I used cheap notebooks for years but recently switched to an e-ink tablet (supernote) and love it and I feel better about saving a few trees.
Same, but I went for an iPad because the software is outstanding.
I use cheap notebooks
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Re: I use cheap notebooks
#102I miss netbooks. They were small, underpowered, and somehow really neat.
I got a Macbook 12". That's pretty much a premium netbook, and it's fantastic.
It's not a powerhouse, but it handles Docker, Sublime Text and Firefox together just fine. It's absurdly small and light, and perfect for café hopping on a bicycle.
Re: I use cheap notebooks
#103I recently switched from using physical notebooks to entirely digital. I can't see myself ever going back.
I'm lefty, so my hand cramps when I write. I now get to type all day with my lovely Moonlander ZSA keyboard.
I'm forever flipping back and forth pages to try and find notes. Now I search by tags and links, using Obsidian. Every journal entry has a list of links to my notes I made that day, so I know when I wrote everything.
I can put pictures in my notes! I could do that before, but I'd have an awkward bit of paper stuffed in there, and by notebook completion it'd be stuffed with loose paper.
I would always carry a pocket notepad with me. It'd be in bits by the end of the month. Now, I can carry every note I've ever taken on the phone in my pocket.
I always felt a little guilty about all the paper. I'm minimalist by nature. Now, it's all stored on a NAS and Cloud storage. I brought all my stored notes to a place for scanning, then proceeded to dump them. It was so liberating.
I had 2 boxes that I carried from place to place with all my notes. Now they can fit on a thumb drive. I could fit almost everything I own in the back of my Peugeot 207.
Don't get me wrong, I know it's not as effective for memorization, but the benefits have so far vastly outweighed the cons.
Re: I use cheap notebooks
#104It took me a while to get over the fear of destroying/using up nice things. Like enjoying a nice bottle of liquor, or using up a very nice notebook. Eventually I came across the idea that things are meant to be used, and now I'm much more relaxed about damaging/using up the things I own. I read once a stellar idea to help get over the fear of starting to draw in a notebook (or an art project, or a new software projec…
A similar approach I've heard (but never brave enough to do) is when you get a new car, intentionally scratch the paint yourself. Then you won't be as concerned about the inevitable dings and scratches it will accumulate.
Reminds me of an old freestyle motorcycling video I saw.
This guy had a new dirt bike and said ”Yeah you’re always a little hesitant with a shiny new bike, afraid you’ll scratch it up. That’s dangerous when doing these big tricks so I like to throw the bike and scratch it up intentionally to get over that fear. Then the tricks go flying”
So he throws the bike and breaks the clutch lever. But they were in the sand dunes in the middle of nowhere to shoot this stunting video and the ride back to civilization wouldn’t come until evening. He did not get to ride that day.
Re: I use cheap notebooks
#105I believe there is some level of generality here.
For example, I would still relate entirely to this blog post if "notebook" was replaced with "laptop" throughout.
Re: I use cheap notebooks
#106I found "my" brand/style of notebooks a while ago -- Quo Vadis' Habana unlined blanks -- and bought a dozen each of two sizes because you never know whether they'll be available forever, and indeed they no longer are from the small online pen & ink company that I used to like. Beautiful smooth paper for writing on with a fountain pen!
But I still keep cheap legal pads around for rough drawings, &c.
Re: I use cheap notebooks
#107Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Eventually I came across the idea that things are meant to be used, and now I'm much more relaxed about damaging/using up the things I own. Its like the people with cabinets full of fine china that nobody eats off of for 50 years. My mother was one of those people. Growing up we had a large cabinet of fine place sets that we were always "saving" for some other time. I finally convinced her to start using it one hol…
"Not putting miles on your Ferrari is like not having sex with your girlfriend so she'll be more desirable to her next boyfriend." -Jim Glickenhaus
That quote is pretty messed up.
Re: I use cheap notebooks
#108I use the cheap Muji ones and the Muji gel pens (which are refillable for under https://www.muji.eu/product/recycling-paper-notebook-dark-gr... https://www.muji.eu/product/gel-ink-ballpoint-pen-0-7mm-1104... Get through a notepad once a month or so and a refill every 3 months.
The Muji ones cost considerably more than the cheapest similar notebooks from eg a supermarket.
Correct. But they are the minimum "fit for purpose" I have found i.e. don't disintegrate or soak up ink like the cheap supermarket ones.
Re: I use cheap notebooks
#109I love legal pads instead of bound notebooks because you can tear off and rearrange pages so they can be with other relevant notes, also the top spiral makes it easy to put in my backpack.
Do yourself a favor though, and time stamp each page down to the minute when you start writing (eg: 20230310T1029).
You can:
- Link between notes. Also enables you to specify the previous or next page in your notes which is useful if they get shuffled.
- Save a stack of relevant notes by making a list of their links on a separate page before filing the notes away chronologically -- you can link to the list itself if you want to link to the group of notes.
- Have a TODO list for a certain date? Link to it from your calendar.
- You can save time by writing only the significant digits (eg: if the note page you're writing on and the page you're linking to share the same year and month, only write the day and time in the link).
- You can add line numbers or paragraph numbers if the situation demands it, and append, say, "LN23," or "¶5" to the timestamp to get specific.
It's a simple system but enables a lot of complex patterns in your note taking system.
Re: I use cheap notebooks
#110I found that if I get the nice wirebound A5 notebooks, I actually use them consistently. The cheap ones annoy me, and I don’t use them, and they end up collecting dust in the closet (along with all the others).
Figure out what habits actually work for you.