Three Questions With Doug from Modern Stationer

I was impressed with Doug Lane's writing at Modern Stationer right from the jump. His reviews are very detailed and always seem to contain a small anecdote that give you a peek into his personal side. My thanks to Doug for answering Three Questions.

1. What role do analog tools such as pens, pencils, and paper play in your day to day life?

Pens and paper are a way to trick myself into stopping to think once in a while. At my day job (product marketing guy at a software company), that mostly means not wasting the day away on the corporate e-mail hamster wheel or trying to please whoever is screaming the loudest.

I've tried a bunch of "Getting Things Done"-style systems and apps, but I would always procrastinate on doing regular reviews and pruning of projects and tasks, which is the most important part of these systems. Now that my planning sessions involve getting to use my favorite fountain pens, inks, and notebooks, I look forward to it instead of putting it off. I also find that I'm more honest with myself about what I can actually get done when I'm writing tasks down by hand. With electronic systems, it's almost too easy to capture new items and shuffle them around.

I also try to jot down some informal personal thoughts each day. My daily task list usually fills up a little over one page in my notebook. So, I try to force myself to fill the rest of the second page with thoughts from the day. Even if I don't have any particularly deep thoughts, I'll just log what I did, any fun (or challenging) moments with my kids, whether I was in a good or bad mood, etc.

My weird mishmash of daily tasks and quick personal thoughts probably won't be of much historical value, but it helps me take stock of how things are going and spot any trends that I need to either correct or amplify.

2. What are your favorite products you are currently using?

I recently picked up my first Edison Pen, a Collier in steel blue, and I absolutely love it. I bought both a fine and a stub nib for it, so I can enjoy it for both routine writing and when I want to let some ink loose. I think I'm about to fall down the Edison Pen rabbit hole in a big way.

I've also been hooked on the (awkwardly named) Muji High Quality Easy-Open Notebook for a few months now. It's a great notebook for the price and handles fountain pen ink well.

I recently started using the Kokuyo Systemic Refillable Notebook Cover with it. The look and feel of the cover itself is just OK (I'm hoping these guys make a better one someday), but I love the utility of it. Something like the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter would be overkill for me, but it's nice to be able to tuck a pen, some index cards, and an iPhone into the Kokuyo as a minimal setup on the go.

3. What post are you the most proud of on your blog?

When my blog was around a month old, I wrote a post called "A Pen Geek in Seoul" that is a personal favorite. I was nervous about posting it at the time, since it was a bit more personal than what you typically see on a pen blog.

I was also worried that people would misinterpret it as "OK, this idiot was going through a important life event, and all he could think about was pens."

In the end, that was really the first post that I got a significant amount of comments and e-mail feedback on, and it was all very positive. Amazingly, I even heard from two people who had very similar experiences to mine.

I've heard many people say that the best thing about the pen hobby is the people, and that was one of my first tastes of it.

Three Questions With Shawn Blanc

Shawn Blanc is one of the good guys. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing him online for years and was excited to finally meet him in person at the XOXO Festival in Portland this year. My thanks to Shawn for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer Three Questions.

1. What role do analog tools such as pens, pencils, and paper play in your day to day life?

My pen and paper give me a bit of balance and escape from my otherwise fully-digital workflows. I do almost all my reading, writing, task management, research, communcation, and more from something that has a screen and an Internet connection.

But I always have my pen and notebook opened beside me because I employ a hybrid sort of system that uses both digital and analog tools. In short, I start out each day with a cup of coffee, my iPad, my notebook, and my pen. I then scrub through my OmniFocus to-do list and write down on paper all the tasks I hope to do that day. I also write down my "big three" goals which will define success for me. And then, I write down my day's schedule -- I make appointments for when I'm going to do my goals and tasks.

The whole process takes me less than 10 minutes, and when I'm done I now have a written down, concrete plan for my day -- I know what to do and when to do it.

Not only is this a nice excuse to actually write with pen and paper, but I also like the "distraction free" environment of a notebook when it comes to referencing my plans as I move through the day. Moreover, you can't flip through the pages of your archived OmniFocus database. Having a journal which is thick with crossed off action items and scribbled-down thoughts is proof that I am, in fact, showing up every day and getting to work. It's proof for me alone. It's my own reminder that today I am not in the same place I was yesterday.

2. What are your favorite products you are currently using?

Baron Fig dot grid Confidant and the 0.38mm Signo DX.

The Baron Fig is almost the best journal on the planet. It's exactly the right size, has exactly the right type of paper, and is very well made. I only wish it had a higher-quality bookmark ribbon and a stay-shut band to wrap around the cover when it's closed.

And it was you, Brad, who introduced me to the Signo DX. It is the finest pen on the planet, and I am forever in your debt.

3. What post are you the most proud of on your blog?

Ask me another day, and I may give you another answer. But today it's this article I wrote  regarding family, country, and conviction.

Three Questions With Tessa From All Things Stationery

Three Questions is a weekly feature where I chat with some of my favorite people online. Writers, artists, musicians, tech geeks - everyone is fair game. If there is someone you would like to see featured in a future Three Questions please leave a comment below.

Big thanks to Tessa from All Things Stationery for going first!

What role do analog tools such as pens, pencils, and paper play in your day to day life?

My "day job" is as an administrator at a University in London, and although it is a very computer based role, there's still plenty of room for pens and paper. I make lots of lists and take minutes in meetings so I always have a grid notebook and rollerball on the go. These aren't the most exciting of stationery items, but they are the most practical for what I do.  I also take lots of pride in giving good greeting cards and wrapping presents well, so having good gift wrap is especially important to me. 

What are your favorite products you are currently using?

I use a Hobonichi Techo Planner, which lives in my handbag. I use it an appointments diary, and then go back and fill in details/stick in tickets etc. if I have time. I also have a Field Notes in my bag for jotting down any ideas I have throughout the day, along with a Huckleberry Woodchuck bullet pencil. Pen-wise I usually use Muji gel pens (0.38mm if possible), and most recently I have surprised myself by often reaching for my Mark's Inc. Tous Les Jours ballpoint pen. I'm not usually a fan of ball points but this one has such a neat, fine line, that I've been really enjoying it. I also use my Kaweco Sport for my "best" writing, but I'm a bit of a fountain pen novice (sorry!). 

What post are you the most proud of on your blog?

I've been enjoying my Stationery Organised Neatly series, a photography project inspired by the Things Organised Neatly Tumblr. I've been arranging my stationery by colour theme. The most recent was Brown & Brass.

And this isn't post as such, but I've recently added a page to my site where I'm trying to put together a comprehensive map of (brick and mortar) stationery stores across the world.