My Techo cover served me very well in 2022, and continues to do so in 2023. The Techo is such a small book; it´s really amazing how much can be crammed into that very small space.
This photo is of my completed Techo from 2022, and the new one, for 2023. In between is a neat little slim folder that I use as a bookmark for the front of the notebook.
This is probably the last year I´ll use the Techo though, and here´s why: The picture below is my 2022 Hobonichi Techo standing atop my new 2023 Techo. The 2022 pages fan out hugely, each one with writing and some kind of illustration.
My filled diary has blossomed; it´s maybe even six times wider now than it was when it was new and unused. On the one hand, that´s pretty nifty — so much stuff in such a small footprint! But I think I could use a little more room in the book. Next year I´ll buy the A5 Cousin instead of the A6 Techo.
I love everything about the Hobonichi notebooks — the fountain pen-friendly, super-thin paper; the beautiful binding, the thoughtful layout — except one thing:
The incredibly stupid, self-centered, and utterly banal quotes, of which one is photographed above. These idiocies take up valuable real estate on those lovely pages, and provide no benefit whatever. Unless you count starting every day annoyed that a random egoist has inserted him/her/their/its self into your personal journal. Which I don´t.
The quote in the photo above reads: I´ve often
been told I´m lucky to be able to do what I love.
But I didn´t plan it that way. The reality is,
I only discovered I enjoy this work once I had tried it.
Do tell, oh immortal sage.