I don’t remember my first notebook, but my mother claims I was folding up pieces of paper into little books and carrying them around with me from at least the age of 3! Later, I remember having those little square datebooks that Hallmark shops used to give away for free–the ones that listed all the birthstones and wedding anniversary gifts on the inside cover! Then I had various 3×5″ spiral notebooks, and some little diaries that were given away to members of the Harvard Coop.
These were the roots of my obsession– what were yours?
I don’t really remember my first notebook… what I do remember is that I was always pretty obsessed with paper and especially nice paper stuck between even nicer covers and closures. Oh, the textures, the colours, the shapes… I had to have them! I, too, used to cut up pieces of paper and make my own and I very much remember those Hallmark datebooks, i had loads of them, even if I had more then one of the same year! And the funny thing is… I haven’t changed !
Amusingly, I still have the notebook I will remember as my first. It is a Snoopy diary, surprisingly nicely bound and with a little lock. Unfortunately, I didn’t write much in the way of a diary but it does have a wish list that includes awesome 80s items such as “Cabbage Patch Kid Horse” and “Boom Box” and “neon shoelaces”. Actually, I guess I haven’t changed that much either… I still write wish lists in my Miquelrius.
I HAVE my first Hello Kitty journal. I was 10 – and it is filled with silly little lists, drawings, and notes. Just the cutest. I have my daughters too – an entire tub filled with our journals over the years. – memories we may never look at, but interesting none the less.
I remember the first notebook I kept with consistency. It was a pink journal I got as a free gift upon my subscribing to a book of the month type club when I was 8 or 9. Before then I’d pick up little spiral bound note pads and stare in awe at the stationary section in the supermarket. I thought it was so grown up and mature to keep a diary. That first notebook took me 3 years to fill but now I fill one every couple of months.
the most memorable notebooks i had, were usually the ones i made myself. salvaged from my school notebooks of the previous year, i tend to mix then up and sew them. I had this ADHD when it comes to notebooks. i never get to finish one from front to back. My first journal though is a pocket Rainbowbrite notebook with muti-colored pages…
Im 14 and I only have about 20 pages left in my first notebook. A moleskine.
My first notebook was started when I was a teenager exiting high school. I didn’t write in it regularly, but I did fill it with personal meanderings usually focused on world events, scientific discoveries, and travel destinations I hoped to one day visit. I think I still have it in a box somewhere. Armand, you inspired me to try to find it and blog about it. Thanks, man!