Unintentionally Crafting A Unique Notebook. A "Commonplace Book".

[@ChristophFreiburger]

It's so refreshing. If you have been following this channel for a long time, then you have a picture in your head of the nature and the way the "productivity guru" Carl Pullen ticks like that. He has always been enthusiastic and motivating, but you can feel a sincere love on the subject of pen and paper. Technology and manual labour, modern and tried and tested are not mutually exclusive, but complement each other. For me, this is a great example of authenticity on a KZbin channel!

[@Carl_Pullein]

Aww thank you, Christoph. It's true; I've always loved pen and paper, yet I really wanted technology to work. Last year, I realised that was not going to work. So, I decided to see what I could do to bring the two together. It's been so much fun.

[@Boog555]

Well said!

[@Boog555]

Carl, this is a great new tack you've taken on the channel and I continue to enjoy it! Thanks! I suspect that many of us have been needing to find a way to make space for both digital and analog ways; I know I do and I am enjoying finding out what works well for me. You are a great example.

[@Carl_Pullein]

@@Boog555 Thank you, Jeff. It is a very interesting topic that I feel brings benefits. The biggest of which is slowing me down so I can think.

[@KevinWeatherwalks]

It is refreshing! So excited to see your personality shine through in this video, Carl!

[@ateliercng.poteries]

I discovered you yesterday and you are for me a source of freshness. I feel less alone with my fountain pen and notebook during my pro meetingdms. Thanks for your channel

[@Carl_Pullein]

Thank you, Christine. Glad you enjoy these videos. 🙏

[@LyGamezz]

As a fountain pen enthusiast myself I have switched everything to Leuchturm. That paper is godlike for notebooks. Yes Midori is amazing ( I have two) but it doesn’t lie flat, that’s a must for me. My commonplace is always a softbound cover whilst my book writing ( I write all first drafts longhand) always needs a hardback

[@plank3000]

I agree, I have a leuchturm some lines a day and on my fifth year of entries, it’s 90% fountain pen and still amazing

[@Randy_Batswinger]

I just wish Leuchturm went with 100gsm paper as standard across the range. 80gsm still presents bleed through with some pens.

[@klauslispector]

Leuchtturm works amazing every time.

[@dalydegagne1839]

​@@Randy_Batswinger I agree. Leuchtturm1917 is mostly good, but I have a few inks/pens which have ghosting and, to a lesser degree, bleeding. I believe that Leuchtturm1917 paper is not of quite the same quality as several years ago.

[@claudiavolkman1281]

I love these videos, Carl -- such a refreshing balance between tech and analog. Very inspiring!

[@Carl_Pullein]

Thank you, Claudia.

[@dbrakowski]

LOVE that phrase "commonplace"---thought I was the only one constantly writing down random stuff. ;)

[@Carl_Pullein]

I always thought I was collecting notes. It wasn't until I began researching that I discovered this kind of notebook has a name LOL

[@JamieNicholson]

Rhodia's my favorite notebook brand too 😍

[@Carl_Pullein]

Mine, too, Jamie. It never lets you down.

[@ezool18]

im really glad i came across your video! i just learned about commonplace notebooks the other day, but like you said i just kept seeing a bunch of pretty designs and pictures, and it all seemed so overwhelming and intimidating. so it's really relieving to hear/see that they don't have to be to that level of presentation to be a commonplace notebook. i supposed the instagram-ification of note-taking is a discussion for another day. but anyways, thank you for the video!

[@Carl_Pullein]

You're quite right; you don't have to make them beautifully designed. It's the information you are storing and how you collect and store it that is what is important.

[@74rocka]

Great video Carl, enjoyable and informative as ever. Do you set up your CPB with a margin or another framework like left page for notes and right page for reflection; or do you just free-write on the page with no framework? Thanks.

[@Carl_Pullein]

Pure free writing for me. I find if I structure things (like margins) I stop focusing on learning and become distracted by the structure.

[@robinr5337]

Would love to hear your take on minimalism and slow living. Maybe a list of what you watch on the subjects.

[@Carl_Pullein]

Still learning about that. Although, I do find Samurai Matcha very inspiring (and entertaining 🙂)

[@michaeldesouza4911]

As always Carl a great video, thanks for all the thought and effort you put into them. I have a Mont Blanc fountain pen but find the mystery black ink to soak into paper. What ink do you use in your Mont Blanc ? All the best Michael

[@Carl_Pullein]

I'm using the Mont Blanc Royal Blue ink in my Mont Blanc. I also have some Diamine Green Black I like a lot. Both seem to be fine on the paper I use.

[@johnmillstead8396]

You inspire me!

[@juliedrakeArtist]

Have you heard of Niklas Luhmann's Zettelkasten note taking system? Now there's a rabbit hole to go down!

[@Carl_Pullein]

Hahaha, I did see it, but felt that could be very distracting,

[@ArjenVersteeg]

What an inspiring new video, Carl! I love the subject as well and it's also something I am exploring at the moment. I did have two questions that came to mind: You rightly mentioned that all gathered notes on a particular topic can lead to a new blog post. However, despite the charm of randomly jotting down notes in a commonplace notebook, do you not feel the need to link all your notes on a specific topic (digitally) together? So that you have all the information on a particular subject in one place and can derive new insights from it? Secondly, do you also make a (digital) backup of your analog Commonplace books? Curious to hear your thoughts! :)

[@Carl_Pullein]

Hi Arjen, I do write a basic index at the front of the book, but apart from that, I don't do anything else. I want them to be random and not linked. Today, I will see the logical connections, but in a year or two, I will see the illogical connections, and that's where I will get valuable insights and connections nobody will have thought of. I don't plan to digitalise these notebooks. They will go on a bookshelf for browsing through when I have a few spare moments. The notes I do digitise are my planning notes. They have logical connections because they will be connected to a project or a piece of content I am creating.

[@john_harvey3]

Am I the only person that has a "Notes from Carl's Videos Notebook"? :) Thanks Carl for sharing. I'm on holiday for the next few days and have to look up Turing and Bletchley Park and a couple of others you mentioned.

[@Carl_Pullein]

Hahaha hope you're having a great holiday 🙂

[@ogdanem]

what is the name of the travel Japanesse notebook? do you have a link to a website to purchase it?

[@LyGamezz]

Midori travelers notebook

[@Carl_Pullein]

I got mine on Amazon. Just search Midori Travelers Notebook.

[@nancydriessen594]

It’s now a Travelers company travelers notebook, they rebranded from Midori to travelers company some years ago :). I also have the blue one, newer company name and I love them!

[@johnmillstead8396]

Question: Where do you buy your stationary? I've just started looking into it and I am a bit overwhelmed. Thanks.

[@Carl_Pullein]

I'm using Amazon. But... I did watch a few videos from Goulet Pens and Jet Pens for recommendations for notebooks because I wanted books that worked well with fountain pens.

[@kymizad]

I second Jet Pens. They have tons of guides about different paper, all the way to the best pens. My go-to stationery store 🙂 Great video btw, I’m actually using a bullet journal, heavily using the index, and embracing the randomness of my brain instead of trying to predict the collections I’ll use, and it’s working out beautifully. Similar to your commonplace bc I also put random notes in there🙂

[@Carl_Pullein]

Love that, Venessa. @@kymizad

[@LyGamezz]

Also Carl, I think you would be an excellent candidate for a Zettelkast 👍🏻

[@Carl_Pullein]

I did look at that, but found it too complex for me. I like randomness.

[@LyGamezz]

@@Carl_Pullein It can be, but you can make it as simple as you desire. I myself have a lot of commonplace notebooks, with knowledge I have forgotten about. By having my zettelkast it allows me to make more links because the Zettelkast keeps all references.

[@LyGamezz]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/rneZg5mer9mtbNE&ab_channel=HowToCode

[@rominaespinosa]

Carl do you have a video outlining how you organize your commonplace? With your table of contents and all ☺️ just curious because I’m nosy.

[@Carl_Pullein]

Ah, that's the thing: I don't organise it. It is completely random. The table of contents is just the title of the video or book and the page number. Nothing more elaborate than that.

[@rominaespinosa]

@@Carl_Pullein thanks for telling me! even that's enough, I just get curious. (:

[@Bea-banana]

Yes same!😂 i spend a lot of money on stationery when I'm not happy🫡 particularly on notebooks😅

[@Carl_Pullein]

Hahaha me too!!!!

[@TerMoe]

Hey Carl, you said you're using A5 notebooks for your "commonplace notebook". Do you still use A4 notebooks for weekly planning? And if so, why the different sizes? I really appreciate the current focus on analog tools: find the right tool for the right job!

[@Carl_Pullein]

I use the A5 as it is easier to use while sitting on the sofa, and taking notes. My planning book, which I use while sitting at a table, is A4.

[@aldenfalkofficial]

Nice video =)

[@CucurbitaeCaput]

Do you have tips for taking notes? My issue often seems to be that my notes are often not really usable once I get back to them and after some time has gone by.

[@Carl_Pullein]

Hmm, I learned to take notes at university, where I would take quick handwritten notes during the lecture and then review the handout materials while correcting my initial mistakes. As I am using source material to learn here (video, podcast or book) If I need to go back and check something I can put the time code or page number next to the note.

[@CucurbitaeCaput]

@@Carl_Pullein Thank you very much. I just started a deep dive on note taking tips after being inspired by your video 😄 I am dreaming of a day where taking precise notes becomes engrained as a habit for me as well 😅

[@JimSamuel267]

Thanks, Carl. Now I have to go find out why the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. 😀

[@Carl_Pullein]

It's a very interesting story. ;-)

[@nignella]

… yes me too, was waiting for the reason, even it was only a one liner … 😅

[@Carl_Pullein]

@@nignella hahaha sorry. I wanted to encourage people to look it up.

[@jimmcculloch3786]

I use 'Notes' on my ipad / Iphone - so then i dont have to re-transcribe and i can move electronically to where ever!!