Paper resurgence

I visited Paper-Ya in Vancouver today. It's the top rated store in the city according to Yelp! and it's pretty sweet. All sorts of interesting papers and notebooks and stationery. I ended up buying this cool little notebook that's way overpriced. It got me thinking about how practically everyone at the office is using expensive moleskine notebooks instead of the free notebooks you'd get from our office manager. I can see how an art director would find a basic legal pad uninspired and corporate. But I think the reason everyone else is adopting these cooler little books is that it provides a connection to a more foundational and tangible form of creativity. With the explosion of digital creativity, does an idea or picture or thought put down on a dead tree carry more importance and weight? Moleskine is smart to reference Hemingway in its marketing; and the "add a reward" if you find this is particularly brilliant; stroking the owner's ego in the importance of his scribbles.

The other thing is that these notebooks get smaller and smaller. You don't see anyone with a big Franklin planner anymore. Just little notebooks that can fit in your pocket. Not sure what's up with that.