the notebook nerd...

How to identify a Notebook Nerd
(from ronnie: self-confessed Notebook Nerd, Pen Groupie and General Stationery Tragic )

* cherry wood graph paper memo books.... red moleskin soft covered stitched journals ----
ooooo yesssss give me more! more! MORE!

a Notebook Nerd (aka N.N.) knows the locality of every stationery outlet in every city and town they have ever visited 
the N.N never passes a store without perusing the collection of notebooks --- generally they do not leave without a purchase
or two (or three or four) and can be overheard whispering sweet odes to their new notebook ('oooo notebook blue I do need you...')

* found in a small shop packed to the ceiling with arty treasures 
--REnote has a soft recycled leather cover.... and gridded pages (because grids are my favs....)

 a N.N. can tell the difference between
a moleskin and a field notes notebook just by touch
(hint - moleskins have a pocket at the back... small field notes are stapled...
I could go on... yes it's quite tragic)

 a N.N. will have a room (or at least a shelf) dedicated to their notebook collection... 

 * my shelf of research notebooks - 14  x A4 spiral bound hard cover notebooks...
then of course there's my shelf of small notebooks, soft-covered notebooks, drawing notebooks, coptic bound notebooks.....
ok - I think I need to get a room.

a NN will always have a trusty notebook within arms reach (or closer)
--- if the NN is separated from their trusty notebook by more than 25 metres (or 25 minutes)
they may suffer from Notebook Withdrawal Syndrome
which manifests in itchy palms, twitchy fingers and a nervous tic in the left eye....

 * pity the poor notebook that gets lugged around in my handbag... 

 a N.N. cannot resist a notebook sale

---  it doesn't matter if they already have 5 identical notebooks in pristine condition on their shelf...

without a stockpile of similar notebooks the NN cannot contemplate actually USING their new notebook

 * this is the newest addition to my stack....
field notes 'two rivers' limited edition 48 page memo book with covers printed by hamilton wood type & printing museum
mmmmmm purty purty

a N.N. may be lured by the promise of a free notebook with any purchase...

* yes.... successfully hooked by the free notebook....again... damn you country style magazine!

a N.N will keep their notebooks for decades after every page is chocker block full
- even when the N.N. can no longer decipher their contents...

* miriam bereson hardcover notebook with cutout cover detail (and ronnie embellishment) circa 1993-1999

... even when the kiddies have inscribed notes of their own between the now ratty covers...

* sassy-boy's toddler notation in treasured notebook circa 2004

even when all the notebook seems to contain is shopping lists from 12 years ago
and orphaned phone numbers
and the dimensions of a bookcase you no longer own...

* my notation in same notebook - same era....
I remember these were notes for a quilt I was making for my bestie's 50th birthday

The Notebook Nerd is generally a solitary animal
but occasionally can be found flocking at stationery outlets such as
Kikki K, Pepe's Papiere,  or Zetta Florance
where they may be overheard hyperventilating in front of a new perpetual paper diary
(with leather covers and a tiny brass clasp --- - ooooooo be-still my heart)



the Notebook Nerd (N.N) may also be a Pen Groupie (P.G.) or General Stationery Tragic (GST)
but best to talk of those another day - I have just found
a 'to-do' list in my 2007 hard cover spiral bound red and black collins notebook
and realise I haven't bought food for the cats.....

.....