I found something interesting while I was shopping for groceries. There were notebooks in Traveller´s Notebook- style by Herlitz both in a5 and a4 sizes. They are made of strong and pliable plastic and have grooves on the spine to secure the placement of rubber bands. Unfortunately the buyer of the grocery store must be of the hellokitty-sort since these delights only came in light pink and light green. Understandably the pink one was left on the shelves as I opted for the green version.
This my.book flex cost me only 7,95 €. Notebooks alone are worth as much, let alone a hard wearing cover such as this.
Herlitz offered information on the paper band that this thing actually comes in variety of sorts, plastic, canvas-look and leather-look. One can also opt for different hued rubber bands.
Inside the a4- sized covers came two notebooks. One lined (9mm spacing) and a grid (5 mm spacing) notebook. Both perforated. When ripped off the perforation very neatly gives the paper in without any extra wiggling- this is not a common phenomena in the world of perforation. Paper quality is not too shabby but it is not great either. Now, I will be the first to admit to being a complete paper-snob so I will gladly just excuse myself at this point. What needs be mentioned that even the wettest ink does not feather nor does it bleed regardless if you even held the tip of the pen at place for a while. Being 80 gsm weight, it does shadow but clearly their paper quality extends the average 80 gsm. paper.
Despite the "high quality" pictures I quickly snapped with my phone, the paper is white, not ivory as it seems.
Rubber bands to the covers would be easily changeable. Herlitz promises that the my.book flex is light weight and they are not lying about it either. I have actually used this in my personal planning as I have completely transferred to a4-sized notebooks and it does hold what is necessary quite nicely. One alteration I had to make immediately was to tie knots to the rubber bands holding the notebooks. They were just too loose and the notebooks had too much give to wobble about the spine area.
I actually have thought about spray-painting this to black or simply gluing a piece of nice quality leather atop the light green. The covers themselves do not show any signs of use and I have tossed this about in my bags, on my desk, on table tops, on my bedside tables etc. Where ever I go, this goes with me.
I found Herlitz´s video from YouTube- Land. In the video it is mentioned that the my.book flex comes in "plastic, leather and linen". However, in the band around the notebook it is clearly mentioned of the linen-look and leather-look options.
I wanted to mention this because if I happened upon ordering a "leather" cover (based on the product promoting video) and ended up with a synthetic product on my greedy hands, I would not feel tremendously entertained.
It has been a long time since I sat down to type a few words to this neglected corner of the blogdom. However, as it is in life everything comes in cycles and I made a decision to dust the ol´ thing from oblivion.
Over the past few years I have been fibbing about different systems when it comes to time-tracking, planning and staying atop of the several responsibilities that life brings. I had been using an a5 Balmoral from Filofax for... closer to 15 years already and then I ordered two a5 Maldens from Filofax. turns out that the glorious quality that I associated with the brand had gone to the very opposite direction. On the other binder the rings were beyond repair and they ripped all papers. The other binder was, after several ring prepairs a bit longer living experience- we are talking months here. Eventually they too gave up and it was time for the rings to come out.
I will disclose the altrecations done to the binders with greater detail- not only rings were poor in quality, but stiches were ripping off as well. Not acceptable in any product that customers are paying money for.
Since time and age has had its effect on the Balmoral, it has done the very same to me. I have a genetic disorder that causes my limbs be overly soft and there is all kinds of deteriation happening in both joints and in bone matter. While I take incredible joy in the paper size of an a5, my joints no longer can take the very heft of such a binder.
And this contrast is the source of all the fibbing mentioned. How to maximise the paper size while still maintaining a manageable weight of one´s binder.
I have tried a lot of systems now, over the course of few years. And right now I have something in use that is not killing my wrists, has not bended any of my fingers backwards and still holds almost a5- sized papers. I took my altered Maldens to good use and use traveler´s notebook style inserts in there. While "regular" TN size is 11 cm´s in width, I have used 13 cm´s wide booklets. This size is also known as Moleskine Large size.
I will go to my set up in greater detail in a later post, but for now it´s sufficed to say that this system, this size feels... able in its physical aspect. My planning system worked like a well-oiled machine all along, I am very organized. However I needed to get it all to a paper size that was manageable and as large as-physically speaking-possible.
I had all of the three booklets running smoothly as a well-oiled machine in the covers, no problem there. I use a calendar-which is Chronodex by Patrick Ng. In it I have attached mothly (month on two pages) pages from Philofaxy printables. Middle insert is a Bullet Journal, Last of the three is Collections. In it I have only a few subject matters, the "running collections" (those that are prone to change, such as things to get to the office, books to order, things to get to home, different sorts of information that is prone to change) are written on the Bullet Journal. Everything was all fine and dandy. Only... the chronodexes were running out of their course. This was the last week in it! And it was in the regular size which left two cm´s from 13 cm. width. Manageable yet visually annoying.
Well, that was about to change since...
This morning I was greeted by the new download by Patrick Ng. This download was a booklet full of glorious chronodexes, for the second half of the year.
Printing the new pages under careful observation of the Feline Overlordess
I printed the pages on ivory 80 gsm. paper. The Wild One watched over the printer- or the Thing Of Doom, if you asked of her.
Printing the booklet is very straight forward thing to do. Dowload the file, print it double sided. My printer is the simplest techy thing ever, so I first printed the first half, flipped the stack on the short side and printed the other half on the other side.
After printing I folded the pages carefully and crisply.
Then you just fold the pages in half, bind them and cut the edges. Again, the regular TN width is 11 cm´s, I use the 13 cm. width. I did entertain myself with the thought of a full a5 size, but I then discarded the thought after I needed to go and apply some more of the numbning creme to my wrists...
However, there is generous space for more inserts if needed. I am telling myself not to get crazy about it, though. But I could, if I wanted to... stuff the thing.
I have three bookletts in the setup, all 13 cm´s wide. I could fit a5´s if I wanted to.
Tied by using strong cotton thread.
I round my edges. I always round my edges. I can not see how not everybody rounds their edges. Everybody should round their edges. Rounded edges are a wonderful thing!
I have noticed that by cutting little grooves, the rubberbands that hold the booklets at place don´t wobble about annoyingly.
I rounded the corners, as I always do.
Small nicks at the very spine help to keep rubber bands hold their appointed places.
On the left is year´s first six months worth of chronodexes. On the right the next six months.
I just want to praise the whole visual scenery that Patrick Ng seems to have a natural inclination to create around him and the things he does. Do go and dwell in the goodness that is his flickr! It is a feat to one´s eyes.
Everything about the booklet pleases me immensely.
Backside of the booklet is a "Boarding Pass to the future" in which one can commit with one´s goals.
I´ve often told about difference in Malden leathers. It is understandable that once one sees a certain type of leather in a binder they wish to purchase, and then when it comes and proves to have quite the opposite look... questions arise. It is natural for hides to come in varying nature, in my opinion it would be responsible for a company- any company to first note that leathers can and will vary, or then perhaps they should outline the type of leather to use altogether.
Had I have promised a customer a silk shirt in satin weft for generous drape, and delivered shirt made of Pongee silk with completely opposite effect it being of rough, nubby texture, this would not have been acceptable. Also, had I measured and agreed to make a size 38 garment, yet the outcome had peen of size 42, this would not have been acceptable and would have deemed me quite the unprofessional, which would be bad reputation and detrimental for professional pride.
When I ordered two ochre Malden binders in a5, I got one in satin weft and size 38, while the other was size 42 and Pongee silk. In proverbial sense.
The other was incredible dry, it had small tears in leather and while I opened it, I heard the leather tearing apart. It was visibly made of thinner leather and held within itself great promises of future silkiness after- what proved to be several months- of conditioning.
I have great respect towards leather. I eat meat, I use leather. However, it does not mean we don´t need to respect the animal and the products it provided us with. Native Americans brush blood under their eyes (I do not know if this is true in all tribes but it was true with those with whom I talked with) after killing the animal and gives it thanks for giving its life to humans. In terms of consumption, I think all possible bits of beast should be used. You make hides, pelts, eat the meat, can do preservatives, boil glue etc etc. But you respect the process, you respect the outcome, dammit! When an animal has given its life for you fancy binder, bag, belt, coat, gloves, whatnot, do be decent and take care of it. When animal still has a heartbeat, it also has fat underneath its skin. This fat makes skin elastic, skin can stretch back and forth, it protects the beast from pesticides, diseases, sun, keeps the animal warm or cool. Just as with our species, humans, it is their largest organ and vital to surviving. When an animal is killed and it is separated from its harness, the hide goes through grueling process to make it pliable enough to serve us, the species of humans. The very thought that magically, we as "crown" of food chain, make it so that leather no longer needs the natural fats and oils and can sustain because of the awesome fact that a human is using it and all of a sudden it becomes something very else than the natural organ it once was, having its own requirements now denied and suppressed, is utter garbage and makes us assholes. And that is slightest of the cases. So condition yo´ leathers, dammit! If you are a company, pretend to have some respect, even if you really do not know the meaning of the expression. Trust me, the consumer will not know the lack of your morals, the consumer just won´t see cracking of the leather. Because it´s so hard not to notice it.
If you are a person who never conditions your leathers... why!?!? Do you know that a leather product can outlive several generations, properly conditioned and will show beautiful patina, but will decay sooner if you just are not in a mood of taking care of something that died for you. Also, it makes you an asshole. Yes, I will judge. Forever. Should you care? Absolutely not but you should condition your damn leather products!
Above is picture of the two binders. The smaller and thinner one lays flat more so than its thicker, grainier and larger friend. Also, notice how the other pocket is of different colour. It is the same colour found on the outside. Best leather for this binder is found on the inside, on the zipper pocket.
The leather on the thinner one was and is thinnest on the upper corner here. It also is creased and pouching. After two years of active use, it still is.
I then applied natural oils (a mix I made back at the time. No chance ever to remember ingredients) to them- because of the dryness. This should be done every time for either dry leather, or leather that has not been conditioned for a long time. After the naturals, I applied medium brown leather creme. The difference in colour got significantly different. After this, another coat of natural oils was applied. All of this got sucked straight in the leather.
I was trying to demonstrate their difference by holding them up, but the coarser and thicker binder wanted to spread up (the hussie) and the flimsier one was having none of that and kept falling down. Perhaps the beast it came from used to be Victorian in previous life? So I opted to show the pair how to compose oneself and stand up straight.
For several days I applied oils and cremes and leather conditioners to them and especially, the thinner one was beyond thirsty. The binders sucked all oils straight away and I just kept adding. How does one know when the leather is saturated=conditioned enough? The natural fats linger on before whooshing into the leather. Like any organic creature, leather needs moisture and it will feed itself until all is fine and dandy. Picture from above is a week after conditioning with natural oils with no pigment. I could see their true colours coming through as more moisture was given to leather
This picture above is of the pair as they are. They still are getting conditioned, however they no longer are creaking or breaking and are saturated. The finer one is silky, buttery and soft. Even if I have decades working with different materials, including leather, I could not predict this level of softness after the dry, sandpaper-like feel. My friend kept hugging it and said it was an equivalent to a plushy toy for adult. This interaction made me very uncomfortable and we ended up in a friendly, yet determined enough tug-of-war when it came to possession of the thing. Ever since I´ve kept it at quasi-safe distance from her.
I needed to cut out some material because the rings were useless and gaping, also I made it into a binder that holds 12 cm x 21 cm. notebooks. It is a home for my book projects and indeed, the colour is very espresso. All very naturally so.
The other below is to be seen on pictures on prior posts. I used it as my "one planner" but logistic challenges emerged when I need to use it on the go. Such generous and gorgeous floppiness needs two hands, I dropped it a few times too close to comfort and made it a home to Commonplace Book and Dear Diary. We now have received a new harmony as my planning needs have found a new home in a TN, which agrees more on opening, making appointements and taking notes on the go.
Another perk, if one needs one, is that your binder can be folded in two. This way you make the planner sturdier giving much better surface to write on. I love the floppiness of a Malden but sometimes this maneuver makes a smaller and firmer planner.
I took my son to horse riding and all of a sudden was gifted some time while I waited him back from manège. I took a short walk, but the weather was too cold so I retrieved back to the warmth of the car and pleasure of writing.
Hello all.
I figured it´d be time to start a new and shiny blog.
This blog will probably a place to think out loud about random subjects.
No doubt there will be books, interiors, grinding teeth about EDS, getting organized and planning including planners and stationary in general.
So I´ll see you when I´ll see you.
No doubt it´ll be soon enough.
The Olympics have been unleashed and I have thoughts, you see.
Evgeni Plushenko! Evgeni plushenko! How do I go on with my evening. Evgeni!
Jeremy Abbott shows the ultimate secret of life. No matter how many times you fall down, you get up. No matter how many times you fall down, you get up one more time that you´ve fallen down. It´s not complicated, but it does hurt sometimes.
And damn about that one Norwegian´s speed skating suit... could they not accommodate him to a partly more, umm... generous outfit. That torture devise looked nothing short of painful! I wonder if he´s already had his kids?
And German skiers and speed skaters, most uncompromising thighs! (as you see, I concentrate all my energies to things that truly matter)
I tell you, this year is the first that I don´t break out in hives when the word "sports" is been mentioned (figure skating is not just sports, I consider it a form of art). Who knew there was such joy to be absorbed while observing men in catsuits!... makes me understand my GBF a wee better, actually.
And sequined gloves! TatianaVolosozhar, while warming up wore the most fabulous sequined gloves. I HAVE TO have those, they need to be in my life right now! I would strut the living daylight outta those gloves, where does one acquire a pair!?!?!
Also, Ksenia Stolbova MUST be the most beautiful creature ever created. Seriously, she truly is perfection.
The woman could be doing atrocious things and I´d just be gazing in amazement about the elegance she did it with.
Then there´s the whole notion of excellence. Hundreds of people gathered to strive to be the fastest, the strongest, the most concentrated, to jump highest, to outperform themselves and others alike. The entire concentrated, nervous energy ready to explode at any given time.
So many emotions! Uncompromising thighs, men in catsuits, perfect beauty, big falls and conquering the pain, broken helmets (where the hickory heck are the paramedics when they are needed!), crushed dreams (giving a side-eye to you, Norwegian catsuitmanufacturers...tot-tot!) and above all...
sequined gloves. Are you hearing the bells as well? I am and I´m weeping here! It all just seems so terrifically dramatic as well. How about that speed skater from GB. One fraction, one split second of stupidity and she destroyed two other dreams alongside her own. And trust me, biggest punishment to her won´t be that she got hoisted out of the entire competition. She will carry on living her life, and this one little fraction of idiocy will follow her and haunt her and it will never let her go. She will go on living her life remembering this, blaming herself every day. The two others will remember this as well, and while it won´t be a peachy memory it´ll be less of a burden to them. They have somebody to blame. For the rest of their lives.
This is not just Olympics. These are stories about people. After these two weeks they will go back to their homes but their lives will never be the same. These days in Sochi will mold the rest of their lives and their performances can either break them or uplift them. The strongest will survive, they will use the fuel of disappointment to perfect their abilities, to outperform everybody and themselves. They will strive to again jump higher, to again be stronger, faster and better, well knowing that at any given time they could fall down. Despite that knowledge the strongest will go on, knowing that if they do fall, they will get up one more time.
They are the true winners. Falling down does not make one a failure, staying down will.
I´m so hyped, it´s incredible. And when a Russian man today muttered something to me in a grocery store (they always talk to me, Russians. Genetics, you see and the looks that follow. Also, high heels help in a country where love of sweatpants and flats blossom.) If they consider you to look like one of them, you are being bonded with. Now I really need to learn that language! It would so become my future sequined gloves.), I replied to him in French. No way would I reply in English (sorry guys) or in Finnish (I didn´t want to be cruel to him, after all) so I chose another language he´s most likely to understand. And then I walked away like a boss. It´s all in the genes, you see.
So you see, I already started. ´till the next time, ta-taa!
edit. Evgeni Plushenko is retiring. I have no words. Other than... Evgeni Plushenko is retiring.
I need to take a few moments now.
