Blank Page # 81

Every Wednesday at Notebookism we open a "Blank Page" -  your chance to ask, answer and discuss anything notebook-related.  Keep it nice, keep it relevant.

Blank Page, an Open Thread.

Comments

[sueclarke]

A request really - we're visiting Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka in March and I wondered if anyone could recommend either museums or stores that would be of particular interest – to do with artists books, pens, stationery, etc, etc. My guide books are a bit too general, and I hoped I could maybe find out more specific information through this site. Thank you in advance for any help.

[Anita]

I know this probably won't be approved, but I'll try.

Did anybody here ever make a big deal about what you were going to write about in your journal the day you lost your virginity?

I thought last Monday was going to be you know, THE day, so I actually reserved a section in my journal for it. I pasted a little postcard printout from PostSecret on the page, even. I didn't write anything else that weekend, so nothing would touch.that.page.

It's kinda amusing a week later when I re-read that page with the disappointing results (he forgot he had things to do that weekend) written under the postcard. I guess that shows that I overplan way too much.

[GrannyKass]

Tokyo question:

There is a sketching forum on the internet run by this great guy, Russ Stutler, an American, who lives in Japan. If you go to the link I've inserted here and click on Administrator you will be able to email him. Or you could join the forum, there is a lot of really good stuff on The Sketching Forum. He may be able to give you some insights on what you may want to see.

If I were going to Japan, he's the guy I would talk to.

http://www.sketching.cc/index.html

Have fun and Please, be sure to post photos of your trip!

Anita - If you are so good at "planning", how about planning to "wait" til you are married, or at the very least engaged. That would be a more prudent thing to do. Just because everyone else thinks it's okay, doesn't mean it is so. Hold on to that most precious gift you have to give to your future mate. I guarentee you it really is worth the wait! And whether they act like it, guys really do appriciate a girl that saved herself just for that one love! Think about it!

[Sophie Brown]

Well, it's a big day, though in my own mind doesn't leave the lasting impression of importance that you're led to believe. I guess I wish I'd made a more honest account of the situation: These things tend not to go well the first time for many people. So if it's not the bliss you expected, I would go ahead and write honestly about it (even if it's just uncomfortable or there are no fireworks): You'll want the memory as it actually occured and not the swept away romantic version I had. I imagine these things just take practice sometimes. Just record any discomfort or anything awkward or funny--I would kill to have the chance to redo that entry the evening after it happened. Supposedly you'll remember it vividly forever, that turns out to not be so true.

[Fiona]

GrannyKass, that's obnoxious. Anita has obviously thought about it and can decide for herself.

[Sophie Brown]

GrannyKass, I am inclined to agree (that you are a little over the top). But maybe since the message is usually all the way over on the other end of the spectrum, we need these opinions to balance things out a little? A bit antiquated though. But then you start wondering all day, "How old is Anita?" My advice is to wait until you are about 17. With the right person. I was in a big damn hurry and it's not fatal but I was younger than that on a scratchy army blanket in the GI barracks, with a dimwit, and Tiffany belting out, "I think we're alone now..." Most "men" in the army are not MEN. They're teenaged boys who have taken to calling cars "vehicles" and I don't know WHY we found them appealing for this particular event...

[sueclarke]

Thank you GrannyKass, for the info about The Sketching Forum. I've emailed Russ and am waiting to hear. Best wishes. Sue

[Sophie Brown]

I was wondering if there are any Go or chess players using their notebooks to improve their game. It's the only reason I could ever stomache a squared notebook, but I'm finding it invaluable in improving my game. Go, that is.

[Mr. Blather]

Your best bet is to go to Ginza in Tokyo and visit Ito-ya, a seven floor shop dedicated to stationery and art and office supplies. It has some nearby satellite shops where you can buy Japanese paper and calligraphy supplies. http://www.ito-ya.co.jp/
(There's no English page.)

There's also a Japanese paper/calligraphy shop down the street but I can't remember the name. It's right across the street from the Nissan display.

Also, if you go to the pen section of the page grannykass mentioned, you can find maps to various pen shops:
http://www.stutler.cc/pens/
index.html

I also recommend a visit to TokyuHands:
http://www.tokyu-hands.co.jp/

It's another store with lots of art supplies. It's one of those stores that has things you didn't know existed, but upon seeing them, you can't live without. The best one is in Shibuya in Tokyo, (it's an endless maze of rooms and stair cases and stuff) but it's hard to find. The easiest to find is near the south exit of Shinjuku station.

[Anita]

For the record, I'm 24.

Thanks for sticking up for me, Fiona.

[Sophie Brown]

Well, I was sticking up for you TOO, Anita!! Funny you get this swarm of maternal instinct, all of us probably imagining ourselves, age, etc. at the time. I'm thinking "high school sophmore", GrannyKass is caught in her own little world before she got married--we project so many funny things onto this issue. I didn't mean get you mad, really, I think I've been watching a little bit too much of "family programming". I think probably anyone who keeps a personal diary kind of earmarks that "special page". You know, there aren't very many pivotal events in life that you can actually plan to write about in advance. I guess when you have a baby, or get married, and then the baby is a month late in coming and the wedding gets postponed. Different than other events that you can't control. I've found as a diarist, though, it's true--very few unexpected things happen all of a sudden. You sense it coming long before. I was just thinking about that earlier.