An Update on my Notebook

Written by Walt in Writing

Notebook - June 9th

Last week I stumbled onto an article on Medium that Inspired me to Carry a Notebook. I’ve been keeping that notebook handy ever since. When I leave for work, I stick it in my lunch bag and bring it along. When I head out of the house and plan on being somewhere for a while, I keep it close by.

Despite having the notebook at the ready, I’m not using as often as I’d like. I think part of that reason is because I have terribly sloppy handwriting. I’m working on it but seriously, it can be difficult to read at times.

Since reading that initial article, I’ve stumble onto another outlining how to start a bullet journal. Essentially, a bullet journal is cross between a diary, a journal, and a list. At its core there is a key so that you can quickly mark items as complete, scheduled, or any other tag you’d like.

Bullet journals not only include the key necessary to decipher your marks and symbols, it also includes an index, page numbers, calendar, and space for longer and more detailed entries. Some aspects of the bullet journal appeal to me (the key and symbols, for instance) while others seem a bit over the top (an index and hand made calendar).

Because I’d like to get in the habit of using my notebook more, I think I’m going to start using it a little more like a bullet journal. Only time will tell how it works for me but I’ll be sure to post another update in a week or two.

Walt

My name is Walt White and I've been riding motorcycles on and off since my early twenties. After more than a decade away from the sport, I came back - and I've been making up for lost time ever since. Based in Southeast Pennsylvania, I write and create videos about real motorcycle ownership: the bikes I ride, the gear I test, the roads I explore, and the community I've found along the way. I ride a 2022 Yamaha MT-09 SP and a 2023 Kawasaki Ninja 400, and I try to give you the honest take you'd get from a friend rather than a press release. I'm also a husband, dad to three girls, and a pitbull owner - which keeps life interesting off the bike too.

One thought on “An Update on my Notebook”

  1. Dude,

    Relax. I’ve had a number of journals and day planners over the years. Every Army officer worth a damn carries a little green hardback notebook with them. And guess what, no one uses them the same way.

    I’ve had day planners, log books, and journals that came with guides like you’re talking about for how to prioritize your labels and label your priorities. All great systems, but not great for me. I settled for a dash to start each note, indented dashes for subnotes (just like the outline for a paper). Then an empty box for to-do items and a star for important items. If a box goes unchecked I push it forward to the next day. It’s what works for me.

    You just need to play with it and the universe will land where it is supposed to.

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