About a year ago I decided something: that I don’t write enough things down. Writing has been a big part of my life and my identity since I was in high school (mostly poetry). As someone who concentrates on his writing so much, I decided that I wanted more of a record of my day-to-day thoughts and ideas, lines of poetry, observations, etc. Since I started carrying these things I haven’t been able to figure out how I ever lived without them. I always have one on me, and am constantly amazed by their usefulness. On any given day I’ll be writing down snippets for new poems and ideas for editing current ones, as well as To-Do lists, shopping lists, reminders, quotes from friends, book or music or movie recommendations, or just quick little refections. This has sparked my larger Field Notes project, which is to fill about one book per month, and then catalogue them chronologically. In a section of my desk I have all of the books I’ve filled out so far, and I already cherish the ability to pick one up and see where my head was at a few months earlier.
I fill about one per month (48 pages), and it’s easy to store them chronologically because of the space provided inside the cover page.
By finishing a book and then shelving it in chronological order, it’s easy to refer back and re-read whatever I like. Also, I love the beat up, worn in look that they take on depending on where I’ve taken them and what I’ve done with them. When I was baking pizza in a wood fired oven, they got way more beat up than from working in a high school. It’s also probably worth noting that, no matter what I’ve thrown at them, they’ve held up without exception.
Filled notebooks go on the right, fresh ones live on the left.
A particularly abused example that I carried for a month while I worked at a pizza place
Field Notes has standard brown notebooks that are always available in blank, lined and graph paper. Also, four time a year they release special, limited edition versions of their books with different tweaks and perks and bonuses, whether it’s a different color, or cover artwork, or paper. My favorite so far have been their “America the Beautiful” edition, which uses heavy duty, thick covers and great art depicting amber waves, mountains majesty and fruited plains. I’ve also added their “red blooded”, “night sky”, “expedition” and “county fair” editions to my collection. They even offer a subscription that guarantees you two three packs of each edition for a year. And, perhaps best of all, every three-pack, regardless of the edition, is always the same price: 10 bucks.
"America the Beautiful" Edition
"County Fair" Edition (Vermont)
It’s so great to stay tuned-in and see what each new edition will bring. So far I’ve gotten my hands on a few different kinds, and I’m sure my collection will only grow. Plus, with each edition, my main fashion accessory continues to fluctuate, adding a little dash of different color depending on what I decide to carry.
Perhaps best of all is, since they’re made so well and since each edition has so much unique personality, I am always excited to grab one on my way out the door. And since I’m so drawn to them, I now have a running, written dialogue recorded in them of the past year. It makes me excited to keep writing everything down, and to think about being able to flip back through these books when I’m old and grey.
If you’re intrigued, check them out at fieldnotesbrand.com. It’s incredible what a big difference it can make just having the ability to jot a note or two down here and there. There’s something about the act of writing something in itself, whether it’s a reminder or an idea or a random thought, that brings that moment into focus. Sometimes I want to be able to look back on it later, and sometimes I just crave the experience of writing something down in the moment.
Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next time.
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