If there was one notebook, what would it be?

Hand writing in a hardbound book;
Sailor Sapporo pen, Music nib

It seems that the promised Writersblok notebooks have begun to hit the stores, and the one review I read here does nothing to inspire a purchase.

Yet again a disappointing notebook.

I've never made paper, although I often thought about recycling and making some in the kitchen, and I can't understand what really makes a paper totally user friendly, and friendly to many users. But I suspect that some paper will lay a good line with any writing implement, while others continue to fall short.

Is it a quality control issue? Is it the rag content? Is it the surface properties? Is it the weight? Is it other variables?

And what variables can be examined and improved?

It isn't weight alone. I have older notebooks with paper on the thin side that take ink well, don't bleed, exhibit no show through and don't feather.

I remember when I was curious about how to spin and weave I got myself invited to a mill in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was back in the dark ages.

I spent several glorious weeks as a teenager watching those looms whizz around and folks throwing throttles.

That experience taught me a great deal, nourished my curiosity and nurtured my adventure so that when I got older, I actually did some of my own weaving on an 8-harness loom.

Harris 8-harness loom

I wonder if I can get a paper mill to invite me for a visit?

Review IV: Quo Vadis Prenote #24

Quo Vadis Prenote Planner

Overview
The Prenote #24 is the largest of the Quo Vadis planners at 8 1/4" x 11 3/4" (21 x 29.7 cm) with 90g acid free, pH neutral paper, rounded corners, and smooth to the touch. The two colour printing, grey and teal, is easy on the eyes and subtle. This refillable planner is a more glamorous planner than most offices provide their staff and comes in black, red and saddle brown. Its sewn binding lays flat and can rest comfortably on a desk surface.

Content
At the front of the planner is a personal notes section, international phone codes for those international jet setters; an average world temperature chart; a world holiday page and a two page 2009 annual planner.

Similar to the Quo Vadis Academic Minister, my review here, this weekly planner is well laid out with space for date and day data and separate blocks on the right for: Phone #s; Fax or Email #s; See-Do and Pay Receive Lists; and Notes; five in total. You can see the layout in its entirety here at Quo Vadis website.

At the top of each day and date is space to add a priority or two to follow up which is also expanded at the bottom of six of the days.

At the back of the Prenote #24, which is a 13-month calendar, is a second annual calendar carried over to 2010; world maps in black and white, two pages each for receipts and payments, and one page for notes. The journal's last page is a 3-year overview (2009-2011).

The inclusion of a totally separate, but easy to insert or remove, address book with approximately one page for each letter of the alphabet is a nice touch.

The Paper is the high quality 90g paper Exaclair is famous for and behaves very well with both narrow and broader nibs.

Sailor Sapporo with Yama-Buda Ink

Testing the paper with a Sailor Sapporo, Pelikan M215 and Pelikan M100 with Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-Buda, Waterman Havana and J. Herbin, respectively I found some show through with a music nib, and little to no show through with the narrower nibs.

See through with Sailor Sapporo

My Overall impressions of this Quo Vadis Prenote #24 weekly planner is positive. However, on aesthetic grounds and personal preferences, I would recommend a cover substitution, the elimination of the tear off corners and the inclusion of a ribbon marker or place marker.

Check the Quo Vadis site for pricing and availability.