October 19, 2026
New here? The Stationery Pulse is a short weekly letter for people who still think on paper. Every Monday I round up what's worth reading in the analog world: pens, notebooks, planners, and the people using them well, then close with whatever's new from Planning Engineered. The full gear catalog lives on the Shelf, linked at the bottom. One letter, once a week. That's it.
One of the things I've learned over the years is that when I'm feeling extra anxious, extra worried, or just struggling to get through the day, using stationery is a great way to manage some of the symptoms.
Some of the techniques are very valuable: the brain dump, getting a project note or something that is bothering you all out on paper, and keeping a task list of what needs to get done that day.
Sketching or doodling helps too, just getting the hand moving on paper, and then I do a reflection at the end of the week. None of that needs a screen, and it beats the phone I would otherwise pick up in a spare ten minutes.
This week's reading is built around that idea, and my new video covers the one screen I did let in, an e-ink reader where I get to choose every article.
What's new in analog
Sunday Reading for October 18, 2026 (Gentleman Stationer): This week's link roundup opens with the Nashville On The Paper Trail Live event, which featured a typewriter demonstration, then moves through a Sad Pen Day reminder to turn a pen's cap to unscrew it rather than pull, a Duluth shop exclusive called Sunlit Steel, and London Autumn Pen Show recaps. Skim it if you want a quick map of what the pen blogs covered this week.
I finally found an ink accessories I’ve been looking for for years Laban Crystal Ink Well (Mark Your Pages): A short clip about a Laban crystal ink pot, picked because the creator wanted a classic, functional ink well for dip pens and found this one. The wide mouth and clear glass let you see your ink level while you write a planner header or note, which is the practical detail that makes it more than a pretty desk object.
72 Tiny Doodle Ideas For Your Hobonichi Planner 😋 (TheCoffeeMonsterzCO): This is a tutorial with 72 tiny doodle ideas aimed at Hobonichi planner pages, and the creator invites viewers to request more doodles for a future episode. If your planner pages feel blank and you have been putting off drawing in them, this gives you a big batch of small starting points. Shop (affiliate): Hobonichi Techo.
Doomscrolling Alternatives (Well-Appointed Desk): The author reacts to Wirecutter's list of 118 things to do instead of doomscrolling, arguing that many suggestions still send you back to the internet, like researching a recipe through NYTimes Cooking when you could pick one from a cookbook you already own. Open it for a pointed critique that calls some of the list filler and says the chore-style tips, like checking smoke detector batteries, feel scolding when you just want entertainment.
Deals & Drops: On The Paper Trail Live Weekend, In-Store and Online! Roterfaden, Kakimori and More (Gentleman Stationer): The Gentleman Stationer lays out its On The Paper Trail Live weekend in Nashville, with Kaweco DIY machines on site, a show exclusive Jester fountain pen from Good Made Better, and exclusive OnionBrand covers in very small quantities. The weekend is over, but the post is still worth a look for the online restocks it lists: Roterfaden TGS_25 A5 Slim covers and Kakimori metal dip nibs and glass nibs, plus the Nashville shop's hours.
Links marked (affiliate) support Planning Engineered at no extra cost to you.
From the channel
New on the blog:
That's it for this week. See you back here next Monday.
The Shelf is the full catalog: 160 products across 13 categories, from pens and inks to notebooks, covers and planners.
Want the short version? The Planning Engineered resources page is the start-here list.
Luis