Stuff I Love: Because My Taste Is Impeccable (And Totally Not Questionable)

in case you, too, enjoy some occasional retail therapy

With my birthday week upon us (hello, 41), I thought I’d share some things with you all that I plain-out love. All are from small businesses, as far as I know. Some are pricier than others. A few will likely confound you.

So: let me take you on a grand tour through the items in my magpie nest.

(I am an affiliate for some of these things, meaning I get a small amount of money if you buy it. Believe me, though: I wouldn’t be sharing with you the following favorites if I didn’t genuinely love and use them.)

PLOTTER binders and accessories

According to plotterusa.com, “A new way to think about the ring system—a single piece of authentic leather anchored by PLOTTER original backplates. The result is a minimalistic, portable, and functional leather binder that evokes and inspires creativity in the user.” PLOTTER is a Japanese company that makes binders that are higher quality than Filofax and have smaller rings for those of us lefties out there. I love taking notes and sticking them in my PLOTTER; I love printing documents onto A5 paper, punching holes in them, and having them kept neatly inside. Because they have small rings, I’m also forced to curate what I keep.

Qwerkywriter keyboard

For those who love the feel and aesthetic of an old-fashioned typewriter (without fiddling with stuck keys and typewriter ribbons), check out these well-made keyboards from Qwerkywriter. They’re metal, not plastic, making them durable and a tactile pleasure. (If you’re on a budget, these Rymek keyboards are also lovely. Use the code ESMEWANG to get $10 off.)

Tonic Site Shop

If you’ve looked at my website (esmewang.com), you might be surprised to know that I put it all together myself using TONIC’s amazing templates, which are super easy to use and customize. I swear by them. The Tonic Site Shop is home to an assortment of phenomenal templates (websites, social media, and more) that are unlike anything else on the internet. Use the code "ESME15" to get 15% off.

Annotation Kit

Are you, too, a huge nerd who loves to annotate the shit out of your books? I’ve bought a bunch of these annotation kits—the (replaceable) page flags are attached to a white plastic piece that holds pens, highlighters, and pencils via elastic on both sides. This component rests on the cover of your book, while another piece of plastic with a strong magnet goes on the inside cover to keep the kit firmly affixed to your book. Perfection.

Noshinku Hand Sanitizer & Sprayers (Refillable)

These little buddies are so cool. They’re flat, easy to tuck into a pocket, smell fantastic in their different varieties, and are refillable. I’ve turned a bunch of my friends on to these hand sanitizers. Maybe you’ll like them, too.

There are still a few days left to fill out the reader survey—until Sunday, you still have time to fill out this pretty quick survey and have the chance to win one of three $50 gift cards to Bookshop.org. I’d love to hear your thoughts about what you want to see from me and who you are.

Also, the last day to submit applications for our Unexpected Shape Writing Academy scholarships/fellowships is June 15th. To learn more and apply, go to unexpectedshapeacademy.com, read through the entire page, and click the link at the very bottom to take you to the scholarship application page.

The next Fireside Chat for paid subscribers will be on Saturday, June 29 at 10 AM Pacific. We’ll discuss the push-pull of finding joy while living with limitations. Nothing candy-coated; we’ll also discuss the real shit. Become a paid subscriber if you’d like to join (or have access to) the Fireside Chats.