proof of life | ep. 11 ✸ hobonichi 2026 haul, small updates

Summary

Personal health update + routine

• Spent the last two days in hospital and was quieter afterward.
• Had a GP visit for a weird headache that had been worsening for months.
• In the hospital:
  • CT scan showed too much pressure in the skull.
  • A vision check found swelling behind one eye.
  • A lumbar puncture was discussed but ultimately not done there; instead, she received an urgent referral to neurology.

Day-to-day coping routine

• When not working, she’s lying on the floor due to headache.
• When not on the floor, she’s sleeping.
• Life becomes a repeating cycle of discomfort + rest, “punctuated” by Underos (her project) as a distraction.

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Hobonichi 2026 haul (small updates)

• She didn’t get a full Hobonichi box for 2025/2026; only ordered the yellow-sided option and no books.

Staying disciplined

• Accidentally woke at 3:30 a.m. (UK time) for release day.
• Placed the order shortly after release began.
• Avoided impulse buying.

Main items purchased

• App leaflet

  • Interested in the Hobonichi companion app as a “middle ground.”
  • Thinks it could help with catch-up/backlogging and filling blank days.
  • Notes a concern about long-term cost (implying future membership after a free download).
  • Calls out printing/format sizing for Hobonichi as a key feature.

• Tamagotchi flake stickers (big excitement of the haul)

  • Likes the mix of styles:
    • “Plain” options (expects to use most)
    • Holographic/glitter options (says they’re a lot, but still usable; might gift some)
    • Vintage/nostalgic vibe ones

• Index tabs: four

  • Chose multiple to avoid making a later order annoying/expensive.
  • Color preference: colorful but muted.

• Pencil boards: three each (mint A6 + pinks)

  • Only uses these reliably from Hobonichi.
  • Wants extra quantity for DIY Junji Ito cover experiments.
  • Didn’t buy a bright red one (doesn’t like loud red).

• Book band: one

  • Navy blue so it matches most things.
  • Reasons:
    • Helps keep her commonplace book organized
    • Helps when using ringed A6 covers that don’t close securely in a bag

First impressions + material notes

• Pencil boards have shiny/iridescent backgrounds: she likes the texture and vibe, but wishes there were less iridescent “noise” overall in the collab items.

• The plaid cover/binder she bought:

  • Feels soft, like brushed cotton pajamas
  • Mentions a plasticky/glue-like smell initially
  • Dislikes the faux leather edges because they crack/peel over time
  • Finds the beige/lighter internal tones more neutral than photos online
  • Likes that the textured look is easier on her eyes than past tighter plaids

• Sticky notes add-on

  • Tried them because they seem “invaluable” for her process (DIY work).
  • Got one first to test:
    • Right amount to trial
    • Expects she might reorder
  • Comparison result:
    • Grid doesn’t match colors perfectly (disappointment)
    • Paper feels thicker than Hobonichi book paper but still pleasant to write on
    • In the video lighting, colors looked unreliable

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Filofax / weekly planning + reading/travel highlights

• Uses Filofax to organize and documents weekly progress.

Reading update

• Finished “vampire books.”
• Started/continued The Nightshade God (Hannah Whitten), feeling very stressed about ~200 pages in.
• Mentions earlier trilogy titles: The Fox Club and The Hemlock Queen.

Entertainment highlights

• Saw Conjuring in theaters with a friend who shares horror taste.
• Enjoys the “emotional support” fictional Ed/Lorraine, while acknowledging real-life wrongdoing.

Community + outings

• Attended a journal meetup (small group; good conversations).
• Took a photo with her tabby shoes (she wears them often, including in hospital).

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Underos project (ongoing creative work)

• Continues adapting Underos into pocket size for sustainability and easier page creation (especially while unwell).
• Design changes:
  • Adds black pages scattered throughout
  • Adds more pages to the map area (now about double)
• Production/distribution:
  • Pocket-size also allows print-on-demand via the Z platform, so followers can order worldwide.
• Content/story progress:
  • Revisited and improved multiple pages (fixing issues that bothered her earlier)
  • Finished sections including Beach and Cave (cave completed, though not printed at that moment)
  • Currently working on the start of chapter 5 (shopkeeper peeling an orange)
  • Next steps: “summer pages” on Patreon, then autumn pages.

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Notable locations / products / people mentioned

Locations

• London
• “In the cinema” (no specific city named)
• Hospital/GP/emergency unit (no specific hospital named)

Products/brands

• Hobonichi 2026: yellow option, plaid cover/binder, index tabs, pencil boards, book band, sticky notes
• Tamagotchi flake stickers (collab)
• High Tide (book band noted as made by them)
• Filofax (weekly planning)

Books/authors

• Hannah Whitten — The Fox Club, The Hemlock Queen, The Nightshade God

Films

• The Conjuring (final film mentioned)

Creative project

• Underos (paper/pocket-size adaptation)