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.

Getting Organized in 2012!

I expect that everyone (well many people) start off the new year with a vow to do something different or better or what not. I'll admit that I am like the above mentioned "resolutionists". You know the drill, you vow to be taller or better looking or smarter or skinnier and within 2 weeks or less, you fall back into your old habits and well, things don't change that much.

I have a wonderful life. I wouldn't change much about it. I mean, I'm married to a beautiful lady, have 3 handsome sons, a good job, a decent house and lots of friends from around the world. But...I could do some things better. I'm 48 years old and haven't accomplished all I thought I would when I was a wide-eyed 18 year old. So, over the past weeks I've embarked on a soul-searching journey to see what I could do that would help me get back to realizing more of my dreams.

I need to be really honest about this. What triggered this examination of my priorities was the simple give-away Moleskine weekly planner I received from the European Paper Company . I mentioned in a post about that little planner that I am really sort of a planner geek. It all started in 1982 when I was a Colorado FFA Officer and we had a training session with a consultant from the Daytimer company. Later, when I started working for the Farm Bureau in 1988 and had more responsibilities, I needed to fall back on the concepts of planning I learned right out of high school.

I came upon this book in 1988:

Dr. Hobbs lays out a system of planning that takes into account the highest priorities in your life and weaves long term and immediate goals into your day. I did this religiously for quite a few years (not religiously like only on Easter and Christmas, but practically every day). Over time, I migrated away from using a paper planner and got captured by the electronica of Palm and Blackberry and discovered that I haven't always been working on my highest priorities.

So, I'm going a little old school and brushing off some of my old tools in order to keep my focus on the most important things in life. Here is a snap of the tools I am using:

Let me give you a little detail of how these work for me. The top book in the photo is the Bible. I am a Christian, so everything I do is influenced by my relationship with the Lord. I've joined with a pen-pal in Great Britain to read through the Bible in 2012. Here is the plan we are using.

The second tool is the Time Power book. This thing is full of tips and methods for gaining control of the events in my life. It points to the use of a datebook planner as a key. So I searched around and found an older binder and purchased a refill for the new year.

This planner paper is not fountain pen friendly, so I will be using a trusty mechanical pencil to record events and activities as well as planning for my priorities.

The final piece of my strategy is to spend time each day reflecting on what has happened with me and mine. Of course, this will have to be recorded with a fountain pen. I just happen to have a Quo Vadis Habana from Exaclair. It is a lovely notebook:

I write quite a bit in it. This is a snap of what I have written so far today.


I would love feedback from my legion of reader as to what you are doing in 2012 to accomplish your dreams!

European Paper Company Give-away Winner!

I am a planner geek. I started back in 1982 with a pocket daytimer. So, when I had the opportunity to enter the Eureopean Paper give-away for a Moleskine planner, I jumped at it. And I won!!!! So here we go.

The mailbox revealed a package that held...

another envelope! Which was opened to reveal cardboard!

So I tossed that crap aside to find a shrink-wrapped book!

Being the subtle guy that I am, I pulled my pocket knife out (freshly sharpened) and gingerly sliced my way into the package.

It is little (small) but I think it will work to help me keep me on task

it has stickers that will let me tell myself to do something important!

The best part, it seems to be fountain pen friendly! I will be so organized that I won't be able to stand myself and neither will you. I will be scheduling penpal letters, journal writing and ink changes! Well,...I probably won't, but dang, this is a cool little notebook. Get yourself over to European Paper over in Boulder, Colorado and see what they have to offer. Check out the blog, you might win too!!!!!!!!!!!!