We had been carrying Midori products for a while, but I hadn't quite made the transition to using one for my everyday carry. Then, this is a while back now, Midori released a limited run of their Passport Notebooks in a camel coloured leather. I figured it was a good time to try it out and see how I liked it, and I could write a blog post about it to promote the limited edition colour. 
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The limited editions sold out before my very eyes - I had barely gotten my notebook set up, much less figured out how it was going to fit into my life, before they were all gone! Now, with this upcoming limited edition - the Midori Traveler's Notebook in Blue, Regular size, I figured I would share a bit of how I use my TN everyday. I may very well have to switch over to the blue when they come in. I actually have two notebooks for organization. One is a Noble Notebook for business related stuff, special orders, planning ahead for projects, etc. How I organize that notebook will be a story for a different day. My Midori I use for everything else.
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The inside of the notebook changes every once in a while, as my life changes. I generally have two or three inserts in at a time. I used to think I was a plain insert/notebook type of person because of all the freedom and non-conformity plain paper gives you, but it turns out I need some structure. I like the graph because I'm a list-y person, and sometimes I need two columns. I also have an agenda refill. There is a pen holder for the Midori, but I throw my notebook around and out of bags and wedged everywhere, so I'm always worried the pen will get caught on something. I just stick my pen in and close the notebook up with it, which also serves as a bookmark for the page I was just using.
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Since the baby has started eating real food, I've been keeping track in the agenda insert. It's well beyond my limited capabilities to offer well-rounded "meals", so I'm trying for a well-rounded week of trying new foods. I'm using the agenda for this, which is a good size, since it's not too big, but gives me enough space to give some detail if I need to.
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  I use the other two inserts for general every day stuff. I have a lot of lists of things I need to get from certain places, like the dog store, or baby clothes. I have lists of things to do around the house, some of which have been procrastinated and grandfathered in for months. I have a separate section for notes on random things I need to remember, phone numbers or addresses, things I just like to write down. The best thing about this notebook is system is that the pages of the inserts are all perforated. You don't really think about needing this until you start ripping pages out, but most notebooks are constructed by folding pages in half, and stapling in the middle. If you just tear out one page, the other half falls out because the staple is no longer holding it. This is super handy for grocery lists for Jon (since the baby, he's taken over this task, and it took me a while to figure out that he needs a list if he's going to bring home some vegetables along with all the packs of red meat), or just if I'm making a note of something that needs to be stuck somewhere else.
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The plastic sleeve is also indispensable. Until this was an option, I never realized I needed it. One side has a slide zipper to hold loose things, including coins or tickets, and the other side has card slots and a full page slot. This means I also use my Midori as my wallet, and I have cards for the bank, ID for picking up packages at the post office, and I also leave my library card in it. I don't even have to take it out for scanning when I check out books myself. Having everything together means that if I go to the bank and then vaguely recall I was supposed to pick up something at the drug store or pet supply store, I can just flip through my notebook to remember.
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The leather has certainly worn in over time. When I got my first few scratches on it, I was a little sad at having marred something previously un-marred, but there are so many scratches now that any more will just "even out the patina." It's grown smoother and more worn in, but I think having been worn it, it looks even better. Jon also has a Midori, a black passport one. Maybe one day I'll convince him to do a blog post on how he organizes his, but I'm pretty sure it's all just random notes in there. We are expecting the blue Midoris and the new Pan Am accessories in at the beginning of May. Every time I think about them coming in, I rub my hands together and look off into space...

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March 03, 2015 — wonderpens

Comments

ปั้มไลค์

ปั้มไลค์ said:

Like!! Great article post.Really thank you! Really Cool.

Miguel Ángel

Miguel Ángel said:

Thank you. I really appreciate your answer. I already use an extra fine nib but anyway the ink smears on the paper when I put my hand over it. I’ll take the advice of putting some extra sheet between to absorb the ink. Maybe the ink you told me is better, but I’m not sure about to convert the kaweco into an eyedropper… Anyway, I’ll carry on looking for a solution. I’ll tell you guys if I find something.

I’m writing from Germany, but I’m from Spain, so it’s difficult to buy something in your shop… It’s a pitty. Anyway, I’ll continue visiting your blog and instagram which are just wonderful.

Thank you again. Take care,

Mike xxx

wonderpens

wonderpens said:

I hope it helps! Sometimes any old absorbent sheet will work, but if the sheet you use is a bit slick or non absorbent, it may end up smearing your writing as well, because it will just move around the ink on your page rather than absorbing it. The blotting paper is super absorbent!

Haha – please of course it’s no problem wherever you live, whether or not you shop with us!! It is a pleasure just to have you read the blog and follow along with us on Instagram :)

Laura Burgess

Laura Burgess said:

Thanks for your review! I am excited to get my Passport in the mail and set it up, so I’m reading everything I can about them. One question: What pen is that? Because it looks for all the world like a Sonic Screwdriver (Doctor Who, in case you’re not a Whovian.)

Wonder Pens

Wonder Pens said:

Glad to hear you’re liking them! I hope they will serve you well for many years to come :)

Miguel Ángel

Miguel Ángel said:

Hi there,
First, I want to congratulate you for this wonderfull project. I have a question that may you can solve. I have both Midori size since very little time and I want to use them for drawing and writing. The problem is: I use a Kaweco Sport fountain pen, but MD paper doesn’t absorb really good the ink. If I put my hand over the paper (not only recently written, but some time after) the ink smears on the paper. I don’t know if you have the same problem, but I really appreciate if you can recommended me some other writing tool or any other ink, better than KaWeCo.

Thanks!

Mike xxx

wonderpens

wonderpens said:

Thanks so much for reading, Mike! I can fully empathize with this! Your best bet is to get some blotting paper – we carry the J. Herbin brand of blotting paper in our shop, but if you’re not in Canada, I think many other fountain pen shops carry blotting paper – it’s super absorbent paper. You can fold or cut a sheet in half, and then leave it between the sheets when you close up your notebook. It will absorb any excess or wet ink without smudging. You can continue re-using the same half sheet many, many times over, moving it between new pages until the sheet is completely or mostly covered with ink dots.

Other than that, you could try a specifically fast drying ink (like Noodler’s Bernanke Black), a finer nib size (like extra-fine), since that will put less ink on the page, or a non-fountain pen, such as a gel pen. I personally love fountain pens, so that is my preference! I also like fine and medium and sometimes broad nibs, so I have to use a sheet to blot myself.

Hope that helps! :)

Richard

Richard said:

I purchased my both a regular size and passport size Midori from Wonder Pens. Although I love them both, I use the regular size more often. Truly a wonderful product.

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