SWEET BABY JESUS.
So here's the thing. If you know a little bit about something, you might have some minor preferences about it. You might be a little discerning about it.
But if you know... A lot... about something.
You suddenly are saddled with knowing enough to be picky.
I recently mentioned here that I am a Recovered Fountain Pen Snob which means I have a lot of opinions about pens and paper. And it didn't matter for a long time because I got out of my expensive and soul crushing fountain pen hobby and really just. Wasn't using pen and paper for anything anymore.
That was back in errrrm... 2016. Fast forward to July of this year, I got diagnosed with ADHD, got medicated, and suddenly I'm a Bullet Journal & Note Keeping Bitch(TM) - and on top of that, I do a lot of brain storming for my book on pen and paper because it helps me think more clearly than typing things. It's just more sensible for how my brain works to have a physical thing to reference.
Here's the problem.
As it turns out, almost a decade away did not in fact, cure me of my pickiness about pens and paper. I rallied against it. I picked up cheap notebooks from 5 Below and amazon, and they were... Alright. At first.
I reached critical irritation mass with them sometime around September and was like fine OK I will get some notebooks I actually like.
My All Time Favorite Notebook is the Muji A5 Wirebound Dotted Notebook. That size. That paper. That binding. Specifically.
Why that binding? I sit like an idiot because Hello! I'm a Bisexual with ADHD and Crumbling Joints! so I like to have my notebooks against my knee a lot so I can be a pretzel shaped jackass whenever I want.
Why that paper? It's smooth and dries quicker than anything else I've ever used (If someone so much as breathes the words Rhodia or Clairefontaine... No. They stay wet for too long.) and the dots on it are nice and pale. I need dots because I make doodles and charts and such when I'm journaling or brain storming. Grids are too intrusive. Same with lines.
Why that size? I need it to be small and portable but not so small that it's awkward to use on my lap or if I want to make a chart in it.
The Muji A5 Wirebound Dotted Notebook is my Ultimate Notebook.
So why am I here ranting like a maniac right now?
This is why:
This specific notebook? It's been "Unavailable" for months now.
And believe me. I tried a workaround and buying their loose leaf A5 dot paper and the refillable notebook they sell. NOPE. No A5 Muji Dotted Paper. None.
So fine. Okay. That's cool. Lemme just... Go to Reddit and hunt through all the various journal, pen, and notebook sub reddits and see what people are suggesting... Jesus fucking tits.... To give you my experience there just repeat the following phrases several times:
"This one's similar!" (suggests something with a fucking SPINE)
"I mean it's not (X Thing You're Asking About) but I like (Completely Different Notebook)" "Try this 3 pack from amazon!" "I also suggest that 3 pack from amazon." "Here's a full review of the 3 pack from amazon!" .... I bought the fucking 3 pack from amazon. I... I cannot stress enough. How much the 3 pack from Amazon is not comparable in terms of paper quality. They're perfectly fine notebooks but they have very toothsome paper. My pens drag too hard across them for my liking. It's irritating. I'm. I'm so tired. I have looked at blogs, I have tested 3 different variants of other "similar!" notebooks. I *bought 3 Muji notebooks on Ebay out of desperation* but now, suddenly, every listing on Ebay for this notebook is $12/notebook (a MASSIVE markup on cost per book) PLUS THE SHIPPING FROM JAPAN. Which is abysmal. And god only knows what duties and taxes I'd have to pay once they got to me because this administration is a joke taking fanancial advice from an idiot's Financial-Expert-sona while the middle class collapses and my rights dwindle and I just want MY GODDAMN NOTEBOOK. Help. Please. I'm gonna lose my everloving mind. If you read all this and have a recommendation... please. I'm desperate. Just a good notebook. That suits my needs. Please.
