My first Moleskine was a hardcover agenda. I bought it because it was no-nonsense, opens flat, and had the minimalist, this-is-my-purpose feel that I love. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little influenced by the ‘artsy’ element as well. Since then, I’ve purchased Moleskine notebooks in almost every color and size. I started using a lot of journals a little over a year ago when I rededicated my life to God after not giving God much thought for the majority of my university life. I use journals for taking notes in church, writing down verses and words from God during quiet devotionals, and for writing down my goals and dreams. I started doing the latter after listening to a sermon on Habakkuk 2:2-3, in which God says to Habakkuk:
“Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others. This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.”
I prefer Moleskine notebooks because they are practical without being lame. They don’t look or feel cheap. I buy the lined soft-cover journals that have the durable characteristics of a hard cover without the weight and I can carry them in my purse (I always have at least one) without worrying that I might ruin them.They are well-made and come in the most wonderful colors.
Recently, Moleskine came out with some fabulous cover designs. I love how they are able to display popular characters and/or themes without distracting from the traditional Moleskine “look”. My favorite one so far is the Pac-Man agenda, which I saw in Chapters. There are two types of people in this world: people who can play (and enjoy playing) Pac-Man, and people who are terrified of Pac-Man. So far, I seem to be the only person in the latter category. I can never eat all the dots in time before the monster enemies corner me. Regardless, I love the simplistic design of the classic arcade game and it looks amazing printed black-on-black on the cover of the Moleskine agenda. Chapters also carries a Peanuts (Snoopy) themed one.
A side effect of buying a Moleskine journal is that it has brought me a step closer to being completely white. From Stuff White People Like: “Since all white people consider themselves to be “creative,” they are constantly in need of products and accessories that will allow them to capture their thoughts. One of the more popular products in recent years has been the Moleskine notebook. This particular type of notebook is very expensive and was quite popular with writers and artists in the olden days. One of the strangest side effects has been the puzzling situation whereby a white person will sit in an independent coffee shop with a Moleskine notebook resting on top of a Apple laptop.”
Browse their website for really cool custom Moleskines (like Harvard University and Star Wars). The limited edition Star Wars Moleskines (available in-store or online at Chapters) would make a great gift for bosses (like mine) who are huge Star Wars fans.
Cost: around $8-$30, or “Much like virtually everything else that white people like, these notebooks are considerably more expensive yet provide no additional functionality over regular notebooks that cost a dollar” – Stuff White People Like. It’s worth it! Serious!