I’ve just received the tiniest Moleskine notebook yesterday as a prize. :D It’s now #7 in my growing collection of Moleskine notebooks. And to think I only started my collection in 2014!
Why do I have so many Moleskine notebooks?!
It’s an addiction.
But beyond that, I use the Moleskines as not only a notebook, but also a journal and a collection of wisdom and knowledge from all the workshops and seminars I go to. So I easily fill one notebook within 3 months. And I get an excuse to buy more of them. Ha!
Yes, I do take notes with an Evernote app and it is useful. But nothing beats putting pen to paper. Plus, with an app, it always looks like you’re fiddling with your phone or surfing the Net when you are actually diligently taking notes during a seminar! With a notebook, there’s no question regarding what you are doing, though of course, you could be doodling. Hehe!
I’m old school too, I guess. I love physical books and don’t really like ebooks. I even like the smell of some of the paper used for certain books. And that’s something I don’t get with a tablet.
And oh, I’m working on my second book. I had an amazing journey with my first book, ‘Blogging For A Living’, and now it’s time to move on to something even more awesome. :D
And yes, I have my ideas all penned down in my trusty notebooks.
Why would anyone pay so much for a notebook?!
That is one question I have no answer to.
My limited edition Moleskines cost S$41 EACH. And the 2015 daily planner Moleskine I bought in advance for next year? S$42. You can easily get a notebook at a bookstore for a fraction of the price, maybe S$1 to S$2.
That’s testimony to branding. And quality. And maybe, fanaticism. It’s like how Apple fans clamor for the new iPhone even though there are already obviously superior phones out on the market. You buy into the company, what it stands for, what it inspires in you. And you try not to tell your friends how much this new notebook or phone cost you. Heh heh.
*Tip: Buy your Moleskines online (say, at NoQstore, which I’ve reviewed before), or at Kinokuniya when there’s 20% discount. You’ll save a lot of money. Or, get them when you are traveling overseas. ;)
The Future of Moleskine
Well, I don’t know if Moleskines will continue to be popular forever. But I appreciate what the company is doing to support artists who decorate Moleskine notebooks. Head over to the Moleskine Artist Marketplace website and you’ll find dozens of lovely Moleskines decorated by talented artists!
Here are some I’ve picked out for you:
I like how this Moleskine comes with a little (hand-sewn?) pouch for your handphone and pen. :) Though I’d say ditch the phone and just head out with notebook and pen. Consider it a Digitial Detox day. :D
This next Moleskine is a real “Are You KIDDING Me?!” kinda notebook. It looks good enough to eat. ‘Nuff said.
The McBook Err is just cheeky and smart. And maybe, for all the Mac lovers out there.
This next one is thought-provoking. A wolf in a shirt and tie? Hmm. It could be a reference to crafty colleagues you work with, or… it could just be an expression of how we were born to be free like wolves, but are conditioned to dress all prim and proper and have to be confined to a desk or office. Interesting.
This keyboard Moleskine is just too cute. I can totally imagine myself being the owner of this one. Words are like music to my soul and there is nothing I love more than a lazy afternoon spent with a really good book. Ok, maybe winning a million dollars from the lottery would beat that. ;)
I love cute cartoons and bright, cheery colors so this one is definitely a notebook I’ll be happy to own. Having said that, I’d like to try decorating my own Moleskine notebook!!! :D It’ll be a limited edition one that is unavailable anywhere else in the world!
And this final one is the first one which caught my eye. Lovely tiles, but stuck on in a rather haphazard fashion. It reminds me to not always have to demand that everything go MY way, but to accept that even in chaos, there can be beauty.
Do you own a decorated Moleskine notebook? Drop me an email. If I like it, I’ll be happy to feature it here. :D
