How I Started Writing on My Moleskine

Early this month, Pastor Joe Thorn wrote about setting up a Moleskine and how he uses these precious notebooks to store ideas related to his ministry work.

I love reading stories like Pastor Joe's because it reminded me of another Moleskine story, this one by Sir Butch Dalisay. I cannot find Sir Butch's article online anymore, but that story introduced me to the elite world of Moleskines. Soon after, I was smitten.

Surprisingly, my journey to Moleskine ownership took longer than I expected. At that time, the notebooks weren't offered locally here, and the only way I could get my hands on a notebook was to purchase it online. It was a frustrating pursuit. Then I got my lucky break several months after. A friend saw an online bookstore selling Moleskines, and the company is actually located in the Philippines! And that is how I got my hands on this precious notebook. Finally, I have my own Moleskine to show off. But I did not write on it until last week, six months after I bought it from Avalon.

I started using my Moleskine by using its last page to test my pens. Yup, the last page is a tester page, and that's what I do with all of my notebooks. I do that all the time to choose the perfect pen for a particular notebook. And for my Moleskine, the perfect pen is the black Pilot G2 0.5mm.

After that, I wrote my name and contact details on the inside cover page. No rewards for me, though.

Now I tied a small knot at the end of the page marker so it won't fray and look ugly.

And I started writing on it, precisely on the front face of the third leaf. To start writing an entry, I used a red G2 to write the date and day of the week. An entry usually takes up a page or two, and with the large Moleskine's 240 pages, I figured one notebook is good for three to four months' worth of letters.

Today, my Moleskine is already five entries full. When I fill it up, I'll get another Moleskine and fill it up again.

My Journal, My Non-Living Best Friend

I've always tried to keep an updated Journal since I was a small kid. Sometimes I'll fill a notebook, but mostly, the pages are left empty after the first few get doodles of ink. Lately, after I moved back to the pen and paper scheme, I entertained the idea of keeping a journal/diary. And I took it seriously. Today, 19 days after I started writing, The Archer's Chronicles is 20 pages rich of scribbles, doodles, drawings, and stickers. For the last 19 days, it has become my non-living best friend.

My Journal is a blue 6.25 x 8.25 ruled spiral college notebook that used to be a concept notebook for my projects. The front and back covers are thick plastic, which protect the inside pages from scratches and dents while the notebook is inside my bag. The inside pages are made of inexpensive thin paper with the text "Wise Buy by Expressions" on the upper right portion of each page.

I use a variety of pens to write on my Journal, but mostly I use my 0.4 Pilot G-TECs. I also use other gel pens like the MonAmi Gel Pets and a blue 0.7 Pilot Super Gel Pen I like a lot. Some days call for that "special touch", and so I write with my Parker Vector fountain pen using black Parker Quink ink.

I usually write around midnight, when I'm done with housekeeping and television soap-opera and my neighborhood gets some semblance of calm and quiet. I like to write in silence. I always have. Silence brings me so much: words, emotions, remembrances--even sound. Lately, a new habit has formed, though, and I am suprised. I am beginning to like to write while the radio is tuned in to RJ100. It's such an excellent motivation to write.

Writing has become ceremonial for me. Almost ritualistic. I like to write after my night bath, with a mug of steaming hot tea next to me--sometimes Lyons Earl Grey, sometimes Tazo Green Tea. It depends. I like it steaming hot because I love the aroma of tea filling my writing corner of the room. My journal entries always begin with the day's date and time. I also include the background music. As I write, I slowly sip my tea.

After an entry, the tea is finished, and it's time for bed. Finally, I can sleep.