I know there are some older threads about this but my question is a little different than "what should I buy?". Basically, my situation is this: I'm the highest level of IT management for an educational institution (32 years old). I have a very nice brown leather padfolio in my grown-up briefcase and I also have a Moleskine Professional Notebook (Large, not the Extra Large, but bigger than the pocket size, see here). It seems a littlje ridiculous to me to have both. I love the "look" of the brown leather padfolio but I also feel awkward at meetings using only one page at a time and doing the flipping of papers like a scribe. The Moleskine is more "book-like", which is nice but seems a little less professional than the handsome padfolio I have.
Do many of you have both and just use what's best for the situation or do you have one that you use as your "daily driver"? Or do you have both but the leather padfolio only comes out for job interviews, O3s, and board meetings and otherwise stays in your briefcase 95% of the time?
Moleskine user
I use the same size moleskine and it seems fine for me. I used to be an extra large user. I've used the smaller one a few weeks now and love the size. One meeting fits on a page so I can keep notes separate. I also have a pad folio that I use, as you mention, in interviews and similar situations. I've always found that for me it was too tough to use the pad folio on a daily basis. What do the others around you use? That's a big factor when looking at what you should use. My peers and manager all use a larger notebook that is like a book. Some are free ones they get from vendors. Others are ones they buy. Then there is the development team who type notes, so they say, on their computers. We all know the recommendations there... ;) I don't have enough interactions with my boss' peers or his boss to know what each of them uses. I'm working on that one... I hope this helps you and others!!!
In reply to Moleskine user by Scott McLellan
Thank you all for the
Thank you all for the comments. I do feel that the padfolio is "over-kill" for most meetings. And obviously the nice thing about the Moleskine is its portability (even the larger ones). The Professional Moleskine has some other nice features I like, such as the table of contents, and the Cornell-like layout. I am not opposed to the leather cover for a Moleskine but I do actually like the standard black.
rawdata - So, you use the padfolio for interviews and other "special" meetings and your Moleskine for everything else? Including O3's?
Moleskine cover?
Have you thought of getting a nice leather cover for your moleskine? There are some amazing ones out there that you can move from moleskine to moleskine as you fill them up. This is the one I have coveted ever since I saw it. http://www.gfeller.us/notebookcovers.html and there are many others. I recommend searching etsy.com.