Tag . . . your it!

I may be weird
but I sat at my desk today
and for the first time
had a good look at the zipper tag of my
vintage leather A5 black Durham zippered Filofax!

and you know?

I kinda love it!


Peace
KFROZ

Over-holing - (insert scream here)!

Is it just me?

Am I secretly OCD?

I was in a rush today and was quickly printing my weekly work schedule in colour and then grabbed my hole punch to put it into my A5 planner ready for a busy week.

I lined up the page.
Eye-balled the position so it was even on both sides.
Quickly punched the paper.
Put back the punch and opened the rings.
Huh?
The holes did not match!
I had left the punch in Pocket-sized ring space!
Ahhhhhhh!
No time to reprint the pages!
Grabbed the punch
Yanked it back to A5 hole spaces.
SNAP!!
Punched in the right holes.
Flung the paper into my binder.
Walked off muttering.

Spent the best part of the day staring at the redundant holes.
It irritates me.
It shouldn't.
But it does.

Spent the rest of the day deliberating on whether to reprint the page and re-punch.
It just doesn't look right.
Realistically, the page works just as well.
....but it will stare at me for the rest of the week.

Decisions, decisions.

First World problem.

Irritated!

KFROZ




UPDATE: It's Friday and I suffered through the week with the redundant holes still there. I made it! Honestly, I just had to overcome my irritation. High-Five for me! But next week I will DOUBLE CHECK before I punch. Lesson learned. And, (if you excuse the wordplay) it was better than redoing the (w)hole thing again!

You've Got To Pick A Pocket Or Two!?!

What have I done? Moved into a pocket size Success leather planner (while waiting for my Pocket Ochre Malden to arrive from the US). It took 10 hours of deliberating and chopping and changing over the weekend. I am exhausted! I am using the elcheapo J Burrows A6 inserts from Officeworks as the FF pocket inserts are just too tiny for me. I had to rethink almost EVERYTHING I wanted in a planner and am absolutely stuffed! Almost traumatised . . .but actually liking what evolved. Don't fear, I have not forsaken the A5s yet (yeah gods I am not that crazy!) but am trialling this for a month. The feel and lightness of the Pocket size is what I am most attracted to at the moment. Stayed tuned to this channel!

Modifying And Decorating A5 Filofax Inserts With Just A Laser Printer

After a year of experimentation I have found that I can now accurately print directly on my WO2P A5 pages after a lot of trial and error. 

My current setup just after printing

I have some B&W Victoriana/Steampunk designs on the pages for a small amount of decoration and some ants to divide the notes and weekend (i alternate with keys). 

This is a typical week using the setup.

I also print my daily schedule on the left (with checklist boxes and times 6.00AM-8.00PM) and TODO check-boxes on the right side. It is working well and I print around three to four weeks ahead.
My Bullet Journal method is a bit hybrid but I only use it for what I need - I dont practice 100% BuJo as it really cant work well in the FIlofax pages. I also carry a Pocket notebook with me for more detailed notes and reminders which saves me carrying the A5 everywhere.

and a closer look at the day check-boxes and schedule lists

I use a fairly cheap brother laser printer with a hand-feed slot. I have 4 different templates for the bottom graphics and section lines (for variety) but leave the rest essentially the same. 

I printed very tiny times on the right side to help me write appointments in some sort of visual timeline

One of my reasons for printing the pages this way was that, although I don't mind using washi tape and stickers, it all gets a bit fiddly and time-consuming for me. This way I can just insert the Filofax pages and its all done in about a minute. I like the decoration aspects, but am OK to have the same ones in the Black & White format as I need my entries to be the focus of the page rather than the pretty things I used to do (Not that there is anything wrong with page decorating - I admire them a lot - just cant spare the time to do it an more)

For interest sake - I incorporate my own hybrid version of Bullet Journaling on these pages and write my TODO lists from the bottom upwards - works for me!

Here is a link to one of my videos on YouTube which shows how I set up the page for printing - It works for all size pafes and Filofaxes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6cqOXlsv-w

Hee Hee To Me!

Looking at Filofax videos and blogs on my computer is my hobby and passion.
Today I found a sneaky benefit to my secret indulgence!
Because these sites all contain loads of pictures of  stationery, books and writing and text etc....
When I peruse them at work, it looks like I am doing something educational!

Ode To the Filofaxin' Teacher

Sitting in my classroom

Kids are working well

Planner there before me

Riiiiiing - there goes the bell

Carrying my Filo

Waving it as I pass

Organised and ready

For my Modern History class

Students neatly seated

Books are open wide

Time to check my lesson plan

Safely tucked inside

Pages are a flutter

Organizing bliss

Everything is close at hand

Nothing goes amiss

Markbook in the back of it

Notes and grades are steady

Tables and dividers

Rolls are marked and ready

Time to head for meetings

I Filoflash with ease

Teachers with technology

Have laptops on their knees

Someone asks a question

I need the answer quick

I find the Martha Stewart Tab

And have it in a tick

The WiFi suddenly goes down
I sip my coffee mug
While everyone is panicking
I sit there looking smug
 

In one small space I seem to have

everything I need

The meeting's coming to a close

My binder shuts with speed

So now its quitting time at last

and here's the precious rub

while everyone is logging off

I'm already at the pub!





 

Hello Kenty - Filofax in Hand!

My nephew Nick is a talented artist - he designed this for me - great sense of humour!

Please note Filofax in hand as well!

Nick says he is happy for anyone to email him regarding a personalized HK drawing - he is a commercial artist so I guess there would be a fee. Here's his email and blog addresses:

Email : nickreesillustration@gmail.com

blog : http://nickrees365.tumblr.com/

Here's his web page if you want to see more

Nick Rees Illustrations

Filofax Lifesavers #2 - Lest We Forget!

If you're like me, your Filofax contains so much important information that you really can't afford to lose.

It may one day happen that you lose your planner with EVERYTHING inside!

I know of someone whose bag was stolen from their car with their planner inside. The bag had only a few dollars value, but the loss of the binder devastated her.

So, all you need is 30 minutes.

Just 30 minutes!

A mere 30 minutes to take the time to safeguard your binder's contents.

IT'S VERY SIMPLE BUT ESSENTIAL.....

Use a camera, smartphone or iPad and photograph every important page you need to retain.

You won't need to capture everything, but make sure you photograph the vital pages.

Make a time every one, three, six or twelve months to do this.

Make it part of your planning routine - write it in your diary!

It is a personal insurance policy to safeguard your hard planner work.

Set this time aside - it is a worthy investment

Keep two or more different sets of records of your photos and make sure these are held in a safe place and are easily retrievable in an emergency - a friend, iCloud, your accountant, USB or file a hard copy in your paper files.

Keep the photos secure - they contain your private information

Find out if your insurance policies can cover your Filofax - some are worth hundreds of dollars - the content may be priceless - you never know.

Imagine the scenario of losing your binder - never to get it back.
How would you FEEL?
Do you want to ease the pain of losing your binder by having a back-up?
Would you regret NOT keeping copies?
How many hours would it take to redo important lists, addresses, birthdates, appointments, calendar items etc....?
How disapponted would you feel?
How traumitised would you get?

It could happen - hopefully not - but it IS POSSIBLE.

Take a few minutes to make a list of what you need to record and preserve and image of?

Now take the photos.

It takes only 30 minutes

Do it today!

Go on.....

What are you waiting for?

Filofax Lifesavers #1 - A Breath of Fresh Air

If you're like me, you may use your Filofax at work.

I am constantly interacting with others and there's nothing worse than needing a little 'freshening' before a meeting or when working one-to-one with someone at close quarters.

I found these metal pen holders at Officeworks (Australia) which works great as an instant holder for larger pens, whiteboard markers or, as I now use it for - breath freshener.

You never know when you need a little minty fresh squirt!

 

Cheers from 

 



For The ladies

As a male, a husband and a Filofax user, I feel I can speak with authority on what you are about to read.

Planners are like HUSBANDS! (insert partners/boyfriends or significant male others here)

They really are.

Here's a few comparisons that will prove my point....

• They are precious to you, continually needing modification, work best under your total control and some come with a leathery exterior.
• Most husbands need a good clip!
• Your love affair with them may involve a ring (or two!).
• They are full of information - albeit useless and redundant.
• Sometmes they can get a bit full and you can't get them to do anythng!
• Press too hard and they bleed.
• They either smell really good or really bad.
• After a few decades they get wrinkly and floppy.
• When they are not performing to your satisfaction, you may look around and want to replace it with something 'bigger' perhaps?
• And when you finally drop them - they fall to bits.
• Some days it's really hard to get them to open up.
• They are the love of your life and the bane of your existence!
• When the zipper is left open - everything falls out!
• Size isn't everything - well except if yours is a mini.
• They may look plain and boring on the outside, but can be so creative and wonderfully beautiful on the inside.
• Leave it too long in a cupboard and they get mouldy.
• You spend hours and hours thinking of ways to change them inside and out - and when you do - you are never really happy with the result.
• Let's face it - some of them are just plain thick!
• There are days when everyone else's looks so much better than your old thing.
• They are the first thing you look at in the morning and the last thing you check before sleeping.

And, if we are really honest - they have changed your life for the better, and are something you know you could never live without.

That is all!