# I've mentioned in the past about my struggles with pen and paper - whether it is the friction of getting out the pad and having somewhere to lean, or being an impatient writer who struggles with his handwriting at anything less than a snail's pace.
I like my Lemome notebooks, they are such good quality, but having to carry one in my bag and not always being accessible, is definitely a barrier to quick note-taking.
While sorting some things out to decide what was rubbish I came across an old LootAnime box still containing items nobody wanted. While most of the items were, indeed, heading for the bin I did come across a couple of Field Notes notebooks; small and slim enough to be slipped into even a trouser pocket. They may be branded for the anime RWBY (pronounced ruby, apparently) but I don't see why that should be an issue.
I now have one, with a pen, in the same pocket as my phone in the hope I'll reach for it instead.
When I was writing poetry, I found those small Field Notes notebooks great for carrying around to put ideas in. They're pretty cost effective too. I think I got them in packs of three.
I don't know if it's just the Field Notes notebooks or whether they've triggered a change in mindset but, whenever I have one available, I always start writing there rather than on my phone. That's quite a shift for me. Somewhat ironically, this wasn't written by hand as I didn't have a notebook with me. There have been a few times in my life when something has just clicked and my behaviour has changed. For example, when I was seventeen I realised I was drinking way too much, bordering alcoholism, so just stopped. And earlier this year I just stopped biting my nails despite having done so since I was a kid. I think that's just how my mind works. I can't tackle a number of things at a time, I only seem to be able to make a change to one thing whether I mean to or not. The drink was very much a conscious decision, stopping biting my nails just sort of happened but once I'd started (er, stopped) I just carried on and it's been the same with using pen and paper. Whatever the reason it's been a happy accident but it's a change that I like and, as with the others, hope that it sticks.