Small Obsessions...

I have a tiny problem when it comes to stationary (there must be a word for it... hmm.. a preliminary search doesn't turn up much except for a blog that is infinitely more well written than my own : http://www.slate.com/articles/life/culturebox/2013/02/addicted_to_stationery_confessions_of_a_woman_who_haunts_paper_stores_and.html).  For the most part, I am able to resist buying gorgeous notebooks, journals and cool pens or pencils since I'm pretty frugal. I mean, with technology at my fingertips ( I'm writing online on my blog as I speak/you read), I never had a good reason to but now I do and let me tell you I am squee-ing with joy! 

For the last few months (years to be honest), I've been collecting really great books on directing, writing and producing but never actually took the time to study them. I tried a bit here and there but never made it very far due to poor studying habits, but after having been in University for the past nine months, I finally have a system in place that works for me, which includes highlighting and taking down meticulous notes by hand. Studies show that typing notes are not as effective than hand writing them and I have found that to be true. Am I oldskool? Perhaps, but I think it's nice to keep some old habits. Websites can crash and so can harddrive, but there's something about paper and books that trump screens and keys. 

I wanted my notes to be in uniform notebooks that would last for years to come, and perhaps it's a bit pompous but what if there was that chance that I actually made a difference in my field (because I'm a genius, didn't you know :P) and people would look at them to see how my brain ticked after I was long gone? It's possible! Well, back to the frugal problem. See, I love Moleskine notebooks. They have a great history and the quality is pretty freakin' amazing but buying them retail would have bankrupt me (My sister, Katie, has her own collection that she gazes and strokes lovingly, but she doesn't write anything in them either)! I finally got smart and checked out that amazing source called eBay. 3 weeks later, I have 6 Moleskine notebooks and a week left of my degree program. 

Now... do I purchase my favorite Palomino Blackwing 602 pencils too? My friend, Michael Nankin introduced them to me and they, too, are amazing. 

It does seem like a whole lot of thinking just to do a little writing, but maybe a little harmless obsession is okay, especially if it's the same tools that Sondheim and Picasso used. Perhaps their genius will transfer into my own work.  ;)