  Check under your seat!  No, I didn’t put one there “Oprah Style”, that’s just where they usually are.  I mean there’s over 100  billion of them, they’re basically everywhere.

If you haven’t tried one in a while (their shelf life is 3 years remember) give them a go.  The Easy-Glide ink is some of the best I’ve seen in a ball point and my favorite is the original.  The 1.6 Xtra Bold is so smooth it’s almost like glass.

Sounds like we sold out, right?  Like we’re selling Bics?  We’re not.  I just like cheap pens.  Probably the most classic “cheap” pen, the Bic Cristal writes REALLY nice and is friendly to even the worst of paper qualities.  At less than 20 cents per pen a Cristal punches WAY above its weight-class.

 

 

Ask The Nerds: What’s your favorite Notebook?

Ask the Nerds!

Giovanni A. in Skokie, IL asks, “You guys spend a lot of time thinking about notebooks. Which is, in your opinion, the absolutely BEST notebook?

Jason says:

Giovanni, thanks for the question. To be honest, we do spend a lot of time thinking about notebooks. (I’m sure our wives would say ‘too much’ time, but we enjoy it).

Right now I’m using the Midori Traveler’s Passport Size.  It’s a little pricier than most notebooks, but if you’re serious about Notebooking, it might be worth the investment.1

I’m a big fan of passport-size notebooks. They’re small enough that I know I’ll be able to fill it out in a timely manner. They’re cheap (although that’s out the window with the Midori). But the biggest reason I like them is that they are extremely portable. It fits in my pocket! And there’s no feeling worse than wanting to take down a note, and not having your notebook with you because it’s too big to carry.

Of course, there’s a problem with carrying a paper-bound notebook in your pocket. After the course of a couple of weeks, it gets bent and beat up. There’s no fun in writing in a disfigured notebook, so I’ve always been stuck between choosing good portability or a good writing experience. (This has even led me to often keep 2 simultaneous notebooks).

But now I need not choose! The Midori solves all that. Now, to be clear, most of the Midori system is the wallet that the notebook (paper) goes into. The inserts are interchangeable, and are similarly priced to other passport-size notebooks,2. But having that wallet over your notebook keeps it intact and flat, while still being portable.

Of course the paper quality is top-notch, and it’s a thing of beauty. When I finish off my first insert, I’ll be doing a full review, but I expect I’ll be using my Midori Traveller for years to come.

Kevin says:

Lately, it’s been the Leuchtturm 1917 A6 in softcover grid (or squared as they call it).

It has a lot of great features that add up to a great experience.

  • It lays flat.
  • The pages are numbered which is really nice for when I have additional thoughts on a previous topic and want to utilize a Table of Contents.
  • It has a cloth reinforced pocket in the back and inside that pocket are archival stickers for when you’re done and want to label the spine and front3.
  • It also has a table of contents and a place for the date at the heading of every page.
  • Made of 80 gsm paper which makes pretty friendly to most writing implements.

All in all, it’s a great notebook that is finally receiving the recognition it deserves.  My only gripe is that the grid size is a little smaller than I would like.  It’s sub 5mm and that’s smaller than the general industry standard.  Luckily, a fine point pen that doesn’t leave gobs of ink all over the page (I’m looking at you G2!) and the problem disappears after the first sentence.

Thanks for asking!

How Notebooking will make you a Conversational Ninja

Adventures in Notebooking, Benefits of Notebooking

We’ve all been on the painful end of a conversation. Whether it’s the guy who drones on about a topic you don’t give 2 figs about, or the rambling storyteller who never even gets close to having a point, or the monosyllabic responder with her “Yes.”, “Yes.”, “No.” that forces you into the role of a journalist – few things are more common than an uncomfortable conversation.

As a professional public speaker, I pay an obsessive amount of attention to people’s speaking habits (both formal and informal). What I’ve discovered is that while people are clearly aware of times they are stuck talking to a painful conversationalist, these same people are oblivious when they are the ones inducing pain.

Fact is, we are all terrible conversationalists at some points, but Notebooking can help make those times few and far between. How? Here’s 4 ways:

1) Notebooking makes you a better listener

Want to know a secret? The best conversationalists spend the least amount of time actually talking1. Most people spend a lot of their “listening time” in a conversation thinking about what they’ll say next. So truly listening has become a lost art. But as you begin Notebooking your conversations and encounters, you’re going to want to have something to write on the page. This means you’ll ask more questions, better questions, and followup questions. Good conversationalists ask good questions. And if you’re going to Notebook about this later, you’ll be forced to come up with lots of good questions.

2) Notebooking makes you focus on often-overlooked details

The more you Notebook, the more you realize how important those seemingly trivial details are. It’s the details that will make your narratives come alive. It’s choosing 1 word over another that will transform the mundane sentence into a passionate plea. It’s when we record the details of an experience that we can re-tell it well. So as we Notebook, we train ourselves to focus in on the details. Details are huge in being an apt conversationalist. When we’re listening, that focus on the details will show that you’re truly interested and supply you with a million good questions. When we’re talking, it’s the details that will transform your story from ‘just another narcissistic rant’ into a ‘hilarious rendering of a unique story’. Which of these descriptions do you want to be known for?

3) Notebooking helps us to be better storytellers

Of course, you can have so many details that you lose any semblance of a plot. Or you can take so many tangents that a storyline disappears. Knowing what to include, what to dismiss, when to be serious, and when to be flippant is an art form that few have mastered. But every time you write down a story in your Notebook, every time you record a trip or event or even a silly annoyance, you are practicing that art. The more you Notebook, the more refined your sense of storytelling will become. After you’ve Notebooked a hundred stories (with time to think about flow, emphasis, and whatever else you want to include), it will become natural to edit yourself in a way that brings out the best and minimizes unhelpful deviations.2

4) Notebooking will give you an arsenal of well-developed stories and ideas

Okay, so you can’t think quickly on your feet? Not a problem for the Notebooker. You’ve already recorded your best stories, captured your most profound thoughts, and made some funny content, to boot. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Just recount the best of the stuff you’ve already Notebooked, and you’ll be far more interesting than the next person.

 

Having a conversation is easy. Having a great conversation is hard. But Notebooking helps you to have great conversations, and people love great conversationalists!

 

6 Things to make your notebook better

Content List Ideas, Filling Your Notebook

Having trouble getting your content list going?

Not to worry.  We’re here to help.  As we all remember from elementary school (or whiners remember from earlier today) the easiest way to get something done is to copy someone else!  Here’s a few ideas for your content list for you to copy.  We won’t tell on you.  Remember, you might copy an item or 2 from this list but the writing is all your own.

Recipes

Be sure to leave some space to write about how cooking went and what you will do different in the future.

Quotes

So long as the quotes are good and they’re not the only thing you write, have at it.

Skill Development

Is there a skill you’re trying to learn or master?  Good!  Writing about it can help you to develop faster.

Esoterica

Feel like writing about the ridges on the side of a quarter or the history of the motor lodge?  Great!

Make stuff up

Don’t know anything about the ridges on the side of a quarter nor the history of the motor lodge?  Make it up!  It’ll probably be funny.

Your own experiences

Obviously.  That said, don’t be in such a rush to record stuff that you miss the point.  If you didn’t learn anything then it might as well have not happened.  What did you learn?  What went wrong?  Was it funny?  Would you do it again?

 

And as always, NO WHINING!

Notebooking vs. Journaling

Adventures in Notebooking, Benefits of Notebooking, The System

For years, I kept a journal. It’s a great way to express yourself and think through what’s going on in your life. I even consider Ira Progoff to be one of the people who was fundamental to my ‘adulting’ process. But when I’m Notebooking in public and someone comes up to chat and says, “Oh, you keep a journal too?”, it takes all the willpower I can muster not to give a lengthy speech of clarification.

Notebooking is different from journaling. Why? A few reasons…

Both involve “expression”, but they don’t express the same thing

A quick perusal of journaling ‘how-to’s will lead you down the path of self-expression. The goal of journaling is to take all the thoughts and emotions that are clogging up your brain, and getting them out on paper so that you can engage in reflection and self-care. It’s very therapeutic. Notebooking isn’t about therapy. It’s about creativity. The goal is still expressing yourself, but you’re expressing yourself by recording hobbies, humor, creative writing, profound thoughts and personal projects. Which leads us to the next difference between the two:

Notebooks are multi-faceted. Journals have a singular focus.

One of the core ideas of Notebooking is that you want to start with a Content List. While it’s not against the rules to Notebook on a single subject1, our system works best with having multiple subjects going at any one time. It’s perfectly appropriate to have a recipe on one page, followed by the first draft of a wedding toast, followed by a conversation you overheard at Starbucks that morning. Variety is the spice of life, and we like our Notebooks spicy! But journals are geared to pick a topic and stay on topic. Whether it’s working through your anxiety, recording your dreams each night, or recalling conversations and writing down what you wish you had said, journaling is designed to keep these topics separate, each in their own book.

Journaling is meant to be private. Not so with Notebooking!

Most journaling websites will encourage you to keep your journal to yourself. While you’re allowed to share it with someone you love and trust, the idea is that journals are for your eyes only! Here at NotebookingNerds, we encourage you to make your notebooks “Stranger Safe”. You’re not necessarily writing to show off, but you shouldn’t be embarrassed if someone picks up your notebook unexpectedly. Personally, I’m happy to share my notebook with anyone who asks. This wouldn’t be the case if it was filled with my deepest, darkest, most intimate thoughts.

But while journaling is inwardly focused, Notebooking is outwardly focused.

This is perhaps the most crucial difference between the two. Journaling touches on the outside world, but only enough to focus on one’s own opinions, emotions, reflections, and reactions. Notebooking touches on ourselves, but the center of the action is engagement with the world. Whether it’s describing a scene, recording an event, recalling humorous interactions, or pursuing goals, the focus of Notebooking is outside of ourselves. Journaling centers the action inside your own head.

Ultimately, this makes all the difference when it comes to the tone of your writing…

The number 1 rule of Notebooking is “No Whining!”. When you’re engaged with the outside world, and the action is centered beyond yourself, this is easy. All it takes is a bit of grace and a modicum of tact. However, journaling lends itself to whining. Because the goal of journaling is to honestly express your every thought about the world, the only way to avoid whining is to be so overwhelmingly pollyannish that nothing ever disturbs you or gets you down. That’s an unrealistic and impossible standard for anyone.

All of this isn’t to say that journaling can never be useful. If you have issues you want to work through, or find that writing your thoughts down on paper helps you to make sense of your life, then go ahead and keep a journal. But if you want to be more creative, more engaging, more social, and more interesting, then Notebooking is the avenue you should pursue.

Oh my aching back!

Adventures in Notebooking, Nerd Misadventures

I roast my own coffee as a hobby.  It sounds complicated, and in some ways it is, but if you can make popcorn without burning it then you could roast coffee too1.  If, however, you want to get good at roasting you need to control some variables.  Between coffee bean type, roast level, degassing times and brewing methods it would behoove you to take notes.  This is the story of these notes.

As I sit here and, using my favorite pencil, scratch out this story I am uncomfortable.  My back hurts, my hands feel trembly and my poor lactose intolerant tummy is full of pizza.

This all started because I wanted my coffee roasting to be good enough to supply gifts of coffee to friends and loved ones.  In order to roast some truly great coffee, I would have to do what I do best…Get systematic!

I began by keeping a roasting log.  I recorded what I roasted, how I roasted it, when I roasted it, how I brewed it and how it tasted.  I got a pretty good idea of what I was after and how to get it2.

Then I had a radical thought, “What if I suck at this?”  It was time to go back to the “Big boys.”  And by “Big boys” I mean local cafes known for their coffee.  So, like a pilgrim, I went.  Notebook in hand and tasting notes to follow.  Turns out I did pretty good.  My coffee was better, or at least closer to what I wanted in a cup-o-mud.

Next, it was time to challenge the mighty throne of the “Big, big boys” and hit a popular cafe chain to see what all the fuss was about.  Well, their coffee was crap.  Not a huge surprise there, but it was reassuring.  It should have been obvious.  My coffee was fresher and I was using better beans.  Hell, my bean suppliers won’t even sell something as crappy as “Mermaid logo coffee”3 because those grades of coffees are usually so caked with mold they have to use a pickaxe to break it up! But, I digress.

So my coffee was good.  Good enough to gift with confidence.  That could’ve been the end of the story.  It probably should have been.

But, of course, it wasn’t.  Remember when I said that I was systematic?  Good because here we go again!

I didn’t stop at “Coffee place with pretentious nomenclature”, I went to doughnut shops too.  While there, taking notes on yet another sub par cuppa Java, I had a doughnut.  I liked it.  A lot!  And yet I seem to remember having better in the past. 

I bet you, dear reader, can guess what happened next.

Now that I had a Doughnut Tasting Log I took it upon myself to seek out the tiny mom and pop shops in search of the perfect Glazed4!  At one such “doughnut hole in the wall” I witnessed what appeared to be a reunion among elderly military veterans.  This made me happy so I paid attention.  One of these veterans, let’s call him “Suspenders”, had a birthday coming up in a week.  Taking this as a Notebooking related excuse for more “Round Gold” (doughnuts) I determined that it would be rude to Suspenders if I wasn’t in attendance.

I’m happy to say that witnessing an elderly birthday celebration in a doughnut shop at 7:30 in the morning is a simple and pure pleasure I won’t soon forget.  I’m less happy to say that I apparently look “young enough to know how to work a camera.”

After snapping a few photos and listening to what is wrong with young people these days, I was invited to meet my new friends at the same place and same time (7:30am!) tomorrow.

It must be said that I genuinely like these people.  They’re charming, fast with a joke and constantly laughing.  And so despite enjoying sleep, I, along with Suspenders, Petey, Eleanor, John, Jon, Millie and “The lady missing a few teeth” 5, have become a member of the “Old Farts’ Club” (their name, not mine) and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

So, why does my back hurt?  Well, “The lady missing a few teeth” (let’s call her Patty since that’s her name), who is full of piss and vinegar and insulin, was in a “bit of a pickle.”

An inkling of decency and a longing for brevity prevents me from going into details but suffice to say, I helped her move today.

So when you think to yourself that you want your notebook to be ever changing and evolving or when you think to yourself that you want Notebooking to be a portal to adventure, remember this:

A promise of bad pizza and ailing backs are not part of coffee roasting!

Be careful what you wish for!

 

Snowed in, huh?

Filling Your Notebook, Writing Prompts

I don’t know where you live, but where I live I could be snowed in this time of year with very little notice.  If I get snowed in I’ll usually put a movie on or grab a book off the shelf.  Sometimes, however, I’ll use the opportunity to Notebook.  Here’s a few writing prompts to entertain you until it’s time to start shoveling snow.

  • Pick a thing that’s not on your Content List that you like and describe why you like it.  This could be anything from something small like cold pizza to something longer like the sound of different types of laughter.
  • Choose a moment in your life that you recall vividly. Now describe it from someone else’s perspective.
  • Look around.  Choose the most common or boring inanimate object.  Describe it in the most exciting, interesting or romantic way you can.
  • Write a “Knock-Knock” joke.
  • Build a menu, whether for a restaurant or an event, that focuses on a bizarre theme.  Such as:  pregnancy cravings, childhood comfort foods, cooking only by geothermic steam, savory cupcakes/desserts, etc.
  • Describe a nesting doll based on people that have influenced your life.  Who would these dolls depict?  In what order?  What would they be wearing?  Are these people you know or people who’s work influenced you?

I hope these entertain you and don’t forget the hot cocoa!

Spartan Notebook Review

Adventures in Notebooking, Notebooks, Reviews, Tips & Tricks

This review is problematic.  I’m not really sure how to begin.  Ya’ see, the Spartan is one of my favorite notebooks (using that term loosely) that I’ve ever used.  Unfortunately, you can’t buy it.  Neither can I, but I made mine for free and so can you. I guess, I’ll start at the beginning.

The Spartan is eminently modular.  Pages can be added and removed at any time.  This means it can be whatever you want it to be, whenever you need it to be it.  Try that with your Moleskine!  Would you like something for your Jot Points since your chosen notebook is A5 or larger1?  A Spartan has you covered.  Making a shopping list and don’t want to fill your notebook with such banality?  The Spartan will happily serve as a sort of notebook junk filter.  Maybe you’re beginning some projects and want to be able to file your notes later.  This is where the Spartan shines.  The Spartan notebook is so effective because it is so versatile.  It will do anything you want it to.  It can be a scratch pad, a Jot Points referee, a planner or even your main notebook!  The Spartan has you covered.

 

Here it is!  As you can see, the Spartan is just note cards held together by a binder clip. This may look simple, it is.  This may look stupid, it might be.  Luckily, the Spartan is possibly the most useful “notebook” I’ve ever come across.  I personally prefer a small binder clip and 3×5 inch note cards as I keep my Spartan in my back pocket.  I prefer lined cards as they help me keep my writing legible yet compact2.  The clip I’m using is silver in color.  I bought a multi-color pack over 10 years ago and the first one I grabbed was this one.  It still works fine.

 

On the back I have a lined card turned over.  I use this for shopping lists in portrait orientation, hence using the non-lined side.  I’m not a madman3!

 

Here I’ve taken the guts of my Spartan and spread them out for you to see. (Oh the humanity!)  I like to use different color cards labeled with marker to make “folders.”  Sometimes I’ll use just 2 “folders” like “work” and “home.”  Other times I’ll use topic specific cards like “NotebookingNerds.”  Alternatively you could use colored cards to indicate different topics or projects.  Just don’t go changing them too often or it’ll get crazy.

 

I also like to keep a card with some Post-its on them.  You’d be surprised how often they come in handy when you have them on you.

Here are a few ways I use my Spartan:

I, also, have a note-card holder that I use as a miniature filing cabinet so to speak.

What I don’t do is try to use a Spartan as a more permanent notebook.  A Spartan is ephemeral, temporary and a fantastic companion to your notebook.  In fact, when used in tandem with a notebook, a Spartan can help you get the most out of your notebook.

As long as you understand a Spartan’s limitations and strengths it won’t let you down.  Give it a try.

 

Jot Points

Adventures in Notebooking, Filling Your Notebook, Tips & Tricks, Writing Prompts

Jot Points are quite simply jotting down a point or thought on something that helps to remind you when notebooking later.  It sounds simple and, really, it is.  That doesn’t mean that we can’t make it better.

Chances are you’ve already done this.  Especially if your chosen notebook isn’t of a size that allows easy pocket carry.  There’s also a good chance you’ve done this poorly (I know I have).

Let’s say you’re at a grocery store and see a sign that makes you think of something funny to notebook later.  A bad Jot Point would be “Funny sign.”  Maybe that’s enough to go on later on but maybe it isn’t.  I’ve done this and later, when I have my notebook in hand, I’ve got nothing.  What sign was it?  Why was it funny?  Oh well.  A better Jot Point could be, “Is gluten free toilet paper a thing?”  That really gives you enough to remember.

Another way to improve your Jot Points is to include a specific phrase if you’ve got one you want to use.  Let’s say you’ve decided to eat healthier, as you’re leaving the grocery store you could Jot down:

Got healthy food

Or

Plastic sacks of aspiration.

 

And when you’ve finally given up your new healthy regime:

Ate Twinkies

Or

The depths of my depravity

 

Jot Points are notes for the future you.  Be kind to future you.

Lastly, we come to the question of what to write your Jot Points on.  Given that we’re a notebooking blog you might think we have a clever, innovative solution.  We do.  But that’s not what Jot Points are about.  Jot Points are about slapdash notebooking reminders.  In that spirit here are some ideas for places to put your Jot Points:

  • Back of receipt
  • Palm of non-dominant hand
  • Envelope
  • Notebook (why not?)
  • Top of your non-dominant foot
  • Birth certificate
  • Cancelled postage stamp
  • Side walk (chalk required)
  • Stranger’s forehead (consent required)
  • Spare bit of paper

Why you should keep contact info in your notebook

Adventures in Notebooking, Benefits of Notebooking, Tips & Tricks

Isn’t it easier to put someone’s number/email/whatever into your mobile device?  Yes.  Obviously.  In fact, I find that when I make a call it’s usually from my phone (imagine that!).  Since that’s where the number is going to get used it should go there.

But Contact Info?  No, that’s different and possibly more important.

Thing’s to write down after meeting someone

  • Name This one is surprisingly easy to forget.
  • Appearance Be kind.  Also, try not focus on clothes as people tend to change their clothes.  This is mostly to help you recognize this person in the future.
  • Job/hobbies Basically, this is why you know them or where you know them from
  • Personal details  Do they have kids?  How many?  Are they all human?  Spouse?  Human too?
  • What are they into Or more specifically, what are they excited to talk about?  It shouldn’t take you very long to find this out.  People usually talk about things they are excited to talk about.  That’s why they’re talking about them.
  • Something you like about them As you’ll see later, this has many benefits.
  • Finally, a few things you talked with this person about  This, too, will help in a few ways.

After your initial meeting with someone, you’ll want to write this stuff in your notebook.  Then, when you see them again, you will have all this minor but important information to draw on for conversation.

As an example, I recently met Doug.

  • Name Doug
  • Appearance Horn-rimmed glasses, greying buzz cut and ready with a friendly smile
  • Job/hobbies Works with computers in some way.  Into gaming, both video and tabletop.  His wife, Peg, isn’t.  Likes hiking.
  • Personal details  No kids.  One wife (Peg)
  • What are they into  Hiking.  Star Wars RPG.  Just bought a smoker.
  • Something you like about them Big booming laugh when he gets excited
  • Finally, a few things you talked with this person about  Hiking, his knee surgery & subsequent recovery, and he bought a smoker but it hasn’t arrived yet.

The next time I see Doug I will have looked over these notes and already have several questions to ask him:

  • Got in any good hikes lately?
  • How’s Peg?
  • What have you been playing? When Peg let’s you! (insert knowing chuckle here)
  • Have you used your smoker yet?  How did it turn out?

That’s potentially a half hour of conversation without mentioning the weather once!

When you talk with people in this manner they will gravitate towards you.  Everyone loves to feel heard and remembering details about them makes them feel valued.  This also takes the pressure off.  We often worry about what to say during an awkward conversation.  Here’s the secret:  Don’t say anything.  Just ask a few good questions and listen.  Then go and update your notes.  Be specific and as detailed as you can.  If someone tells you about their ailing grandmother and after a month you approach them with, “Don’t you got a dead guy on the way?”  you need better notes.  (And possibly a soul)

Who do you record then?

You will never go wrong writing notes on everyone you meet.  If you never see them again then you’ve wasted a few lines of your notebook and a few minutes.  If, however, you do see them again… You will be the most likable person they’ve met in a long time.

It isn’t a bad idea to use this with people you’ve known for a while, either.  Honestly, I should use this when I talk to my wife half the time!

 

Sigel Conceptum Review

Notebooks, Reviews

Conceptum by Sigel

It is ironic that the first notebook I review for NotebookingNerds.com may be the last I ever buy!

First let’s talk, I find that most reviews tend to follow a pattern of listing tech specs then finishing with whether or not the reviewer likes it.  I say, “Horse Apples!  Let’s change it up!”

 

I love this notebook!  Here’s why:  It’s chock full of features.  Like most notebooks in this style it has an elastic closure, ribbon bookmark and a pocket in back.

 

But wait! There’s more…  It has not 1 but 2 ribbon bookmarks1!  There’s also a pen/pencil loop if you’re into that sort of thing.

 

It has your standard fabric reinforced pocket in the back but this one has a little slot for cards.  I haven’t used it for cards so I can’t speak as to its efficacy but just knowing it’s there makes me happy.

 

As if almost on a dare the Conceptum continues to add features!  Like this small friction pocket in the front cover.

 

Add to all that a Table of Contents, numbered pages and perforated pages in the back and you’re looking a one great notebook.

But that’s not why I love it.  I don’t love it for the good paper 2 nor the contrasting red elastic although those are nice.

I love this notebook because it lays flat easily and has slightly wider than average ruling.  I tend to write pretty small but some notebooks have ruling so minuscule (I’m looking at you Leuchtturm 1917!) that even I have a hard time using it.  The Conceptum’s ruling is very generous in their A6.  On their A5 it’s downright wide ruled!  This is a refreshing change of pace compared to other notebooks which tend towards 5mm width ruling, grid or dots.

Now on to the downsides.  There’s only one, the covers.  Well, 2 technically since a notebook has 2 covers.  The covers on the models I have have this faux leather appearance and some cheesy faux stitching around the edge.  I’ve seen some other cover styles that don’t have this cheese though.  It doesn’t bother me too much.

Is it the perfect notebook?  No, that was the Guildhall A6 but they’re not made anymore.  Is it close enough and won’t let you down?  You betcha!

 

How to find YOUR notebook

The System

Now you’ve done it.  You went and listened to us. You filled some Passport-style notebooks, assessed your writing and you’ve got your content list pretty close to perfect.  Now what?

The next step in our method is to “Find your notebook” but there are so many options 1 out there.  What’s a Notebooker to do?

Relax.  We’re here to help.  Here are a few guidelines to assist you in navigating the notebook store 2

  • Size Since the common style of notebooks are of European descent they tend to follow the European size system.  It’s really simple, at least as it pertains to notebooks.  A4, A5, and A6 are the most common sizes.  A4 being roughly letter sized, A5 being half that, and A6 being half of A5.  Imagine taking a letter sized piece of paper (actually slightly larger) and that’s A4.  Then fold it in half and you’ve got A5.  Fold it again and BOOM! A6.  Since numbers are easy to mix up we’ve come up with a esoteric taxonomy that might help but is mostly for fun.  A4 we’ll call “Letter size.”  Let’s refer to A5 as “Steno size.”  That’s fun.  Lastly, if we call A6 the “Pocket size” we’ll at least which one will fit in a pocket.  Steno sized (A5) is far and away the most popular which means the most options.  Unfortunately, Steno sized is also kinda tough to fit into a pocket.  Carrying a bag?  Great!
  • Paper  Let’s talk paper.  These days pretty much every notebook uses “acid-free, archival” paper 3 so don’t worry about that. There are, however, 2 things to consider.  1) Paper quality.  There’s a TON to say about this but for the purposes of this article let’s just say that good notebooks have good paper and unless you have a penchant for fountains then you’ll be fine.4  2)  Printing.  Basically, you have to ask yourself whether you prefer blank, ruled or grid printing on your pages.  Most notebooks are available in many different configurations so it should be easy to find what you want.
  • Features  Most notebooks have the 3 standard features.  Those being:  Ribbon bookmark, Elastic band closure, and Pocket in back.  These features are so ubiquitous that it’s hard to find a decent notebook without them.  Personally, I’ve come to rely on them but if you don’t care then more power to you.  Here are a few other features that are becoming more popular:  Table of Contents on the first few pages, Numbered pages, and perforated pages in the back for easy removal.  If you want these you might have to look around a bit but you’ll find what you’re looking for no problem.
  • Lay flat design This is a feature important enough to warrant it’s own bullet point.  A notebook that lays flat, quite simply,  makes it easier to write in.  This feature is my personal obsession and I suffer under it.  Can you use a notebook that doesn’t open flat?  Absolutely!  When using a notebook, there are only ever 2 sides.  The side you’re writing on and the side you’re not.  A notebook that lays flat keeps the pages flat while writing.  A notebook that doesn’t requires you to either write on a curved surface, not write as deep toward the spine or allow the opposite side to raise up, mummy like, while you write.  If these don’t bother then congratulations!  There’s a lot more notebooks that you can use that I can’t.

Now that we’ve covered that, here’s one piece of advice I’ve noticed over the years:  The flashier the notebook’s exterior the worse the interior tends to be.  That beautiful leather covered notebook with the Celtic knot work stamped into the front you saw at Barnes and Noble for 30$ probably has cheap binding that will only lay flat if you break it and bad paper.

 

Welcome to the world of Notebooking

The System, Uncategorized

Notebooking. A noun turned into a verb. Not a particularly unique thing to do. But Notebooking, as a creative endeavor, is unique.

Notebooking started as a personal project. We had repeatedly bought notebooks at the bookstore, buying into the premise that having a notebook would make us more creative. Boy, were we wrong!

Owning a notebook doesn’t make you more creative. Carrying a notebook around doesn’t make you more intelligent. Writing whiny journal entries into your notebook doesn’t make you more interesting. And so after a while, most people give up. Their hopes are left unfulfilled as they declare themselves uncreative or lacking willpower. The truth is, most people fail not because they are uncreative, but because they don’t have a system for success. At least that’s why we failed to fill our first notebooks.

And our second. And third.

But eventually, we developed a system for success. Using Content Lists, Jot Points, Page Eaters (and more), we discovered that filling a notebook with individualized, creative content is an attainable goal.

We liked our system so much that we wanted to share it with others.  If you want to finally fill up those pages with entries you’ll be happy to hold onto for years to come, feel free to look around.

If you want to just dive in and learn as you go, check out our introductory article: How to Begin Notebooking

 

6 Reasons you should start with a Passport-Style notebook

Notebooks, Reviews, The System

If you have read our “Getting Started” page you’ll know that we recommend getting started with a 3 pack of Passport-Style notebooks such as Field Notes, Word., Fabriano, etc.  There’s a good reason for that.  Actually, there’s a few good reasons1:

  1. Take out the guesswork It’s all too common when starting any project to become paralyzed by options2.  This “analysis paralysis” could easily become a problem with Notebooking since there are so many notebook and writing implement options out there.  This way you start with an easy-to-find option.
  2. There’s 3 of them  Passport-Style notebooks usually come in 3 packs3.  This gives you 3 chances to get started and go through the write/assess cycle without having to buy anything else.  By the time you’ve gotten through all 3 you’re sure to be a Notebooking expert!
  3. They’re short  Being usually anywhere from 24 – 64 pages allows you fill a notebook with relative ease.  Both lending you a sense of accomplishment and more frequent chances to assess your writing.
  4. They are small  They tend to be 3″ x 5″ or very close to it.  This means that you can easily slip it into your purse or back pocket.  This allows you to carry your notebook with you.  This not only helps you build the habit of Notebooking and thinking about Notebooking but it also may help to inform your future notebook decisions like whether to carry it with you or not.
  5. They’re cheap! Most 3-packs of Passport-Style notebooks clock in at around 10$.  If we recommended a 50$ notebook to start that would place a bit too much pressure on you.  Skip Starbucks twice and you’ve got enough to get a 3-pack.  No one should have to skip Starbucks more than twice, I’m not a monster4!
  6. Good Paper  Most, if not all, Passport-Style notebooks I’ve used have had pretty decent paper.  As you probably know, I prefer pencils and ball-point pens.  I don’t, however, believe everyone should use them5.  Luckily, the paper quality on most of these is such that you could even use a fountain pen if you insist. 6

You may find that you like the form factor of a Passport-Style notebook so much that it becomes “Your” notebook.  Great!  Though, do yourself a favor and try a different style of notebook at some point.  You might be glad you did.

Assessing Your Notebook

The System

Congratulations! You’ve made it 21 days! Now is the time to assess your Notebooking.

Assessment is a vital part of growth. You don’t want to keep churning out the same old crap for years on end, do you? Of course not! Assessment is what helps us to emphasize our strengths and modify our weaknesses.

Here is a template to help you assess. It’s broken down into 4 categories: gear, habits, content, and writing style. You can, of course, make assessments of more than these, but these are a good start.

Notebooking Assessment Form

The Science of Habit-Building

Adventures in Notebooking, The System, Tips & Tricks

New Year’s Resolutions are the worst idea ever imagined. We set up grandiose goals and arbitrarily start working on them. Whether it’s getting more exercise in the dead of winter, or fixing our finances after spending a ton on presents, January 1st is not just a bad date to turn over a new leaf – it’s one of the worst dates to start new habits. But the reason that most resolutions fail isn’t a matter of timing. It’s because most of us don’t know how to start a new habit.

The science is still out on how long it takes to build a habit. Some people say 21 days, others say 66 days, other say 6 months. Really, there’s no consistent number that’s shown up in the testing. But there are some helpful tips that have come out of the research. If you want to make Notebooking into a habit, here’s the top 7 takeaways from all that study.

#1 Habits are more successful if you know WHY you’re making a change.

Somewhere in the recesses of our minds, we have an inkling of why we want to make a change. But not all reasons are equal. If you want to start Notebooking because you want to be a better writer, a better storyteller, a better conversationalist, or just remember the important memories in your life, knowing the why will help you.1 But unless you know which of these reasons is motivating you, when you hit a wall, the wall will probably win. First step, determine what it is that’s driving you, and OWN that reason (or reasons). It will help you to keep going when the going gets tough.

#2 Tie your new habit to an old habit

It’s easier to add something to your morning (or evening) routine than it is to create a routine from scratch. The good news is that all of us already have routines. We wake up, eat, and groom ourselves. And we do it with remarkable consistency. So pick part of your daily routine that will include your new Notebooking time. It doesn’t matter if you Notebook while you’re having your morning coffee, riding on the train to work, or chilling out after dinner. As long as it’s a regular occurrence, it’ll be easier to be consistent in doing it.2

#3 Start Small

I know…we recommend Notebooking for 20 minutes a day. And that might seem like an impossible task. (It isn’t, but it might be on Day 1). It’s okay to start with only 5 minutes. Think about it. If you view 10 minutes of writing as failure, you’ll grow discouraged and quit. But if you view 10 minutes of writing as success, you’ll be excited to keep having success. The truth is, it’s less about how much time you spend, and more about spending some time at all. You can always increase your writing time once the habit has become…well…habitual.

#4 Make it Comfortable and Convenient

We tend to engage in activities we enjoy and avoid activities we don’t. Use this to your advantage! Light some incense (or a candle), curl up in a comfy chair, and use your favorite pen (or pencil). You’ll look forward to your Notebooking time because everything that goes with it is a joy. On the other hand, if Notebooking requires you to hide away in the bathroom while your children are pounding on the door begging for your attention – it’s just not going to last. As much as possible, make your environment something that enhances your writing, rather than detracting from it.

#5 Simplify Your Task!

Studies show that the more complicated a new habit is, the less likely you are to stick to it. Think about it – if you want to start eating healthier, the first step is buying healthier food. If you had to go out and buy healthy food every day (while junk food fills your cupboards), you’d never stick to it. In the same way, if you have find a place to Notebook, find a pen to Notebook with, and figure out what you’re going to write about every day, it’s going to be that much harder to keep it up. Keeping a pen handy in your Notebooking location is the easy part, but that’s why we suggest a Content List. It simplifies the task of Notebooking daily.

#6 Overcome the Resistance

Resistance is a term coined by Steven Pressfield to talk about the things that get in your way. Whether it’s lack of focus, lack of time, life emergencies, minor crises, or simply procrastination, there will always be something to stop your new habit in its tracks.3 Studies show that we really haven’t developed a habit until we’ve overcome the resistance on 5 different occasions. (The good news is that the first time is the hardest. It gets easier every time!) So push your way through the resistance. Don’t let it beat you.

And finally, #7 – Cut yourself some slack

We’re trained to think that once we’ve failed, we’re done, and all our momentum is lost. That’s not actually the case. Missing a day here or there will not derail a habit – if we don’t let it. Say you’ve chosen to Notebook during your morning coffee, and then one day you oversleep. It doesn’t matter. As long as you get back into the routine the next day, your habit won’t be undone. It’s only when we let a habit drift for several days in a row that we start to lose it4. Remember, it’s not how many times we fall off the horse that matters. What counts is whether we climb back on the horse!

You can do it!

Building a new habit isn’t always easy, but if you incorporate these strategies into your life, it does get a lot easier. Whether it’s eating better, spending less, or Notebooking as a regular part of your life, being intentional about your habits will make your life more fulfilling. Why wouldn’t you want to do that? Good luck!

 

How to build your Content List

Content List Ideas, Filling Your Notebook, The System

Have you ever sat down to write in your notebook?  You’re excited, but then you have trouble getting it started?  We’ve all spent time staring at a blank page.  A blank page of a notebook is a tyrant, demanding a task you don’t know how to accomplish.

Your best defense against this feeling is a Content List.  A Content List is a list of 5-10 topics written on the last page of your notebook.  Before you even start writing in your notebook, it’s helpful to take some time and write a list of topics you’re going to write about in your notebook.  Make that list on the last page of your notebook so that it’s always there for you when you need it.

The Content List is the heart of Notebooking.  Without it, you are at the mercy of the tyrannical blank page.  These topics are there to give you guidance and inspiration as to what to write.  Your Content List acts as a muse and serves as a shield against that judgy blank paper.

“Sounds good?”

“No, rhetorical question guy, sounds great!  Gimme that Content List!”

“Nope!”

You make your own.  Making your Content List is simple but not always easy.

Guidelines

First, let’s set down some guidelines.  Items on your Content List should:

  1. Be something you can write about.  Obviously.  Writing your notebook entirely in French might be cool but not if you can’t speak it.
  2. Be interesting.  This should go without saying but, just because you can write about something doesn’t mean it will be interesting enough to do so.  I could write about all the technical specifications involved in ball-bearing ratings but absolutely no one wants that!
  3. Be very specific.  Writing “funny stuff” on your Content List helps no one.
  4. Avoid being too private.  Don’t live in fear that the wrong person will open your notebook.  To paraphrase everyone’s grandma, “If you can’t write something nice, don’t write anything at all.”
  5. No whining!  We joke about whining a lot but the fact is that nothing puts you into a bad place faster than whining.  Additionally, nothing is worse to read than whining.  If you avoid whining now there will be so much less cringing when it comes time to assess your Notebooking.

The Big 4

Most anything that ends up on your Content List can be put into 4 categories.

Interests

Whether hobbies, scholarly pursuits or any combination thereof, putting an interest of yours on your Content List means it’s something you enjoy thinking about and will, therefore, enjoy writing about.  Moreover, there should be some capacity for growth and reflection.  Otherwise, what’s the point?  As an example, consider cooking.  Cooking is an interest of mine.  Putting “Cooking” on my Content List is ok.  Putting “recipes”, “new foods I want to try” and “what I learned watching cooking shows” is fantastic.

Humor

Everything from funny observations to silly lists to (God help us) “Dad Jokes.”  Humor is important in keeping things light and keeping your notebook from feeling intimidating.  Everyone loves to laugh and that includes you, plus it’s entertaining.  There’s nothing wrong with sharpening your funny bone1.

Page Eaters

A page eater is any topic you can easily wax on and on about.  The goal here is to get through pages.  Moving through pages creates momentum and adds a sense of accomplishment.  Page Eaters are often an interest or something humorous but it can also give you tacit permission for other uses for the pages.  Mapping out thoughts, writing down observations, recording entertaining quotes, or nearly any inefficient use of paper are all fair game.  Try to be specific with your Page Eaters as they could easily become the “bread and butter” of your fun and dynamic notebook.

A Challenge

This is the tough one but it is probably the most rewarding.  While not technically necessary, chronicling a path of hard-won wisdom and growth is incredible.  The good news is that it can be pretty open-ended.  Whether it’s keeping track of your exercise plan or figuring out how to be a better conversationalist, trust me when I say that the familiar cruelty of the blank page will keep you accountable.  If you do this, looking back through your notebook will become a motivating journey towards success.

 

As with all things Notebooking, your Content List will change and evolve over time.  The key is that the more diverse and specific your Content List is, the more it will help when the words aren’t flowing.  You don’t have to write only what’s on your Content List, but when that blank-page tyrant is staring you in the face, you’ll have an ally waiting for you on the last page who can prompt you to always write well.

 

Writing utensils for notebooking

Reviews, Writing Utensils

Without something to write with a notebook is pretty useless.  They’re not good at putting out fires or even bullet proof.  I suppose you could use it to make a weird, minimalist, flat mouthed puppet but that gets old after the first month or three 1

Fortunately, there are many options.  Unfortunately, there are MANY options!  Let’s begin with a general rundown to get us started.

Pens!

Most pens can be broken down into categories based on their writing mechanism.

Fountain pen

This is your old school, fancy pants pen.  Not that there’s anything wrong with that.  Sometimes I like my pants very fancy indeed.  At the heart of any fountain pen is a nib and a reservoir of ink.  As you draw the tip (nib) of the fountain pen across paper the ink flows onto the page.  Most inks are water based.  This means that the quality of paper in your notebook becomes VERY important.  Don’t despair, there are some great options which we’ll get into at some point.

Fountain pens look cool and have tons of options.  If spending hundreds of dollars trying to find just the right shade of black ink sounds fun, then, enjoy your rabbit hole.  As a left handed person fountain pens are a disaster for me.  First there’s ink smearing by my south paw as it clumsily bulldozes the page.  Second most fountain pens don’t seem to like being pushed across the page rather than pulled by you elitist righties.  Sour grapes?  Yup.

 

Ballpoint pens

Ballpoint pens use a much thicker ink that is applied when a tiny metal ball at the end of the pen rolls along the page.  While they are much more lefty friendly they’re basically everywhere.  Don’t believe me?  Go check your couch cushions, I’ll wait.  Found one?  Told ya’

There’s certainly a lot to say about ballpoint pens but I won’t.  They work very well, they can be found very cheap (or free) and there are also very nice ones out there if the Bic Cristal isn’t for you.

 

Roller ball pens/ Gel pens

These are basically ballpoint pens that use different ink and tend to be more temperamental, also some of them leak.  And now that I’ve made every pen aficionado curse at me I’ll say this.  They offer a unique feel and writing experience that you really should try as you can find them pretty cheap at pretty much any place that sells ballpoint pens.

 

Fiber tip pens

The darling of the scrapbooker, artist, and notebooker alike.  These are basically markers.  Fine tip markers.  Precision engineered, incredible markers.  Look, these are awesome and they can usually be had for less than a fancy coffee drink so you definitely owe it to yourself to try one. That said, I usually don’t use them.  Why?  I don’t know, maybe I forget them?  Although, my wife is an artist and so they tend to disappear on me.

 

Pencils

Ah, pencils.  The real reason I forgo my fiber tip pens.  Pencils use a very soft form of carbon called graphite.  As it is dragged across the page the graphite leaves a line of itself on the page.  Pencils can be erased yet if left alone will outlast every form of ink.  It’s just carbon.  Sure, it can smear but if you use the right pencil and the right paper it’ll be fine.  Also, they smell like pencils!

There’s also mechanical pencils which you don’t get to sharpen and don’t smell like pencils but, I guess, they work too.

 

While that’s not all the options you have (brush pens, crayons, finger paints), those are the major ones.  In future articles we’ll be exploring the ins an outs of each more thoroughly.

Right now, however, the main point is that whatever you choose it should at least work and be comfortable in your hand and ideally it should get you excited to write.

 

Welcome to Ask the Nerds

Ask the Nerds!

This area is where we will be answering the questions you send in.  Believe it or not, we already have a few questions that came in!  I promise that if you send us a question we will answer it…eventually.  Please be patient with us as we also have day jobs.  Stay tuned!

Welcome to NotebookingNerds!

Filling Your Notebook, The System, Tips & Tricks

At its essence, notebooking is putting thoughts on a page. These can be your thoughts about your life, other people’s thoughts that you want to record, or some combination of the both. But by putting them in your notebook, you mark these thoughts as ideas you want to hold on to, revisit, or explore.

Here at Notebooking Nerds, we believe in the power of notebooking. The simple act of writing down thoughts on a page will help you think more clearly and write more expressively. The problem is, most of us don’t know what to do with a notebook after we’ve bought it. What should you write? Does this make the cut? These questions can kill whatever spurt of creativity we started with.

Of course, there are added benefits to keeping your thoughts in a notebook, such as…

  • You become a creator of content, rather than a consumer.
  • A notebook can be a customizable souvenir of your life.
  • Becoming consciously aware of your thoughts will make you a better conversationalist.
  • You will become more aware of the details that make stories great.
  • Notebooking builds the habit of creativity.
  • Writing with pen and paper links you to every other literate person in history
  • It is a non-corporate, ad-free, no user-agreement or “signing your life away without knowing it” way to entertain and improve yourself daily.

Sounds good? Read on…

 

Beginning to notebook is easier and more enjoyable than you think.  In fact, before discovering this method, I would liken keeping a “journal” to pulling teeth.  Notebooking is more like dental hygiene – not a lot of work but a little bit of work regularly.

Step 1: Get a Passport style notebook pack

You’ve seen these.  They’re getting to be everywhere thanks largely to the marketing tenacity of Field Notes.  However, there are other, possibly more appropriate brands.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Field Notes.  That said there are other brands and some of them might be better for your purposes.  For now, however, get just about anything.  The key is that they are usually cheap, come in 3 packs and are short enough that filling one is pretty easy.

Step 2: Get a writing implement

I could go on and on about pens and pencils (in fact, I have).  The most important thing here is that you have something to write with that is comfortable and works with your Passport style notebook.  For example, if you’re going to use a fountain pen then you probably should avoid Rite in the Rain.  1

You don’t need to spend a lot (though you could).  Ideally, however, whatever you choose should get you excited to use it.

Step 3: Build your content list

This is where we diverge from the obvious.  Go to the last page and write “Content List” at the top.  Then it’s time to think.  Come up with a list of 5-10 types of things you would like in your notebook.  They can be nearly anything:  Things you find funny, a meaningful moment, something that would entertain you to write about, etc.  Now is the time to ask yourself questions like: What do I want this notebook to feel like?  Are there any skills I’m looking to develop? If I’m stuck at the DMV, what could I write about that would entertain me enough to pass the time?  There’s really only 2 rules.

  1. It’s okay to choose things that you think would make your notebook more cool.  It’s your notebook.
  2. Nothing that involves whining about something.  NO WHINING EVER!  Whining is writing poison.  No one (including yourself) ever wants to read someone whining.  If you feel the need to whine and ruin a perfectly good notebook in the process, get a diary and some crayons.

Step 4: Spend 20 minutes…Daily

Now it’s time to get writing!  For 20 minutes a day look over your content list and think.  If something occurs to you that you want to write in your notebook, do so.  If not, no big deal.  The point of this exercise is twofold.

  1. To get you writing.
  2. To build the habit of thinking about what to write.

The combination of both of these thought processes will make you better at writing and better at deciding what to write.  No matter what, don’t look back at what you’ve written.  Just write.

Finally, try not to go more than 20 minutes.  I’m sure that some days you’ll be able to write for an hour straight but take my word for it, “It’s frighteningly easy to burn out this early in the game.”

Step 5: 21 Days Later…Assess!

It is said that it takes 21 days to make something daily a habit.  I have no idea if that’s true but it seems to work for most people.  Maybe you can form a habit in 2 days but I can’t.  Once you’ve done your 21 days of writing, chances are, you’ve filled at least one of the 3-pack.  Now is the time to go back and read it.  What did you like?  What made you cringe?  Don’t worry, we write crap from time to time.  The only time to worry is if you think all of it is gold.  The chances of that happening your first time out is basically 0%.  If you think it’s all genius then I implore you to be a bit more critical.  The point of notebooking isn’t just to make you feel cool but to create cool stuff and improve yourself by getting those creative juices flowing.

Step 6: Find “Your Notebook”

There are hundreds if not thousands of options when it comes to “Your Notebook”.  The point of this section isn’t to list them all and review them all.  That would take longer than you or I have.  There are several very good websites that review notebooks and a few google searches can net you all you want to know and more.  Instead, I want to ask you a few questions:

  • How big do you want your notebook to be?
  • Will you be carrying it in a pocket or purse or backpack?
  • Will you be carrying it at all?
  • What type of writing implement will you use?
  • Should your notebook have a pen loop or do you have that covered?
  • Do you want blank, ruled, graph or dotted pages?

In the future, we will try to have articles regarding all these questions as well as something akin to reviews that will help you make a decision.

Just remember, no matter what you choose, there is no perfect notebook.  And once there is it will get discontinued one month before you find it.

Now – Dive in!

You now have your notebook, your pen (or pencil), your revised content list, and the habit and practice to write good content.  Now all you need is a vehement opinion on the Oxford comma.  (kidding)  You have all you need.  Get writing!

A final word of advice:  You don’t ever have to stop using the content list.  Hell, if you don’t want it in the book put it on an index card in the pouch that’s usually at the end of the notebook.  In fact, most notebooks have perforated pages at the end so you could tear it out when you’re done with it.  And remember, the more you reflect and honestly assess your writing the better you get.  It is never a easy or comfortable process but it’s always worth it.  Always.

 

Please drop us a line to let us know how it went!  We love hearing from fellow Notebooking Nerds!