Switching Rabbit Holes (Odd Socks #18)

Shifting daily notebook system (for the last time?)... the avocation/vocation cautionary tale... and more

Welcome to Odd Socks Issue #18

I write about stuff that interests me, puts a smile on my face, or could use some clarity amidst the noise. Each issue includes two original articles plus bonus sections. Enjoy!

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Evolution of A Rabbit Hole

Those you who enjoy, partake of, and sometimes curse the varied world of cool stationery stuff can relate.

One of stationery’s holy grails is finding a daily paper-based system that meets one’s needs. I’m talking about a single system that covers one’s needs for notes, planning, to-dos, sketching, ideating, and whatever else comes to mind when putting pen (or pencil) to paper. Some of this effort is about capturing notes for later, others about thinking on paper with new ideas, while some are simply for keeping a toehold in a busy life, with one place to track dates, events, and person requirements.

It can be a lot to manage, and some give in to the digital siren and do all of this in apps or online. But ever-wanting to get a firm grasp on some analog ways, I prefer to do much of this via paper, covers, binders, pens, and pencils with tried-and-true reliability. No batteries needed, and all that.

Over the decades, I’ve been through many systems, processes, and approaches to meet these needs. Some stick around longer than others, but eventually all fade in usefulness.

Sigh.

Astute readers will have noticed the pretty picture at the top of this article, and figure that’s my new system. I must say, I can’t remember being as excited and encouraged by any system as much as I am with the Traveler’s Company regular Midori-style covers and refill system (and accessories!).

I confess trying this system briefly years ago, but within days didn’t take to it. I’ve also tried their smaller Passport system; promising, but eventually fell short (no pun intended).

Fast forward past that somewhat boring backstory to now and my new system comprising not just one, but two Traveler’s covers containing the functions I’ve evolved to like and use.

The Traveler’s Company system is probably at or near the top of the most popular system in use, rising to becoming a favored system worldwide for creatives and workers. This vast culture of users keeps the Japan-based company busy innovating. Traveler’s is part of Designphil Inc., which includes other stationery companies such as Knox, Midori, Plotter, and Touch & Flow.

My System

Aptly named, many people who use the Traveler’s Company cover and refills are avid travelers. While not currently traveling, it’s always in the back of my thoughts to get back to traveling more frequently. Thus my occasional afternoon excursions to a coffee shop are, in my mind, mini travels and this system works as well there as if I were trekking the Scottish Highlands (bucket list!). Admittedly, real or not, using this system makes me feel I’m on the verge of real travel… any day now! And more importantly: prepared (at least stationery-wise).

I settled on using two covers/notebook fills because I couldn’t fit all I needed within one cover. Plus, aesthetically, forcing to choose just one cover design is torturous! There are so many options out there that, at least for now, dividing functions into two lets me enjoy two different cover ambiance. Some Traveler’s uses go extreme and stuff one cover until it soon resembles a small loaf of bread. Not very portable, in my mind.

My EDC Traveler’s Notebook

I wanted to go away from a leather wrap cover, the de facto Traveler’s Notebook standard, for my everyday needs. The cover you see at the left in the photo is my EDC, a Scottish tweed fabric cover I found through Etsy that makes my EDC Traveler’s softer and more distinguished.

Inside is a dot grid notebook for general notes, thoughts, and as a standby journal should I leave the house without my travel journal. Behind that is a custom weekly/to-do list notebook I made (will put up in the shop soon), since Traveler’s does not make one like this to meet my needs. This one is a simple seven-day. Monday-start daily tracker on one side, and a bullet-journaling friendly, flexible to-do list on the opposite page. Wrapped around these two notebooks, a kraft folder insert contains index cards, business cards, a Traveler’s writing board, my list of personal goals on cardstock, and whatever other slip of information I need to take (or receipts that come back).

Will the contents change over time? Of course. One of the key features of this system is that it’s nimble and change-friendly. Past systems were usually too rigid (which led to their mothballing).

My Sketching/Ideation Traveler’s Notebook

For sketching and graphic planning (or ideation), notebook #2 fits these needs.

For this one I wanted a limited cover, something not uncommon but only available for a short time. A curse of most of us stationery nerds is the extra tingle of thrill that comes with acquiring something limited or rare. I searched and found the limited Traveler’s Company KYOTO dark blue (near black) embossed leather cover (at the right in the top photo) to house my right-brain stuff.

Inside at the moment are two inserts, one blank for ideation with Kyoto graphics on the cover, the other Traveler’s sketching refill (nice, heavy paper). Traveler’s is bringing back their fabric zipper inserts and plan to get one for this cover. Inside that piece will be some notecards, business cards, and the minimal sketching tools I use. Eventually, like my need for my approach to weekly/to-do list tracking, I’ll design and make my own insert, set up better for ideation than just a blank page.

Is this system just another short-lived rabbit hole?

Traveler’s Company creates a huge selection of accessories, refill types, and covers, always expanding with new goodies to keep their enormous user base happy. On top of that, they consistently produce limited covers and notebook refills, all designed to tempt me to avoid FOMO.

Will it be the end of my rabbit hole searches and explorations for THE system? Only time can answer that question.

My last point is about archival retention. While I have several boxes of journals from decades past, I have always been of a consumable mind for my EDC notebooks, thus recycling used notebooks or otherwise disposing of them once I’ve finished.

This time, thanks to that “what else can we design” Japanese spirit, Traveler’s makes a minimalistic and clever binder system to store finished notebook inserts. Yup, already bought two: not that I think anyone I leave behind will give a hoot, but it will give me warm fuzzys to now save all the notebooks I consume.

Velvet-lined rabbit's hole indeed.

A Cautionery Tale: Avocation <-> Vocation

They say the best advice for a contented career is to do what you love to do. Nice positive thought, not always easy to pull off.

Any who have been passionate about doing something for a long time, and thought (or their family/friends said) how amazing it would be to make that passion one’s paying business, undoubtedly entered such a change optimistically. Yet many discover the dark secret: when you switch from a hobby you love to making it a business, things change.

A beloved hobby is like a nice, fuzzy cat who loves to sit in your lap and purr as you lovingly stroke its fur. Cat’s happy, you’re full of warm goodness, all is golden.

Now the hobby becomes your vocation. That cat? Suddenly you notice how much it pesters you to be fed, fills the kitty box too often, sometimes pees on your rug, or if not, hacks up fur balls in your shoes. In other words, the gloves are off and it’s suddenly all about the work… and what you done lately?

No question if you make your living being around stuff or processes or creative efforts you enjoy, it’s way better that punching the timecard at some whatever job just so you can pay your bills every month.

I’ve experienced this more than once. Actually, every time I’ve launched my stationery shop, then closed it down. Rinse, repeat, lather. Pre-opening there was the thrill of times ahead, getting in all the cool stationery stuff and shipping it out to like-minded people. And after each closing, there’s been the relief of not being a demanding job anymore and back to enjoying looking at stationery stuff without first thinking, “how well would this sell?”

This is not an announcement of closing Notegeist, but is a riff of thoughts that’ve been on my mind for a few months. My intention was for the re-opened shop to be a part-time effort, allowing periodical time away from the shop to keep the pace right and avoid the passion loss. But sales have been great, pen shows successful, yet it has become a >40-hour week, seven-day “job.” Ugh.

Of course, adding to the load, I’ve gone rabbit-hole deep into learning how to make notebooks for the express idea of selling them in the shop. Having a blast with that, and the bindery’s just now getting started with handmade notebooks for sale.

The real answer is to get more practical about what the shop should be (for my needs), and change things to bring it back in line with my original vision. Plus, more traveling’s always been part of my retirement plan, and that’s been AWOL since the latest shop prepping and opening.

Anyway, /rantoff. Hopefully, if you’re being lured by the sweet song of turning a hobby into a business, be aware the change translators for such a shift are flawed and inherently broken! Not saying you couldn’t pull it off, but just remember this cautionary tale to navigate slowly.

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Need some cool stationery stuff, like Blackwing pencils, Field Notes notebooks, and much more? Then stop reading this and visit my shop: Notegeist.