elegantlion Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I love this idea and love how the neat the pages look. But then I realized that they looked so neat because the books were written in all caps. Duh! How else was I going to write on graph paper. But I hate writing all caps. Now, what am I going to do? :blink: Mine isn't all in caps, it's okay to draw outside the lines. ;) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Mine isn't all in caps, it's okay to draw outside the lines. ;) :iagree: My notebooks never look as nice as the ones I see as examples. For that matter, my food never looks as good as it does in the magazine. :001_smile: Do it your way; make it your own. I'm using a comp book with lined pages and writing in my own messy blend of cursive and printing. It's working! ;) :D And working well! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajfries Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I got mine going today! And it's probably a good thing; my youngest had a well child appointment & the pediatrician heard a heart murmur. So that's going to entail insurance phone calls & appointments and....blech (and that has little to do with the bullet journal, but I'm still processing, apparently). I did do the month of April using a grid calendar; I don't know that I'll do that every month, but April is pretty busy for us. I loved that I was able to label it Monday-Sunday. It always irritates me when calendars start out on Sunday. That's just not how I think. And my writing is a combination of cursive & manuscript so it never looks as nice as the examples, but it is MINE. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I love this idea and love how the neat the pages look. But then I realized that they looked so neat because the books were written in all caps. Duh! How else was I going to write on graph paper. But I hate writing all caps. Now, what am I going to do? :blink: The perfect is the enemy of the good!! My favorite part of planner/journaling is that I force myself to embrace messiness. Ubiquitous capture trumps neat and cute pages -- tough as that is for my inner perfectionist. As a complete aside, putting a star next to a checkbox is impressively motivational. At least during this "new shiny" phase. :) Kind of a MIT thing, but on stuff like cat litter boxes more often than on huge life goals. ;) 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakeside Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 The perfect is the enemy of the good!! My favorite part of planner/journaling is that I force myself to embrace messiness. Ubiquitous capture trumps neat and cute pages -- tough as that is for my inner perfectionist. As a complete aside, putting a star next to a checkbox is impressively motivational. At least during this "new shiny" phase. :) Kind of a MIT thing, but on stuff like cat litter boxes more often than on huge life goals. ;) This is why I started organizing mine before I figured out the perfect system. I'm going to look at it as a work in progress as I figure out what works for me! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 I had never heard of this before, but I really like it! I took that Franklin Covey course and did that for a few years, and I've made my own planner a few times but I never keep up with it. I've been looking for a way to combine a visual journal, journal, and a planner and this looks perfect. And that pretty Midori leather cover! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I grabbed a Composition notebook today, to try this out. I discovered that the monthly calendar layout over at Donna Young's site, will fit in my book. http://donnayoung.org/household/fullsize/block-planner.htm I trimmed the calendar out and glued it in. Quick and easy. Although, I think it will become my procrastination book. So far, all I have in there is a page of sewing projects that I need to finish up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Interesting. I'm a Molekine fan, but I like the kind that has a weekly calendar on one side and lined paper on the other. I'll have to think about this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 How about some status reports? Are you still using it? Do you like it? Have you had to tweak it much? I'm a week into it and I love it. I've tried notebooks before and it should work because it's such a simple idea but I also lose momentum after a few days. I think the key for me now is the index and numbered pages so I can find things. I also use a post-it tape flag on the current day. Not sure I will ever be able to carry it with me where ever I go - my current notebook is too big for my purse, and I like the size of both. I dislike a huge purse but I need a large notebook! If I am carrying a tote, the notebook goes along too. But so far it's working for me to carry index cards in my purse for notes if I don't have the book. So far I have my daily to-do lists, a list of spring/summer house projects, meal ideas, baby shower ideas (we are having a baby boom at church) and a page to record cash expenditures so I can plug them into our budget software later. My kids are recording their daily homeschool to-do lists and adding anything else they do related to schoolwork but not on their lists. They also record their time spent reading, etc. What about you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_in_Switzerland Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Been using it a week or so as well. I modified to a regular grid calendar layout, which mentally works better for me. So far, I have: Index Move Forward Dates Daily Journal with to-dos, reminders, and cute things the kids said/did that day, as well as the following week's menu and grocery list under the day I do my shopping Homeschool to-do list Quotes on Education Morning Routine Planner Afternoon Routine Planner Fall school planner (doing a lot of tweaking to the homeschool tihs week!) I am not sure I am *actually* more productive, but I do like that my lists, esp for homeschool are not just written out, then immediately forgotten about. I am constantly flipping around in my journal and adding more notes and ideas, and feel like my thought process is clearer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 I've been using my similar type of planner since October, so I didn't tweak much. I did add the check boxes for tasks and circle for events. It helps to view today and see them broken down like that. The whole method feels more organic, more reflective of me rather than a pre-printed planner. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scbusf Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 I'm getting my notebook in the mail today, so I'm excited to get started! I ordered the Moleskine one with dotted paper. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 I've developed a hierarchy of bullets. Check boxes give me guilty feelings if I have to carry them forward more than a few times. So instead I sometimes sneak actionable items into regular bullet points. Then I get all the fun of checking them off when they're complete, but if they don't happen, they just drift back into my subconscious until I find another day where I want to do them and re-bullet-point them. :) Eg. today I have check-boxes for "sweep attic" (which I've carried forward twice) and "vacuum/dust bedrooms", but bullets for "go to bank", "buy cat food", etc. A few days ago, "turn the compost pile" was a bullet that neither got checked off nor carried forward. There are just more pressing things. But it might resurface on my next decent day with a block of gardening time. ;) I actually...bought a purse to fit my notebook! I am not a purse person, so since the diapering years ended I've been aimlessly alternating between a shabby, stained nylon tote that is just a bit too big and a cheap little clutch that is way too small. So I got a new nylon tote that is exactly the right size for my 5x8 notebook! I'm successfully in the habit of popping my notebook and pencil case in when I leave the house, and although I haven't needed it, I'm reassured by having it. I have daily to-dos, a mind map that keeps me referring back to projects like the garden and my duties as preschool treasurer; I have a few pages of notes from books, and one page (marked by a post-it flag) for specific quotes; and because this week was going to be busy I jotted a little "week at a glance" into the sidebar of my to-do lists. It's Tuesday, dentist and soccer day, today! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 One day someone misplaced my clipboard and we spent the afternoon searching for it. Dh came in while we were looking and wanted to know what was going on. The children told him I was brainless. Everyone has been very careful of my list since then. After all, I'm no good brainless. I just put a planner w/ refillable pages in the donation bin. In it, where the owner's name and contact info go, I had written: "This is my brain. Please contact me to return it." I guess you could say I'm donating my brain, lol! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajfries Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 I'm enjoying filling mine out, but I've mostly only done my daily to-do lists so far. I did use one page to take notes while I was on the phone with our insurance company. That's going to come in handy. I plan on making a "big purchases to save for" page today. I also like the idea of each kid having their own page; I'd use it to write down funny things they say or "firsts". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenvneck Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 I just started mine yesterday and love it. I used washi tape to decorate and add some color to the pages I have made so far. For years I used a paper notebook and was fairly productive each day, then I switched to digital and forget to actually look at my lists. I'm keeping grocery lists on my phone because dh can add to the app from his phone and the lists are always up-to-date, and appointments, etc., will stay in my digital calendar. But day-to-day tasks, ideas, and random lists will be in my notebook. (Unfortunately, I think I now have an addiction to washi tape after seeing sites using it in journals.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 The one I have at work has been working really well. We are off this week so not using that one. But today I had a very satisfying THUMP in my mailbox and my new Moleskein Squared one came. I've started filling it out. So far I have Index, April, To Do, Future Dates, shopping list, and, despite it hurting a bit I started the dailies today, on the 15th instead of waiting until the 1st of May that my inner Sheldon wanted, I figure if I am going to do it I will need to start NOW when I have the momentum from work. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 More than a week in :) I'm treating the journal like all my gazillion lists I've used before. I'm keeping our joint calendar on iCal so dh and I can look at it at any time. Shopping lists are still on paper so whoever does the shopping can just take it. My index doesn't have much listed so far----just April monthly, notes from a Lee Binz webinar about writing course descriptions, and the girls' clothing allowance running tally. My April monthly spread has a calendar page on one side (numbered 1-30) w major events noted (performances, dinner and concert, trip to WDW). On the far right of each day's line I've written what we eat for dinner. I have a check mark next to new recipes that dd14 enjoyed. Facing that page is a list of monthly tasks. Things are added to and checked off from that daily. The majority of the pages so far are my daily to-do lists. Just now, while watching a docu on the Panama Canal with dd, I decided to add a "places to go/things to do" page :D I will definitely take this journal with me on our trip to China (in eight weeks :eek:)! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Year Round Mom Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 I read this thread and was inspired to work with the paper planner I'm already using. It's this one: https://www.etsy.com/listing/129488642/2014-2015-family-planner?ref=shop_home_active_10 I got it with the max number of extra notebook pages in the back, so I started my bullet journal stuff back there. It's perfect because the monthly spreads let me plan in advance; the notes page at the beginning of every month serves as my monthly to-do list; and my weekly seven customizable sections keep track of what I read, daily to-do, errands, meals, health/fitness, life habits (FlyLady-type baby steps), and memories I want to remember. I can't believe how life-changing the index and page numbers are! I keep reading lists, homeschool ideas, gift ideas, etc. there. I'm loving it! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajfries Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Heh. I filled out all my page numbers up to 50, and today as I'm going through making lists, I realized I skipped two 2 page spreads. In my head I thought "Oh no! It's ruined!!" But then I let go of my perfectionism & made them pages 7b & 8b :laugh: And DS1's second tooth is now loose, so that got documented on "his" page. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I started making notes of funny things Han Solo or Indy do or say. I write them under the day they were said/done, so I know how old they were. Example: Tonight Han Solo said he was done with dinner. There were a few small pieces of chicken left on his plate. HS told Indy he could have them. Indy ate them and HS said "Hey! You stole my food!" :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeLovePassion Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I see Pinterest and YouTube consuming a lot of my time today! I already use a notebook, but adding a few features will make it amazing! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I've been doing this since April 4 and I LOVE it! I have adapted it a bit to suit my needs. Whenever I have something I want in there, I just open to a new spread and put it in the index. I created a year at a glance spread to use for future appointments and so on. When I set up my May month, I will migrate all the stuff I have written down in May's section of the year at a glance spread. I feel complete freedom to put whatever I want/need in it because I don't care if it gets in the way of my April to do lists, I'll just turn the page and make another to do list page. I have colored pens and washi tape that I'm using to make the book fun and cute and full of doodles and notes. I use a black pen (pilot G2) for appointments, tasks, serious stuff, and colored pens for scribbles, doodles and fun notes about what happened that day. So the black stands out when I need to look at only the serious stuff, but there's plenty else to read. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I also read a thing on the Art of Manliness site that quoted a 1920 Boy Scouts manual, instructing boys always to use hard pencil for field notebooks, because pen bleeds in the presence of water and soft pencil smudges with lots of use. ;) Thanks for mentioning this! I was conflicted about what to use. I'm so picky that I know if I mess something up in pen, I'll be furious with myself and feel like the whole page is ruined. But I hate the smudginess of pencil. I've never tried a hard-lead pencil, so it's worth a shot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaraby Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Thanks for mentioning this! I was conflicted about what to use. I'm so picky that I know if I mess something up in pen, I'll be furious with myself and feel like the whole page is ruined. But I hate the smudginess of pencil. I've never tried a hard-lead pencil, so it's worth a shot!There are some really wonderful pencil blogs out there that tend to review things like erasability and smudge-ability. Hmmm....maybe Pencil Revolution might help? A Google search for it might get you headed in the right direction. I'll see if I can hunt down the other one I fuzzily remember. I have a design journal I made for my quilting awhile back that's just a cheapie composition notebook with quadrille rule from Staples. I made a fancy fabric cover so I pulled that out yesterday, flipped the book around and started using it. One side for quilting, one side as a daily bullet journal/commonplace book. So far, so good. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 There are some really wonderful pencil blogs out there that tend to review things like erasability and smudge-ability. Hmmm....maybe Pencil Revolution might help? A Google search for it might get you headed in the right direction. I'll see if I can hunt down the other one I fuzzily remember. Thanks, I'll see what I can find! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Ugh. I don't even completely understand this but I'm in. You had me at graph paper moleskin. And washi tape. Maybe I will resurrect the zen to done thread, this fits right in. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 If you search Pinterest for Bullet Journal, there's some interesting stuff too. And there goes the day. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in NY Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 You guys... you *made* me look at the bullet journal link. And then the Midori link. And the pens and paper.... *swoon.* I love me a fountain pen. :) So I did what every self respecting former dance costume sewing mom would do and whipped out my sewing machine. As Runningmom said.... there goes the day. ;) 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeLovePassion Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Does anyone have any thoughts on Moleskine classic vs Cahier? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I got a soft cover large graph paper Moleskine. I love how it feels, but the hard cover ones look good. I'm not a huge fan of the Cahiers but that's personal taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Do they have the graph paper ones at Target? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scbusf Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Do they have the graph paper ones at Target? My Target did not, but it's a smaller, older Target. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Don't hate me, but I am not a fan of Moleskin. The ink shows through to the other side. I am using an inexpensive A5 (5.83 x 8.27 inches) Oxford notebook that has really awesome 90 gram paper inside. After watching oodles of Midori videos, I thought it would be nice to just take two of the Oxfords and connect them with a rubber band. Yes! I like it! The front one is a bullet journal w/ grid paper. I haven't done it yet to the one behind it, but I think I will put the forward planning in there. And I confess that I succumbed to the lure of the Midori. I don't really want to carry my bullet journal around, so I am going to use the Midori for something else. But it is really nice. I have decided to try making my own inserts for it. I don't want to get stuck with proprietary inserts. I have always been interested in making journals and bookbinding so I am excited. :hurray: I like this blog, Notebook Stories. My favorite entries are the Notebook Addict of the Week, LOL. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeLovePassion Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I got a soft cover large graph paper Moleskine. I love how it feels, but the hard cover ones look good. I'm not a huge fan of the Cahiers but that's personal taste. What didn't you like about them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakeside Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Don't hate me, but I am not a fan of Moleskin. The ink shows through to the other side. I am using an inexpensive A5 (5.83 x 8.27 inches) Oxford notebook that has really awesome 90 gram paper inside. After watching oodles of Midori videos, I thought it would be nice to just take two of the Oxfords and connect them with a rubber band. Yes! I like it! The front one is a bullet journal w/ grid paper. I haven't done it yet to the one behind it, but I think I will put the forward planning in there. And I confess that I succumbed to the lure of the Midori. I don't really want to carry my bullet journal around, so I am going to use the Midori for something else. But it is really nice. I have decided to try making my own inserts for it. I don't want to get stuck with proprietary inserts. I have always been interested in making journals and bookbinding so I am excited. :hurray: I like this blog, Notebook Stories. My favorite entries are the Notebook Addict of the Week, LOL. This is the issue I'm having. I just got some pretty fine Pigma Micron pens, so we'll see how they work. I did try using the different pens I mentioned previously on some Claire Fontaine paper and it didn't show through. So I did a little googling and found out this link http://www.notebookstories.com/2013/08/12/moleskine-monday-analyzing-paper-weight/ that says that Moleskine's paper weight is 71, whereas the Claire Fontaine is 90. :glare: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 My Target did not, but it's a smaller, older Target. Mine doesnt either. I have to wait TWO WHOLE DAYS for it to come from amazon. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Have you tried crossword puzzle pens. I have one that doesn't seem to bleed through, and you can erase it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 What didn't you like about them? They are thinner and feel more temporary. I've used them for a couple more short term projects but rarely fill them up. Like I said, just personal preference, nothing really wrong with them exactly. I guess it's a matter of how much time you want to spend with a book before you are ready to put it on a shelf a move on. I have to confess a fondness for thicker fatter books in general, and the normal size moleskine isn't terribly thick as it is. :) But thick enough. Probably just the right length for many uses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 The midori seems absolutely lovely. I could see using multiple cahiers in one of those. Not sure how the inserts work so I'm not sure the cahiers would fit in or if they'd be the right size. Honestly, I don't think anything in my life is glamorous enough for a midori. Does that seem silly? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scbusf Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Mine doesnt either. I have to wait TWO WHOLE DAYS for it to come from amazon. I know, right? TWO DAYS is just insanity! :lol: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeLovePassion Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I think I am going to get a Leuchttrum 1917 medium squared notebook from Amazon. It sounds like it has thicker paper based on reviews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaraby Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 This is the issue I'm having. I just got some pretty fine Pigma Micron pens, so we'll see how they work. I did try using the different pens I mentioned previously on some Claire Fontaine paper and it didn't show through. So I did a little googling and found out this link http://www.notebookstories.com/2013/08/12/moleskine-monday-analyzing-paper-weight/ that says that Moleskine's paper weight is 71, whereas the Claire Fontaine is 90. :glare: Rhodia woild be another option. They have a dot grid web book that's basically like a quad rule, but with a dotte line instead of solid. If you get it in the webnotebook it's a lot like the moleskine. Or Field Notes. Their paper's a bit heavier weight, I think. I really like Goulet Pens or Jet Pens for sourcing things. For fountain pens, Goulet hands down and they have that Q&A series of videos, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenvneck Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I swear, I think I have accomplished more this week than I have in the past month! It is too easy to push things off, but when it's sitting right there with a blank box waiting for me to check it off, it's more difficult to procrastinate. I'm using a regular old Bic clicky pen and am not having problems with ink showing through. I'm using a Moleskine with the graph paper. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakeside Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Have you tried crossword puzzle pens. I have one that doesn't seem to bleed through, and you can erase it. Ooh! I'm not familiar with crossword puzzle pens. I'll have to check into them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakeside Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Rhodia woild be another option. They have a dot grid web book that's basically like a quad rule, but with a dotte line instead of solid. If you get it in the webnotebook it's a lot like the moleskine. Or Field Notes. Their paper's a bit heavier weight, I think. I really like Goulet Pens or Jet Pens for sourcing things. For fountain pens, Goulet hands down and they have that Q&A series of videos, too. The Moleskine I got is dotted and I really like that part of it, so I'll check into those. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bug's Mom Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 And I confess that I succumbed to the lure of the Midori. I don't really want to carry my bullet journal around, so I am going to use the Midori for something else. But it is really nice. I have decided to try making my own inserts for it. I don't want to get stuck with proprietary inserts. I have always been interested in making journals and bookbinding so I am excited. :hurray: This is a great book for learning how to make your own books. Real Life Jounals by Gwen Diehn 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Ugh. I was up way too late last night thanks to this thread! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smudge Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 HAHA! Me too! And now I am cruising Amazon and the office store sites for Moleskine books..... Must. Finish. School..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A6C5KUW/ref=twister_B00BYFC7M4 This is the pen I have. It doesn't bleed through but erases really well for those of us who have issues with mess :) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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