Comment by hknmtt | Hacker News Reader

Comment by hknmtt | Hacker News Reader

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I have started to journal last month. I came to it through pens when I randomly decided to find a good pen when I got interested in it through some youtube videos(wow, YT actually working as intended, for once). To anyone interested, Pentel Energel 0.7mm is the best gel pen in the entire world, hands down. For oil-based ink, it would be Uniball Jetstream, i guess(i am gel guy). I always wanted to journal and thought it would be great to be able to read my worldviews, problems and daily life from years ago. But I just never did. Anyway, second month in, I must say, i love it. Not because of writing about some interesting philosophical topics, but rather because it allows the brain to dump all that chaos out(onto the paper) and allows me to focus more or just be chill in general. It literally frees your thinking. Like clearing up your RAM. I would never thought this would be the main effect but it is. If anyone wants to try, I recommend getting a notebook with 100gsm blank paper. They are hard to get though. Mostly you will find either dotted paper or 70-80gsm. Do not compromise on the density, dots vs lines vs grid vs blank is personal preference. Preferable is black pen over blue one, but again, PP. Blank pages impose no restrictions on you in regards to formatting though. There are well price notebooks on aliexpress, look for dot ding, legendary notebooks or paperideas. Soft or hard cover is personal preference as well. Format, A5 is the best/most practical. If you go with A6, note that most items are actually close to A7 so make sure you buy a correctly sized one. And smooth PU leather cover will catch fingerprints, so go mesh or rougher PU surface. As for hand writing, the slower you write, the prettier it will be. You have to find your own tempo where you are satisfied with speed and the look of the letters.

If anyone is interested in a great utility pencil, look at the Pentel Twist-Erase GT. Replaceable eraser, super long lead tip, comfortable grip.

I have a preference for graph paper because I can place any idea anywhere on the page exactly where I want it to go. I only use one side of the paper so I don't have to flip back and forth between pages to remember what I wrote.

Using looseleaf paper and a central folder might be more viable for some people vs. a notebook. A nice, new, specially ordered blank notebook can be intimidating to write in. You also have to keep track of a journal to use it. Looseleaf paper is a much smaller mental investment to get the habit started - you can just throw it away if you mess up.

> Pentel Energel 0.7mm is the best gel pen in the entire world

I love definitive reviews like this.

I tried Zebra Sarasa, Pentel Energel, Pilot G-2, Comix, Bic Gelocity, Bic Gelocity Quickdry(indeed they are very different inks), Muji, Sharpie S-Gel, Unibal Signo,... probably even more, but Energel indeed is in a league of its own. I would put Bic Gelocity Quickdry as close second. Which surprised me. Though their pen cases suck(rattling noise while writing, changing writing angle can mitigate this). Also not all tip sizes are equal. Pilot G-2 0.7mm writes like Pentel 0.5mm for example. You have to find the one you like the best and it mostly comes down to your preferred tip size. To me, 0.5mm or 0.35mm will always be scratchy, no matter how smooth the ink is. 1mm can be good but 0.7mm is just the sweet spot for me. Also not all black are equal. I think Zebra wins here. Uniball is the worst(can become almost gray).

YMMV.

Then see Aaron Hsu's fountain pen reviews:

https://www.sacrideo.us/a-quick-review-of-the-diplomat-nexus...

The way this reads is pretty hysterical. I believe he's on here as user "arcfide".

I agree on his choice, I took the time to test all pencils in several stationary stores in Japan. (albeit in 2008)

Do you have any recommendations for getting over the friction of starting? Like, suggestions of what to write about if you're unsure what's worth putting to paper. I'm sure I'd have plenty to write once I got started, but an empty notebook is intimidating!

I do stream of consciousness writing and aim to fill out a page of A4 — so just whatever comes to mind, usually starting with today is x date and I am sat in y place and so on...

Fully agree with the parent comment about it being like clearing out RAM!

Firstly, do not take the notebook as something sacred. Especially if it is hardcover, you might see it as more valuable than a simple notebook you would use in school. It is not. You can buy a simple softcover with 20 sheets in it to give it a try and not feel like you are wasting "good notebook". But you will soon realize that it feels not worthy of your thoughts and time. You will want to write into something better to give it more meaning. Hence, go for something better right away. As for what to write, literally anything. What gained your attention during your day, what angered you, what was good, some philosophical topics you were pondering or some conclusions you came to during your day. Long or short, it does not matter. This is one of those things where "just do it" is the answer. After couple of days you will settle into it and start forming your own style of what to write, when, how... Personally I have added two aspects to my writing - I always put a date before I start writing if the date has changed form last entry and I draw a border round it to make it visually distinguishable. And I also highlight the main words that the entry is about by underscoring it. Like a hashtag on twitter. This allows me to browse pages and quickly see when i wrote and what i wrote about.

I have also ordered an A6 "pocket" notebook where I want to write one or two sentences or just key words per entry as condensed conclusions to my thoughts or sayings or quotes i heard or read. It should be this condensed book of knowledge and philosophy where long form is not exactly suitable for it.

PS: in my first month, i wrote a lot because there was a lot on my mind. But after a while your brains gets a bit quieter because you are doing this "exercise" and you will go through a short phase where you will be looking for something to write about. That might last a week or two until you settle into the habit and write only when you feel like it. I kinda miss writing when I have nothing to write about so sometimes i just write meaningless thoughts just for the sake of writing. Not all the time, just sometimes.

My first entry was like "Welcome to thunderrabbit's journal! Today is April 11, 1987 and I just had a fun experience that I want to remember..."

Journaling off and on since 1987, I have a few rules for myself when journaling:

1. Write the time, day of week, date, month, and year for every entry.

2. Don't worry about lapses in writing. Just write a new entry when I can.

3. Allow my topics to be spontaneous. I sometimes have a structure I'd like to use, but allow freedom in any moment.

4. Relish mistakes, smears, stains on the paper by labeling them, e.g. "tea stain while studying with Akane" (real example!)

5. Just enjoy the process of writing.

To avoid the intimidation factor, skip the notebook. Use the back sides of printed pages. Use cheap scribbler-type notebooks, if you can buy them where you live. And play with a few pens. I prefer fountain pens, and you can buy some very good ones for under $20, perhaps under $10. If you get a reloadable fountain pen, then you can save on the waste of plastic cartridges, and buy bottles of ink, which is where the fun starts.

As to what you ought to write, maybe start by transcribing some of your favourite poems, song lyrics, quotations, etc. Don't wait until you have some "big thoughts" that are "worthy" of a fancy notebook. Your first step is to see if it feels lie fun to you.

I like to date and place entries, good for todo lists, recipes, experiments, interviews or lectures (fun facts), any idea that makes you laugh for longer than a minute solid, etc. oh and doodles/sketches. Artistic talent not required for personal amusement

I keep a big notebook (12" x 9" I think) that I write quotations I like in, with a fountain pen. I try to transcribe one quotation per day, from a computer file of such quotations. This keeps my hand in with respect to handwriting, keeps my fountain pen from drying up, and doesn't take too much time.

I also keep a journal, but I do that on computer because I value being able to electronically search it.

I've written in notebooks for many years (mainly write-only, like perl). I think the key thing to remember is that no one is going to read or judge your notes, so literally write anything.

Shopping lists, random thoughts, UML-like diagrams of code, sketches of possible art pieces, knots, etc. Just anything.

I am left-handed and the Energel has totally changed my life— it’s the best pen I’ve ever had. I have recently come to believe Pentel is (pardon the cliche) the Apple of writing instruments. They’ve simply PM’d the hell out of their product over time, and it really shows.

Lefty here as well. I always preferred the precision and consistency of a 0.5mm mechanical pencil over any type of pen. The option to easily erase a mistake is pretty nice. And the option to write from very faint to fairly heavy comes in handy.

you could try pilot frixion that uses ink that you can erase with rubber end of the pen because the ink is heat-sensitive.

Also a lefty and I agree wholeheartedly. I stockpile them because I'm worried they'll be discontinued and I'll be back to smudged ink on everything.

oh, just You wait until You discover the wonderful new old world of fountain pens and inks ;-)

Already got 4 on order :D But the Energel will be hard to beat. Even on practicality side of things. I think we have figured out the modern gel pens and they are just so good that i doubt fountain pens will be able to compete even on smoothness of writing. But i want to give it a try just for fun.

The answer will probably be "it depends". On smoothness, fountain pens have the edge in that mechanically, a fountain pen is just a very smooth ball of metal that's being constantly lubricated by a controlled leak of ink through capilary action. With some decent enginnering and manufacturing (caveat : both of these cost money), this will be hard to beat when it comes to pure friction.

When it comes to practicality... Let's say one does not buy a fountain pen to be practical ;-) These things are fairly maintenance heavy and prone to accidents. There's a reason they have been superseded by several other pen types these days.

Fountain pen is a tool from a different era. One that excels at putting ink on paper in a very comfortable / stylish / craftsman manner...

But, only the Mitsubishi Uniball Jetstream SXN-210, not the SXN-150.

Join the Signo RT 0.38mm cult. Embrace the tiny font.

I really loved these (.38 specifically) back in college, but they’d start skipping within a matter of weeks. Maybe I was just applying too much pressure?

Haven't had issues. I barely touch the paper though.

0.28 is the only way to go.

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