Well Planned Life

I am in a quandary. It is now almost August and I have yet to buy my refills for next year. Shocking, I know, since it is usually the first thing I purchase come July. That was my plan for this year, but Filofax has other ideas. The 2012 two-pages-per-day inserts are not yet available. And so I wait, having politely requested an email as soon as they become available. But as of today, I have not received that email. However, this has turned out to be a good thing since I am contemplating revising my current system. Not just my system, but my entire planner. Don’t get me wrong—I love, love, love my Malden . Lately, though, I’ve been wanting to downsize, and after seeing SNARLing’s videos (parts one , two and three ) about her Compact Chameleon , I can’t get it out of my head. Buying a binder with ½ inch rings would allow me to downsize without having to move down a size in paper—I would be forced to carry less in my binder, making me leave everything else at home in my beloved Malde

Not to be confused with Jewel of the Nile . Reader Dasha came across this little gem and emailed me about it. Luckily, I subscribe to Real Simple and was able to find it quickly enough. Found in the current edition of the magazine, this is an advertisement for Oscar Mayer Sandwich Combos . Apparently (according to a brief glance at the advertisement), singer/songwriter Jewel carries these in her bag. Currently, there is a contest where one can enter and Jewel’s bag and selected items in it. So what is in Jewel’s bag? Look at the ad and see yourself: Did you see it? Did you spot the most awesome thing in her bag??? Ten points to anyone who can name that Filo. (Sorry I don’t have anything more to offer you—I would offer the exact Filo if I could.) If you read the fine print in the contest rules, you will see that it’s a chance to win “Jewel’s purse and selected items in it” and that “Prize items for illustration purposes only. Actually prizes may vary…” So I wonder if a new Po

It’s been a while since first discussing my issues with anxiety . This is what started me on my road to happiness , to creating my own Happiness Project . Dealing with my anxiety has been a constant struggle—there are weeks and months when things are good and nothing bothers me. Then, there are those times that it all comes crashing down again. However, now that I have some knowledge in my grasp, I am better able to deal with the anxiety. I try not to let it bring me down—I know what it is and I look at it just that way— “This is only anxiety, nothing more. There is no evidence that anything is wrong.” As a work in progress, I am always looking for new information to add to my collection of tips and advice to dealing with anxiety, whether it’s suggestions for dealing with anxiety when you’re experiencing it or focusing on those things in life that really matter in order to combat the bad feelings. I have been feeling anxious again for the last couple of weeks, for a specific reason, w

Nothing new has been going on with my Malden lately. I feel like there should be, like I want something to be going on with it. I have to say that since getting the Malden, I don’t have that longing for a new binder or to revamp it much. Lately, however, I’ve been thinking of downsizing again. Not so much to a smaller size but to a thinner version of what I have. While I love big, fat, stuffed binders , for me, the less I carry with me, the easier it is to carry. I truly wish Filofax made a binder (other than the one they do, and I forget which one it is) whose ring size is somewhere between that of a slimline and a personal. And make it a Malden. In many colors. And throw in better inserts. That’s not so much to ask, right? I’ve been looking at the Flex to see if it’s something I could work with. They don’t offer a daily diary layout, so that is a problem. But, maybe I could get away with a weekly , get one notebook for all of my lists and projects, another for my food and exercise

“Vermont—What happens here stays here. But nothing ever really happens.” If you’re anything like me, you can’t return from vacation without some goodies to enjoy once you’re home again. I don’t buy tons of stuff, and while I buy a few things for a few select people, I don’t buy something for everyone I know—too stressful! But this year, I feel like I came home with a ton of stuff. So what did I get? Click on the  Flickr link  to see details. Just a few comments on my purchases: Most of the items were purchased at the Vermont Country Store . Each year, we trek to one of the stores. As their motto states, they truly are “Purveyors of the Practical and Hard to Find.” They have everything from clothes to toys to beauty products to kitchen wares to food (though I have yet to find chocolate covered bacon, so maybe they don’t carry everything). We also bought tons of cheese, as we do every year, though that’s not seen in the picture. Every year since we’ve been going, I have eyed their

It’s been a while since I’ve posted—sorry about the lack of writing. I was away from home and away from my computer (for the most part). I took a much needed technology vacation . However, I know that some of you are interested in know what I packed in my vacation bags. First, I packed my handbag. Really, it’s too big to be called a handbag, but that’s pretty much what its general purpose was. This is a  Lands End  tote, and I love it because it is so big and I can cram all kinds of things into it. You can see what each item is by clicking on my  Flickr link . Also, if I decide that I don’t want to carry tons of stuff, I can make the bag smaller by snapping the sides together. That’s pretty much what I did—once I reached my destination, I took out all of the things I didn’t need with me all the time and carried only those items that I did need. When I went to the lake front, I added towels and water and whatever else I might need. This bag never let me down—a