The Value of Going Analog in a Digital Age
I’ve loved personal organizers since I was a child. The first one I ever owned was when I was in elementary school, a leather-bound, six-ring, Bible-sized organizer given to me by my grandfather who had just retired.
In an era before digital tools for managing to-do lists and schedules, every year after November, bookstores and stationery shops would prominently display refills and calendars for the upcoming year's organizers.
I always dreamed of becoming a high-achieving businessman who could expertly use a personal organizer, customizing it with a calculator, clear files, and other essentials to suit my life.
Many Organizers Exist, but I Chose the PLOTTER I'd Always Wanted
However, as I grew up, it became a digital age of smartphones, MacBooks, and SaaS. Owning a personal organizer began to feel like a luxury, and I held back from getting one.
But as I wrote in my recent article about Traveler's Notebooks, there's immense value in creating something purely for oneself, rather than compiling hobbies with the intent of showing them to others, like on social media.
While many personal organizers are available, I chose the PLOTTER, which I had eyed for a long time at Tokyu Hands and Itoya.
"For those who forge the future with creativity." That's so cool. I aspire to be such a person.
I use the largest A5 size. This is because I also wanted to use it as a gadget when flying. Smaller sizes like the Bible size wouldn't comfortably hold a passport in a clear pocket, so I naturally chose this size. Especially on international flights, it's incredibly convenient to have a gadget that can hold your passport, a pen, notes, and a few pieces of paper all together.
Facing Who You Are
For the organizer refills, I decided to start watercolor painting, so I opted for the slightly luxurious "Drawing Paper" specification. With sturdy paper, it's fun to scrapbook and stick various things like autumn leaves picked during travels, as it keeps everything neat and tidy.
Also, the best thing about choosing the A5 size was that it was perfect for peeling and sticking labels from craft beer bottles. This makes compiling the craft beers I've drunk even more enjoyable.
Discovering What You Overlook in Daily Life
I've attached a zipper case to my PLOTTER, and I store ideas for what I want to write in it. For example, I can put in movie ticket stubs or stickers I've received or bought. The A5 size allows me to fill it with so much, which makes me happy because it feels like I'll never run out of material.
Just Recording Your Passions Can Be Fun
I genuinely believe that simply recording your passions – like the beers you've drunk, the restaurants you've visited, or the movies you've watched – can bring new discoveries and a sense of fulfillment, making you feel like you're not living idly, and that's genuinely enjoyable.
To record various things, using LACONIC's radar charts and pie charts, sold at WAITER-U SHOP, is fantastic. Since the pie charts are stickers, you can write in things like sweetness, bitterness, or fruitiness for flavors, for example, and create your own splendid collection.
The PLOTTER zipper case is designed to have pockets on both sides, so I like to keep LACONIC tools in one of the pockets.
