Editing The Pen Addict 114/transcript (section)

== Show Production ==


'''Brad Dowdy:''' You know, I think as most listeners know, I generally put together the majority of the show. Like, you know, I'll work out the topics, put in the notes what we're going to discuss, kind of things like that. Sometimes I've really planned ahead. Like, if we're going to do, like, we've done some of the 101 episodes, you know, where we talk about products. Like, I still need to do the Fountain Pen 101. And I was actually thinking about doing it this week. But when we, from the time we stopped recording last week, in the week span to this week, you know, that's when I plan for this show. So, I don't plan too far ahead. Well, you know, usually for the first couple days, I don't have really an idea of what I want to do. And I have a couple fallback topics, you know, like the Fountain Pen 101, which I need to get to. And I was kind of planning on doing that. And then all these things happen, like, in the span of, like, the last five to seven days to where I was like, well, I want to talk about that. Oh, and this happened. I want to talk about that. Oh, and this happened. I want to talk about that. So, this is the kind of episode that I like that just kind of comes together by itself because it's topics that I've been involved in, like, during the past week. So, we can talk about them and, you know, talk about some of the new products that I've gotten and talk about some of the, you know, things I've been involved in online. And it just, yeah, this is my kind of episode. So, I just wanted to throw that out there for the people, let you know kind of how it gets put together sometimes. Sometimes it's a well-defined, well-oiled machine with topic, topic, topic, topic that I've planned weeks in advance. Sometimes it just happens naturally, which is what happened on this week's show. And it's full up with lots of good stuff.

'''Myke Hurley:''' It's a bit of how the sausage is made.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah, yeah. So, once I started putting a couple of things in there, I was like, well, you know, a few days ago, I don't know if I'm having enough to talk about. And then things just kept rolling and rolling. Oh, yeah, we can talk about that. Oh, someone wants to hear about that. So, yeah. Anyway, so that's my mess. How has your week been in pen and paper goodness? You know, everything, status quo, any issues, any, you know, magic refill moments that you had again?

'''Myke Hurley:''' No, I'm continuing to just use the Retro 51 all the time. That's good. I think that's a good thing. I'm happy about it. Like, I'm very much enjoying using that pen again. I had genuinely forgotten just how good they are, I think.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah, we actually got an email. I got an email last week, and I didn't put it in the show notes to talk about. But just in general, this guy sent me an email about refilling. He refills his Retro 51 rollerballs. Because we were talking about how they were drying out last week. Like, he actually removes the end cap on those refills. And I think the rollerballs have, like, a sponge-like system inside the cartridge. And he refills them with fountain pen ink.

'''Myke Hurley:''' That's crazy.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' It is totally crazy. He wrote me, like, an epic-length email. Actually, two epic-length emails about it. So, I'll see if I can get permission, and we'll talk about it. But how that's... My response was pretty much, whoa.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Yeah, I need to understand a bit about this, I think. Because that could be really, really interesting.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah. So, I will sort out the emails, and maybe that's something we can do for next week. And get permission to talk about it and things like that. So, yeah. So, keep that on the radar. But, yeah. It was an interesting conversation I had about that. So, I will work on that. So, I got a bunch of new stuff in this week. And I kind of wanted to talk about it. One of them being the Midori Traveler's Notebook. And we've kind of talked about it on and off in the past. And it's a notebook system. I've always wanted one for years. It's been... This is one of those wish list items for years. That it's kind of always there. And just never makes it to the top of the priority list. Because I'm never sure exactly if and how I'm going to use it. Things like that. But I finally broke down and I was on vacation and actually broke down and bought this. So, I wanted to... I also wanted to try a shop called Resource Shop. Which is where I ordered it from. And I got the black... What do they just call it? Black. The cover. It's a black leather cover. The full size notebook. And I've lost my link. Magically.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' But it's basically just like a leather cover for notebooks. And it has a very functional refill system. So, yeah. Mine is called the Midori Traveler's Notebook in black. Your only other option is the Midori Traveler's Notebook passport size. Which is smaller. So, mine's like a long skinny. Like an 8 by... I don't know. 4.5 or 5 or so. Maybe a little bit longer.

'''Myke Hurley:''' It's 4.5 by 8.5. Okay.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' See, I was close.

'''Myke Hurley:''' I didn't even look at that. Bravo.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' And then the other size is a smaller size. It's a little bit larger than a Field Notes size. So, I went with the large size.

'''Myke Hurley:''' The small one is 3.75 by 5.25.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Okay. So, I know on the smaller one, a lot of people use their Field Notes as inserts. But I wanted the bigger one because it seemed to be like the traditional size. It seemed like a cool format to lay out. So, I got it. And, you know, I've always followed people. Midori is one of those... The Midori Traveler's Notebooks is one of those things online where people do like unboxings. And there's great resources for people to share all the types of inserts they put on there. So, it's kind of got a really big, like, thing online. Like a Hobonichi Planner or like a File of Facts. You know, it's got these huge groups of people that, you know, make things for it. You know, and, you know, the Chronodex that we've talked about the past couple weeks has always got me. This is kind of where Patrick Ng built his Chronodex system around this style of notebook. And, you know, there's other things you can get replacements for. The Midori Traveler's Notebook. It doesn't have to be the exact Midori. There's... People call things the Fodori, which is just a generic cover that, you know, people can buy from different leather workers. You know, that are just making these leather flaps and things. But, anyway, I digress. But, I just went with the traditional Midori Traveler's Notebook because I wanted to see what it was about. And I opened it up. I actually joked on Instagram. When I got it, I still had it in the packaging. I said, am I supposed to burn candles and incense as I opened this? Because people make such a big deal about opening these. And it's like this, oh, angel singing moment. So, I joked about that. And then the next thing I did, I slid in the first insert. And I ordered three graph notebooks to go inside of it, right? Because everyone, all the pictures you see of the Midori Traveler's Notebooks, you see them, like, built to the hilt, right? It's not made to hold one, like, 48-page notebook.

'''Myke Hurley:''' You are talking so fast about this. You're like, you're very excited. I can tell you're very excited, actually.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' So, let me explain something to you. Okay. So, you know my sleeping pattern, right? Mm-hmm. So, I wake up about an hour before we do this show. And normally, you know, I'm just chilling out, you know, maybe have a Coke, maybe have some water. I had coffee today. Yeah.

'''Myke Hurley:''' I can kind of tell.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' I usually don't have that before. I usually don't have that right when I get up in the afternoons. So, maybe that's why. I'm jacked.

'''Myke Hurley:''' You are. It's fun. I'm happy to hear it.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Well, I have lots of happiness in my life, Myke. And you're part of it.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Oh.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' And all the listeners are part of it. And I love everybody. But anyway, yeah, I'm on a coffee caffeine high. So, sorry about that. Yeah, you're not actually listening at 1.5 or 2x speed, everybody. This is like normal speed for today's episode. So, you might have to turn down your 2x if you're listening in your favorite podcatcher.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' So, I open up this Midori. And I slide in my first insert. Here I am. I've ordered this thing and thinking I'm going to slide in these three notebooks and have different things for each notebook. So, I open it up. It's got one band down the center. Slide in my first notebook. Grab my second notebook and go, wait a minute. How do I get this thing in here? Well, it turns out, like, it's not necessarily made to hold the extra notebooks right out the gate. You have to have, like, they sell these extra rubber bands to where you can band all these notebooks together. But it turns out there's lots of videos. As soon as I said that, people started sending me videos out the woodwork. There's one from Goulet Pens. And then there's several other ones on YouTube and things where you can find out, okay, here's how you put together your Midori to where it's functional. All the notebooks and inserts are how you want them. You can fit, you know, three notebooks or two notebooks in a calendar or three notebooks in, you know, different envelopes, folders. People really, really pimp these things out. So I just wanted to say that I've got it and I haven't written the first word in it yet. I've been so busy. I'm actually carrying it around in my briefcase completely empty. So anyway, there will be more about this because it's a product that I've wanted for years and years and years. So, and I put a picture up on Instagram too of my pink Karas custom bolt goes wonderfully with the black leather of my Midori travelers notebook. So you'll be hearing more about the Midori. If you're a Midori user, I know a bunch of you have already reached out to me and given me some tips and tricks and how to use that. But if you have any more resources, any more ideas on how you set up your Midoris, definitely get in touch. And how can they get in touch with us, Myke?

'''Myke Hurley:''' You can go to 5by5.tv slash penaddict and hit the contact button or you can get us on Twitter. I'm iMike, I-M-Y-K-E. And Brad is at Dowdyism, D-O-W-D-Y-I-S-M.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Did you like how I threw that to you? Was that very professional just so I could catch my breath?

'''Myke Hurley:''' And also to check I was listening.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah, yeah, make sure. Because sometimes you won't listen to me when I get on a roll.

'''Myke Hurley:''' No, I always listen.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' You've left the room before, I'm pretty sure.

'''Myke Hurley:''' I may have done that once. I need to ask you a question about the Midori. Please. Why?