~/uses
What I use.
The tools, gear and stationery behind the work. Updated whenever something earns a permanent spot.
last updated October 13, 2026
01 · the pen case
Currently inked
- LAMY Safari
- LAMY AL-star
- Kaweco Sport
- TWSBI ECO
- Montblanc
LAMY Safari
F nib
Everyone's first fountain pen, including mine.
inked with Default FontINK-001LAMY AL-star
M nib
The Safari's grown-up aluminium sibling.
inked with Clear Skies Over ManilaINK-007Kaweco Sport
M nib
Custom, pocket-sized, always in the bag.
inked with Boracay, Out of OfficeINK-018TWSBI ECO
Broad nib · demonstrator
A clear demonstrator, so I can watch the ink go down.
inked with No RestraintsINK-003Montblanc
F nib
For the pages that deserve it.
inked with Divinity of AttentionINK-017
02 · the paper
Blank, undated, bleed-proof
Always unlined and undated, because I like deciding what a page is for. Beyond that, any paper that won't let fountain pen ink bleed through. Tomoe River and I broke up. It's not you, it's me. We still wave at each other at pen shows.
on paper
Commonplace
DIY leather cover, Moleskine inserts · A6
The catch-all. Ideas, scraps, half-thoughts, and anything worth keeping.
MUJI ring notebook · A7, flips top to bottom
Sententiae, aphorisms, and my questions about the world, life, self and love.
Planner
Traveler's Notebook · Regular
Weekly planning, in the long vertical format.
Journal
Leuchtturm1917 · A5
Where the day gets worked out.
Writing
MUJI · A5
Where I'm currently writing my essays, Calculus of Empty Rooms.
Post-its
everywhere
Lots of sticky notes, for thoughts that only need to live for a day.
“Write while the heat is in you.”
on screen
Second brain
Obsidian
My PKM, and the closest thing to a map of my brain. I liked it enough to build an Android widget for it.
To-do
TickTick
The to-do list. If it isn't in TickTick, it isn't happening.
03 · the print bench
Bambu Lab P1S
Bambu Lab P1S with the AMS. Multi-colour prints, prototypes, fixes, and things nobody asked for.
04 · the desk
Software and stacks
Building
Salesforce
Apex, Lightning Web Components, OmniStudio and Flows for the day job.
React, Next.js and TypeScript
For everything on the web, this site included. Books and inks live in Sanity, hosted on Vercel.
CivicSync PH was built that way, and it's how I explore new stacks.
Writing and reading
Where HelloJoal gets published.
Calibre
Keeps my ebook library in order.
For everything else.