A B6-sized paper journal with a soft black cover

Main Journal

My main journal is for “memory keeping”: a record of my days. I use a Sterling Ink notebook (B6). All the pages are simple gridded paper.

Monthly Index

I don’t put any info on here besides a little masthead with the name of the month on it, and swatches of the fountain pens inks I’m using for that month.

May

• • • • •
Blobby swatch of a lavender color
{Ink Brand} Lavender in a Nahvalur Original Plus (BB)
Blobby swatch of a warm purple color
{Another Ink Brand} Purple in a TWSBI Eco (F)
Blobby swatch of a dark purple color
{Ink Brand} Black Violet in a Pilot Grance (F)

GRATITUDE

After the monthly page, I include several pages for gratitude lists, which I currently refer to as daily "highlights". I jot down two good things each day. Personal wins get a little star instead of a heart icon.

May Highlights

  • *A professional achievement
  • Yummy food
  • Usually a nice thing my husband did for me
  • Rabbits in our yard are cute
  • Yet more food probably
  • * Feeling good from exercise
  • * A personal win
  • A good book I just finished
  • Fun hangout with friends
  • Pet a corgi
  • Sew Day with my mom and my aunt
  • *Finished sewing my pouch

Media of the Month

I’ve started putting this at the beginning of the month, right after my gratitude pages, so that I can add to it as the month goes along. An “x” means I finished this piece of media, and a “>” means I carried it over from the month before.

MaY media

Reading

  • × “How Far the Light Reaches” –Sabrina Imbler  (★★★★★)
  • × “Making Comics” –Lynda Barry  (★★★½)
  • × “The Familiar” –Leigh Bardugo  (★★★¾)
  • × “Evidence-Guided” –Itamar Gilad  (★★★★)
  • × “A Psalm for the Wild-Built” –Becky Chambers  (★★★)
  • × “Atomic Habits” –James Clear  (★★★)

Watching (Tv)

  • • Best in Miniature S1
  • > Grey’s Anatomy S3
  • • Project Runway S20

Watching (Movies)

  • × “The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” (★★★★)
  • × “Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant”  (★★★★★)
  • × “Wonka”  (★★★)

Listening

  1. Boygenius
  2. Local Natives
  3. Snow Patrol
  4. Paramore
  5. TWICE
  6. St. Vincent

Month in Review

A list of things I’ve been doing lately. The header text comes from a series of Everyday Explorers Co. stamps. The "RIGHT HERE AND NOW" column is a collection of varying kinds of vibes from the month.

MaY in Review

current project

  • × Tiny but Mighty releases
  • × ICP user research study
  • > Variables reordering and bulk actions
  • > CSS feature gap analysis

currently making

  • × Sketchbook drawings
  • > “I’m So Basic” socks
  • × Zippered pouch

currently learning

  • × “Evidence-Guided” book
  • × Gouache and Posca pen courses on Domestika
  • • Restarted kanji on WaniKani

right here and now

  • AURORA BOREALIS
  • Flowers everywhere
  • Lots of knitting
  • Maeda-en yuzu sherbet
  • French food in YQB

Daily pages

Typically some combination of the following:

  • Headline written in Textura Quadrata-style calligraphy or old school bubble letters.
  • Bullet-style snippets of my day.
  • “Noticed” list of things I saw or overheard, Lynda-Barry-style. I do this on occasion.
  • Spot illustrations: often drawn with a Pilot Explorer pen (F) and Platinum Carbon Black ink, then colored with Ecoline brush pens. Sometimes I’ll use Posca markers for a more graphic vibe.

Wed, may 01

Happy Beltane!
  • Here is a thing that happened during my workday.
  • R. and I went on a walk around the neighborhood after work. There are beautiful blooms everywhere, great timing for the start of late spring.
  • For dinner, we made the Mediterranean feta + veggies sheet pan bake again. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it.

noticed

  • Cute birb being cute
  • An "interesting" thing a fellow human did
  • Lots of bunnies around the neighborhood