The Gold Standard

Headed back to school? Want to start a new business? Want to create your own home office? We all have our reasons to hunker down and get busy. I was recently watching the first episode of the Food Network Show 24 Hour Restaurant Battle. The premise of the "reality contest" is two teams of two people face off against each other to prepare a menu, create a "front of the house" and get a fully working restaurant together in 24 short hours. The rules are explained to the contestants and the clock starts ticking. What's the first thing that happens?

Out come the notebooks and pens!

"Fail to plan, plan to fail." - old proverb

Before getting their hands dirty chopping, dicing and decorating, everything is listed, sketched and noted prior to action. This is essential when jumping into a new project or venture. There needs to be a strategy, a plan of attack that can be best laid out on paper.

Here's what you need:

• A writing instrument
• A surface to write on
• Paper
• Ideas

I would say that, based upon the project you're starting up and your own preference toward fine pens and stationery would depend on the types or brands of products that you would be reaching for in the brainstorming session. For the design oriented, focused on creating a product or website, go with a Rhodia graph notebook with at least on mechanical pencil, like the Caran d'Ache Metal collection. For the artistic, try a Moleskine sketchbook (large is a great size for scanning on a typical flatbed scanner or all-in-one) along with rollerball pen that can accept fibertip refills. The culinary inclined can make great use of a Passions Recipe Journal. Running a babysitting service? A Filofax Organizer is the tops for keeping track of all your appointments and client's requests. If you're planning on a start up company and have to fill out all those legal forms, do it with style using a fountain pen.

The most important part is to have a place to do your thinking and planning that can be your go-to escape from the rest of the world. Whether it be a desk or a part of the kitchen table, this spot has to be yours and it has to have all of your materials readily accessible so that you can get working at a moments notice to get those ideas out and on paper.

Has anyone started anything recently that they would like to share? Any particular office supplies and/or fine writing instruments assist in the creative process?