My Fancy-Pants Journal

This morning I listened to Back to Work, episode 23, where Merlin talked about notebooks and it reminded me of my fancy-pants journal.

I call it my fancy-pants journal because I remember buying it five years ago and how special I felt. I paid $30 for it. It has leather binding, gold (painted?) page edges, and artisan paper. This book is gorgeous. I got back to my office and promptly wrote my name in the cover with my very best script.

That was the end of it. The fancy-pants journal has been in my drawer for FIVE YEARS and I haven’t written a damn thing in it.

I’ve taken it out, clicked my pen, even scratched my head as I flip through the pages. (Did I mention they are artisan paper?) No matter how hard I try, I can’t bring myself to write in this “journal”.

In contrast, I have no respect whatsoever for my Field Notes pocket notebooks. I scratch ideas in them with terrible penmanship. I jam it in my pocket. I tear pages out (perforation or not). And when I’m done with them, I throw them in the trash, without ritual. So where does this leave me? I’m taking the fancy-pants “journal” home and giving it to my 9 year-old. Five years is enough.

21 Comments My Fancy-Pants Journal

  1. swheatley@gmail.com

    Right on David! I tried a variety of notebooks, Moleskines and the like, and ended up using these cheap pocket composition notebooks from Target (I'd provide a link but they don't seem to sell them online). I love Field Notes, but for one Field Notes notebook I can get 3 of these composition notebooks. Just make sure you get the string-bound ones and not the glue-bound ones. One day in my pocket and every page of the glue-bound one seperated.

    Reply
  2. swheatley@gmail.com

    Right on David! I tried a variety of notebooks, Moleskines and the like, and ended up using these cheap pocket composition notebooks from Target (I'd provide a link but they don't seem to sell them online). I love Field Notes, but for one Field Notes notebook I can get 3 of these composition notebooks. Just make sure you get the string-bound ones and not the glue-bound ones. One day in my pocket and every page of the glue-bound one seperated.

    Reply
  3. swheatley@gmail.com

    Right on David! I tried a variety of notebooks, Moleskines and the like, and ended up using these cheap pocket composition notebooks from Target (I'd provide a link but they don't seem to sell them online). I love Field Notes, but for one Field Notes notebook I can get 3 of these composition notebooks. Just make sure you get the string-bound ones and not the glue-bound ones. One day in my pocket and every page of the glue-bound one seperated.

    Reply
  4. swheatley@gmail.com

    Right on David! I tried a variety of notebooks, Moleskines and the like, and ended up using these cheap pocket composition notebooks from Target (I'd provide a link but they don't seem to sell them online). I love Field Notes, but for one Field Notes notebook I can get 3 of these composition notebooks. Just make sure you get the string-bound ones and not the glue-bound ones. One day in my pocket and every page of the glue-bound one seperated.

    Reply
  5. swheatley@gmail.com

    Right on David! I tried a variety of notebooks, Moleskines and the like, and ended up using these cheap pocket composition notebooks from Target (I'd provide a link but they don't seem to sell them online). I love Field Notes, but for one Field Notes notebook I can get 3 of these composition notebooks. Just make sure you get the string-bound ones and not the glue-bound ones. One day in my pocket and every page of the glue-bound one seperated.

    Reply
  6. mark.green@hcd.no

    That tolling noise in the background I hear is yet another point on this blog ringing true.

    Reply
  7. mark.green@hcd.no

    That tolling noise in the background I hear is yet another point on this blog ringing true.

    Reply
  8. mark.green@hcd.no

    That tolling noise in the background I hear is yet another point on this blog ringing true.

    Reply
  9. mark.green@hcd.no

    That tolling noise in the background I hear is yet another point on this blog ringing true.

    Reply
  10. mark.green@hcd.no

    That tolling noise in the background I hear is yet another point on this blog ringing true.

    Reply
  11. John

    Ha, I recognize that. I have a bunch of fancy pants journals and notebooks, but the only ones I really use are the thin Moleskines and cheap reporter notebooks.

    Once in a while I open my drawer with all the other ones and try to find a way to use them. That lasts about a day. Then they are back in the drawer, unused again.

    Reply
  12. rogier@scooter-it.com

    And I started to use (moleskin) notebooks and planner again. The planner is used as a journal to log all my business related activities and expenses. The notebook for taking quick notes and doodling… My handwriting is bad by nature but taking the time to make it look good gives me some satisfaction after pushing pixels all day…

    Reply
  13. rogier@scooter-it.com

    And I started to use (moleskin) notebooks and planner again. The planner is used as a journal to log all my business related activities and expenses. The notebook for taking quick notes and doodling… My handwriting is bad by nature but taking the time to make it look good gives me some satisfaction after pushing pixels all day…

    Reply
  14. rogier@scooter-it.com

    And I started to use (moleskin) notebooks and planner again. The planner is used as a journal to log all my business related activities and expenses. The notebook for taking quick notes and doodling… My handwriting is bad by nature but taking the time to make it look good gives me some satisfaction after pushing pixels all day…

    Reply
  15. rogier@scooter-it.com

    And I started to use (moleskin) notebooks and planner again. The planner is used as a journal to log all my business related activities and expenses. The notebook for taking quick notes and doodling… My handwriting is bad by nature but taking the time to make it look good gives me some satisfaction after pushing pixels all day…

    Reply
  16. rogier@scooter-it.com

    And I started to use (moleskin) notebooks and planner again. The planner is used as a journal to log all my business related activities and expenses. The notebook for taking quick notes and doodling… My handwriting is bad by nature but taking the time to make it look good gives me some satisfaction after pushing pixels all day…

    Reply

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