About
EB’s Notebook is a place where we re-imagine the work & life of mission-driven creatives in a productivity-centered world.
We commit to bringing more question marks than periods to the digital blank page; to dedicate more time to quality content than SEO; to write with heart, honesty, and a sense of humor; to share human preoccupations and experiences without hiding away behind labels.
Creative
We believe creativity is about connecting ideas and finding solutions. Here, it is through language that we play & experiment with our minds.
Human
Writings here are relatable and, just like us, they are inherently (and beautifully) imperfect. We intend to honor our quirky humanness & turn it into an asset.
Responsible
As citizens of this planet, we have a duty to work together to change the ways our world works; exchanging & spreading ideas is where we begin.
The Vision
Just like we fill notebooks for about 1001 ways, this paperless space off the noisy face of the internet is meant to serve many purposes.
We all use our blocks of paper for to-dos and random lists; for phone numbers whose owners we forget; for doodles and drawings we make in waiting rooms; for poems and film quotes; for songs we need to add to our Spotify lists; for work projects and creative braindumps; for a thousands other things that turn notebooks into unique blends of ideas, thoughts, and experiences.
It is with this in mind that I have created this space. I would like it to become open and welcoming enough to make space for wa(o)nderings; for hopes and dreams; for spurs of anger and sadness; for lists that feel like they belong.
Where It All Began
Back in the winter of 2012, I was home for the holidays. During a study break that might have involved learning about European law, English grammar, and Spanish culture, I sat down at this very computer, signed up for yet another wordpress blog, and ebsnotebook.wordpress.com was born. I wasn’t sure what it would become—and the part in me who listened to that creative pull back then would be happy to hear what it’s led to—but I just knew this: I wanted to write, and I wanted to share.
Words have become my gentle invitations to think, ponder, laugh, rage, cry, hope, and create with the citizens of our planet. My writings have initiated many conversations we need to keep having, like on the importance of voicing our anger, the simple act of loving, the many definitions of prayer, and the wonders of belonging.
So after much tossing and turning, clearing a path in the middle of the creative forest (and not-so-subtle messages from my non-English-speaking family), I’ve decided to go back to my abandoned digital notebook and give it the life it deserves—as diverse as its languages indicate. My hope is that this space will continue to foster and cultivate curiosity.
Please make yourself at home—help yourself in the fridge, turn on the radio, cozy up on the couch, and read the stories. And most important of all, don't let your mind fall asleep...
The One Behind the Words
I’m Ely, pronounced Ellie or /eli/ if you speak phonetics. Just before I turned 18, I left my “home” of France to go study translation in the wonderful city of Brussels, Belgium. Since then, I’ve lived in 4 other countries—sunny Spain, breathtaking New Zealand, hygge Denmark, and the questionable United States— each lending me their cultures, languages, habits, and jokes to fill my mind and heart with vibrant colors and astounding writing prompts.
When I’m not trying to make sense of all the article ideas that pop up in my head, writing or editing for others, riding my bike, playing the ukulele, or taking a break legs up the wall, I’m editing articles and planning content for Shut Up & Yoga magazine. I recently moved to Shanghai with my dear P, whom I speak Spanish with most of the time, and who has yet to teach me Argentinian gestures so my attitude gets paired with the accent that’s stuck with me.