Rohdesign Weblog: Paper Planner Longings: “Yesterday, the latest Franklin-Covey catalog appeared in our mailbox, activating a curious longing for the paper planner days of old. I admit it � I miss the feeling of writing on paper, handling a nice leather binder � the physicality of keeping my time, addresses and notes in the old fashioned way.
Now, before you load up your fingers for a retort, I know all of the good reasons to use an electronic planner, particularly, how do you back up a paper planner? I like how Palm Desktop works on the Mac and how my Tungsten E functions as a portable copy of my PIM and other data.
Maybe it’s the emotion of a paper planner butting up against the logic and practicality of my Mac and Palm handheld that I was experiencing. Fortunately, as an artist and designer, I get a daily fix of writing on paper, by sketching concepts and writing notes about projects in my sketchbook.”
I know what Mike means. Every so often, I get nostalgic for my old paper planner, writing longhand with a really fine-quality pen. Anyone else miss the analog world?
4 Comments
I still haven’t found a method of taking notes on the PDA that rivals an 8.5 x 11in paper. My need for a combination of sketches and paper drives some of my dissatisfaction with the current state of hardware (that’s if one wanted a “real” reason from me, aside from lust for shiny new things.) I also like writing on the margins in books as well, albeit in ball-point pen or pencil. When using blank paper, I like my Wasserman fountain pen.
However, I’ve had some trouble with ink running free. I don’t know what it is, but invariably all pens I own tear small fibers from the paper, clogging the tip. Ink width increases. I hate thick lines, since I try to write small characters. So I’m certainly glad I get typewritten notes out of using PDAs.
If I did take minor paper notes (tasks, appointments, and so forth), I would, and have, fill up my pockets with these combustibles. Surprisingly, I develop a physical memory of the papers in relation to one another, making it relatively fast for me to find something. Staring at a screen (PDA or computer), I am hard pressed to remember what program I want to use to write something down before I forget. For some reason, I want to decide where things go before I start writing, although I’ve set up a ShadowPlan, default tasks list that should work like Slap. It’s my default outline also, and yet I don’t really use it to the fullest.
Overall, I just wish it were paper-easy to write and jot with on the PDA. Not having Fitaly definitely hampers data entry, although TealScript has made my life easier. Strange how I still remember Graffiti after a 2 year hiatus - I couldn’t stand Graffiti 2.
Jeff, thanks for the mention! I appreciate it very much.
I have, BTW, decided to go electronic for my business journal (which I’ve started a few days ago), for the simple reason that I can access all those notes with a search. I really wanted to go paper, but for the purpose, I think a basic typed text document works better.
Now, for personal journal I’m staying analog with a book and pen. I have no need to search or find actions there, so that allows me to enjoy the analog experience fully. And of course I’ll always have my Miquelrius sketchbook and Moleskine note and sketchbooks too.
So, I think in the end it really depends heavilly on the purpose you seek, and that paper and electronic methods can both be excellent choices, depending upon your purpose.
Sometimes using paper is faster. When I’m sitting in meetings where people are jumping all over the calendar, picking the best dates for different projects, I find my PDA to be too slow. Jumping to the “second weekend in October”, then back to the next end-of-month is faster when I have a paper calendar in front of me. I can see entire months at a time. (And actually see what is happening on which day, without going ‘into’ that day.) Later, I enter the information into the PDA were it belongs.
I had to smile when I read your comment because I just got my Franklin-Covey catalog as well, and felt a little tug, as I looked at all the new binders and filler papers. I absolutely love my Tungsten E, but do miss the feel of a pen in my hands, feeling the pen glide along the paper and the smell of the leather binder. Nice to know there are other people out there who feel the same way.
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