a5 returns balance

This new schedule will definitely take me some time to get used to. I like it, I like how in theory I can better develop and shape and edit the writing here. I’ll chalk up the craziness of the past few weeks to pre-pesach and time-change meshugas.

One thing I did find I needed to keep my sanity was my a5 filofax.

When I bought the e-reader I made a deal with E that I would only carry one bag, and it didn’t mean stepping up to a bigger one. It meant I needed to slim down. So I tried to ditch the A5 filo. I tried to make my own with post bolts, that didn’t go well, though I believe it’s still good as an archive solution. I tried the pocket size (aka 3×5 card). That works ok, but 3×5 cards and I are transitory in nature and I need more space to record those Work things throughout the day if they are to be my Record (which they need to be). I tried to find my slim personal filo. It’s somewhere in the house. We found lots of other things that we hadn’t yet unpacked, but not my filo. I know it’s somewhere.

Throughout all of this I’ve been commenting on Philofaxy that I want a slimline A5. Well, it turns out my voice and others was heard!

However, revealed soon doesn’t help my immediate perceived need, so I googled. I found this. I haven’t yet acquired the full strength to make this international purchase, but I’ve been reassured by Japanese friends that Rakuten is reliable and well known. I hope to catch up on client work and more importantly client billing, so soon i’ll be able to purchase this.

I’m not happy with all these purchases and the accumulation and multiple binders being unused so I expect there will be offers of sale or trade for some of the items I can part with. Why keep the clutter? It causes angst.

But wait! There’s more! That adds to it all:

It’s known that I’m quite impatient and if I want something now…

So I went into Kinokuniya not expecting anything since their focus is generally personal size and smaller. I found the starts of a new items being imported. There are some binders (which I think sell for 2-3x the Pilot Filofax binder above) and suddenly lots of A5 six ring paper. Somehow I found a Refill A5 6 Ring binder. It’s not ideal, by any stretch of the imagination. The rings are HUGE and it’s just a plastic storage binder, but its benefit is that it is light. I’m quite happy to be back in the page size and ring count format I love. My week improved drastically upon this $12.95 purchase. My work feels more balanced and manageable.

Below is a photo of the misplaced filofax. I am convinced Shadow has borrowed it to mark up his hectic schedule, especially now that he has to find time for squirrel watching in between his naps.

• Category: tools