I keep a journal - mostly, its work, sometimes I toy with keeping a separate one, but I own my company, so I'm not as concerned about separating IP as others might need to be.

I keep digital records, but I also keep a physical record of trials, and recipe changes, etc.

I print the recipes out, and either rubber cement, or tape them into my notebook - I'm just recently trying tape. I have also tried a brush on super glue.

My notebook cover has a hard back, so I haven't had to worry about the glue bond flexing, but I am a bit concerned about it.

I am also concerned about the pages scanning properly, if the print-outs are taped in place.

(I was trying to type everything up/find someone to do that for me. Then I tried dictating everything. Now, I've just decided to maintain an index on my computer, and scan in my journals.)

Any suggestions? I've been through almost every itineration possible, and I'm pretty well settled on mead 5-star composition books, and a Pentel .9MM GraphGear 1000 with 4B lead, with occasional use of Rite-in-Rain journals, and a Rite in Rain pocket journal. (Along with a fountain pen in the Mead composition books, if I am to write for a longer period of time.)

Gfeller.us makes great covers, BTW - I cut a piece of chipboard to use as the backer for my composition books.

Since you aren't affraid of tech, check into rocketbooks or evernote journals. Download the app, snap a pic and then you have the digital version and the hard copy version.

It is possible to simply set a receipt or clipping on top of the pages and then digitize.

Your results might vary.

Evernote's privacy policy is unacceptable. I'll check into rocketbooks

The classic three-ring binder still has utility especially when combined with pre-punched copy/printing paper. For incorporation of paper originals, there are clear plastic pockets, and inserts designed for pretty much every paper information exchange formats ever used, business cards, "snapshot"-sized photos, index cards, etc.

For less than $150, you can get Dragon dictation software and a microphone for your computer, which will allow you to dictate into a document very easily.

quote:

Originally posted by Aglifter:
Evernote's privacy policy is unacceptable. I'll check into rocketbooks

Have a look into Microsoft OneNote. I converted all my notes and record keeping for almost everything into OneNote a few years ago and have never looked back. Now everything I choose to keep is accessible to me through my desktop, laptop, tablet, and cellphone.

OK, they're better than Evernote, but they still read all content...

I do still do some lawyering/I do generate IP, controlled by NDAs and trade secret requirements.

I tried 3 ring binders - Mead makes some kind of "soft ring" binder which worked better for me.

It should work better for me, but I couldn't get comfortable with it.

I tried those Japanese binder notebooks as well - the paper is awesome for fountain pens.

I know the 3 ring binder/some other binder would work the best for scanning...

Get an iPad that supports the Apple Pen and get an app like GoodReader - a popular note taking app.
You can take a snapshot of a receipt, drawing, or whatever and add it to a page in a folder or document in GoodReader. So why the Apple Pen? You can add freehand notes to the page around the imported picture. Your info is stored locally so you will want the 128GB iPad.
For cloud storage (a 128GB iPad won’t be enough long term) so look to pCloud with the encryption option. All encryption and decryption is local on your iPad so data on the cloud is encrypted locally. pCloud can’t access your data. pCloud is located in Switzerland.