In feature, Planners & Organizers

Rethinking My Planner System

Author AnaPosted on 11 Comments

I can’t believe there are just three months left in 2015. Where did this year go? For the better part of 2015, I’ve been using my Midori Traveler’s notebook for planning. My Midori has three inserts in it: a notebook in the front that was supposed to be for personal projects, a center insert with my planner calendar and an insert in the back for sketching.

While I love the size and format of the MTN, and I did find fabulous weekly planner pages, things are starting to get a little out of control, organizationally speaking.

What’s ended up happening is that I tend to open the MTN to whatever blank page appears and start writing, so notes have gotten all jumbled. There are work notes in the sketchbook, grocery lists in the personal projects and just general chaos on the calender. I’m also running out of space in the weekly calendar to include all the various projects, to-dos and lists that I am needing to keep up with each day. I now understand what people mean about their planner system breaking down.

I need more space per page for planning. I need a place to take work-related notes that can then be collected or moved into specific projects. I need to have a more dedicated method for organizing blog content and personal projects. All of this is making me want to return to a ring-bound planner. However, I think that my current job assignments and life projects need something more spacious than the traditional personal size. I think I’m going to make the leap into the A5-sized planner.

rethinking my planner system

A switch to A5 will require new inserts and rethinking whether a week-on-two-pages will work. Not to mention I must now choose a new binder.

Great posts to re-started:

I think I’ll pair the new turquoise Domino with my Uni Style Fit in black with white dots and maybe a Zebra Mildliner in Mild Violet? And I might need a silver Binder Clip.

Are you happy with your current planning system? Are you working through it or ready to make a change?

In Link Love

Link Love: Messy & Self-Congratulatory

Author AnaPosted on 2 Comments
(via Leigh Reyes, written in her Midori Traveler's notebook with a flex nib and her beautiful handwriting)
(via Leigh Reyes, written in her Midori Traveler’s notebook with a flex nib in her beautiful handwriting. Image via her Instagram feed but definitely check out her blog and Twitter feed too!)

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In Ask The Desk

Ask The Desk: Grippy Fountain Pens & Cross Refills

Author AnaPosted on 2 Comments

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Jon wrote me recently about left-handed pens:

I’m a lefty. Never quite got over someone confiscating my ancient Parker VP, loved that pen. For the past couple of years I’ve been using inexpensive Schneider pens that have facets on the grip that make positioning it automatic.

Thought I’d upgrade a bit and have found the Conklin Durograph in cracked ice rather attractive. But it doesn’t seem to be offered in a dedicated left handed model.

I do understand lefties can use just about any fountain pen, but I find the grip designed for lefties appealing. I am an underwriter.

Please tell me what I need to make myself happy.

I’m really considering in the $40 or so range. Don’t need to impress anyone but me and how it writes is pretty much all that’s important. Medium points work well and I’m stuck in the blue/black mentality.

Thanks. Jon

Conklin Duragraph Cracked Ice

I actually have the Conklin Duragraph in the cracked ice finish and it has a smooth grip area so it can pretty much be held at any angle.

If you’re looking for a molded grip, the Lamy Safari might be a good option. The grip is molded symmetrically so you wouldn’t need a special left-handed model. I know a lot of lefties who underwrite like the molded grip section on the Lamy Safari and Lamy AL-Star. The Safari sell for less than $30 and the AL-Stars (the aluminum model of the Safari) sell for about $40. Its available in a full array of European nib sizes and the nibs are easy to swap out should you decide you want a different nib size. Nibs are sold for about $12.

Lamy Safari Neonlime

Jim asked about finding a pen refill:

Hi, I asked a question a good bit ago and your answer rocked.  I was wondering if you could help me with something else.  I’m a bit of a pen junkie.  Years ago I purchased a Cross pen.  It’s was little and fat.  I’ve been trying to get a refill for years. I have no idea what pen it is or if they even still make a cartridge.

I totally understand being a pen junkie. I am also a refill junkie. I’m always worried my favorite refills will become obsolete. But I also am a firm believer that a little refill hacking can get you back to writing as well.

Do you have the old refill still? Was it a ballpoint or rollerball?

If you have the refill and you know it was a Cross, you can use the Refillfinder app site to see if the refill is still available. Refillfinder is a division of one of our fine sponsors, Goldspot Pens. FYI.

If they don’t have the exact size you need, is it possible to cut down a different refill? You might scan those junk drawers for old rollerballs, ballpoints or gel pens and try to disassemble them. If you have the old refill, just hold it up next to the refills you find and then cut the length or use a bit of hardware store tubing to make a spacer if the refill is too short. People often plug the end with air dry clay or other materials if the refill originally had a cap. I trim refills, wrap tape around the ends to make it wider if necessary and other minor modification to get non-standard refills to fit into a pen.

Here’s my last example of pen hacking and Mike Rohde’s hack. And of course, it never hurts to check through the Refill Guide to find comparable refills.

Cross Townsend Darth Vader Fountain Pen
OFF TOPIC:
While we’re on the subject of Cross Pens, do you see the new Star Wars pens from Cross? I am loving the look of the Darth Vader Townsend fountain pen. But at the tune of $575 I’m thinking it may have to stay in a galaxy far, far away for me.
In news

Giveaway Winners: Sketchnote Notebooks & Stickers

Author AnaPosted on 1 Comment

Sketchonotes Workshop Giveaway

Thanks to everyone who read and commented on the Sketchnotes Workshop recap. I’ll have reviews of both of Mike’s books posted in a couple weeks. In the meantime, here are the drawing winners for the Shizen blank notebooks, Sketchnotes KC stickers and pen sets. I’ll contact you both via email to arrange delivery!

Winner #1:

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Screen Shot 2015-09-03 at 11.02.38 PM

Comment: My Periscope handle is: wellapptdesk

Winner #2:

Screen Shot 2015-09-03 at 11.04.29 PM Screen Shot 2015-09-03 at 11.05.56 PM

In Link Love

Link Love: Get Organized & Get Inked (but not with a ballpoint)

Author AnaPosted on 7 Comments

LinkPost of the Week:

This article, while the title is very much an attempt to be click-bait, takes an interesting perspective on the decline of cursive writing. While I may not agree entirely with the author’s point and the comments are grumbly and sometimes downright mean, I found the perspective interesting, particularly about how modern ballpoint pens require being held at a more upright angle than fountain pens which change the pressure and may be more or less comfortable for writers.

I found the whole discussion interesting and was surprised how many of the commenters were lefties. Handwriting or any kind is a challenge for a lot of lefties and often the tools we choose (paper and pen) can make it easier for us or more difficult so I was interested to read what folks wrote about their own writing challenges.

How The Ballpoint Pen Killed Cursive (via The Atlantic)

For a different perspective on this article, listen to this week’s Pen Addict podcast.

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(Shout out to Tessa at All Things Stationery for the “stationery love” links!)

Submit your Link love art: To be the featured artist on an upcoming Link Love, write, draw, photograph, or doodle an original “Link Love” image. It can be lettering, calligraphy, your own interpretation of Link or anything else you think might relate to the weekly list of pen/pencil-centric blog links. Email your submission to me at chair @ wellappointeddesk.com. Please include any link information you’d like in the image credit (your name, Twitter handle, Instagram, blog, etc). Also include any information about inks, tools, paper, etc used in your creation. Please let me know that I have permission to publish your work in Link Love and that the image is your original piece.