The Notebook: How Do You Use Yours ?

[syngent]

​

So I sold off a couple of pens to fund the purchase of a Midori, then I found one that kind of fell of a back of a truck, It wasnt stolen, but for what I got it for it kind of feels like it , anyway I wanted to share a few reasons why I was going to put that kind of money into a notebook like that, and share with everyone why I carry a notebook and what I use it for.

I love the idea of having a notepad in my pocket, I used to love old cop shows and they always had one when I was a kid, but really for the first bit I never took the dang thing out and used it. Wasnt till a little over a month that that I had a little bit of a eureka moment and it suddenly hit me.

What finally occured to me was, well, its hard to explain so let me just tell you what happened.

I have a friend, we do a lot of thigns together, and so we have our own language in a sense, Im sure married couple of long term relationships, or those very close with a small group of people will understand. It is made up of inside jokes, references to stories only the two of us are involved with, the kind of thing when certain words are spoken can bring you both to tears in laughter while a whole room of people are wondering whats up. We often watch movies and TV together, a lot of times someone will say something that will fit our language and someone always says "We have to remember that" but we never do, until she finally said to me"We should write that down" so I grabbed the closest napkin, and began to write,... and finally I realized hey I have my notebook, I always write stuff down just never in one place, I mean thats why I have this dang thing. I read an article about how writers and comedians often write little quirks they see in life down as reference to material they come up with later. And thats pretty much how I use my book now, meet someone I write their name down, find something funny, I write it down, See something I want to look into, into the book it shall go, heck even funny little stories I want to tell you guys, I write them down so I dont forget them anymore.

My little clairfontaine book that I was PIFed by Jason Jmallen Argonaut was filled with just about everything,.... And that kind of became a problem, see finding stuff became hard lol, so the Midori fits my needs a bit better, now I can have several little books for different things to keep the thoughts all oranized. In one cool was to boot I might add


Thats how I use my notebook, and I love it. Now those of you who have one, how do youse guyse use yours ?

 

[cursethis]

I have my primary "back pocket" notebook that's a Rhodia. That's used for everyday notes to myself and other spontaneous things that I need to jot down quickly. I also like it because I can rip pages out easily.

I also have two Clairefontaine Basic Life Unplugged "back pocket" notebooks that I use for work related things. I have one for the work I do related to green energy projects I'm involved with, and I have another for the work I do related to a media company I'm part of that's just starting up. When I'm doing a telephone conference or going to a meeting involving that specific side of my work life, I take the corresponding notebook and stick it in my back pocket with the Rhodia notebook.

That's why I see the allure of the Midori notebook. It can hold three separate notebooks in one leather bound notebook. I use three different notebooks. It just seems like some sort of cosmic fate that I should own one. I plan on getting one as soon as I go through all of my current notebooks, as I can actually see myself using it on an everyday basis.

Edit: I should note that these are just my pocket notebooks. If I'm in the office, I use either a mid-sized Staples Arc Notebook or a large Rhodia dot pad. I also use a Rhodia Rhodiarama Webnotebook as a diary, which stays on my nightstand next to the bed.

 

[andrew98]

Mine is basically for to-do lists, both long- and short-term things. I also write odd thoughts, observations, and funny things I see while I'm out running errands so I remember to put them in my journal later. One of the funniest things I've ever noted was an 80+ year old woman I saw in a hardware store in Guyana wearing a skin-tight velour jumpsuit that said "Hot Product" in sequins across the front.

I use a small side-stapled Clairefontaine notebook.

-Andy

 

[rickcharles606]

I use my Franklin planner daily for just about all things work/schedule related. Then I picked up an Arc notebook from Staples that I use for projects at work, because I can create sections for different projects. I then have a passport sized Moleskin that I use for my randomn thoughts or ideas, and even keep it by my bed for logging odd dreams. I do have a journal as well, but since picking up the small moleskin notebook, it has worked double duty as my journal too, which is more convenient because it's always in my pocket.

 

[Slivovitz]

My little carry everywhere notebooks don't really have to be organized, because everything of permanent value gets transcribed somewhere else before it's too many pages back. I've got a little 2½ x 4 inch one that I actually carry in my wallet, and an approximately 3 x 5 one that I take if I might want to make more extensive notes. For my journals, I use sizes large enough to have ruled margins, no smaller than a 7 x 9 inch composition book size. Then I can use marginal notes to mark different categories of things that I might want to come back to. It still gets disorganized, but I don't have to waste too much time sorting through blather that only seemed important at the time.

Of course, sometimes that blather may have something I want, but I date every journal entry, so if I remember approximately when I might have written something, I can generally find it again.

 

[the_edski]

I carry around a 3-3/8 by 5-1/2 military memo notebook either in my jacket pocket or back pants pocket depending on the weather. I mainly use it for work, but it also has shopping lists and reminders interspersed. It's pretty near indestructible and cheap too, got a 3 pack for under $10.

 

[Relentless]

I carry an A5 Clairefontaine classic in my brief for miscellany. I use it at home and in the office for personnel stuff.

I also carry a small pocket sized Rhodia in my camera bag. Useful for taking notes to do with travel and photography. You'd be surprised how often I see a great shot but the light is terrible. I make a detailed note on what time of day and even time of year would be awesome for the shot. I then snap a photo of the composition and flag it on my camera. I make a contact sheet of keyed photos, and when I'm looking for something to shoot I'll look there first and plan to get into adventures.

 

[Hunter]

I have my journal and my workbook, my journal is nice because it can fit in my coat pockets, my workbooks isn't bad but since they eventually go into the incinerator I don't do much with it other than work.

 

[syngent]

I knew you were a secret agent Justin

 

[Snargle]

A few weeks ago I was poking around my local Target store and found a package of these three little (3 1/4" x 5 1/4") travel-themed notebooks for a couple of dollars. They're actually quite nice...stitched construction, durable vinyl covers, and a FP-friendly off-white lined paper. Each book has 28 pages (56 counting both sides). I've been carrying them for miscellaneous notes and scribbles. I'd probably stock up on more, but naturally, they seem to no longer be carried in stock.

 

[SmoovD]

I keep a pocket notebook in a jacket pocket. Currently, it is an Aqua Tab, but typically a Rhodia. When the jacket stays home I have some small Moleskines that go in the back pocket. Sure the the paper is shoddy but I really like the form. Everything worthwhile gets transferred to a larger journal so I do not get too upset about the paper's faults.

 

[Hunter]

I knew you were a secret agent Justin

Yup CSIS agent... that's me, in deep cover as a Parts Apprentice, you know I work for CSIS because I don't carry a sidearm.

 

[brianw]

Lets see... 4 notebooks...

My daily Journal
a Levenger pocket briefcase (3x5 cards)
a levenger swift notes
Franklin Christoph 5,8 x 4 inch leather journal

 

[OldSchoolYoungin]

I'm always going a hundred miles an hour at work and trying to juggle a dozen things at a time. If I don't write it down, I'll definitely forget. It comes as no surprise that all my co-workers carry pocket notebooks, too, and normally atleast two pens.

Outside of work, I normally use a notebook for random thoughts, ideas, grocery lists, interesting animal (including human) behavior and possible correlations that may explain things, etc. I even keep one on my nightstand to document my hypnogogic hallucinations and other anomalies associated with sleep.

Odd? You bet

 

[Gone Gray]

hypnogogic hallucinations:

Learned a new word today.

 

[OldSchoolYoungin]

A very common phenomenon, but that's the proper term for it. Ever been just on the verge of going to sleep and being startled awake by a loud noise? The most common ones I hear are a cabinet being slammed shut, a door being slammed, my name being screamed loudly or, the latest, a giant zipper being unzipped or either a wet towel being ripped. Auditory hallucinations are the most common, but can also be accompanied by visual ones.

Sleep paralysis is another story. The very definition of creepy. Visual or otherwise physical hallucinations can range in intensity quite a bit. My most common has been the feeling that I've just been thrown off a building and my body is in free-fall. Let's not even get started on more extreme ones, as in you've just had a nightmare and "awake" (your body's still asleep and somewhat paralyzed) only to see the elements of your nightmare in the room with you.

 

[cursethis]

A very common phenomenon, but that's the proper term for it. Ever been just on the verge of going to sleep and being startled awake by a loud noise? The most common ones I hear are a cabinet being slammed shut, a door being slammed, my name being screamed loudly or, the latest, a giant zipper being unzipped or either a wet towel being ripped. Auditory hallucinations are the most common, but can also be accompanied by visual ones.

Sleep paralysis is another story. The very definition of creepy. Visual or otherwise physical hallucinations can range in intensity quite a bit. My most common has been the feeling that I've just been thrown off a building and my body is in free-fall. Let's not even get started on more extreme ones, as in you've just had a nightmare and "awake" (your body's still asleep and somewhat paralyzed) only to see the elements of your nightmare in the room with you.

Those are the worst. One time, I thought the water bottle by the side of my bed was some demonic creature. It felt like a lifetime before I could finally move and shake the image out of my head.

 

[OldSchoolYoungin]

Those are the worst. One time, I thought the water bottle by the side of my bed was some demonic creature. It felt like a lifetime before I could finally move and shake the image out of my head.

The most intense sleep paralysis episode I've ever heard came from my very own sister.

Her son, my nephew, was involved in a near-drowning incident at a very early age. He survived, sort of; he sustained extensive brain damage that left him as a vegetable on life support the remainder of his very short life.

Just when falling asleep, my sister heard the bedroom door creak and saw a three foot tall or so hooded entity enter the room. The entity was faceless and didn't walk; he floated. The being chanted something unintelligible, except for he ended it with, "mom-MA"! each time. He continued chanting, coming closer to my sister's bedside. The chanting became much louder until he suddenly grabbed my sister between her legs. She snapped out of it instantly.

The next day, her son passed away.

 

[Relentless]

I can honestly say that I've never experienced a hallucination not brought on by mind altering drugs. I imagine it would be frightening.
I also haven't remembered a dream since I was a small child. I feel like I'm missing out sometimes.

 

[cursethis]

The most intense sleep paralysis episode I've ever heard came from my very own sister.

Her son, my nephew, was involved in a near-drowning incident at a very early age. He survived, sort of; he sustained extensive brain damage that left him as a vegetable on life support the remainder of his very short life.

Just when falling asleep, my sister heard the bedroom door creak and saw a three foot tall or so hooded entity enter the room. The entity was faceless and didn't walk; he floated. The being chanted something unintelligible, except for he ended it with, "mom-MA"! each time. He continued chanting, coming closer to my sister's bedside. The chanting became much louder until he suddenly grabbed my sister between her legs. She snapped out of it instantly.

The next day, her son passed away.

Yikes. That's horrifying. I'd have trouble sleeping for a long time if I ever experienced something even remotely like that.

Sorry for your loss.