The phrase “Hipster PDA” has come up a few times now to describe FIELD NOTES, and we like that description, but it’s worth noting that the phrase was apparently coined by 43 Folders to describe a method for “Getting Things Done” involving 3″ x 5″ notecards. A later post at PigPog outlines a similar “GTD” method using a memo book, so let us humbly suggest that FIELD NOTES are perfectly suited for this purpose, and perhaps their smaller, more manageable size will help you limit your tasks to a reasonable level, and their subtle grid will help keep your margins and writing nicely aligned.

If you take pride in your disorganized stream-of-conscious scribblings, fear not, FIELD NOTES will work just fine for you, too!

A couple more positive reviews:

Chris Bowler at theweeklyreview.ca:

Think of these as a replacement for a Hipster PDA

and Robin at LitCentral uses FIELD NOTES to suggest a method for novelists and screenwriters to develop characters for fiction and films, and goes on to say:

Field Notes are a very durable notebook made for anyone who needs something handy and accessible to capture the abundant overflow of their brain droppings.

Thanks, Chris, Robin, and all the other folks who’ve given FIELD NOTES a try and took the time to write up an honest opinion. We’re thrilled to see how positive the feedback’s been. You can read loads more reviews via the links to your left (our right–we’re inside your monitor).

While you’re lighting your Frost Bites and Flaming Cobras this weekend, thank the Chinese for never running out of creative ways to blow things up.

Wait, no, we’re supposed to be thanking America. Spread the love of FIELD NOTES, which just so happen to be made here in America, with our special offer: Drop four 3-packs of FIELD NOTES in the ol’ shopping cart, with coupon code FIRECRACKER and we’ll only charge you for three 3-packs. Offer valid through Sunday, July 6, 2008.

In the immortal words of Camper Van Beethoven:

Just be glad you live in America,
Just relax and be yourself.
‘Cause if you didn’t live here in America,
You’d probably live somewhere else.

(Shout out to Shelton Fireworks, where we would have totally bought hundreds of dollars worth of fireworks last Sunday afternoon, if they weren’t totally illegal in Illinois.)

Note: FIELD NOTES are not red/white/blue, we did that with computers.

A very well-traveled and eagle-eyed Mark Kohlman of Minneapolis, Minn., brought a little tidbit to our attention yesterday. It turns out we (kind of) made the pages of the amazing Good Magazine! The July/August issue that’s on the stands right now.

On Page 16 in the contributors section, up in the upper left corner, there’s a grainy shot of a bulletin board, and smack dab in the middle of that sucker is a Field Notes memo book. Check it out, right here.

Once the day was done and all the orders were shipped out, we raced up to the magazine rack to grab a copy, frantically flipping through the pages to get to our little moment.

And there it was. Tiny as hell, but nevertheless, right there for all to see. Much pride was felt.

We love Good Magazine, and are very proud to be in it, no matter how infinitesimal the showing.

Dan Ward just got his Airman Battle Uniform:

The new Air Force combat uniform pants have a little pocket on the outside of the calf area. I wasn’t quite sure what to put there, and then realized it’s the perfect size for a Field Notes memo book. I carry one around all the time. This isn’t an official federal endorsement, of course, but I think I’m allowed to say… it fits the pocket perfectly. Thanks!

We originally thought the bitmapped camouflage thing would get old fast, but we’re still loving it, and it complements our Dur-O-Tone cover nicely.

Dan, we thank you for the photo and kind words, we thank you for serving the U.S. of A., and we thank you for hopefully steering some big government contracts our way in the future. Bravo Zulu.

If you’re a FIELD NOTES anorak, you may have noticed our new list of FIELD NOTES retailers. It’s up there in the navigation bar, for future reference. Buy in person for instant gratification and save on shipping, too!. We’re hoping to keep Draplin busy adding white dots to that map, and it’s hard to picture a shop where a stack of well-crafted, Made-in-the-U.S.A. memo books wouldn’t fit in. If you’d like to add FIELD NOTES to your inventory let Michele know. If you’d like to see FIELD NOTES in your favorite shop, let Michele know. If you have a Dusk Rose ‘67 Mustang hardtop for sale at a reasonable price, let Michele know.

A SMALL ANNOUNCEMENT: Bullet pencils are things of the past, and that’s that.

Man, if that just doesn’t make us sad as hell.

After an extensive search, high and low, we’re ashamed to report the proud days of “getting custom-printed bullet pencils” are long, long gone. Even the crappy little ones from the mid-’80s it seems. We’ve been planning one up for Field Notes for some time now, and have more or less thrown the towel in on this one. The sad truth.

Now, there was a faint glimmer of hope in the “online circle of Umpire suppliers.” A couple phone calls to the proper suppliers put the ol’ kibosh on that one too. Sinking hearts. Turns out those heavily padded umpires out there making the calls prefer bullet pencils for the compact quality in a pocket of a pair of odd, polyester black slacks. Who would’ve thought? Makes sense, right?

So here’s the deal: Stock up where you can through vintage sources, flea markets and what not, and do what you can to keep the bullet pencil alive. Keep one in your pocket at all times. We do. Trust us on this one.

But don’t fret, we’ve got a couple tricks up our sleeve. Stay tuned for some big news.

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The good people of A Continuous Lean feel the same way. Get over there and check out some of their scores

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REQUIRED READING, PEOPLE: A hearthwarming article titled, “Memorabilia stir memories of old Midwestern yards.”

Dave Appel had this to say about a recent transaction involving some Field Notes: “A couple months ago I met up with an old friend of mine and he gave me a Rotring mechanical pencil and in turn I gave him a Field Notes booklet. This is what he sent me, so I thought I would pass it along to you guys.”

And thanks for doing so, Dave. Good will and graph paper among men. Just fine with for us.

And hey, we’re down with Oatmeal, and we’re down with moms, so, you know, dig it: Here’s the full recipe.

Thanks for the link from Lexi at Wait Come Back, and some international love from Uzbekistan and Serbia. We need to start collecting shot glasses from our travels. Better yet, new rule: anyone in Serbia that links to Field Notes needs to send a bottle of Zuta Osa, My Kumovi are hoarding the last crate in America, and they won’t share.

Our retail network is growing fast, check back in the next day or two for a list of actual brick-and-mortar establishments where you can buy Field Notes in a hyper-realistic 3-D environment, by handing currency to another human being.

We’ve been into Legos as long as the next guy. Good math and good design just don’t go out of style.

Our “Western Massachusetts Regional Distributor” Roger Cameron works for Lego and uses Field Notes exclusively for his day-to-day packaging design process. You’ve seen the new Indiana Jones sets, right? Well, Rhaj is one of the craftsmen behind those beauties. The next time you are at the toy store, be sure to pick up a couple sets, and get in real good and close on the boxes. You’ll see Rhaj’s masterwork up close.

So the new issue of Lego Magazine came out, and when you turn to page 14 you’ll see some Field Notes tucked away in the corner, doing the good work for brick fans the globe over. Lego Magazine designer Scott Decoteau had a hand in this little shoot, and we can’t thank him enough for believing in us.

Can’t even begin to tell you how much this excites us. Wow.

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And hey, if you shredders reading these words ever need any snowboard wax, look no further than Magical Go-Go. Rhaj is a busy man. Not only is he designing Lego packages, he also runs this little snowboard wax company, and, is raising a beautiful little family. One of the greatest guys ever. Really.

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JUST IN FROM RHAJ AT LEGO’S HEADQUARTERS IN ENFIELD, CT: “For your information, 7 x 2 grid on a Field Notes page is approximately equal to a LEGO 1 x 4 brick.” Good to know, good to know.