A wonderful example of the importance of the fundamental skill of drawing to the complex art of moviemaking: this image is a comic strip-like storyboard produced by visionary director George Miller as the first draft of what would become “Mad Max: Fury Road” (at least according to this tweet from user Will McCrabb).
My daily log is more than just a place to take note of what I did that day, it also sometimes serves as a scrap book. So, I use a couple of swipes of this glue to keep things contained and prevent their sliding out. For instance, if I have a meeting and someone give me their business card, I’ll stick that in there on that day. If I see a movie or a play, the tickets might find their way in as well. Of course, if a drawing or doodle is gifted to me from my daughter, those earn a place as well. I just lay down a couple of swipes on the back of the item, wait 90 seconds, then stick it down. Like a Post-It note, it makes the items easy to peel off and stick back down without damaging the paper or writing underneath.
Of course, it is not limited to a notebook, you could use this to make photos restickable to tack up on the fridge of office cubicle. Or, make a list of errands restickable for your car dashboard. The possibilities are many.
I’ve been using this stuff for a while now and recommend it. It’s only $3.99 on Amazon for a pack of 3 with free Prime shipping as an add on item. Pretty good price and it will last you for a good long while.
I Found Your Pen is the first in a a new series here. Occasionally, I find pens when I’m out and about. Most of the time, these are pens I would not otherwise purchase on my own. I thought it would be fun to start reviewing them.
I found the Paper Mate InkJoy in the grass in front of our house. It was fairly dirty. It looked like it had been there a while. Likely stepped on and mowed over for a few days. In fact, I almost mowed over it myself — I thought it was a stick at first. That said, a bit of soap and water on a rag cleaned it right up.
This pen is rather basic. Your standard disposable office pen with a rubberized grip, silver clip, and clicky thruster. The Ink flows a bit too well and the ball is a bit too smooth. This makes for a very slippery writing experience. Thus, this is a pen I’d probably not use much. I need a bit more friction and control than this pen provides.
I may "accidentally" leave it behind somewhere the next time I’m out. Perhaps after signing a slip at a restaurant or a check at a bank. Maybe some server or bank teller would enjoy having an extra pen around. Who knows? It might even find itself in the hand of someone who will love it far more than I ever will.
Over the past week, I have sat down in the evenings Google Calendar open and my new leather diary on the desk and copied all of my Google Calendar entries into the paper diary… I am not saying that Google Calendar is by any means a bad thing especially when it comes to sharing your events with loved ones or colleagues but for me it just wasn’t working anymore.
I just wanted to give a quick shout out to one of my favorite Tumblr sites, Journal Porn. The site is really nothing but beautiful shots of handwritten notebooks but every time an image appears in my Tumblr stream I find myself arrested by it. Wonderfully curated. Everyone in this crowd should follow it.
Side note: Several years back, I had a Tumblr called Paper Peekshow that was exactly the same idea but not executed even half as well. I found it surprisingly difficult to keep up. So, that makes Journal Porn even more impressive to me. So, congrats to Maureen who curates it. Much respect.
As much as I like my writing implements and spend time deliberating over which pen to use, what fountain pen nib is my preference or whether the graphite in a pencil suits my needs, I think I spend a lot more time worrying about what notebook I am using and if I like the paper. Unlike my writing implement deliberations, once I have found something I like I am pretty loyal. With this in mind I thought I would run through what notebooks I use and how I use them.
As I’ve mentioned previously, I’m a sucker for posts about how people use their tools. Lovely photos here too.