I believe I’m running out of things to say. Even if I make it all the way through August, I’ll be stymied when it comes to writing anything in September. Oh well.
Today I’ll tell you about my Midori Traveller’s Notebook, as I have it to hand and I’m very happy with the way I have it set up at the moment. I’ll leave you to have a browse of the website at your leisure, and have a look at the many different ways such a notebook can be set up. You know I am a fan of notebooks generally, but the midori system is one of my favourite at the moment. The midori itself is a simple rectangle of leather – very soft and supple, available in black and brown but occasionally in a limited edition colour. The leather is designed to age well and develop character over time. There is a band of elastic in which you can slip a notebook, another band to hold the notebook closed, and a string bookmark on which people often hang little charms.
You can slip one notebook in the elastic and be good to go, but the midori comes with two extra bands, with which you can add other notebooks and accessories like business card holders or craft folders. Thusly your notebook can also serve as a wallet – mine is serving that purpose for me currently. There are a lot of videos on youtube where people give little walk-throughs of their midori set-ups. Before you go and look, a caveat: you may find yourself with the urge to buy one after watching one of these notebook tours. Viewer beware.
I have three notebooks in my midori, as well as the business card holder, the zip-lock insert, and a very slap-dash little craft folder I made myself. The first notebook was originally intended for day-to-day thoughts and ideas but has since morphed into more of an art journal. I write down song lyrics, quotes that catch my eye, poems, and I often sketch a little something as well.
The second notebook I’m currently using as a bullet journal. An unhelpful printer recently caused me to drop down from a day-on-two-pages to a weekly planner spread, and it just wasn’t enough room. Adding a bullet journal to my midori has given me a place to write down what happens when, but not need to worry about reserving space. Stuff just gets written down when it happens, and if it doesn’t, oh well. It’s a very simple and pared-down system that I’m enjoying experimenting with.
Right: the bullet journal
The last notebook is a book of lists. Everything goes in here: shopping lists and to-do lists are the big ones, but there’s so much more in the way of lists. Think of everything time you’ve thought “oh, that was nice, I need to remember the name of that wine” and promptly forgotten it. I have a list of books I need to read (it is LONG). I have a list of music I want to purchase. I have a list of movies I want to see, TV series I want to catch up on, a wishlist, a list of names I think are neat. I have a list of words I especially like, because I am that sort of person. (Corpselight. Waif. Tintinnabulation.) I also have lists of items I already own, for situations in which I might want to buy something but I don’t know if I already have it. (I have a tendency to forget which Bauhaus albums I have on vinyl and which I only have on CD.) If I need to be writing something down in order to visualise it or plan it, I’ll write it in here. This is my go-to notebook for thinking on paper.
My midori is basically my external brain. It’s my wallet, so it comes with me almost everywhere. It’s also really nice to hold. The leather itself is gorgeous, both brand-new and well-used, but there’s something about a big, thick, chunky, stuffed-to-the-brim midori that brings me immense satisfaction. I like to hold it. It is oddly pleasing.
Also midori’s paper is amazing. I don’t know what it is with Japan and incredible paper – Tomoe River is spectacular also – but it’s perfect. Thin, smooth, white and stands up to some pretty tough fountain pen inks. It’s impressive.