Long Time - No Write!

Time to Clean up!

It's been several years since I've written on this little old blog.  So much happens in the intervening years.  

I'm 60 years old now and don't really spend that much time worrying about bullet journal stuff.  I do still keep a to do list in a pocket notebook and a calendar as well, but don't sweat about getting stuff done as much as I used to.

I've not been very successful at remaining retired and am now teaching 7th grade science.  12 and 13 year olds are a hoot to be around and they will keep me young.  I don't need to keep a bullet journal for that and just live with a DIY teacher planner in a notebook.  My calendar has stuff like keeping score at the volleyball games and well, dates and camping and whatnot.  I rarely have to write down the fact that I have dates because we remind each other. 

But I did have a task to accomplish this evening.  We were down to our last load's worth of laundry detergent.  I've been using homemade laundry detergent for quite a few years.   A couple of years ago I made the mistake of buying some name brand stuff in pods or something or another and was not satisfied with how it cleaned my clothes and was shocked at the price and the fact that I had to get a walmartian to unlock the shelf so I could buy it.

So I went back to a recipe that my ex-wife made.   Its pretty darn simple.  Grate up a couple of bars of Fels Naptha or Zote soap, mix it in with a box of washing soda, a box of borax and a container of oxy-clean, then mix in a container of laundry scent booster (I think we'll be frolicking in lavender fields now) and use about half a cup per load.   

I expect we're set for at least 9 months at a cost of about $35.

  

Bullet Journal - Follow-up

I've continued to use the bullet journal idea to try and keep most of my stuff in the same pile on most days.  I don't have an "important" job with tons of appointments, but I always have little tasks and priorities to take care of.  I no longer need that big old Daytimer binder with the pre-printed pages and since I'm becoming more of a free spirit as I get older, I really enjoy the free-form nature of the bullet journal idea.

I spend a couple of bucks in May and bought this leather notebook cover from Gearn8tion at All Day Ruckoff.  It seems to be well made and who doesn't like a nice leather notebook?

I pondered using a larger notebook but realized that I needed something I would carry with in my pockets or drop it in my briefcase.  So I settled on the Field Notes notebooks for my preferred planner.  I originally just carried a notebook in my pocket, but found the cover coming off well before the notebook was filled up.  The leather cover solved this problem.

I put 2 notebooks in the cover and am happy about the size.  My idea is to use the left hand notebook first.  When it is full, I'll just start on the right hand book and then, when I no longer need quick access to the left hand book, I'll archive it, move the right one over and insert a new one on the left side.

Following are some of the pages and how I use them.  The daily pages are generally a running log of what I need to do and what I've done or noticed or whatnot.

I've experimented with different calendar layouts and have settled on this style for now.  It is pretty conventional but still allows for some customizing.  I primarily put appointments or deadlines here.

I'm experimenting with a weekly layout to give me a little more room for information about appointments or big ticket items.

I've stuck with the bullet journal idea for at least a year now and I think it might work for me.

Bullet Journal - Week 1

As threatened, here are some of my thoughts after trying the bullet journal for about 1 week.  I am including some photos of my notes before I tried this method and what they look like after just a few days.  

I chose to use the Field Notes book I started using on October 8.  I anticipate that this particular notebook may not be large enough, but, I really like the portability.

Here is the pocket notebook I am starting out with. The pen is a TWSBI Diamond 540.

This is what my notes typically look like.

Another shot of my notes. Most of what I write is pretty jumbled.

This spread was from the time I decided to try out the bullet method.

This is my first index and calendar layout.

This is my first "daily" use of the method. I want to make sure my notes are not scattered out over many floating slips of paper, so everything will go in this book.  I need to determine how much I really need to write down. Oh, in case you wonder, the mechanical pencil is a .5mm Waterman I have carried for years.

This is a typical day's notes.

I have a few issues to work out with how I use this technique. The first is determining how much I will write as far as meeting notes. Secondly, I want to wrap my brain around using only a few symbols for prioritizing. Third, I need to decide if the pocket size format is right for this use. I think it would be really neat if some of the makers of pocket notebooks would send me a few samples to try out;)I mean, what company would not want to expose their products to my massive readership of my wife and maybe 1 or 2 other people?  

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Bullet Journal

I am trying out a new organizational strategy called Bullet Journal. Check out the link and let me know what you think.

I will be sharing a few pictures of my approach in the next few days. I may have shared in the past that I am a planner geek, but I have discovered that I really don't want to keep carrying around that big old planner binder anymore. So I am adapting this method to a simple yet pretentious Field Notes pocket notebook. This method is part of a feeble attempt I am embarking on to trim the internet tether I seem to find myself on. Technology can be a little too distracting for me at times and rather than use it as a tool, I tend to use it as a crutch.

Yes, its been too long since I last blogged. I hope my legion of follower is still paying attention.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

A little Pencil Sketching

I write my letters with a fountain pen. However, lately, I've become enamored with pencils and a little bit of sketch drawing. Here are a couple of rough drawings I made today.


Critical feedback is welcomed.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Bifocal wearing hipster? Field Notes and Blackwing Pencil

I have always been a list writer. I like little books. I like pencils. So I bit the metaphorical bullet and purchased some Field Notes books and a box of Palomino Blackwing 602 pencils. Look for a review of each in the near future.

I must finish this Clairefontaine book before I start on the Field Notes.

Here is your humble blogger styling the new nausea inducing no lines progressive lens spectacles.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Month of Letters Update

This week for the Month of Letters, I am using Noodler's Green Marine in my fountain pens. Thus far in February, I have sent 15 letters out and have 2 postcards to reply to tonight.

I have told a few of my penpals that I gave up my super smart Android phone. I discovered that my old dumb LG phone will allow me to post to this blog, so this is a dumbpost.

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Typewriter

Guess what? My wife decided to spend a very small amount of money on typewriters. She bought a his and hers model. Guess who get's which?

A couple of my pen pals will be getting typed letters this week. Specifically the letters are going to The Snail Mailer and The Post Muse.

Wilson decided to get in on the fun!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Getting ready for Lettermo

I participated in the Month of Letters Challenge in 2012. It was a fun and intense time. I thought I would do again, but this year, I plan to pace myself a bit.

The Month of Letters challenge is quite simple-write and mail one letter per day for each day the post office is open in February. I think I wrote and sent over 40 letters last year! Head over to Month Of Lettersto sign up and check it out. You might make a few new friends and well, you will do your part to keep the wonderful tradition of sending mail alive!

I will be using a fountain pen again this year. My friend Joel, from St. Peter, Minnesota, kindly included the Month of Letters bookmark in his last letter. I've also included a few photos of mail I received in the last week or so. All fun and all personal.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

I got mail!

I was away for a few days at a workshop and came home to find a letter from Angie at Mailbox Happiness and Becky at Leaving a Paper Trail . Both sent me wonderful letters in creative envelopes. Angie made her envelope and Becky used one of her new typewriters to compose her letter. I am fortunate to have such good penfriends!

Monday, September 24, 2012

Mangled Mail

Avert your eyes if you have a delicate constitution!

I just knew that I would get some mail this week as I sent several pen pal letters last week. I was not disappointed, but I never really expected to find this! The ominous clear plastic "WE CARE" bag surrounded the carcass of a fantastically penned letter from Joel.

Joel is my pen pal from St. Peter, Minnesota who I met this summer. He has wonderful penmanship and it's a shame that only 31 lines of a 4 page letter were complete.

I gingerly opened the bag and saw this:

I was able to fill in some of the gaps about what Joel wrote, so I am composing a reply. I'm not sure that he really left his wife on the shores of Lake Superior as she crooned to a raccoon, but maybe that's what happened!

I also received a letter from a new pen friend, John. He is an interesting guy and fortunately his letter was not mangled.

Friday, September 21, 2012

I'm still alive! and a notebook followup!

I am back! No seriously, I am, so my legion of follower can rejoice!

We are all moved into southern Colorado and have already completed 6 weeks of school. We are having a ball. We love the 4 day school week and 3 day weekend, every week!

So, over the past 7 months or so, I have been carrying a little pocket notebook. It is my faithful companion in my hip pocket. I have been using the Clairefontaine Basic staple bound notebook. I wondered how it would hold up to the abuse of my fanny sitting on it every day, being yanked out, scribbled on and unceremoniously shoved back into my hip pocket where it adds a most unsightly bulge to my skinny backside.

Well, I must say, I am very pleased with how this notebook is holding up. Here is a photo with a red notebook that I don't carry. You can see that it is in pretty pristine shape.

Now here is another picture with the one I carry every day in the center.

I really use every inch of this notebook. I take notes on only one side of the sheet at a time. When I finish that page - whatever I have recorded on it - generally some sort of to do list, I fold the page over and move on. Pages aren't folded until I have completed the actions listed.

I am now on lap 2 of this notebook, so it is flipped and I am writing on the blank pages. I think I will have about 2 more weeks on this book.

It has held up remarkably well. Sure the cover is getting tattered and it has sort of a roundish butt influenced profile, but it has been well worth the couple of dollars it cost last year.

Here is my next notebook. It is a simple little composition book that cost me exactly nothing because my darling wife gave it to me! I hope it holds up half as well.

On another note, I am back to writing to penpals. I will start taking pictures of mail as I receive it and hope to get back to blogging a little more regularly.
If you are one of my pen friends and you haven't received a letter in the last few days, drop me an email and I will sit right down and write you one!

Monday, July 23, 2012

Meeting a Pen Pal in real life!

Serendipity happens.

In February, I participated in the Month of Letters. I gained a few new pen pals. Joel happened to be one of those. Take a look at some of my older posts to see some of his fantastic handwriting.

I just happened to be in his town over the past two weeks for a class I am teaching. So, Joel and I got together for supper and to talk pens and to let him show off his grandsons, daughter and wife. Let me tell you what, he has a fantastic collection of fountain pens, a lovely wife, charming daughter and two of the cutest little busy grandsons ever! When we went out for supper, he said we could take the car or we could take Starry Night. Photographic proof of what we rode to supper is above.

Beyond that, Joel is an artist. He does incredible work. His preferred media is printing from wood blocks and well, it is just amazing. I didn't take any pictures, I was just too blown away by what he does.

Several months ago, Joel submitted some of his artwork to Noodler's Ink and that company sent him several bottles of ink and a pile of fountain pens. He gave me one. I will ink it up and take a picture when I get home next week.

I miss my family. I can't wait to get home.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Notice a difference?

I have not been a very good blogger or pen pal for that matter. That sort of happens when you discover that you are looking for gainful employment.

I am happy to announce that I have found it! I have been offered a teaching position in southern Colorado about 60 miles from where I grew up. These are the mountains that I saw every day as a child and will be able to see in the distance when we move down that way.

Letter writing and blogging will still be sporadic for a while, but I just wanted to get the word out there.

Monday, April 9, 2012

I like knives!

My last post made me realize that I seem to have another slight obsession about pocket knives.

I purchased this knife at the New Mexico State Fair in 1981 and it has been a faithful companion since then.

This knife is in my pocket, probably, 3 weeks out of every month.

I also pulled out the knives that rotate through my pocket.

These 'junior' trappers, along with the old Uncle Henry, all seem to work really well. I like them

But I have to admit that my every day carry knife doesn't fit in my pocket. No, it rests on my hip.

In case you wondered, this is what a fountain pen using, letter writing husband of the same wife, father of three sons, ag teaching guy uses.

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)