https://www.reddit.com/r/hobonichi/comments/16t0vhf/hobonichi_monthly_colors_an_unnecessary_project/

reply to u/taurusnoises (Bob Doto) at tk

Yep, for almost a full year now on 4x6" index cards. (Receipts for the kids: https://boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/wp-1688411021709-scaled.jpg)

Previously I'd used a Hobonichi Cousin (page per day) journal for this. (Perhaps I should have stayed with the A6 size instead of the larger A5 for consistency?) Decades ago (around 1988ish?) I had started using a 2 page per day DayTimer pocket planners (essentially pre-printed/timed index cards spiral bound into monthly booklets which they actually shipped in index card-like plastic boxes for storage/archival purposes). Technically I've been doing a version of this for a really long time in one form or another.

It generally includes a schedule, to do lists (bullet journal style), and various fleeting notes/journaling similar to the older Memindex format, just done on larger cards for extra space. I generally either fold them in half for pocket storage for the day or carry about in groups for the coming week(s) when I'm away from my desk for extended periods (also with custom blank index card notebooks/pads).

I won't go into the fact that in the 90's I had a 5,000+ person rolodex... or an index card (in the entertainment they called them buck slips) with the phone numbers and names of \~100 people I dealt with regularly when early brick cell phones didn't have great (or any) storage/functionality.

I recently discovered a fantastically curated Japanese and German design inspired stationery store in Southern California not far from the Rose Bowl and the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, CA. Baum-kuchen mentioned that they plan to carry a huge array of Hobonichi products beginning this fall!! The only thing better than a Hobonichi or even a store full of them is a store full of them 10 minutes from one's home.

I had high hopes that they might already have the July start planners or blank notebooks, but alas, I'm going to have to be patient for the new Fall releases.

In addition to all the fantastic appointments in their store/atelier, I'm most impressed with their community table where they invite everyone to come in with their planners to work and plan, write, or draw in the store itself. This gives you the ability to share with others in person as well as to sample their pens, stamps, and other materials with your own notebooks and planners. Their planning table space also gives one the ability to pull a variety of items off of shelves to more easily mix and match items for building your ideal planner set up with all the trimmings and accessories. They also offer a wide array of notebook cover customization services and a fantastically kind and knowledgeable staff.

The community table at Baum-kuchen surrounded by displays of pens, pencils, stationery, and accessories.

If you find yourself in Southern California and want a unique analog and very tactile experience, stop in and see the wonders that they've got on offer at Baum-Kuchen. Lately they've been open only on Sundays at their store/atelier, but their online store is open 24/7: https://www.baum-kuchen.net/. For those who live farther afield and don't have the opportunity to visit often, you can get a strong sense of their character and wabi-sabi philosophy on their YouTube channel.

When you get the chance, stop by and say hello to Wakako, Frido, and their welcoming and generous staff in person. I'm sure you'll find me there on release day this fall (and maybe every weekend in between😜) putting my name at the top of the list for the 2024 Hobonichi offerings. I'm already practicing baking baum kuchen, a delicious cake after which the store is named, for the coming celebration.

syndication link: https://www.reddit.com/r/hobonichi/comments/14o08ke/more_hobonichi_in_los_angeles_and_southern/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuzRkac2n-c

Beginning to realize that some of the pattern that I describe as productivity porn is more likely done as a means of creativity, art, or even therapeutic use.

In this one (at the end), she's got a notebook specifically for putting washi tape into because it's calming and therapeutic.

https://penguinscreative.com/2019/09/18/13-reasons-why-i-love-using-a-hobonichi-techo/

How can we compare the Hobonichi community to the IndieWeb community in terms of practice, creativity, and growth?

What can IndieWeb gain from looking at some of the practices?

https://greyzonepages.com/2019/03/29/how-to-use-the-hobonichi-cousin-daily-layout/

I haven't been logging them all since they've been so repetitive and fluffy, but this is one of the more interesting and thorough takes I've seen for the Hobonichi Cousin Daily Layout

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP9QxWsC_4w

Solid overview of the cousin with some pros/cons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuR73vDK8-Q

I like her idea of an anti-purchase, particularly in a space that almost seems like excess based solely on design.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiq04esE9zM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZZGsNRJYdY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssTOVkdngYQ

Comparison of the various Hobonichi planners

https://www.jetpens.com/blog/Guide-to-the-Hobonichi-Techo-Planner/pt/900

Great overview of the system and the features.