On My Mind: A Tiny Notebook Deserves a Tiny Pen
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While I haven’t completely ditched my smartphone, I’m spending a lot less time on it these days. In its place, I’ve taken up singing lessons, kickboxing, and, most recently, stand-up at open mics. It’s been fun riffing about my time in Catholic school, finding ways to spin getting a bowl cut from the principal into something the whole bar can laugh at. I found that my usual writing process — opening my text editor on my iPad and typing until the words find me — doesn’t quite work with stand-up. I needed a way to capture funny ideas as they came to me so I could workshop them before a set, rather than staring at a blank screen until something funny came to mind. I decided to pick up a pocket-size notebook that I could carry everywhere, ready to pull out at a moment’s notice before a good idea slipped my mind. Once I found one that I loved, I couldn’t put it down, and soon I ditched my Notes app altogether in favor of writing things by hand.
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I’m a chronic note-taker, so to replace my note-taking app of choice, I needed something that could handle every bit of information I threw its way. While there are many pocket-size notebooks to choose from, the passport-size Traveler’s Notebook caught my eye due to its modular nature. I’ve stuffed it with three notebooks — one for ideas, one for book quotes, and another for doodling — plus a pouch to hold my pens and stray items. Because it’s modular, I can swap the doodles notebook for one to flesh out things from my ideas notebook, or a travel journal if I’m on the road. It’s all wrapped in a soft leather that makes me feel especially fancy every time I’m workshopping bits from my favorite bar.
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A tiny notebook deserves a tiny pen. I found this one at the same stationery shop where I picked up my Traveler’s Notebook, and they haven’t left each other’s side since. It has a simple, fun design, and the ink flows smoothly without creating any smudges.
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After learning about my new stationery obsession, my mom gifted me this pen as a nod to my love for the color orange. It’s much fancier than the Penco and writes even more smoothly, but I’ve reserved this one for special occasions, as I’m prone to losing pens.
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The one problem I have with a multi-notebook notebook is that it’s hard to get it to sit flat while writing. There are plenty of clips available, but this official one from the Traveler’s Company seems to do less damage to my notebook’s leather cover than others I’ve tried. Plus, it gives the notebook a touch of class that makes writing by hand all the more appealing.
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Camp Snap 2
Similar to my switch from text editors to notebooks, I’ve ditched screens for a lot of my photography. Whenever I use my phone to capture photos, I fixate on getting the perfect shot, tweaking the exposure and framing until I get everything just right. That’s not an option with the screen-free Camp Snap — you simply click the shutter and move on. The company just came out with some transparent colorways, and I’m all for the resurgence of the ’90s-tech aesthetic.
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When I used my phone for taking notes and pictures, I didn’t need to carry a bag with me everywhere. Now that I usually have a notebook, camera, and e-reader or paperback on hand, I need a good bag to carry it all in. This one from Tom Bihn — a brand I’ve grownquite fond ofthis year — lies somewhere between a messenger bag and a fanny pack. You wear it cross-body or over your shoulder, and it has enough space for everything I carry with me day-to-day without being too bulky.
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Casio GD010-1
I’ve decided that if I’m not actively testing smartwatches for work, I don’t need something on my wrist constantly pinging me. But I can’t go back to pulling my phone out every time I need to check the time, so I started wearing this classic G-Shock (in orange, of course) instead. I can set a stopwatch if I need to do something like time one of my open-mic sets, and it has a light-up display so I can see it in the dark.
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I’m still a devoute-readeruser, but I’m coming back around to paperbacks this year. Unlike e-readers, paperbacks don’t come with their own built-in light, so I picked this one up from my local bookstore. It’s not too heavy, the clip is sturdy, and the neck is flexible so I can position it however I want. I’ve even clipped it to my headboard to use it as a nightlight.
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Kobo Remote
When I do read books on my e-reader, I keep this remote from Kobo handy. It’s not the first Bluetooth remote meant for e-readers, but I like the thought Kobo put into its ergonomics; it’s barely noticeable in the hand while reading. And although it pairs well with Kobos, you can use it with any e-reader that supports Bluetooth.
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The goal has been to stay off my phone this year, but I keep playing with Nothing’s new midrange smartphone, the (4a) Pro. Where most manufacturers are going for understated designs with their phones, Nothing is leaning into the gadgety aesthetic with things like a pixelated glyph screen on the back, which by default shows the time so you don’t have to flip your phone over. If there had been smartphones on the set of2001: A Space Odyssey, this is what they would’ve looked like.
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