Well Planned Life

I may have fallen down the rabbit Sparrow hole. Yes, I bought my first Chic Sparrow Traveler’s Notebook!   (I may have also bought my second and third, too, but let’s start at the beginning.) I have known about Chic Sparrow for some time.   I don’t recall where I first heard of them, but most likely from Carie Harling’s blog and/or YouTube channel .   In any event, I have had my eye on these for quite some time.   However, having had Traveler’s Notebook fail in the past, I had refrained from jumping in. Until this year. For some reason, I just decided to order a Chic Sparrow.   I perused the options, and ended up with my choice.   In truth, I knew, even before I made my first purchase, that I’d be going back for more.   So it was really just a matter of choosing where to start. So where did I start?   Let’s see… I figured the best place to start was with my health journal.   I already had a green Mol...

I am an organized person by nature.   I don’t have to think too much about how to organize something, whether it be a spot in my house, a collection of items, or a project.   I simply look at what I need to do and a plan just sort of comes to me.   This is not to say, however, that I don’t teak whatever system it is that I have in place should the need arise.   Many times our needs change and/or our system evolves or changes organically simply because those needs change or because something isn’t working for us.   A system can always be a work in progress. I wasn’t always organized.   I remember my mother forcing me to clean my room every once in a while when I was young because it just got so ugly.   I hated those cleaning sessions.   I hated sorting through all of the dolls, all of the dolls’ clothing, the books, the accessories, the whatever.   It was such a process, an event that took the better part of the day to complete.   I ...

[Yes, I realize that “awesomer” is not a word, but it works here.] Back in the spring, I read a book for a book discussion that has become my (latest) go-to recommendation for just about everyone.   It is rare that I enjoy a book thoroughly (and by that I mean every aspect of the book—its story, its characters, and its writing) that I recommend it to practically everyone who asks me for a reading suggestion.   This time is was The Secret Keeper by Australian author Kate Morton (no relation to the great Steve Morton that I am aware of). I don’t want to talk about the book too much because I don’t want to give anything away, and there is a lot to give away.   But here are the basics: it’s a historical fiction book/mystery that goes back and forth in time, between the present day, the 1960s, and the 1930s.   (Fear not, however; you will not be lost as to which decade you’re in while reading.)   The story unfolds from Laurel’s perception, and the reade...

Why can’t we notebook lovers just stick to something simple, stick to one brand, stick to one system?   Because it’s too much fun to try new things, that’s why. And I, apparently, am easily swayed. A few months ago, I wrote about my Traveler’s Notebook .   Simply put, I was using it as a spirituality notebook.   I had three books in the leather cover—one for a church committee, one for a second church committee, and one for motivational quotes and gratitude lists.   It was great having all of these things in one book. However, I noticed that it was difficult using this notebook as whole, especially when it came to writing in it while it sat on my lap.   I found that the books would shift, moving off of the notebook behind it.   In addition, using the front and/or back notebooks meant that one side was much higher than the other.   Basically, I spent more time fiddling with it than I did actually writing in it.   As much as I l...

It’s been just about a year since first mentioning my  Spirituality Notebook .    I have made a few small changes, which one of my readers asked me to go over.    You can read the background of this book in the linked post above, but to sum up the major details, the notebook I’m using for this purpose is a traveler’s notebook made by  Ray Blake , and its purpose is to focus on things that I’m grateful for, things that I’m concerned about, and quotes that motivate me.    This notebook also houses projects and notes related to my church, as I am involved in a few committees there.    Having all things spiritual in once place is great.    Plus, I find that it’s a great use for this awesome book! First, I have three sections in my (regular size) book. Inside the front cover of the book, there is a small pocket, which I use to keep lined Post-its for random notes and a business card from the Goulet Pen Company . ...