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I use Moleskin notebooks (go through about 1 a month) full of ideas, drawings, notes, just about anything. I also keep a stack of 4x6 notecards to hash out idea

I use Moleskin notebooks (go through about 1 a month) full of ideas, drawings, notes, just about anything. I also keep a stack of 4x6 notecards to hash out ideas on paper (1 step below talking them out loud to people). Try it, it's incredibly effective.

makmanalp 16y ago
Not to nitpick or anything, but this has turned into a pet peeve of mine recently: it's "Moleskine". Not that I'm a crazed die-hard fan of the notebooks or anything, but they appear to be pretty nice. Maybe I'll try using one soon.
mkramlich 16y ago
Moleskine user/lover here too. I carry a pocket-sized Moleskine, pen and iPhone almost everywhere I go. It's faster and more enjoyable to write notes in the notebook than in my iPhone (the latter increasingly freezes with iOS 4.0 and even without that has lots of annoying UX quirks), and I can easily go back and forth between text and doodles/diagrams, unlike the iPhone (built-in apps anyway, admittedly.) If you just want the cheapest paper possible, Moleskine is a bad choice. But if you want the best experience as a writer/reader/geek, Moleskine is a no brainer.
- patrickgzill 16y ago
  I have switched from Moleskine to Piccadilly brand (I think this is the house brand of Borders Books). Half the price, almost the same quality. The problem with Moleskines is that they got too popular, so they keep switching around the source for their paper; while earlier (circa 2005) Moleskines had paper that fountain pens wouldn't bleed through, later ones of the exact same type do have paper that fountain pens will bleed through.
  - mkramlich 16y ago
    interesting to know, thanks. I just got into Moleskine a year ago or so. i haven't experienced any bleedthrough with the Pentel ballpoint point I pimped in another comment in this discussion. I think B&N has a store brand they promote too but I haven't tried it yet.
  - Luyt 16y ago
    I love fountain pens. I have bunch of Parker 'Vectors' in a diversity of line widths and ink colors. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parker_Vector http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parker_Vector The only disadvantage is that the ink stays water-soluble after it dries.
  - rmc 16y ago
    Another fountain pen lover here. I got a Mont Blanc for a 21st birthday present with a gold nib. However I've ran out of ink and haven't gotten round to getting some more.
- jamesbritt 16y ago
  " It's faster and more enjoyable to write notes in the notebook than in my iPhone" I'm increasingly writing things down on paper then snapping a pic with my G1. It's just a handy way to capture stuff that is less likely to get lost.
elblanco 16y ago
It's weird. I never found notebooks all that useful until a relative bought me a Moleskine as a gift. I can't put the stupid thing down now, there's definitely some kind of "there" there...a kind of delicious physical quality that makes me want to write stuff in it.
- tjr 16y ago
  I agree. A couple of years ago, I saw someone here on HN praising Moleskine notebooks. I looked it up, and was perplexed at the high price... for a notebook? But somehow that thought stuck in my head, and a few months later I bought one. It's great. Nicest thing to write in I've ever owned. I just wish I could explain more precisely why.
  - mkramlich 16y ago
    It's all the little touches. Apple Mac is to Windows PC's a bit like Moleskine is to regular blah notebooks. The former is for those seeking a quality experience. The latter the cheapest experience.
- mkramlich 16y ago
  I did something similar. I gave Moleskines as gifts to two people I know. One said it was the best notebook he's ever had. I'm trying to infect people. I want these things to stay in production this time.
bradendouglass 16y ago
Moleskins are the sketchpad of many a great idea. Even in a note taking situation (college) they work fairly well. Pair them with a Pentel Kerry .05mm HB mechanical thing of beauty and you have a lot going on. edit for typos
- mkramlich 16y ago
  Moleskine + Pentel for the win. same here.

makmanalp 16y ago

Not to nitpick or anything, but this has turned into a pet peeve of mine recently: it's "Moleskine". Not that I'm a crazed die-hard fan of the notebooks or anything, but they appear to be pretty nice. Maybe I'll try using one soon.

mkramlich 16y ago

Moleskine user/lover here too. I carry a pocket-sized Moleskine, pen and iPhone almost everywhere I go. It's faster and more enjoyable to write notes in the notebook than in my iPhone (the latter increasingly freezes with iOS 4.0 and even without that has lots of annoying UX quirks), and I can easily go back and forth between text and doodles/diagrams, unlike the iPhone (built-in apps anyway, admittedly.) If you just want the cheapest paper possible, Moleskine is a bad choice. But if you want the best experience as a writer/reader/geek, Moleskine is a no brainer.

patrickgzill 16y ago
I have switched from Moleskine to Piccadilly brand (I think this is the house brand of Borders Books). Half the price, almost the same quality. The problem with Moleskines is that they got too popular, so they keep switching around the source for their paper; while earlier (circa 2005) Moleskines had paper that fountain pens wouldn't bleed through, later ones of the exact same type do have paper that fountain pens will bleed through.
- mkramlich 16y ago
  interesting to know, thanks. I just got into Moleskine a year ago or so. i haven't experienced any bleedthrough with the Pentel ballpoint point I pimped in another comment in this discussion. I think B&N has a store brand they promote too but I haven't tried it yet.
- Luyt 16y ago
  I love fountain pens. I have bunch of Parker 'Vectors' in a diversity of line widths and ink colors. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parker_Vector http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parker_Vector The only disadvantage is that the ink stays water-soluble after it dries.
- rmc 16y ago
  Another fountain pen lover here. I got a Mont Blanc for a 21st birthday present with a gold nib. However I've ran out of ink and haven't gotten round to getting some more.
jamesbritt 16y ago
" It's faster and more enjoyable to write notes in the notebook than in my iPhone" I'm increasingly writing things down on paper then snapping a pic with my G1. It's just a handy way to capture stuff that is less likely to get lost.

elblanco 16y ago

It's weird. I never found notebooks all that useful until a relative bought me a Moleskine as a gift. I can't put the stupid thing down now, there's definitely some kind of "there" there...a kind of delicious physical quality that makes me want to write stuff in it.

tjr 16y ago
I agree. A couple of years ago, I saw someone here on HN praising Moleskine notebooks. I looked it up, and was perplexed at the high price... for a notebook? But somehow that thought stuck in my head, and a few months later I bought one. It's great. Nicest thing to write in I've ever owned. I just wish I could explain more precisely why.
- mkramlich 16y ago
  It's all the little touches. Apple Mac is to Windows PC's a bit like Moleskine is to regular blah notebooks. The former is for those seeking a quality experience. The latter the cheapest experience.
mkramlich 16y ago
I did something similar. I gave Moleskines as gifts to two people I know. One said it was the best notebook he's ever had. I'm trying to infect people. I want these things to stay in production this time.

bradendouglass 16y ago

Moleskins are the sketchpad of many a great idea. Even in a note taking situation (college) they work fairly well. Pair them with a Pentel Kerry .05mm HB mechanical thing of beauty and you have a lot going on. edit for typos

mkramlich 16y ago
Moleskine + Pentel for the win. same here.