Tuesday, April 14, 2009

confessions of a 24 year old moleskine addict...

Yes. 
It is true.
I am addicted to something called the Moleskine.

I started using the Moleskine in May of 2005 when a friend convinced me to purchase one while we were in Washington, D.C.  We were in this quaint little bookshop... I knew all the cool kids were using them... It didn't take much to convince me that I needed one. The Moleskine is legendary, after all. I mean, think of the big names that were users... Hemingway... Picasso... Chatwin... David the Psalmist... (okay, probably not David the Psalmist, but if they had existed he totally would have had one!). I was told a Moleskine would change my life.

It did.

Now here I am, almost 4 years and 7 Moleskines later (would have been 8 if I hadn't been stupid my senior year in college and purchased a random navy, soft leather-bound journal instead). It takes me about 6 months to go through one journal. One day, I will have quite a library... 

There are many different styles of Moleskine out there. I am very particular about mine. I refuse to veer away from the traditional black, hardcover, ruled notebook. I want my collection to be uniform (I learned my lesson with that crazy navy journal...). Yes, I realize that is a bit obsessive-compulsive, but like I said, it is an addiction.

Now on a more serious note (because yes, this post does have a point), I really do love my Moleskine journals. Not only because I love the simple, classy, black leather cover, but because of all that fills them. 

I just spent some time flipping through my journals from the past year & a half. It is absolutely incredible to see some of the blatantly obvious ways God was at work in my life. In these journals, I can look back and see, in my own handwriting, a record of events & prayers & conversations & wishes & pleas & frustrations & answers & choices & movement....  I am able to make connections that I never would have noticed without these records. 

The more I think about it, these journals are probably my most cherished possessions...

Maybe one day I will be able to take this record of my story and turn it into something to publish and share with others. I would say that is a dream of mine...

Or maybe these journals aren't meant to be shared like that... maybe the stories they contain are most effectively shared in the context of relationships...

Regardless of how they may be used in the future, for now I will continue to use them as a record from the past to help me live in the present as I strive to live for eternity. 


(Note: Any other Moleskine users want to go in together and buy in bulk? These things are getting a little pricy! haha)


16 comments:

Lana said...

Love when that happens when you go back and read the journals. It's time for a new one myself...and we all ahve our OCD tendencies haha

JJ Casas (jcasasphotography.com) said...

I understand exactly how you feel like! haha I just did a post on my blog too regarding Moleskines.

http://jcasasphotography.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-brand-affinity-moleskine.html

=)

Carol ReMarks said...

Yeah, my name is c.a. and I'm a Moleskin addict too.

Dan said...

Jenna, you're such a white person...

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2009/02/24/122-moleskine-notebooks/

Unknown said...

I don't even know what that is?

jenna said...

haha! T- come on! It's only the most amazing journal known to man!!!!!! :)

Anonymous said...

moleskines are the bestest but in all reality, they aren't the originals used by all those awesome ppl.. they are a repro made to resemble the originals. who cares! I love them and am an addict too (as you know). If I wasn't soo poor right now, I'd definitely go in w/ you on buying in bulk. Check back w/ me this fall!

nsiqueiros said...

The bulk cases (12 'skine/case) start at $173.40/case for 1-2 cases, $170/28/case for 3-5 cases, and $167.88/case for 6 or more cases at www.moleskineus.com.

That sounds like a good deal considering the retail price of the large ruled Moleskines are $15.95 at many retailers and even $17 at others. The campus bookstore at my university charges $17 for the large ruled. Way expensive. This makes the bulk purchase look enticing until one looks at the prices at Amazon.com.

The current price at Amazon.com for the large ruled Moleskine is $12.21 each. Free shipping if you order over $25 worth of merchandise. This works out to be $146.52/dozen. Cheaper than any of the bulk discounts I've currently seen available. In the end, Amazon.com is a Moleskiner's friend.

Just wanted to share some shopping advice. Good luck in all your writing. And if you do check out the Moleskine notebooks on Amazon.com, be sure to do a search for "Moleskine Folio". It's a new line of Moleskines that just came out this month. The ruled A4 size is $18.21. That's the price one generally pays with tax for a large ruled notebook at a retail shop. Again, Amazon.com is a godsend for Moleskiners. Take care, stranger.

kwərk said...

I love my journals...the Moleskine style is the best...but I actually use this knock-off brand that is half the price and I just as good. :)

Do you have specific type of pen that you have to use too? I do...

jenna said...

Oh yes, Alexis, you know I do. I use the Blue Pilot Precise V7 Fine tip pen. Sometimes I shake things up and use black ink. But my preference for writing in general is the blue. haha!

And Nsigueiros- Thanks for the bulk price info! I will definitely be buying my Moleskines on Amazon.com from now on!! And this Moleskine Folio... definitely going to check it out!

Jessica said...

i came this close to buying a moleskin planner this year. instead, i went with the august to august calendar organizer. i really like it. i'm VERY selective when it comes to planners. i use the hot pink moleskin at the moment, but i'm no stranger to the brown paper bag look either.

Matt said...

I'm hooked too. I've got 3 going at once. A planner a grid and a sketch.

Paul said...

I can't leave home with out mine.

Stephen said...

I always feel a bit uncomfortable when I see Moleskine advertising that Picasso and Hemingway used their product because, well, it's actually not true. They're a modern, mass produced notebook named after an older one.

I see it as not a million miles away from how I'm named after a Christian martyr but if I told people I was canonised because I died for my faith I'd get some really weird looks.

Which is a shame because, dodgy advertising aside, they're not a bad product and it'd be good if they used that side of the product to advertise.

Evelin said...

sigh...I'm deeply addicted to Moleskines too. Have 3 lined, 3 volants, 6 cahiers, 1 sketch and 1 plain..... diaries... :P

They are all black except one of the lined large notebook :) Am loving every single one of them :P

Sandy Sze said...

Moleskine+Lomo cameras, can't leave home without.