If you are new to reading my blog, you may not know about my passion for my notebooks. I've been writing in notebooks for more than thirty years and I have all of them. Currently, I'm writing in notebook number seventy-five. I started this notebook on January 1, 2018. It's served me well these past few months.
I name my notebooks. This name is my One Little Word for 2018, MOXIE. My 74th notebook was much smaller and the pages had lines.
I'm usually against lines, but I loved the size of the notebook, so I tried it. When I finished and moved onto this next notebook, I hadn't realized how constraining those lines and the small size had been for me.
I turned to a larger notebook with a spiral at the top. This was another unusual choice for me, but I needed it to follow the last notebook. In this notebook, What's next?
I don't know.
I don't know.
Starting a new notebook is both exciting and worrisome. I worry that I won't pick just the right one. I am sad that my last notebook is almost full and it won't accompany me everywhere. Instead, it will find a home in my bookcase of notebooks. It feels like a friend that's moving away.
I'm preparing. Thinking about which notebook will be next. Filling these last pages with words and doodles and love. Once I come to the final page, a new journey will begin.
March is the Slice of Life Challenge.
I'll be sharing a post each day in the month of March.
Please join me at Two Writing Teachers to read more slices!
You are the most faithful notebook writer I know. I wish I could do it like you. I keep so many thoughts stuffed in my head, then sit to write and some tumble out but others are likely lost. Do you reread your notebooks? Do you find common themes and threads? Good luck with your new one!
ReplyDeleteJust recently I realized not only how important the type of notebook was for me but also the type of thin markers that I liked to use. Myself I have gone to a smaller sized notebook that will fit in my purse so that I have it with all the time. Thank you for sharing your beautiful notebooks and letting me know that finding just the right notebook is an important part of my writing!
ReplyDeleteI am really good at starting notebooks, but rarely finish them- ugh, I have to improve in that! I love new notebooks so and long for places where I can find lots of notebooks to love. I have not found lots of choice here. I loved getting a peek at some of your notebooks (inside and out).
ReplyDelete"It feels like a friend that's moving away." I think this line summarizes your endearing relationship with your notebooks perfectly! They become such a part of you. I am in awe of your commitment to notebooking and can't wait to see what you pick next!
ReplyDeleteYou are truly a dedicated writer and word-gatherer! I have lots of empty notebooks that I now see need to be filled in an orderly fashion. Summer break goals!
ReplyDeleteMichelle, do you know Attic Journals? You will LOVE them. Upcycled discarded (primarily library) books. So many choices - you'll be sure to find one that fits this next season and the pages are blank. The blank pages was almost a nonstarter for me, but I gave it a try and found that it works equally well for me. Thanks for reminding us of how our journeys can be remembered across the decades with our retired notebooks.
ReplyDeleteThese notebooks are like a record of your life. I love when you describe them as friends that have moved away. I imagine you pausing near them as you pass that bookshelf in your house! Here's to your many new notebooks in the future!
ReplyDeleteI love that you use different notebooks! I have been using the exact same type of notebook for 14 years. I like how they look lined up on a shelf, so neat and orderly and so very unlike life! "It feels like a friend that's moving away" is such a beautiful line--and just how I feel about finishing a notebook too. I might have to write about old notebooks now!
ReplyDeleteI love seeing your notebooks. Just seeing page in your notebook makes my heart happy. I want to love my notebooks like you do! I like how you're willing to jump into different formats. Thanks so much for sharing this notebook joy today.
ReplyDeleteI had to read this post because I love your love of notebooks. I'm also working towards the end of the notebook I started in January. Thanks to the "Tribe" I'm filling this one faster than any in the past. Now I'm getting excited to start my new one
ReplyDeleteYour notebooks are famous in this community and beyond. I smile every time you write about them. I have no doubt you'll pick the right notebook listening to your heart.
ReplyDeleteI know I should be more notebook aware, but somehow I rarely get around to writing in it. I am in awe that you have already filled a notebook and you have seventy-five! Write on my friend!
ReplyDeleteI am envious of your notebook love. I have love for mine, too, but somehow it's not quite the same. Yours are so inspiring. Looking at that color splash, I'm inspired to grab some watercolors to splash on a page, and reading the entry about your new pen reminds me of an entry I wrote a few days ago when I treated myself to a new pen. These little things matter to writers like us.
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