I am pretty excited about my new planner, not only because of the countless reasons I mentioned in my last post. I am excited because next month, I will be starting my practice (3 clinics, in 3 different cities, 5 days a week) full blast. December, I suspect, would be like a “soft opening” because of the holidays. People are usually not too keen on having themselves checked during the holidays because they tend to be more concerned with parties, and shopping, and reunions, etc. Most aches and pains can wait until the turn of the year. Plus, I’m a fledgling so I am just being realistic; referrals and patients are not going to come pouring in. So new year, new planner, new chapter in my life.
I dream of filling up my planner with meetings, lectures, me-time projects, and patient appointments. Actually, I still have not decided regarding the last one; don’t patient stuff – appointments for BMA, chemotherapy protocols and schedules – merit a separate notebook?
I do have a few more spare pocket notebooks in my closet, not to mention an A5 binder, an A4 2009 notebook that I intend to recycle, and a Franklin Covey (yes, Franklin!) - a hand-me-down, albeit unused, from hubby. That last one I’m pretty excited about though I have not the slightest inkling what to do with it. It’s A5 and has this gorgeous dark brown leather cover, with two pages per day. The left side has a space for a prioritized daily task list (quite a mouthful), a daily tracker (for email, expenses, etc), and the appointment schedule (with a couple of lines for each hour, from 8 am to 8 pm… especially made for the workaholic). The right side is a beautiful expanse of a lined page for daily notes - scribbles, meeting agendas, mind-mapping and what-not. Plus, there’s a quote for each day, mostly related to work and productivity. It’s 2009 and I do want to recycle it for 2010. I just don’t know exactly what to do with it. Do I use it for patients’ notes? I have their clinic medical records for that purpose. Besides, it cannot be easy lugging around this huge binder from one clinic/city to another, regardless of whether I drive or take the bus.
Oh, let me not forget about the spare filofax in my drawer. It’s smaller than the Franklin, only about 5 x 7 inches. I have a couple of packs of loose page refills (lined, for notes). But the filofax’s one-page-per-week layout does not appeal to me. I am a vertical writer. As a student, I loved lengthwise pad paper. I’d often fold a paper in half and write in columns. When I need to use a whole page, my writing barely reaches the right side of the paper.
I do not know of a single friend (real friend, not a Facebook friend) who shares my silly passion for all things paper, notebook, and stationery. Which is why I love wasting precious time surfing blogs such as http://notebookaddict.com, http://unclutterer.com, or http://officesupplygeek.com plus many, many other sites. Though miles apart, people who loiter around these sites and I are kindred spirits. We go through life one (or a few) notebooks at a time.
Showing posts with label paper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paper. Show all posts
Thursday, November 19, 2009
The Perfect Planner
Yehey! Today I have crossed out most of the urgent and/or important tasks on my to-do list. Some of them were musts that have been bugging me for days, even weeks (BIR, printing jobs,birthday presents for my sister, etc.). Others were errands – stuff related to the kids’ school activities, things to buy for an uncle, etc.
But the real highlight of my day was (okay, brace yourself… here comes the geekiness) having chanced upon the most perfect planner!
For more than two weeks, I have had this nagging, almost irrational urge to start hacking my spare notebook into a 2010 planner. It’s a black, pocket-size, lined Scribe notebook (a Moleskine knock-off) that has been sitting in the darkest corner of my closet for months. Inspired by things I’ve stumbled upon during hours of mindless web surfing, I wanted to turn it into a year of 2-pages-a-week planner with lots of spare pages for to-do lists, notes, and scribbles. More pressing demands (like sleep, for instance) have been keeping me from diving in.
I have made a few visits to my favorite bookstore and somehow the planners that were available then did not suit my needs. They were either too small, or too bulky, or downright unattractive, or too expensive. And none of them had enough space (at the end of the year) for notes. Once, I managed to gather enough courage to check out those red Moleskine 18-month planners but I can never make myself spend that much money for a notebook, no matter how fancy it is.
But today… ahhh. I cannot hide this silly grin on my face. I went to National Bookstore for some laminating jobs and found this:
It’s black, covered with decent-looking faux leather. It’s the right size – handy yet has enough space for each day for important dates, meetings, and tasks.
The paper quality is good enough for me as I only use ball-point pens or a mechanical pencil for writing. The bonus part was the second half of the planner which comprised of pages and pages of lined notes. I plan to split these into two parts using sticky tabs – To-do Lists and Notes/Important Things to Remember.
I am optimistic that these notes would be enough to last me through the year as I have a separate Hipster PDA for (3 x 5 index cards held together by a carabiner) that I use for special lists and MITs.
And here’s the best part: it’s very cheap. Only 79 pesos (or about one and a half dollars) and it’s locally made! It’s such a great steal… makes me look forward to a great year ahead.
But the real highlight of my day was (okay, brace yourself… here comes the geekiness) having chanced upon the most perfect planner!
For more than two weeks, I have had this nagging, almost irrational urge to start hacking my spare notebook into a 2010 planner. It’s a black, pocket-size, lined Scribe notebook (a Moleskine knock-off) that has been sitting in the darkest corner of my closet for months. Inspired by things I’ve stumbled upon during hours of mindless web surfing, I wanted to turn it into a year of 2-pages-a-week planner with lots of spare pages for to-do lists, notes, and scribbles. More pressing demands (like sleep, for instance) have been keeping me from diving in.
I have made a few visits to my favorite bookstore and somehow the planners that were available then did not suit my needs. They were either too small, or too bulky, or downright unattractive, or too expensive. And none of them had enough space (at the end of the year) for notes. Once, I managed to gather enough courage to check out those red Moleskine 18-month planners but I can never make myself spend that much money for a notebook, no matter how fancy it is.
But today… ahhh. I cannot hide this silly grin on my face. I went to National Bookstore for some laminating jobs and found this:
It’s black, covered with decent-looking faux leather. It’s the right size – handy yet has enough space for each day for important dates, meetings, and tasks.
The paper quality is good enough for me as I only use ball-point pens or a mechanical pencil for writing. The bonus part was the second half of the planner which comprised of pages and pages of lined notes. I plan to split these into two parts using sticky tabs – To-do Lists and Notes/Important Things to Remember.
I am optimistic that these notes would be enough to last me through the year as I have a separate Hipster PDA for (3 x 5 index cards held together by a carabiner) that I use for special lists and MITs.
And here’s the best part: it’s very cheap. Only 79 pesos (or about one and a half dollars) and it’s locally made! It’s such a great steal… makes me look forward to a great year ahead.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
My growing addiction(s)
Every day, I fall captive to my growing interest in productivity blogs, blogs about notebooks (and pens), personal blogs, and writing.
It is a great comfort for me that there are people out there, geeks like me, who get excited about new notebooks and different colored pens. I am not alone! Most of these people prefer Moleskines because of their quality and the way they make their “creative juices” flowing, or so they claim. I have never owned one and I probably won’t in the next 24 months or so (when I get to earn some for myself, I’d probably consider buying one of those 18-month diaries). It’s just too costly! More than a thousand pesos for a notebook! I’m afraid if I buy one of those I would end up being too scared to start actually using it.
But, thankfully, there are ways and means. I have settled for some knock-offs. First, my Monoliza (grandluxe) maroon faux leather notebook from Fully Booked. It cost me around 220 and has been turned into my first ever PDA hack. This new friend of mine has served me well for the past 6 weeks. I just find its size a bit awkward sometimes, being a little more than 4 x 6 inches (now I realize it’s as big as a 4R photo).
About a week ago, I finally gathered enough courage to buy me a second notebook (I’m kinda weird, I know). It’s a black Scribe which, to me, looked almost exactly like a Moleskine. This is not what made it so beautiful in my eyes. The beauty of it was that it was plain and pocket-sized (3.5 x 5, roughly) which makes it the more ideal size to me. The best part was that it cost me only 199 and it thrilled me for days that I got such a good bargain. I doubt that buying the real deal would give me a better “high”.
Anyway, it rested in the dark insides my closet for a couple of days, save for a few minutes of being brought out in daylight so I could admire its beauty. Three days ago, I chanced upon a blog entry that talked about using the Moleskine as a sort of Thanksgiving journal. So there it is. I switched from my Daily Gratitude List on my laptop into the little black notebook. One again, analog wins over digital!
I also love wasting precious time hovering over productivity blogs and lifehacks. One particular hack that caught my interest was the hipster PDA, which makes use of a bunch of 3 x 5 index cards held together by a binder clip. Yup, it is so simple I’m going gaga over it! Anyway, I have bought my index cards but instead of using it as a hipster PDA (I have my notebook already), I use them for a bunch of other really useful things - bookmark, scratch, notepad, a place for my prayers, etc. I am currently considering using a few cards GTD-style for my context to-do lists. Ideas include @mall, @online, @grocery, etc.
Last night, I accidentally stumbled upon two blog sites that featured my favorite hacks (the notebook and the hipster PDA) and these were people who loved to write (they actually earn their living as writers) and they loved to drink coffee (though, I cannot imagine spending as much as one of them does on her regular Starbuck visits) and best of all, they were in Manila! Wow, I feel like I am getting less weird.
I loved that they were writers; it’s like they are living a dream. Nothing could be grander than doing what you love most to do, something that excites you, and getting paid for it in the process. Earning a living from a creative outlet, that certainly is one of the best things that one can enjoy in this life. I keep telling myself that it’s time for me to start pursuing one of my own.
As to my “addiction” to coffee, my caffeine-withdrawal headache has finally worn off and I now limit myself to a single 400-ml serving of moderately strong coffee. Nothing fancy here, just plain, old instant Nescafe. I ran out of my Marks & Spencer; it was a gift from my bestfriend. But I realized soon after that sipping on a hot tumbler of coffee can do wonders for my concentration. So, I had this ingenious idea of allowing myself two to three servings of coffee while keeping my resolve. How? The two other servings are placebo; read: decaf. Now I am left to wonder whether it has the same placebo effect on my occasional hyperacidity as well.
Back to the newly-discovered blogs, one of them caught my interest not only because of her being a writer but more so because of her life story as well. She has 4 kids (two teenagers, and two younger ones) and more than a year ago, after years of being unappreciated and abused (emotionally, I think), she left her husband. She switched from what seemed like a relatively comfortable but miserable life, to a life of struggle, and she seemed very happy about it. She rented a small apartment with her kids, cooked and cleaned for them, brought them to school, struggled with tight budgets and endures a daily commute to and from work! She loves CSI and Discovery and NatGeo and refuses to be intimidated by her ex-husband’s brand new, top-down BMW. She has had her share of yaya/helper problems. And she surrounds herself with books, books, and even more books. She is not ashamed of posting pictures of her humble, cramped apartment. I find we share quite a few interests so reading her felt like having a friend. At the same time, the fact that I am happily married and still get to sleep beside him on the same bed every single night makes me appreciate hubby (and the gift of my current situation) even more.
It is a great comfort for me that there are people out there, geeks like me, who get excited about new notebooks and different colored pens. I am not alone! Most of these people prefer Moleskines because of their quality and the way they make their “creative juices” flowing, or so they claim. I have never owned one and I probably won’t in the next 24 months or so (when I get to earn some for myself, I’d probably consider buying one of those 18-month diaries). It’s just too costly! More than a thousand pesos for a notebook! I’m afraid if I buy one of those I would end up being too scared to start actually using it.
But, thankfully, there are ways and means. I have settled for some knock-offs. First, my Monoliza (grandluxe) maroon faux leather notebook from Fully Booked. It cost me around 220 and has been turned into my first ever PDA hack. This new friend of mine has served me well for the past 6 weeks. I just find its size a bit awkward sometimes, being a little more than 4 x 6 inches (now I realize it’s as big as a 4R photo).
About a week ago, I finally gathered enough courage to buy me a second notebook (I’m kinda weird, I know). It’s a black Scribe which, to me, looked almost exactly like a Moleskine. This is not what made it so beautiful in my eyes. The beauty of it was that it was plain and pocket-sized (3.5 x 5, roughly) which makes it the more ideal size to me. The best part was that it cost me only 199 and it thrilled me for days that I got such a good bargain. I doubt that buying the real deal would give me a better “high”.
Anyway, it rested in the dark insides my closet for a couple of days, save for a few minutes of being brought out in daylight so I could admire its beauty. Three days ago, I chanced upon a blog entry that talked about using the Moleskine as a sort of Thanksgiving journal. So there it is. I switched from my Daily Gratitude List on my laptop into the little black notebook. One again, analog wins over digital!
I also love wasting precious time hovering over productivity blogs and lifehacks. One particular hack that caught my interest was the hipster PDA, which makes use of a bunch of 3 x 5 index cards held together by a binder clip. Yup, it is so simple I’m going gaga over it! Anyway, I have bought my index cards but instead of using it as a hipster PDA (I have my notebook already), I use them for a bunch of other really useful things - bookmark, scratch, notepad, a place for my prayers, etc. I am currently considering using a few cards GTD-style for my context to-do lists. Ideas include @mall, @online, @grocery, etc.
Last night, I accidentally stumbled upon two blog sites that featured my favorite hacks (the notebook and the hipster PDA) and these were people who loved to write (they actually earn their living as writers) and they loved to drink coffee (though, I cannot imagine spending as much as one of them does on her regular Starbuck visits) and best of all, they were in Manila! Wow, I feel like I am getting less weird.
I loved that they were writers; it’s like they are living a dream. Nothing could be grander than doing what you love most to do, something that excites you, and getting paid for it in the process. Earning a living from a creative outlet, that certainly is one of the best things that one can enjoy in this life. I keep telling myself that it’s time for me to start pursuing one of my own.
As to my “addiction” to coffee, my caffeine-withdrawal headache has finally worn off and I now limit myself to a single 400-ml serving of moderately strong coffee. Nothing fancy here, just plain, old instant Nescafe. I ran out of my Marks & Spencer; it was a gift from my bestfriend. But I realized soon after that sipping on a hot tumbler of coffee can do wonders for my concentration. So, I had this ingenious idea of allowing myself two to three servings of coffee while keeping my resolve. How? The two other servings are placebo; read: decaf. Now I am left to wonder whether it has the same placebo effect on my occasional hyperacidity as well.
Back to the newly-discovered blogs, one of them caught my interest not only because of her being a writer but more so because of her life story as well. She has 4 kids (two teenagers, and two younger ones) and more than a year ago, after years of being unappreciated and abused (emotionally, I think), she left her husband. She switched from what seemed like a relatively comfortable but miserable life, to a life of struggle, and she seemed very happy about it. She rented a small apartment with her kids, cooked and cleaned for them, brought them to school, struggled with tight budgets and endures a daily commute to and from work! She loves CSI and Discovery and NatGeo and refuses to be intimidated by her ex-husband’s brand new, top-down BMW. She has had her share of yaya/helper problems. And she surrounds herself with books, books, and even more books. She is not ashamed of posting pictures of her humble, cramped apartment. I find we share quite a few interests so reading her felt like having a friend. At the same time, the fact that I am happily married and still get to sleep beside him on the same bed every single night makes me appreciate hubby (and the gift of my current situation) even more.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
My Own Non-Moleskine Notebook PDA, Finally!
It’s been 24 hours and I am still absolutely thrilled with my new notebook! Not the notebook notebook that I am typing on right now. Notebook as in paper, pages, pen… that kind of notebook. I managed to buy one last night from Fully Booked at Bonifacio High Street. Small, burgundy, roughly 4 x 6 inches. I know it’s not a Moleskine. It’s not real leather. But hey, it looked sturdy enough and it cost me only 220 pesos =) That’s a real steal… enough to make me very, very happy. Besides, no matter what other people say, I can never get myself to buy a Moleskine. Even if I had the money in my wallet, I just couldn’t/wouldn’t. There are more than enough good-enough, pretty enough substitutes out there. Kuripot talaga, hehe.
Using post-its, I split it into four sections: calendar (one week per page), next actions, projects, and notes. I haven’t had the chance to cross out any of my next actions/to-do’s yet BUT I am really pleased with the way it looked and I have a good feeling about it. I think the notebook PDA is going to do its job for me. Now, the rest is up to me.
Using post-its, I split it into four sections: calendar (one week per page), next actions, projects, and notes. I haven’t had the chance to cross out any of my next actions/to-do’s yet BUT I am really pleased with the way it looked and I have a good feeling about it. I think the notebook PDA is going to do its job for me. Now, the rest is up to me.
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