The first is an A5 notebook, sometimes in a vibrant red color other times in black, always hardcover. It usually stays at work, and is only taken out of the office for work-related purposes. I use it to keep notes of work-related material and to record the minutes from the meetings I attend. Everything I write at work is written in this notebook. I need roughly one notebook every three months.

The second is an A6 notebook, usually a black Rhodia notebook, or a red Quo Vadis Habana. This is always with me and it doubles as a wallet. Calling it a wallet is a bit too much for what is really a notebook with a back pocket where I store my debit card. I carry this notebook either in my pocket or in a small bag, along with a fountain pen – an old Parker Sonnet that I bought nine years ago and I have been using ever since. This notebook is my diary. I record thoughts, emotions and facts various times a day. I go through one such notebook every couple of months, depending on how much excitement there is in my life (if I write a lot, things are not going very well).

The third is an A5 Rhodia notebook in black faux leather. I use it to write posts, articles, and basically to draft anything that is not work-related and does not make it into the diary. Its larger A5 size makes it roomier and more comfortable, so larger pieces tend to be written there. Anything politics-related that is destined for public consumption is born in this notebook. I work on one thing at a time, and I take a couple of days off upon completion. So if I’m writing something the notebook will be with me, in my bag, at all times. If not, it will stay at home.