At work, I frequently receive a large amount of paper that I choose to reuse. I hole punch each sheet and place it onto a clipboard, creating a refillable legal pad. When I finish a stack of pages for the day, I archive them in a large three-hole binder. This approach enables me to concentrate on the content of my notes and writing, rather than spending time on making them visually appealing or neat.
I use cheap notebooks
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Re: I use cheap notebooks
#152I used to carry a pile of notebooks, but switched to Concepts + Paperwhite on my iPad and use it every day.
I also created a blog with images made during boring middle management meetings which I keep on http://potato.horse
Re: I use cheap notebooks
#153It 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…
I’ve recently gotten over this sentiment with my electronics. When I was a kid, each device was an irreplaceable gift from a parent or represented the investment of a long time saving. So each device was treated with the absolute care. As a result I spent a lot of time babying hardware. Now I’m a few generations of hardware into being an adult and am retiring perfect condition objects that are just too slow. For what? I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m allowed to use devices exactly how I feel like it. They exist as tools for me to use! Looking back at my chunky MacBook cover in college is funny, now. What’s the point of a fancy surface finish on the hardware if you never get to see it?
Re: I use cheap notebooks
#154I have begun to use cheaper-and-cheaper notebooks. I started with Leuchtturm1917 notebooks, and... they're still great (I still buy on occasion as my "primary notebook").
But for cost-efficiency, I have other notebooks. Just composition books and wire-bound college notebooks for $1 or $2 at grocery stores and/or pharmacies. Just whatever cheap 70-page crap is around.
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My cheap notebooks get one augmentation to make them comparable to the Leuchtturm1917: an automatic numbering machine (https://www.hittmarking.com/products/cosco-automatic-numberi...) to number the pages.
Numbered pages are excellent: they allow you to write "Notes continued on page 45". And have page 46, 47, 48 on a different sub-subject as needed. I think of page-numbering as a "FAT32-like filesystem", with a linked-list connecting notes together. (Ex: when I'm done with a notebook, a single thought may go from page 4, 5, 10, 25, 30. I always work from the book beginning to end, but my natural life causes me to revisit ideas at different times, irregularly).
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I suggest buying pre-numbered notebooks (like Leuchtturm1917) to "learn" how to use page numbers as a note system. Later, if you really like the methodology, buy an automatic numbering machine and just make the page numbers yourself.
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I'd say that maybe 50% of what I write, I revisit later. You want to get into a habit of writing everything that's useful (meaning you're writing down + saving many things that are non-useful). Later, you can make pages that summarize earlier thoughts (ex: page 50 may have a summary of pages 10, 15, 20, 21, 22, and 23, and guide you back to earlier notes).
But this is only effective if the pages were numbered.
When your "cheap notebook" fills up at 70-pages, you can rewrite the important information into the more permanent books, and throw away the cheap notebook. It will be 50% filled with useless crap anyway, so a revision pass is expected and necessary. "Writing to throw away" is a good habit IMO.
Re: I use cheap notebooks
#155Expensive notebooks have the opposite effect on me. When I pick one up, I appreciate the effort that went into making it and the fact that it was designed counter to a bottom-barrel cheap philosophy. This puts me in a mindset to do higher quality work. Its cost never crosses my mind. Sure, moleskine-like notebooks are more expensive than run-of-the-mill Staples ones, but in absolute values, they don't really cost much.
Re: I use cheap notebooks
#156I work in some fairly hostile environments and I was hoping this would be a discussion of "I use commodity laptops instead of Panasonic Toughbooks." :P
Re: I use cheap notebooks
#157I use those yellow legal pads. The majority of what I write is just getting my thoughts in order- I don't revisit much of it.
That is what I mostly use. That and post it notes. The notes are nice for 'im done with it toss it'. The pads for making lists of items. I used to have hundreds of old notebooks full of stuff. After one move I went thru them and realized none of it really mattered. Nice paper, very expensive pens/mechanical pencils. I just chucked it all. El cheapo notebook and pens. Switched exclusively to a 'todo' style system for paper. I found all of that info I was writing down, was fairly useless and out of context meaningless. Unless I meticulously went back and cataloged it. Even then it was not really worth it. If I come across an old legal pad with stuff I flip thru it quick and decide 'do I need to keep it'. Usually not and I garbage it.
Re: I use cheap notebooks
#158I thought this would be about laptops. The laptops I use for work and personal stuff cost around $100 and are effectively disposable. They are not great for intense use, but the vast majority of tasks go just fine. And when developing any serious slowdown shows up right away so my work ends up being usable on low end hardware with janky connections. When one of these laptops got stolen recently I just got another one…
I like Drew's take on this https://drewdevault.com/2019/01/23/Why-I-use-old-hardware.ht...
Re: I use cheap notebooks
#159It 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…
I’ve recently gotten over this sentiment with my electronics. When I was a kid, each device was an irreplaceable gift from a parent or represented the investment of a long time saving. So each device was treated with the absolute care. As a result I spent a lot of time babying hardware. Now I’m a few generations of hardware into being an adult and am retiring perfect condition objects that are just too slow. For what…
Exactly the same here! My MBP in college had a safety case and everything... and in hindsight its awful and bulky and hides the fancy finish.
One important thing to remember, at least for me, is I just had significantly less disposable income back then. Replacing the MBP would have been financially impossible for me, so I took more care of it. I'm in a much more privileged place now... so replacing something like this would only be a significant inconvenience.
Re: I use cheap notebooks
#160The story here is that what most people do by default is right, and people trying to be better are failing.