Short Daily Update: the tale of a devoted Analogue Writer
Week 4 - Day 18 of making this whole newsletter about AI. Except today.
This might sound a bit weird, since you're reading this on the internet. Maybe on your phone, maybe on a laptop.. for sure in some sort of screen. I'm typing these words on a mechanical keyboard, and they magically appear on this white screen. I can erase, move, or substitute them with ease. Yet, despite all of this being digital, I remain a devoted analogue writer.
⚠️Word of caution: This article is for those who love stationery and ugly handwriting. If that’s not your thing, no hard feelings, we’ll catch up another time.
My Systems 🟦
Every time you ask, I could list the ten systems I juggle, but there’s one that’s been my constant companion for years. I borrowed it from the creator of the bullet journal. Here’s how it works:
Daily Ritual: Every day, I grab one of my notebooks, jot down the date, and list my to-dos.
Meeting Notes: As the day unfolds, I scribble notes during meetings, not because I plan to revisit them, just to stay engaged.
The Squares: Amid these notes, I leave little squares. They’re my signals: if a square is empty, there’s a task waiting to be done.
And that’s the system!
Most people rely on digital note-taking apps and to-do list tools. But I find it a bit impolite to be typing on a computer during a meeting. How can someone tell if I'm really taking notes or just chatting on Slack, or… texting my mom about dinner recipes? I prefer the humble analogue notebook, reminds that we are just humans having a conversation.
Another tool I use is what I call my Play List. Just because the name sounds fun. This lives on its own page in my notebook, that is reserved for broader topics: things to read, research, or simply ponder. These aren’t just tasks to check off, they’re long-term projects and ideas to explore.
My Notebooks 📔
Taking a snapshot at the current moment, I use three distinct notebooks:
Bank of Ideas:
A small pocket notebook with zero friction to start writing. Each entry starts with a square followed by an idea. No dates, no restrictions: whether it's an article concept, a business idea, or a gift suggestion, everything is welcome.Work Notebook:
The most boring one, filled with dates, squares, play lists, and to-do lists. Once I finish a notebook, I scan it for any noteworthy meeting notes (which, more often than not, there aren’t many) before it ends up in the recycling bin. I have about 10 notebooks on the shelf waiting to be used, and I’ve probably filled and said goodbye to about 7 of them.Personal Notebook:
The one I'm using right now, I bought in Florence. I have a habit of buying a new notebook when I travel. It marks a fresh start, a new story blending the present with a past memory of some adventure. This notebook has evolved over time. For the past three years, I focused solely on journaling, simply noting the date, time, and place before pouring out my thoughts. Before that, I used a more intricate system that I’ve recently revived:Monthly Spread: A collage at the start of each month that separates new pages from the old.
Daily Habit Tracker: Little squares (always the squares) to fill in with colors.
Mixed Entries: A blend of journaling, to-dos, reflections, and everything in between.
I’m still mulling over whether this system works best or if I should separate journaling entirely.
To keep all these notebooks together, I recently got a red Paper Republic cover with my initials embroidered in gold. It’s something like this (this image is from the internet but you get my point):
The beauty of these covers is that they bind several notebooks together. And because is made from vegetable leather, it feels special and durable - like a companion that could last a lifetime. This is what a neatly organized setup might look like (though mine isn’t this picture-perfect).
A quick note: if you, like me, enjoy admiring beautifully crafted diaries with perfect handwriting and color-coordinated pages, but your own journal looks a bit messy, welcome to the club. My handwriting isn’t flawless; I mostly use black or blue ink with a splash of red or pink. It might not be Instagram-perfect, but it does the job of getting my thoughts on paper, and that’s enough for me.
Pen Perfection 🖊️
I won’t claim to be a pen expert, but the pens I choose come from a place of emotional reminiscence. My all-time favorite is the Uniball Eye Jet Rollerball. I love how it writes, its color, and I like liquid ink pens the most… But the real reason? This was the pen my father used at work. I used to get so excited at the thought of "stealing" one to bring to school! Even though I can now pick up any pen I fancy, I still feel a surge of pride when I take one of this out to write.
More recently, I discovered two other pens that I use quite a bit:
Uniball Signo: Writes so well, but it’s so ugly.
Lamy: Writes so well, but it’s so expensive.
I truly believe that life is too short to write with pens you don’t like. That said, I often end up using the most random pens. Sometimes, they’re not so random at all… a rose gold pen gifted by a friend or one from my brother’s office. Those pens are extra special because they remind me of them. ❤️ So you see why I can’t be an expert on this? I’m all emotions selecting my pens.