I need to start by saying that my February started off with a lot of enthusiasm and then kind of went off the tracks within two weeks. The trip to LA for the pen show threw my schedule off quite a bit and then I had some personal upsets that left me feeling a little despondent and my journaling and keeping track of rojects sort of fell apart.
Rather than giving up or blaming my planning system on my failure, I am going to forge ahead for March using my same system with renewed resolve. If anything, I fear I may have been making my system more involved and complicated than it needs to be.
I added the Hobonichi Weeks into my process this year to be the repository for my “Gamify My Life” project but I may have made documenting this process more complicated and less fun than it should be. I was trying to track what I was doing in both my B6 Stalogy and in the Weeks and ended up feeling like double accounting. As a result, starting this month, I am going to go back to tracking my day-to-day activities in my B6 and then I will use my Weeks to tally the results of my game and what my points and loot will be for each week.
In my efforts to reset my system this month, I chose a spring green and fairy theme for my monthly calendar. Patrons are able to download this insert for free with their membership in A5, B6, A6 and Weeks sizes.
The pens I selected were all warm golds and green, many I reach for month after month. I just love that olive green Pentel Sign Brush Pen. I added several new options from the Zebra Journaling Set I picked up last week. Each month, I just pick and choose from my collection of pens. Color coordinating makes for less daily friction when writing my daily info. I do tend to pick a few too many pens and markers but its still a smaller assortment then having to choose from my WHOLE collection. I limit the collection to what will fit in my pencil case. I want the whole system to fit in my daily carry without requiring a pack horse.
For my fountain pens, I used some of the same pens I have been using: a couple Sailor ProGear Slim models with some of my favorite ink colors: Pen BBS #342 and #224 (no longer available. Other suitable options: Sailor Shikiori Wakauguisu or Sailor Manyo Nobiru), Kaweco Caramel Brown, Monteverde Birthday Cake (the color doesn’t match my theme but the color just makes me happy).
I pulled a few rolls of washi tape like these from my shop as well as some rolls from the bottom of my washi drawer that probably date back from the 2010s and were most likely purchased fro JetPens or a local craft store. I selected some sticker sheets to add some zing and fun to my monthly pages including the Date Dots in green, a few sheets from Stickii and a couple bits and pieces out of the one of the volumes of the Peter Pauper sticker books (probably the Celestial Wonders)
While blank pages can often be something that can make us anxious. For me, in March, I am looking forward to a clean start, a chance to make a fresh Spring start. Sometimes, just turning the page of our journal, calendar or planner can be our very own way to start over.
May March be a fresh start for all of us.
Specs for the planner, cover and other items can be found in last month’s set-up post February Planner/Journal Set-Up: My Days of Wine & Roses.
