Since I’ve launched the store, and have to deal with marketing and selling products every day, the most enjoyable writing for me hasn’t necessarily been product reviews but rather posts on what stationery I like to use and how I use it in my own life, because I still write a lot. For my five favorite posts of 2025, I’ve chosen more editorial-style writing discussing how analog fits into my own life and workflow and the products I personally enjoy and why.
Joe’s Personal Favorite Posts from 2025
Everyday Notetaking and Creating an “Idea File”: On Perforated Field Notes and Index Cards. This has been a great year for fountain pen friendly index cards, and rediscovering the utility of being able to jot down ideas and file them away without having to keep track of where things are in a notebook.
Comparing Low Viscosity Ballpoint Pens: Jetstream vs. Acroball vs. Anterique vs. Ohto. Low-viscosity ballpoints feature an ink that’s basically the best of both worlds: the permanence of ballpoint ink with most of the smoothness of gel. Many planner enthusiasts prefer low-viscosity ballpoints because they write a dark, fine line that comes in handy when filling out smaller sections of planners like the Hobonichi Techo and Jibun Techo.
Five Reasons I Prefer Undated Planners and Calendars. This year I went undated for most of my planning, but as you’ll see in some forthcoming content, I’m going with a hybrid approach for 2026 as I find a dated planner useful for certain business purposes.
Complementary Notebook Systems and Stationery: Yamamoto Bullet Jotters. These Yamamoto Bullet Jotters are an excellent counterpart to a Bible-sized 6-ring binder, especially if you prefer writing on a bound pad as opposed to in the 6-ring binder itself. I often mix and match notebook systems to take advantage of the best aspects of each and customize them to my specific needs.
2025 San Francisco Pen Show Recap, Part II: Panel Takeaways. The 2025 San Francisco Pen show was one of the better stationery show experiences I’ve had, content-wise. The topics discussed during the various panels I attended inspired much of the content I’ll be working on for the next year, including our recently launched podcast/video project, which now has it’s own home so please follow along.
The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. You can also come visit us and see any products we sell directly at our physical stationery store in Nashville, Tennessee! Also, please visit our Holiday Gift Guide page if you would like guidance on stationery-related gifting, and we’re also happy to discuss in-person.
