How To Take Exceptional Notes and Be Productive with Paper | Hacker News Reader

How To Take Exceptional Notes and Be Productive with Paper

tomtunguz.com

153 pointsttunguz123 comments

I love paper writing, I think it represents one of the very best things of humanity - tool use, abstract thought.

But I really cant disagree with the use of moleskine more. It's paper quality has really gone downhill lately.

So I recommend http://www.leuchtturm1917.com/en - the features are the ones you want (similar to moleskine) and the paper quality is top notch.

Once you have switched to a quality paper, consider using a fountain pen. Aside from the style issues, the pen and writing quality is so awesome. The feel is out of this world, and sends a major signal to other people.

Conversely, I can recommend those generic lab books* with gridded pages. You can find them at any grocery store. They're $3 max, and more durable that recent Moleskines. I also recommend Pilot pens that are <$3 a pop, because they just work, and you'll end up losing it anyway. And they won't leak on you.

I'm not sure what kind of signal it sends to other people, though. I can't find myself to care about that when it comes to what pens and paper I use.

* http://www.phy.ohiou.edu/~rieth/lab_book/cover.jpg

Modern fountain pens don't leak anymore. Plus it adds a bit of fun and drama to writing.

Personally I found that it encouraged me to write more.

Can a lefty safely use a modern fountain pen? I've always stuck to the higher end "mass-market" pens since I end up wearing/smearing the ink of better pens.

You can, but you have to write in that weird lefty trying to be a righty technique like President Obama does.

http://centerforplainlanguage.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10...

"Can a lefty safely use a modern fountain pen?"

The Lamy Safari is pretty Social Democratic. A few of my students actually buy them.

I prefer Uniball Signo 0.7mm myself, can be bought in most high street stationary shops in the UK.

"The Lamy Safari is pretty Social Democratic."

Beautiful, man.

I'm a lefty who uses a lamy safari. I'm pretty darn happy with it and use it every day. Also use noodlers heart of darkness ink which is both a lovely vibrant black, and also adheres to the paper but not my hand!

To add to what the others have said, besides writing overhand (so your hand doesn't drag across what you just wrote), look for smaller nibs, drier inks, as well as more absorbent paper. Anything that will make the ink set faster instead of staying on top of the paper.

Try a quick-drying ink from Noodler's, such as Bernake Blue or Bernake Black. I'm a big fan of the Platinum Preppy with an o-ring to seal the whole body allowing you to fill it with ink—it's dirt cheap and writes very well. I recently picked up a Pilot Metropolitan, slightly more money but again, impressive value and it comes with a converter (which is like a cartridge that lets you refill with your own ink).

I'm not sure what the exact problem is with writing left-handed.

I have been switching between writing right-handed arabic and english all my life with every kind of pen available, it has never been a problem. I never even noticed there's a difference.

Could you recommend a particular fountain pen?

can you go to a stationary store or art supplies that deals in Waterman, Cross, Mont Blanc etc and try a bunch. Mostly they have gold nibs which make the ink flow really nicely, but they all balance and fit your hand differently, and after a while, the nib softens to how you write

jetpens.com, pick up a lamy safari and a couple different nibs of different thicknesses to see what you like best.

There are whole networks of fountain pen afficionatos with reviews, writing samples, etc for pens, paper, and inks. It's amazing. However, if you're starting out, I recommend getting a cheap pen and then move up if you feel the need.

The cheap Pilot Varsity disposable ones are a fantastic starter FP, as they cost about $3, a tenth (or less) of the price of a Good Fountain Pen. Ink isn't changeable, but the leaking is minimal. (They aren't waterproof, though.)

The advantage is, if you decide you don't like it, you aren't stuck with it, and if you lose it or loan it out, no big deal. I also like that Staples tends to sell them in a pack of three colors.

I've also used the Bic one [1]. It's also OK, and is partially waterproof, but its cap drives me bonkers. It's been a long time since I used one, though, as the pads at current employer bleed a bit when I used my fountain pens. I liked writing on the sugarcane spiral bound pads from Staples because they were so smooth.

1: http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/2064...

http://5by5.tv/penaddict has a few episodes discussing this. highly recommended if you like to hear people talk about pens for 40 minutes at a time.

I would actively discourage you from even looking at Mont Blanc. They are the designer pens of the ... uh pen world.

Personally I have enjoyed my Pelikan... german made, huge ink reservoir and as far as these things go not excessively expensive.

Also as many others have pointed out, disposable pens let you get used to the fountain pen world first.

I have a carbon fibre and silver Caran D'Arche. It cost me GB£ 500 seven years ago, and I use it daily. It, and my watch (a Breitling Navitimer) are the only things I've ever bought where I was able to perfectly balance utility, quality and aesthetics, and hence didn't care less about the cost.

The point is that what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another.

Lamy Safari + Noodler's ink + a Z24 converter

Lamy Safari. I own and have used many much more expensive pens, but Lamy Safari (fine nib) is still my favourite.

Pilot pens don't leak, except when you go on airplanes. Be careful.

If you fill a fountain pen completely before air travel, it shouldn't leak (no air inside to act as a pressure differential). Also keep the pen pointing tip up.

Yup this, I havent ever had a fountain pen leak during air travel.

I've had this happen to me with a parker fountain pen. It never ever leaks under any circumstance other than air travel.

I'm talking about Pilot brand pens. http://www.staples.com/Pilot-Precise-V5-Needle-Rollerball-Pe...

I've spent the past 8 years (just finished 6 years at university), trying to convince others to hop on grided paper. Probably the single most important part of my note taking strategy.

Still can't get myself to move to pens though.

Which Pilot pens would you recommend? I find the gel pens bleed across the paper unless I blow on my writing for a few minutes on Moleskin paper.

I like the Pilot "Precise V5" rollerball pens, and I use them a lot, and they hardly ever leak --- except they do seem to leak with significant probability if I carry them on an airplane. Possibly that's the source of your disagreement about leaks.

I'm not a fan of the lab books — they don't lie flat enough for me — but I do like my gridded notebook (high-quality company swag notebook courtesy of ipHouse). When that notebook fills, I'm not sure what I'll use to replace it.

I also really like Zebra F-301 (and compatible) pens. Inexpensive enough to justify easily buying (and buying again when I lose them), good enough to be worth buying refills for. I keep at least a black one, and often blue, everywhere I am likely to need a pen (home desk, work desk, bag). And the F-301 Compact is often in my pocket when I don't have my bag with me.

I was a little unimpressed with Moleskine paper when I bought one of their notebooks a few years ago. Now I use artists' sketch books (Rowney, Daler, Bright White of Brighton in the UK). Paper around 100 g/m^2 is a good balance between taking any form of ink/pencil and getting a reasonable number of pages in a book.

I'm not very systematic though...

Picadilly notebooks are about half the price of Moleskines, and none of my friends can tell the difference: http://www.amazon.com/Piccadilly-Essential-Notebook-Medium-B...

Notes are supposed to be short. If you're writing so much that it would actually make sense to use a fountain pen, you're better off typing it.

And what is this "major signal" that it sends to others? That you're out of touch? That your pens cost more money? That you're pretentious?

I dunno, I recently bought a fountain pen and have been using it everywhere. It's just nicer and easier to write with. Short notes, long notes, journals, books, whatever.

Typing and writing long-hand produce different kinds of prose for me. I like to alternate. My typed prose is a bit jerkier, with a higher density of facts or points, while my long-hand prose has a more conversational flow.

And my hands start to ache if I use a ballpoint too long. Ever tried taking 5 hours of notes at a math conference with a crappy ballpoint? And live-texing is fine until you've got more pictures than text...

So that's another thing, a larger, heavier pen actually reduces hand pain.

Did you know that Neal Stephenson wrote Cryptonomicon mostly with a fountain pen? Seems to work well for some people.

That is exactly parent's point: a fountain pen makes sense for long-form constant writing, but not for short burst, sporadic note-taking.

No, that was just the first premise, the point was "you're better off typing it". They were implying that a fountain pen is a waste because it's only useful in situation you should be avoiding.

I think the parent you your post is a very valid criticism when paired with this sibling: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6407094

To be exact, he started with the Baroque Cycle (http://www.ericaustinlee.com/2008/10/neal-stephensons-writin...).

He did? So what.

The "major signal" is that you take your writing serious enough to invest in proper tools. Not a big deal in itself, but every subtle signal tells others that you are solid, and down to business. If you are worried about seeming too pretentious, if someone makes a comment about your pen, just casually mention that they are making a comeback, or something about it not being expensive. For example, some of the lower end Parker ones (Jotter, Frontier, Urban) are around the $20 mark.

Other things that send signals, include the way you dress (don't have to wear a tux everywhere you go, but wear clothes that fit, and have a sturdy look to them). Also it is helpful to work on your speaking skills, so that you speak with inflection and purpose. For example, listen to the difference between a radio host, and call in listeners.

Yes exactly this. Social signals matter.

To go a bit more meta, the question is, who are you? Who do you want to be? Who do you want people to perceive you as?

Using a fountain pen hits all the highlights to these questions.

Besides, it's just plain old COOL to be using a writing technology that is over 200 years old. The quality pens feel amazing, and encourage additional note taking for me.

Another advantage to paper notes: They arent searchable. Yup you heard me, NOT SEARCHABLE. Oh wait, you say, I want to search my notes... so I put everything in email. Then I get fired. And my boss owns my private notes. Oops.

It's definitely not "cool" to use a fountain pen.

"Because it makes me look cool" is not a good reason to switch pens.

reminds me of this: http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2009/02/24/122-moleskine-not...

The bound notebook thing is totally a silly hipster retro fetish. Ringed binders make so much more sense for notes and planning. Insert, remove, and rearrange pages as needed. Bind in irregular bits of paper with those plastic sheet protectors. Add labeled dividers as needed. Add computer printouts!

The only thing to use a bound notebook for is a chronological journal.

I mostly take notes during meetings, which tend to happen in a chronological order.

When I was in school, subject-wise yes I used looseleaf paper. Man it's sad when you lose a sheet...

People said the same thing 6 years ago, but then it wasn't hipsters.

I don't like having to hold a notebook open with two hands during a meeting. So I skip the Moleskine that doesn't fold over on itself (though I appreciate the Evernote edition), and go with a Japanese graph paper notebook that has a spiral binding, micro perf pages you can tear out and hand someone, tiny faint graph lines, and exquisite writing feel:

* Maruman Mnemosyne Inspiration Notebook, 5mm Squared *

Read a review here, covering how the paper interacts with pens, with an example of using the notebook for wireframe mockups: http://penaddict.com/blog/2009/5/13/review-maruman-mnemosyne...

Amazon in USA charges way too much: http://www.amazon.com/Maruman-Mnemosyne-Inspiration-Grid-6-3...

There also JetPens, also way too much: http://www.jetpens.com/Maruman-Mnemosyne-Inspiration-Noteboo...

I find these at a local Jerry's Artarama. They carry Maruman paper pads for speciality art media, and don't mind stocking the graph pads as well. By having it a regular stock item, it ends up under $5 a pad.

I couldn't agree more. Moleskine paper quality is poor. I prefer Field Notes Brand for my pocket notebooks.

Also Jet Pens for a large selection of high-quality pens to write with.

I use Muji notebooks. They're cheap and the perfect size for me. They have a store in SoMa SF.

http://www.muji.us/store/stationery/notebooks/recycled-paper...

The Leuchtturm1917 is a very quality book. I switched from Moleskine myself and can't go back. The pre-numbered pages and table of contents is a life-saver. And the paper quality is somewhere in the realm of where Moleskine likely started at (I remember them being quite good at one point).

The way I use note-taking on pen-and-paper is not so much to stay organized as it is to train my thinking. I tend to be a lateral thinker and taking notes is a way of capturing thoughts as they come to me so that I can refine them and learn to organize them. I have found that in the >5-6 years I've been following the practice that I tend to collect my thoughts in streams now compared to when I started when my thoughts were much more sporadic.

Genuinely curious, what signal do you think it sends? I typically put a lot thought into my physical stuff, but I do not have any connotation, positive or negative, regarding fountain pen usage. If I saw a person using a fountain pen, I would probably think, "That person must like pens. Cool." and that would be about the extent of it.

The best notebooks I've found yet I stumbled upon in stationary stores in Greece. They are A5, 50 sheets, with flexible covers and small grids. And cost ~1.5 euro each (I bought 10 of them). They are school notebooks, similar to the composition notebooks we have, except a little thiner, with soft covers, and slightly smaller. I don't know where to get them elsewhere (this looks similar, but no guarantee: http://www.kapsis.gr/product.php?products_id=4127), but I wish I could - the size, page count, flexibility (they'll lie flat, can have the covers folded back) is better than anything I've used, and they don't cost $10 each (or $20+ for some of the ridiculous ones). Cheap enough that I use them for everything, but nice enough that numerous people have asked where they can get them. I just wish someone would import them / make a similar product here :)

This is awesome. Whenever I don't feel like getting things done (i.e. I feel like procrastinating) one of the best ways is to go do research on methods of getting things done ;)

I prefer to read comment threads about articles discussing how to get things done. That's where the real insight is.

I like to take notes of things that people mention in articles that will help me, such as websites for pens, and what kind of notebooks to buy.

I've been trying to "go backwards" with my note taking and writing in general. I've been using OneNote on my workstation and/or Evernote on my smart phone (HTC One at the moment).

Recently I upgraded my note-taking tools from Moleskine + Sharpie Pen to Midori Traveler's Notebook + Fountain Pen / Blackwing 602 Pencil. I also carry a couple of Field Notes on the go; you just don't know when that next-big-thing-idea will strike you. I make sure to capture it in ink when I catch it!

I found out that I am more inspired to write/take notes when I have better writing tools. Here's my current "system": https://twitter.com/ProductivityBit/status/38016214069634662...

Agreed. There's an emotional reward I get from not only writing with my Namiki Vanishing Point fountain pen on a nice piece of Rhodia paper, but also from seeing a clean and well-organized task list or set of notes written with good penmanship. That emotional reward really helps reinforce and perpetuate good habits, and it's something that's sorely lacking from working with electronic solutions.

That being said, my phone is much better at automating my repeating reminders.

> not only writing with my Namiki Vanishing Point fountain pen on a nice piece of Rhodia paper

> That emotional reward really helps reinforce and perpetuate good habits

Please take note of the fact that a large part of the "emotional reward" is the fact that you use a Brand Name fountain pen on a Brand Name paper.

In my opinion, the "good habit" that rich people like you should reinforce is charity and not generating happiness just from the fact you're able to purchase premium vanity objects.

One thing at a time.

Also, buying expensive items is not touted as a good habit, but as a mean to perpetuate a good habit.

Charity is a very good habit, and there are other ways to reinforce charity. Having a better personal life because of awesome note-taking could be an enabler.

What a hilariously irrelevant, tangential, presumptuous response. You must be fun at cocktail parties. Do you also tell people about how they shouldn't enjoy their shoes because they were stitched up by some poor sap in a sweatshop? I hear that goes over like gangbusters too.

MarlonPro, if you're ever in the market for a new or replacement fountain pen, check out the Lamy Safari[1]. I have written with very expensive (OMAS, MtBlanc, Caran D'Ache, ...) fountain pens and the Lamy Safari is better than most (and dirt cheap!). http://www.lamyusa.com/fountain_main_safari.php

@RokStdy I have the Lamy Al-Star Black Special Edition filled with Noodler's Black Bulletproof ink! FTW!

One data point (me): Try one of the cheaper Pelikan fountain pens. I like the Safari, but my Pelikan is way smother (but x3 the price)

>I found out that I am more inspired to write/take notes when I have better writing tools.

Very interesting. I worry that I'd be affected in the opposite way - if my paper is too nice, I wouldn't want to waste it on notes with marginal value, whereas if the paper is crummy copy paper, I have no reservations in scrawling all over it.

Do many people's minds really work like that? You are struck by a great idea out of the blue, and then you lose it minutes later?

If I think of something important, I will generally remember it for a long time. It's only things like errands ("What did I need again...? Oh yes, butter") that I tend to forget.

"You are struck by a great idea out of the blue, and then you lose it minutes later?"

Not Great Ideas, no.

But faint echoes, suddenly noticed connections, things that 'ring a bell', yes, I can lose those. And I need to 'listen to faint signals' in teaching.

Think little used synaptic pathway glowing for 30 seconds then dimming...

So I have an A6 notebook and pen around.

I would say not great ideas, but small ones. One's I'd like to revisit in 6 months' time and mull over, connect the dots, etc.

I've been keeping a "sparks" log (can't remember where I read this, somewhere on HN) where I just jot down small ideas for side projects, etc. when I have them.

Then when I have some free time, I pick an idea off the list and try working on it.

You might be talking about the "Spark File" https://medium.com/better-humans/8d6e7df7ae58

Yup, that's it!

> Do many people's minds really work like that? You are struck by a great idea out of the blue, and then you lose it minutes later?

I've found that as I've gotten older (and more busy) it's really important to keep notes. In my younger years I was more mentally agile and also more single-focused, and I got away with being not-very-rigorous with note taking (either digital or analog).

I think you would be amazed at the sheer quantity of stuff that you forget. Looking back at old journals is always surprising and fascinating, even the stuff that back then seemed mundane. Writing is a way of augmenting one's working memory. Things that would otherwise flow off like water on a duck get another chance.

This is not at all about taking notes? It is about managing todos and events on paper?

Does anybody have a good system for taking notes during a meeting on paper? I prefer digital tools, but recently I've been doing many presentations with screen-sharing, where I cannot type at my computer.

I use a system similar to the Bullet Journal for notes during meetings. I label the top of the page with the meeting name and the date. Then, I take notes with check boxes next to every line that requires me to do something (even if that means reminding someone else to do something). If you want to incorporate it into your digital note taking, just check off each line as you transfer it (or use arrows or something similar).

My hand is cramping just watching this video.

I think the sped-up version of this video masks how much time this takes to get this thing up and running, and how error prone it is.

Also, if you have terribly messy, atrophied handwriting skills like me, you are going to have a bad time.

Or if you are left-handed. I like the looks I get, but writing left-handed just isn't fun. Everything, from the way English is written to how notebooks are constructed, is designed around writing right-handed.

Play around with some different pens until you find one you enjoy writing with. Play around with some different notebooks/papers until you find one of those you enjoy too. It can be harder for us lefties to have fun, but it's only impossible if you've given up my friend.

I'm not left handed, and have never tried this, but you might take notes in mirrored writing, like Da Vinci did, and then flip the image when you scan it. Learning shorthand might also help.

I'm left handed. I've tried mirror writing and I was amazed at how easily and quickly I picked it up. The problem is that _reading_ mirrored writing is a lot harder, especially cursive writing. It's difficult to stop interpreting the shapes from left to right, it's hard to see where a letter starts and ends. You have to completely relearn whole-word reading, from the level of a 5 year old, it feels like.

One benefit of the mirror writing is that my regular writing looks better. I'm paying more attention to the shapes I make while writing (as a sort of low-priority, automatic background task).

Notebooks work perfectly fine if you fill them from back to front.

Notebooks rarely need to be this organized. If I switched to the Bullet Journal system, I'd spend more time setting up pages and copying notes than I did getting actual work done.

For time-related tasks and events, I have used Day-Planners, Franklin-Covey planners, and PlannerPads. I pick one with enough space for the notes I usually make each day. This saves me the trouble of creating the month index pages.

For general notes, I have used regular blank notebooks, with an index page in the front. When I refer to some notes I took more than once or twice, I add a line to the index page, with some title and the page number. That makes it easy to find it again.

I use a similar system. Very simple.

For paper to digital, I'm recommending http://whitelines.se/link/

I solve the "people think I'm doing email" problem by telling people: "I'm taking notes, not checking email" :-) Especially at interviews, so they know I'm really paying attention.

I could duplicate this system in Microsoft Word and save tremendous time typing. If I'm emailing in your meeting, then most likely the meeting or my full attention is not needed.

see also "The Cornell Note-taking System" http://lsc.cornell.edu/LSC_Resources/cornellsystem.pdf

I have found that for me, Workflowy provides an excellent platform for taking notes and is great for organization. Its simplicity is actually a key feature. I find I miss having certain features sometimes such as being able to link between different lists but really, it starts to get complicated once you include these features.

Workflowy just works.

That looks so great! I'm going to give it a try!

http://coe.jmu.edu/learningtoolbox/cornellnotes.html

A4 laser printed Cornell note taking paper in a binder works for me. It's also quick to mark up the pages in a bound notepad (2 lines).

Reviewing, revising, and summarizing are the keys. The problem with taking notes on the computer is that it's "in there" so it rarely gets edited.

That act of touching the notes again reinforces the information in our brains which is why it's part of an educational notetaking system.

I think she would've been just as successful had she transferred her paper notes into the computer and edited and summarized from there.

ob. org-mode

If you're looking for a notebook that's made specifically for this kind of thing, I'd check out the Action Method series from Creative's Outfitter. They all use high-quality materials, and many of them have task lists built in:

http://www.creativesoutfitter.com/products/100/action-method

But if you just want a blank notebook, I've never found anything I like better than the Dot Grid Book. It's amazing:

http://www.creativesoutfitter.com/product/34/dot-grid-book

Was checking to see if someone had put this out there. Avid user of the Action Books, highly recommended.

My only big hangup with paper notes is that they aren't digitally backed up. I always end up re-copying everything into EverNote and throwing the paper notes away.

Any suggestions on how to easily backup handwritten notes online?

I believe EverNote has some sort of a 'smart notebook' which is a digitally backed up Moleskine.

If a large number of people were using a given note system (eg bullet notes), there might be a good business idea there:

- You mail us your full notebook

- We digitize it

- It's available in a searchable web interface that understands the semantics of your note-taking system.

- We recycle the paper.

Mailing means a dark period when when you no longer have your notes with you but still can't see them online. IMHO that would have been acceptable when you needed a scanner but is hard to justify now compared to the immediacy of taking photos with a phone.

Still, there may be a place for mailing old notes in bulk, ones you barely touch but can't make yourself just throw out.

"Evernote Smart Notebook by Moleskine: Fill this book with ideas and sketches, then let the Evernote mobile app bring them to your computer, phone and tablet with a simple snapshot."

http://evernote.com/moleskine/

I've used the EchoPen, and really love it. It records synced audio along with your written notes, and digitizes both of them. You can back them up on your computer or with Evernote etc.

If you're throwing the notes away, why not erasable board (http://www.theinfinitybinder.com) or digitizing tablets/pens?

I went to www.bulletjournal.com but I can't find a link to download their app. =)

But seriously, I'm going to try this. I've been doing paper notes forever because I can never find an organizer app that fits me.

This isn't really note taking, it's task scheduling. I was hoping for a guide to taking better notes so I can go back to an event quickly and remember what was said.

I find it astounding that someone went to the effort of making that video. Of the people who do use paper, who doesn't work like this, or do something very similar?

I don't. I love working with paper, but I have zero organization. So I end up with stacks of uneven paper pieces with notes all over the place.

For me this post has been really helpful. I am going to try this system out!

p.s. I have always found funny the sort of passive disdain organized people have for those that are not organized. As though organization is something that should be innate in everybody.

I am deeply disorganised myself. Without keeping track of things I'd be all over the place. I find the tactility of paper beats computer-based organisation solutions hands down.

But once you have a notepad in front of you I can't really see any other way of doing it, especially for someone with a technical type of brain. You need date headings, you need bullet points for items, you need tasks to check off, you need a way of representing ticked-off-ness and a way to carry tasks forward. The problem kind of defines the solution automatically.

I have a simplified version of this type of bullet point system, but this is more fleshed out. I will be trying this.

I went through a couple moleskines, cahiers too. Tried the Lamy Safari, the TWSBI, the Signo Bit, the Sliccis, etc. There's something to be admired there but I've moved on. Bic ballpoints on 32lb printer paper on a clipboard is simplest way for me to write. No ink reservoirs, no scratchy nibs, no bleed-through. I never run out of room. It's simple and it works.

It's funny that I read the title and immediately thought "Paper" was some new app or project on Github.

Well, to be fair, it is - http://www.fiftythree.com/paper (Not new, but an app, and an awesome one at that)

Out of curiosity, my company is "green" and getting them to buy non-recycled notebooks is like getting them to give me six months of vacation. Anybody know of high quality recycled notebooks, all the ones I've used are very "meh".

http://www.ecosystemlife.com/products/detail/architect/

I use the plain-page version, but this might work with the 'bullet journal' technique. Unless the boxes are too small...

Absolutely exactly what I've been looking for. Just ordered a couple of them. Thanks!

I love writing on the "Sustainable Earth" notebooks from Staples [1]. The only thing I dislike is that the pages are perforated so they tear more easily than I'd prefer in a long-term notebook.

At only a few dollars, I don't feel bad scribbling on one or two pages, and then tearing them out and re-writing them more neatly afterwards. The paper is made mainly of recycled sugar cane, and is an absolute joy to write on. They also sell printer paper of the same.

1: http://www.staples.com/sustainable+earth+notebook/directory_...?

This sugarcane paper is also excellent at handling fountain pen inks. Very good deal for any fountain pen users!

That's why I originally bought it -- and discovered that it was amazing. The form factor of the notebooks (hard covers, spiralbound) are great as well- my only wish is that I could buy ones that were not perforated for easy tearing, or ones with a grid.

Shorthand also works for me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-b3rF3KSBk

Ah I just discovered BulletedJournal :) and here it is on HackerNews, nice.

It helps a great deal that he has short video and exceptionally well made website as well.

I don't know too much about Emacs' org-mode, but it looks like this is org-mode on paper. :)

Org-mode is great, but I think there's validity to his point that taking notes on a laptop during meetings (especially with external people) can come across as rude.

Running emacs on a tablet might alleviate this a bit (if you've got it flat on the table in front of you, at least people can see you're taking notes and not emailing / chatting). However, getting emacs / org-mode on my Android tablet has proven a bit challenging.

Meh, I think taking hand-written notes and typing them up later will be as fast as this and also be more searchable.

For meeting minutes that I need to take handwritten notes, I always put them in org-mode.

I was thinking the same thing. I don't use paper for note/task taking (more for journalling). I use org-mode for that stuff.

Would be interesting if there was a nice script to capture a BulletJournal spread and translate it to an org-mode entry...

The big takeaway from this for me is the checkboxes.

Otherwise, this is basically how I work.

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