Chameleon

For a week in October, I’m having one of my multiple personality weeks.

On Sunday the 7th of October, I will be attending the London Pen Show for Nero’s Notes. It will be a very busy day talking notebooks, ink, pens and pencils with like-minded people. I’ll be dressed causally, or possibly even eccentrically and be having a load of fun.

On Monday morning, I shall don my suit and severest look (I may even furrow my brow) and visit a client for Lime Training and Consultancy Ltd in London. I’ll be talking anti money laundering and testing policies and procedures. In the evening, I’ll by jumping on a train to Wales, to visit another branch of the same company on Tuesday. Then, I’ll make the short hop to Bristol for a similar exercise on Wednesday, that will culminate in me delivering a workshop to counter-staff in the evening. Thursday, I’ll return to London to prepare for Friday, where I will be delivering a presentation at a conference, before attending a gala dinner.

Throughout Monday to Friday, I will be observing, taking notes in my corporate mode. My clients are all relaxed, but I suspect they would not be comfortable with me wearing bright patterned golf knickers and a t-shirt. Nor will I be carrying a big bag full of notebooks and a massive pencil case.

My black Endless Recorder will fit the look, no problem, but I am thinking about whether I would like to use a notebook specifically for the week. I will take legions of notes, and I don’t want to complete my bullet journal with corporate notes.

I want something that is conservative without being boring. Distinctive without being loud.

I think I’ve cracked it.

Pen. My Lamy 2000. Sleek, black and silver. A design classic. It will be loaded with Murasaki-Shikibu by Iroshizuku, an appealing purple.

Notebook. Bread, by Poach my Lobster. The cover is velum embossed with a quote from Cervantes. That’s a little bit cool. On the back is a tiny red shiny lobster. You have to love that. Inside, the paper is 100 gsm and loves ink and graphite. Plain paper allows me to be free-form, taking notes, drawing sketches, whatever I please. 202mm by 128mm is a lovely form factor too. Big enough to write in with a fountain pen, small enough to sit easily in the hand as I walk from place to place.