Loads of Lefty Love

[Moose]

I got my Field Journal earlier this week and I love it. Its the first time I've ever had a journal/planner that really worked for a lefty. My sincere thanks to TB and team for such a truly useable journal for us leftys of the world.

The organizational possibilities are endless. It holds way more than I expected it would. The best is the outside zipper pocket, great for keys or change. It is wonderfully well built, as always not a stitch out of place. I know it will last me for years.

Take care,
Moose

[wennefer]

Thanks for the pictures Moose. The field journal looks great. As does kitty :-)

What planner are you using? It looks like a very nice set-up.

And BTW, you should change your sig, since I don't think you're anxiously awaiting a Plum FJN anymore.

[Moose]

Hi wennefer,
Thanks, Katy put the pics up for me, I'm NOT computer savy! The planner pages, zip top pouch and credit card holder are from Daytimer. I got some extra paper when I ordered the journal. The dividers are the regular notebook type from an office supply store. I found the page covers/holders on Amazon. I've got the journal seperated with the dividers by category. Work, hobbies, to do list and the so on. I really do like my new journal. Its a home run for sure. Thanks for the reminder, I did change the sig line. For the record, the cat doesn't give two hoots about any of it. :)
Happy travels,
Moose

[gmanedit]

Hi, Moose. Love the cat.

I've got a stupid question: How does moving the rings to the right side help a lefty write? As a righty, I thought the lefty's problem was smearing the wet ink as the hand moves from left to right. How does changing the position of the rings change this?

(Also, why rotate the plate instead of just holding the FJN upside down, with the pockets on the right?)

[Moose]

Hi gmanedit,
When a left handed person writes in a right handed notebook the rings or sprial are in the way of writing on a flat surface. The way I have this journal set up I can write on the left side of the rings and nothing is in my way. I get a nice flat surface. The way I hold my pen when I write my hand does not touch the ink I've just put on paper, so, no smearing.

As for not just rotating, I guess it felt "right" to have the interior pockets on the left instead of the right. It makes stuff pretty easy to get to with my left hand the way I've got it set up. If I rotated it I think writing on the stuff in the pockets might be a bit lumpy but I'll have to check that out for sure. But you're correct, rotating it and having the pockets on the right might work well for some folks.
Happy travels,
Moose

[Darcy]

Thanks for the great photos, Moose! I posted them on the blog today.

[JoelSmith]

Nice photos Moose. As a lefty myself, I was wondering about the rings on the right, too. So far, I'm just using my FJN upside-down, and that works pretty well -though that's what I'm used to with other notebooks. Was it easy to rotate the ring board? Does having the rings on the outside effect the way it carries or what you put in it? (I know, I should just rotate my own.)

[Moose]

HI JoelSmith,
Rotating the ring board was a no brainer. They're snug but it was really easy to do. Having the rings near the handle doesn't diminish the carrying capacity at all. One of the reasons I switched it around was that I didn't want to write on the pockets. I thought it might be lumpy. I undstand what you mean about "its what I'm used to." I've adapted all my life and decided this time I was going to see if I could actually make something truly work for a lefty. It does, really well.
Happy travels,
Moose

[JoelSmith]

Well, I've flipped mine. Thanks for encouraging the the change. It was amazingly easy. Tom Bihn's products usually have that kind of user experience. I'll give it a try.
Thanks!

[Moose]

Hi JoelSmith,
Glad you gave it a try. I'm really interested in how you like it after a week or two. I agree with you, all the TB products I've tried so far have been user friendly.
Happy travels,
Moose

[JoelSmith]

Switched back

Hi Moose,

I tried flipping the back panel for a while and finally decided to switch back to the stock orientation, and using the field journal upside-down so the paper's on the left side. I wasn't happy with the width of the whole thing when folded out when the rings were on the outside edge.

Back in the original setup, and upside-down, I'm happy as a clam. It's also possible to slip my iPad in if I don't zip the top edge.

Just more proof of how versatile and well-thought-out Tom Bihn's products can be for different users.

I'm using my Field Journal primarily for my pottery work, so it's full of sketches and notes and covered with clay dust, which shows up on navy quite nicely :-)

[Moose]

Hi Moose,

I tried flipping the back panel for a while and finally decided to switch back to the stock orientation, and using the field journal upside-down so the paper's on the left side. I wasn't happy with the width of the whole thing when folded out when the rings were on the outside edge.

Back in the original setup, and upside-down, I'm happy as a clam. It's also possible to slip my iPad in if I don't zip the top edge.

Just more proof of how versatile and well-thought-out Tom Bihn's products can be for different users.

I'm using my Field Journal primarily for my pottery work, so it's full of sketches and notes and covered with clay dust, which shows up on navy quite nicely :-)

Hi JoelSmith
I understand what you mean about the width. It does make it longer. I use mine a lot at work and my desk is big enough that it works ok.

I used to throw a pot or two myself. Next to my spinning its the one thing I've done that I truly loved. I took classes from a guy that had a masters degree in pottery. I never knew one could have a masters degree in pottery. I didn't learn enough to cut out on my own so I gave it up. Sure loved it though. I'm guessing clay dust would show up well on my plum journal too. :)
Happy travels,
Moose

[MtnMan]

I want to thank Moose for starting this thread, and for bringing it to the attention of myself and others in a 2014 thread I started about the FJN ("Field Journal Notebook questions - paper, accessories, etc.")

[Mausermama]

I got my Field Journal earlier this week and I love it. Its the first time I've ever had a journal/planner that really worked for a lefty. My sincere thanks to TB and team for such a truly useable journal for us leftys of the world.

The organizational possibilities are endless. It holds way more than I expected it would. The best is the outside zipper pocket, great for keys or change. It is wonderfully well built, as always not a stitch out of place. I know it will last me for years.

Take care,
Moose

@Moose, I just wanted to thank you for the photos. I know this is an old thread, but as I just got my FJN yesterday, it is relevant to me today. I am also left-handed, so I appreciated seeing how you oriented your notebook. I have done the same, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it will work for me! I love the Plum color, but as that color wasn't offered in this latest run, I purchased one in Red Blend, and I gotta say, I love it!

[Moose]

Oh I do love red blend. I'll be interested to see what you think of the arrangement after a couple of weeks. I am still using mine every day. Had it spread out on a chair next to me in a meeting all day today.
Pictures??? ��
Moose