Moment by Moment: Maruman, Graham and Me

Maruman, Cover Note B6, 5x7" (Soft, flexible cover)

A month ago I pulled out a Maruman B6 Cover Note journal, 5x7, 7cm lined and decided to use it to track what I ate, how I slept and how I felt on a daily basis.

This record keeping didn't last more than two weeks, but it is my intention to be more attentive to what I eat, how I sleep and how I feel so I'll be going back to this notebook with greater frequency in the weeks to come. One of several reasons for this exercise is to discover what it is that contributes to my allergies.

In fact, after reading this list of 33 obtainable fresh foods, I am more than ever determined to see if I can turn some negative habits into positive ones and possibly eliminate the side-effects I experience with certain, as yet unknown, foods or more likely combination of foods.

The only way to know rather than guess is to make a notation of it, least it fly out of the window when the day has ebbed into the night.

So I am not surprised that Bob Graham kept a list of what, where, how in his little reporter(s).

And if his meticulous record of his day, from how much he weighed in the morning to what meetings he attended and what was presented, isn't good fodder for evidence nothing else will serve to put the issue of "who knew what when and what he/she did about it."

Maruman Cover Note B6 (Refillable)
(photo courtesy Jet Pens)

My notebook, Cover Note B6, does not appear to be available online. But I see a notebook that is refillable at the Jetters here that may be similar or a replacement for mine.

I'd rank this notebook with a "B" better than some, but not excellent. The paper is smooth, not glossy, it takes fountain pen ink well enough, but there is quite a bit of see through, and a smidgen of bleed through with a wider nib. It is an off-white, nearly cream coloured paper, and is ruled where I prefer unruled.

Maruman Cover Book B6, opened, with ribbon marker

It is however a handy size, has a marker ribbon, was rather attractive new and probably far less expensive than the newer refillable version.

I bought mine from an acquaintance who had purchased a few dozen notebooks in Asia, particularly Japan, and sold me an assortment of half a dozen for about $25. Buying this and a few other Asian brand notebooks (journals) turned out to be a good way to try Japanese paper and at a very reasonable cost per journal.

However and this is one of several reasons I am using this as an "at home list only" notebook is that all the journals I bought had an imperfection or a minor blemish. This Cover Book B6 has a few untidy sticker marks--no biggie but it took that "new" out of it that I love.