When did you become a stationery freak?
New episode out now!
Hi,
We hope you are doing well and enjoying the wonderful world of stationery.
Rob here with this newsletter.
We have been super busy with work and life but have released a brand new episode titled : “When did you become a stationery freak?”.
More details about the episode below.
You can listen to the episode here, along with transcriptions!
When did you become a stationery freak?
Do you recall a moment when you knew you were a stationery freak? Or a defining memory that led you to where you are now?
Well, that’s what we tried to explore with this episode.
We take a trip down memory lane to see whether we can find that moment.
Helen seemed to come to a rather fitting conclusion with her exploration - without stationery her life would be a catastrophe!
I’m not sure I got to any sensible conclusion, but do consider that the sheer joy of using stationery to write might be why I have an obsession with notebooks!
Stationery Stories
As with all of our episodes, we open with stationery stories:
Helen has an occasion to break out a new notebook - an Atoms and Astronauts one from Vinted.
We’ve done a cast on why Vinted is much more than clothes.
I’ve been watching too much Parisian Agency on Netflix. (I love that show).
So I’ve been trying to adopt a Parisian style and coolness with a new Folio packed with a Yellow Legal Pad and a couple of Moleskine Cahiers.
Helen introduces the (potentially) new segment of the show called "Stationery Freaks in the Wild", in which she shares a story of a fellow writing retreat stationery freak, who rocked up with a yellow legal pad and a BlackWing pencil.
Helen introduces a new concept for fellow Stationery Freaks to try - shop at home!
In a nutshell, wander around your house unearthing existing stationery you’ve not seen, used or found for a few months. It will feel like new and no need to spend any money.
Main Content - Becoming a freak
We then jump into the topic of the day - becoming a stationery freak.
Helen remembers scented pens and rubbers/erasers as a child
Helen recalls calligraphy class at school and learning to write using an italic ink pen (and no, she did not go to school in the early 1900s)
Rob remembers his Chemistry teacher, Dungeon Master, who ensured students had extremely, dangerously, sharp pencils.
Rob remembers Christmas Eve gifts of notebooks and pens
We both recall gift shops at museums where we would seek out pens, erasers and notebooks.
Rob fondly recalls The American Adventure, which has been closed for many years, and a museum called the Woolly Mammoth centre.
Helen explains that she's always needed stationery to control her life, otherwise it would be a catastrophe
Helen also reveals that she uses stickers to denote which type of bin to put out. Rob just goes on what everyone else is doing.
Rob recalls putting tunes on and writing film scripts - and how that positive feeling dwindled when he tried to do it on computers.
Rob mentions that Domestika has some great tutorials on creating infographics!
Helen speaks about how simply the act of thinking back to early stationery memories was a really positive experience.
Is there a time when you knew you were a stationery freak? What memories do you have about early stationery use?
Let us know - we're on Instagram @stationeryfreaksuk
Thanks for listening!
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