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I started a “dirt notebook”

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Re: I started a “dirt notebook”

#31

Post by gofreddygo »

kstrauser wrote: post #2

Whenever I get a new notebook, I immediately scribble on the front page before I have a chance to stop myself. There. It's tainted and imperfect. And then I've given myself permission to make messy notes, and jot down just whatever, rather than treating it like some museum-grade archive.

my good notes have their origins in thoughts I had while in the shower or while driving or watching a movie or a conversation with someone close to me. Ideas evade me when I'm at my desk in front of my notebook with my awesome pen. This was a huge problem I never noticed that my notebook is never there for me when i need it the most.

the second problem, because its my original thought, I'm naturally attached and biased to my precious thought in that moment. The same thought could feel dumb or obvious or wrong next week. But right then it feels like I've stumbled upon something so insightful. So I need to write it down to revisit.

I've now distributed manila folders with 5-10 blank college ruled sheets of paper across different rooms in my home. I'm never too far from a blank piece of paper.

in the moment, I write it down on a sheet. Fold it and put it in my pocket. Its with me the entire day to review, add on or scratch off. It ends either in the bin or the binder at my desk. As the binder gets thick, i trash or consolidate to keep it thin. The really insightful ideas as far too few for a $2 binder.

Works way better than any other form of capturing insights. As i look through, my binder has so many backs of mailer's i've received and scribbled on. cant figure why.

Re: I started a “dirt notebook”

#32

Post by sixtyj »

estetlinus wrote: post #24

> I can't seem to keep my notes messy. Eventually, I start structuring the notes, doing cleaner handwriting, adding a cover or some stickers Is this a so-called humble brag? FYI my notebooks are messy, unorganized and dirty (from lying unprotected in my backpack). I rarely use it because I always lose the pen after each scribble.

[dead]

Re: I started a “dirt notebook”

#33

Post by kaashif »

gofreddygo wrote: post #31
kstrauser wrote: post #2

Whenever I get a new notebook, I immediately scribble on the front page before I have a chance to stop myself. There. It's tainted and imperfect. And then I've given myself permission to make messy notes, and jot down just whatever, rather than treating it like some museum-grade archive.

my good notes have their origins in thoughts I had while in the shower or while driving or watching a movie or a conversation with someone close to me. Ideas evade me when I'm at my desk in front of my notebook with my awesome pen. This was a huge problem I never noticed that my notebook is never there for me when i need it the most. the second problem, because its my original thought, I'm naturally attached and bias…

I always have my phone with me so I can take a note in that. But when I'm meeting with someone I prefer taking notes in a little notebook I carry, I don't want the other person to feel like I'm...on my phone while speaking to them.

Re: I started a “dirt notebook”

#34

Post by kstrauser »

deadbabe wrote: post #10
kstrauser wrote: post #2

Whenever I get a new notebook, I immediately scribble on the front page before I have a chance to stop myself. There. It's tainted and imperfect. And then I've given myself permission to make messy notes, and jot down just whatever, rather than treating it like some museum-grade archive.

And then when it’s done you just rip out that first page?

Nah. It’s there for posterity: my name, the date when I opened it, and a crummy drawing of a dog holding a picket sign or something.

Re: I started a “dirt notebook”

#36

Post by chartered_stack »

This reminds of when I was in school and we had 3 categories of notebooks.

1. A "rough" notebook to jot down notes 2. A "classwork" notebook to present those notes properly to the teacher and get them corrected and 3. A "homework" notebook to finish homework assignments that used to be given

It's quite a discipline to jot things down in the rough work book and then write out a "neat" version in the class work book.

I stopped doing it once I finished school and realized I didn't really need to do it anymore once I understood what I was writing out. But maybe it’s a habit worth returning to.

Re: I started a “dirt notebook”

#37

Post by noelwelsh »

A nice thing about being left handed is there a few things I can't get precious about. Fountain pens are never going to feature in my life as I'll just smudge everything. Similarly, I'll never end up collecting gaming mice as most of them are not usable for lefties.

Re: I started a “dirt notebook”

#38

Post by draven »

noelwelsh wrote: post #37

A nice thing about being left handed is there a few things I can't get precious about. Fountain pens are never going to feature in my life as I'll just smudge everything. Similarly, I'll never end up collecting gaming mice as most of them are not usable for lefties.

You could try getting an EF nib and pair it with a fast drying ink ( https://mountainofink.com/blog/fast-dry-inks for examples)? Also, some manufacturers (for example Lamy) make special nibs for left-handed people.

Re: I started a “dirt notebook”

#39

Post by draven »

Brajeshwar wrote: post #12
encomiast wrote: post #3

I've been trying binders instead of notebooks (especially the mini-binders from folks like Maruman). Binders allow you to easily remove and add pages (and tabs, dividers, etc). This gives you the satisfaction of making something aesthetically pleasing, while also knowing you can move a 'messy' page somewhere else.

Ok. Let me try to spoil you. You are looking for this https://plotterusa.com And here is a review from Fatih Arslan at https://arslan.io/2025/02/24/plotter-notebook-system/

The japanese page says "© Designphil Inc." at the bottom. Designphil also owns Traveler's Company which makes traveler's notebooks, another interesting system, and MD product.

Re: I started a “dirt notebook”

#40

Post by aftergibson »

I have a travellers journal and one of the inserts in that is my messy, unstructured brain dump of thoughts.

The other two are for daily planning and the more structured long term things. Seems to work for me but if I hasn't found something that works, I'd totally be down for a dirt notebook.

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