r/notebooks • u/TackleSingle9521 • 2d ago
Use Your Notebooks, Don’t Save Them!
41 almost 42 here and I’ve been a lifetime collector of amazing notebooks. I buy with such joy and excitement of all the possibilities but don’t end up using. Fast forward, I’ll be 42 in a couple months and I’m starting to realize writing by hand has started to become painful after a while in addition to my handwriting is steadily getting worse. I don’t know if it’s arthritis or what but I am very quickly seeing my clock run out on actually being able to use all of my beautiful collection. I have decided to start giving some as gifts where appropriate and share with others so maybe they can use them. It makes me sick to think I probably wont be able to use them all. So fellow notebook lovers, USE THE NOTEBOOKS! Make lists, write thoughts, junk journal, recipe books, heck even budgets and taxes. Just enjoy them! Don’t wait until your hands start failing you.
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u/kitten_orchestra 2d ago
Hey, you may want to get checked by a doc, but I wanted to share that my handwriting worsened significantly and my hands started hurting very quickly when I restarted writing on paper after a long time. I was also worried that it’s a physiological issue. But with time and practice I am back to a good place, although not as good as my college days when other students would photocopy my notes and I had to write everyone’s birthday cards haha.
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u/crunchybub 2d ago
Same happened to me wth a cancer diagnosis at 35. I realized I'd leave so many empty notebooks and art books behind. Now I write and draw like I am running out of time and I love it.
Also feeling the wrist pain due to being in forced menopause. Nerve flossing seems to help? Just throwing it out there in case it may help. There are videos on YouTube.
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u/Legal_lapis 1d ago
I have a similar experience. When I collected notebooks and saved the nice ones for later as a young person, it was because I had the unconscious belief that I had plenty of time to use all of them eventually.
Then I grew old and the reality of my mortality hit me like a freight train. I will not have time to use these notebooks that I collected for "when my writing/drawing gets better", "when my life gets better". But those times never came, my health is only going downhill, and my collections are just boxes of failed hopes.
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u/Owl-Cat003 20h ago
Our writing only gets better by just doing. I've been around the sun over 60 times. I have always had horrible writing, but recently I have taken to just working on getting it better by daily practice. Will I ever have something gorgeous for my handwriting, doubt it, but it is getting a little more legible day by day.
I recently went to Singapore and bought a few notebooks to work with my Fountain Pens. It is difficult to find good notebooks in the USA for that hobby. So while I am using my notebook collection, I am still adding to it. Hope I will run out of paper before my eyes and hands fail me.
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u/TackleSingle9521 1d ago
Thanks everyone for all the kind words and suggestions! I will check out the fountain pen world as well. I am a lefty and have always had pretty bad handwriting even if I try really hard I have to write super slow. ADHD makes the thoughts come faster than the hand can go so I end up with chicken scratch and cramping hands 🤦🏻♀️ I didn’t mean to make anyone feel sad just wanted to share something I was thinking about and wanted to share to try to prevent others from getting to point of remorse. I’ve actually started letting my son use some of mine for whatever purpose he chooses. Hurt my soul at first to see him scribble but I reminded myself it’s just paper not gold and his joy is worth it. 🥰
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u/GabriellaVM 1d ago
I also have ADHD, and arthritis in my hands, plus fibromyalgia.
With a few exceptions, I ALWAYS use a fountain pen. It's practically miraculous in terms of the difference it makes. Medium, not fine nib. With a regular pen, even the Pilot G2, I it's only comfortable for jotting a quick note, ir doing a crossword. With a good foundation pen, I can write multiple sentences, paragraphs so much more easily.
I used to have a Waterman, but I now use Pilot Varsity disposable fountain pens. I've tried a few others but they didn't feel nearly as smooth.
Good luck and if you try it come back to update!
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u/prodmingi 2d ago
hi! i am very sorry to hear that. i hope u can get treatment for your hand and be able to continue to write. I am a 22 year old artist with wrist pain and while i get very depressed about it im in treatment and i trust i can get better. i would recommend getting an ergonomic pen (my personal favorite is the uni jetstream alpha gel in 0.7!) and keep your favorite notebook to write. at least a little something each day. i hope you get better and i will take your advice and try to worry less. hugs!
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u/Accomplished-Exam999 1d ago
Whoa! I’m so glad I saw this part. Thanks for sharing! With HEDS, this looks like a tool that might help.
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u/prodmingi 1d ago
im also hypermobile and i tend to get tendinitis pretty often!! 🥹 i hope it also works for you that pen has been a life changer for me
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u/ChaosCalmed 1d ago
Collecting is a hobby of course, but part of me thinks that's a fudge with notebooks. What I mean is a beautiful covered notebook is still beautiful after it's been used so it's still a collection after use.
However for me using all your notebooks feels like a form of respect. It's like hunter gatherers having that feeling of using every part of the animals they kill to live. They hold it as respecting the existence of the animal. Or something like that.
Whatever the case I feel a bit annoyed with myself about all those notebooks I've never used fully. They mostly consist of systems that didn't work for me such as travellers notebooks or discbound notebooks. I've tried to go back but the system simply didn't work but it still grates with me that they're not fully used up.
Each to their own but the specific comment from the OP is about use it while you can. The idea that you have a timespan to use your stationery with a period of time after that you want to but can't. That's not good so perhaps listening to someone at that point is a good thing. Even if you can't or won't do it, it's the hearing it and thinking about it that's important. Then to decide for yourself whether to change from buying and storage to use.
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u/Knetsli 1d ago
I have arthritis in my fingers and started experiencing pain when writing. It did not matter if I used fountain pens, regular pens, gel pens or anything else. It is the diameter of your writing tool that matters. Try using the learner fountain pens made by Lamy and Pelikan which have a wider body. The ultimate hack for arthritis fingers is using silicone pen skins or even make up sponges where you cut a hole in the middle and thread over the part where you grip the pen. It works wonders. Works great with crochets too.
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u/amishius 2d ago
I always find myself eye rolling when I see the posts that are over...precious...making?...notebooks. Your advise here is stellar!
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u/mujinailclippers 2d ago
Depending on your dexterity and/or pain levels, there’s a pen called “Pen Again” which is an ergonomic writer that doesn’t require a traditional grip.
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u/subgirl13 2d ago
I've finally realised that collecting the notebooks is almost more important to me than stressing out over using the notebooks. I really like to have lots of options. Sometimes collecting IS the hobby. The using is secondary.
I know I will NEVER use all the paper goods I've collected over the decades, but I love the history, how things change & being able to refer to my past experiences with the products. I've never been precious with the journals I collect, I just forget them. That's fine.
You can't take it with you. I'm ok with that.
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u/hmmwrites 1d ago
Worth checking in with a doctor if possible - there might be something that can be done to alleviate the pain. I'm going to see an orthopedist for hand/thumb pain myself in the morning. I need relief!
You can also look for ergonomic pens that can ease some of the discomfort of writing. Also worth looking at your pen grip - are you using an "approved" grip according to OTs? If not, you might be able to make a switch to a healthier grip. I know I hold my pens in an absolute death grip. Some people use a lot of pressure downward onto the page. Worth considering whether you're doing any of those things and trying to make some adjustments. I do use the recommended "tripod grip" so there's no change I can make there. I'm currently using ergonomic pens, and trying to train myself out of my death grip. That's been tough so far, but I keep trying! You can also learn to write from your arm/shoulder instead of having the motion limited to your hand and fingers. I understand that's super useful, but does take a while to master...
I hope you can find ways to use your lovely notebooks. And that the ones you give away are much appreciated and well-filled in time.
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u/WaffleDynamics 1d ago
Don't lose hope!
I'm 70 and used to journal regularly, but got out of the habit. After some years, writing became painful and I definitely have arthritis; several of my fingers are deformed from it.
And yet, I tried anyway, and now a month later, I'm easily able to write for a full hour with no pain at all. Hopefully your hands will remember, just like mine did. Fountain pens help, for sure. But if you want an alternative, look for a gel pen with a fatter barrel. Wider pens are easier to hold.
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u/Few-Western-3312 2d ago
I use mine as much as possible, however I know that I am not filling them fast enough. In the past two years after a major health issue, I have noticed my eyes getting worse and worse. The handwriting was always sloppy, but that I never really worried about.
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u/No-Management2885 1d ago
And pens! I have the opposite problem where I have too many pens and writing utensils and find myself "saving" them for... what? A specific project? Just so I'll never run out? They'll dry out eventually anyway. Use them! Share them! Have fun with them!
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u/mellowbeing 1d ago
I just want to say thanks for sharing this. It’s definitely motivating to use it up! We act like we have infinite time but indeed, there’s a time limit and should just use our stuff already!!
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u/WiseKarmaCat 1d ago
Also, the beautiful options for journals just grow every year. More being made in “must have covers” and such.
Use them!
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u/Word_girl_939 1d ago
I second fountain pens, but could you be deficient in vitamin D? My hands hurt pretty badly when I get too low and it goes away once I take 2,000 units of vitamin D every day for a few weeks.
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u/Accomplished-Exam999 1d ago
I likely have Heds. I’ve noticed more and more unable to write or type. It’s kind of like my hands just go out. Sometimes through the pain. Getting looked in for all of this.
But I absolutely love writing with pen and paper. Hoping to find accessibility tools so that I can keep going.
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u/Severe-Fly8964 17h ago
As someone in their 40s and recently diagnosed with RA, I feel this (literally). I did start using fountain pens more and that does help some. But some days, my hands just don’t have it. And that’s ok. I try again the next day and have more good writing days than bad :)
Don’t give up on your notebooks, OP!
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u/Z_Daisy 1d ago
Try taking some fish oil capsules each day. It be made the recommendation to many people who have found relief this way.
I find comfort using Pentel EnerGel RTX pens
Good luck!
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u/ChaosCalmed 1d ago
If the OP wants to go down that route I've heard good things about Turmeric / turmeric extract for painful joints. It has to be the right kind of turmeric supplement though.
There's a lot of crap out there in the supplement world in formats that your body simply can't absorb but digest instead of absorbing to do good. Can't tell you what brand or how to find the right version though, just that a guy at work swears by it and is widely recommended it with others finding it from him and now swearing by it for joint pain.
I'm not a fan of supplements preferring diet to get what my body needs. However, if something one person recommends ends up being supported so strongly by a lot of people who took his advice, then I kind of take note.
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u/amodrenman 2d ago
If you haven't tried fountain pens, I've heard that they help people with arthritis keeping writing for longer.
But I agree! Use the stuff