#bullet journal key ideas

[marywoodartdept]

Summer Design Series - Bullet Journaling

To keep her creative juices flowing over summer, Melissa, our graphic design blogger, conceived of a series of blog posts she can write about and then wrote the first one about bullet journaling. Here she shares her materials and methods! #MarywoodArt

Intro For the next few blog posts of mine, I figured it might be fun to give myself some design projects to work on over the summer to keep my creative juices flowing. For this first post in what I’m calling my Summer Design Series, I’ve been working on something relaxing, something that I’ve been doing since high school: bullet journaling and designing my own agenda book pages. About Bullet…

[salvadorbonaparte]

How to set up a research journal

This is just one way you can set up a research journal but it's helping me tremendously so maybe it also works for you. My set-up is partially inspired by this video by Answer in Progress and I suggest you check out their curiosity journal.

Preparation

First you need a notebook. The trick is to find a notebook that you're not afraid to "ruin". We all want a really neat, aesthetic research journal, but the reality looks more like hasty scribbles, but that's okay, that's where the research breakthroughs happen.

I personally bought a cheap lined notebook from Søstrene Grene that I thought looked cute and put a sticker on it. That way I feel good about using it but I also don't mind when my handwriting gets messy because it was only like 3€.

You should also stock up on pens you like writing with. Different colour highlighters and post-its are also a good idea but not a must. Keep it cheap but comfortable.

Title Page

Here you should put down all the really important information: year, title, deadlines, word count, supervisors. Maybe add an inspirational quote to spice it up but keep it simple and relevant.

Key

This should either be your next or your last page. I personally use the last pages of my journal so I can add thing and find it easier. Your key is there to list abbreviations and symbols.

For example, I have different symbols for statistics, dates, new terminology, questions, breakthroughs, important notes and abbreviations for the most important terms in my field. It's shorter to write T9N than Translation.

The trick here is to have enough abbreviations and symbols to save time and effort but not so many that you constantly have to look back and forth between your page and key. They should be memorable and not easy to confuse.

Topic Mind map

If you hate mind maps you can skip this of course or use a different method but what helped me is to visualise all the topics that connect to my research project in a mind map. I then colour-coded the main groups of topics with my highlighters. It helps me to keep an overview on how many topics I need to do research on.

Proposal

If you're writing a thesis/dissertation it can be helpful to have a page set aside for your proposal and take some bullet point notes on methodology, chapter structure, research context, aims and objectives and think of some titles. You can also do this for your lit review and a list of works to include.

Hypothesis and Question Pages

I set aside four pages for this but you can adjust this to your needs. The first page is my hypothesis. It doesn't have to be fully formed yet, it can just be bullet points with five question marks. You can always revise and update it but it is important to keep an eye on what you're actually trying to find out.

The next idea is basically just stolen from Answer in Progress: a section for big questions, medium questions and little questions. These aren't necessarily hypotheses you aim to answer but questions you have about your topic that might be good to look into (maybe they lead somewhere, maybe they don't).

Research Notes

Now comes the big, fun part. Research notes are allowed to be a little messy but you should have some sort of system so you can actually find what you're looking for afterwards. I'm currently just looking at books and articles so that's what my system is based on. You can totally adjust this to include other forms of research.

What I do is that I put down and underline the author and title of my source. Underneath that I use my highlighters and mark the topic of the paper based on how I colour-coded them in my mind map. You might have to do this after you've finished reading. For example, if a text talks about censorship and dubbing in Germany, three of my topics, I will draw three lines in light blue, dark blue and red, the colours I chose for those topics. This way you can easily browse your notes and see which pages are talking about which topics.

When it comes to the actual research notes, I include the page number on the left and then take bullet point notes on whatever is relevant. These are often abbreviated and paraphrased but if something is especially important I will write down a full quote.

As mentioned earlier, I have a key of symbols I use so I can simply put down a '!' in order to differentiate a research breakthrough from a normal note. You can insert your own thoughts much more easily when you know you'll be able to tell them apart later on. At the end of each article, book or even chapter I write down my main takeaway.

Other Notes

This is your research journal and you can do with it what you want. I also added lists of films that might be relevant for my research, a list of databases and publishers to check for papers and tips on research strategy.

If you're working with interviews or surveys you could write down your questions. If you're nervous about your research you could include a list of reasons why your research project is important or why you're doing it. You can include a to-do list or a calendar to track meetings with supervisors. Anything that helps you with your research.

[thedollhousediaries]

The Dollhouse Diaries

Real Life In Plastic Tip #6:

ෆTime Management for Neurodivergent Girly Girls and Boujie Hyperfemmesෆ

This is the pretty girl era of having time management under control. The key is to learn how to live in the moment while also being discipline enough to move on to the next task as needed. I know that sentence was as daunting to read as it was for me to write ૮꒰ྀི⊃⸝ ⸝ ⸝⊂꒱ྀིა I guarantee I gotcha *Chaeyoung voice*

First Things First: Go 1 Week At a Time!! (every 3 days if an entire 7 is too much or your schedule is unpredictable, like mine)

Build a simple list of all the things you have to do and that you would like to do. Its much easier to get it all out on the table so you can donate more of your brain power to sorting things, rather than holding things.

Put all of the things listed on a calendar: Most important first things first! This means things like health appointments,work schedule, birthdays, holidays that you celebrate, classes, or anything that involves not only your time but other’s as well. Then after that put the elective things second; Nail appointments, shopping trips, dates with friends, etc. Lastly, put the things you would like to incorporate into your daily routine; We talking skincare, any hobbies you may have like drawing/painting/sculpting/reading/blogging, any form of exercise, etc.

Once the week or however much time you have scheduled out is done on your overall calendar, then its time for marrying it to your life.

Marrying your schedule: Planner apps, Physical Planner, Dry Erase Boards and Bullet Journals

Choosing your medium at keeping up with your schedule is very important. You may have to try them all before you get comfortable with something. I have tried them all and I’ve found that the main one that truly stuck with me was the app/website Notion. I like it because its fully customizable and you can use it at your own pace. Every week or every day may not be super eventful and so it drops the guilt and shameful feeling of not filling up pages every single day.

Here is what all I use and the way I use them:

Notion <3 I use it as my overall journal. I use the apps on my ipad/phone to check if I’m not home and I can use the website on my PC when I’m home and relaxing. I like it because its very versatile. Think of it as a digital journal combined with similar mechanics of tumblr. I use it for literally everything. There are a lot of videos that can show off all of the cool things Notion can be used for but this is the video that personally helped me learn it quickly

Bullet Journals <3 I have about 3 journals and I love them because I get to customize things with cute stickers and it gives very fun scrapbooking vibes. Because I use Notion as a all over planner I can use my BUJO’s for more fun and creative things. I usually use these for all of my cute ideas and things thats in my mind and aesthetic wishlists and such. Its very therapeutic to take time out to be kawaii and glamorous and just put cute thoughts on to paper! I mainly use it for kpop inputs, my fav shows, wishlists, dates and etc.

Dry erase board <3 I use this as a overall daily top important to-do list! Sometimes I dont always open my notion if I dont have anything extremely important coming up but there may be some things I need to keep on my mind to do for that day. The way my neurodivergency is set up I need to keep the most important things always in my face or I could forget everything. So, I put things on there like get a new tire, pick up order from bath & bodyworks, put clothes in the dryer, wash dishes, and etc. Daily tasks like that usually goes on my dry erase board

Remember at the end of the day dont be too hard on yourself and your schedule! Move at your own pace and always set yourself up for success. Scheduling is ideally suppose to calm you and be a tool to improve your life; not stress you out. If at any point you begin to feel overwhelmed just stop and recenter yourself and your life. I felt overwhelmed at first myself and that was because I was trying to keep up with a hyper organized and productive version of myself that I needed to give more patience to develop. Let this come organically to you and not because you are trying to keep up with what u feel everyone else is doing, or to the future self you are going to inevitably become. Happy scheduling, Dollmate!

[simplestudentplanning]

How To Start A Bullet Journal

Bullet Journal: "A customizable and forgiving organization system. It can be your to-do list, sketchbook, notebook, and diary, but most likely, it will be all of the above. It will teach you to do more with less." (Ryder Carroll, creator of the Bullet Journal)

Supplies

Notebook (typically it's a dot-grid notebook, but you can use any type of notebook)

Pen

Set Up Key Pages

Index Page: similar to a table of contents

Key Page: create a key or legend to represent different tasks, events, and notes.

Personally, I don't use these pages because I usually have a bookmark to keep track of important pages, and I already know which symbols/colours to differentiate my tasks/events.

Create a Future Log

Purpose: To see the next several months (or the whole year) at a glance

What To Put: At least 3-6 months of the year's worth of events, birthdays, holidays, deadlines, etc.

Monthly Spread

Purpose: To see the month at a glance

What To Put: A calendar, goals, and any other elements that are relevant to your planning.

Weekly/Daily Logs

Purpose: To see your week/day at a glance.

What To Put: Tasks, events, and notes for each day/week.

You can use a combination of both!

Design and Decorate

Purpose: To personalize your bullet journal so that feels more like you, and it'll be more enjoyable for you to use it.

Reflect and Adjust

Purpose: To see what's working and what's not in your journal system.

Consistency

Purpose: To get into the habit of bullet journaling. It'll help you be more mindful and organized with your life.

Experiment

Purpose: To find what works for you. Don't use other people's designs and ideas if it doesn't work for you. Bullet journals are supposed to be systems that will help you organize.

The bullet journal is a flexible system, and you can adapt it to suit your preferences and needs. Explore different styles and find out what works best for you.

[lovewash3d-doll]

♡ Tips for when your Draft feels Un-Fixable ♡

………………………………………………………………………….

Recently I tried editing one of my stories and felt everyone that could be possibly wrong was wrong. My scenes were disorganized, my plot was all over the place, and the variation between my imagery and action was horribly inconsistent. I felt so overwhelmed staring at my computer screen and my fingers inched toward the delete key. Instead of deleting all your writing and staring at the frightening, icy white span of a new page, don’t loose hope! A messy page is better than no page at all. Here’s some tips to make your draft fixable! This applies to stories, poems, and all forms of writing

1. Identify!

First things first, instead of trying to solve your problems, identify them! Don’t even think about a solution yet! Pretend you’re editing the work of someone else—Are any paragraphs wonky? Are any sentences unclear? Mark every issue you find in your piece! Next, bullet point your main issues and only then, start considering how you could fix them. Breaking down a problem is easier than handling it at once! You can’t an apple in one bite!

2. Ditch the Digital!

I find the pristine, white screen of a laptop to be very intimidating and unnurturing to developing ideas. As the perfectionist I am, I feel like I have to solidify anything I type, and that can become an issue with accepting my poor first drafts. I find much more comfortable and intimacy in writing in a journal: the delicate paper cradles your words, scribbling preserved every mistake, and everything is hidden with the flip of the journal cover. When I’m struggling with a scene, I let my mind wander and scribble whatever I can come up in my journal. Then, I transfer it onto my computer and edit away! I find this reduces the stigma of having a perfect first draft and is applicable to many of my other tips! Sometimes old-fashioned is better!

3. Plot with Flashcards!

If the string of your plot is all tangled up, a great trick I learned is plotting with flashcards! All you need is paper, scissors, string, clips, a writing utensil, and some horizontal space. On the front side of a card, write a name for the scene and in parenthesis, mark its significance. Is it significant for foreshadowing? For character development? A rise in tension? On the back, go in depth in the scene and describe what happens and what it means to your story. Then, unravel the string in a horizontal line on your floor, desk, or even a wall. With your clips, experiment with the position of scenes along the string. Maybe a scene in the beginning of your story belongs in the middle or an additional scene should be added. Is your plot missing something? Keep clipping, shuffling, and rearranging your flashcards until it makes the most sense to you!

4. Snip your Page!

If the organization of your paragraphs seems off or your piece lacks power, this might be the tip for you! I truthfully believe any writer should try this before deciding if their draft is final! First, print out your writing and grab some scissors! Cut out every paragraph and start rearranging them! Action scenes are a great hook and bundling similar paragraphs may increase the flow of your writing! Ask yourself what part of your writing you want your reader to prioritize? Not all writing has to be in chronological order!

5. Inspire Yourself with Some Reading!

The more you read, the better of a writer you are! Not only can reading inspire new ideas, it can also help you elevate your writing style. Look how other authors have fixed their writing problems! Find a book in your genre and with a similar writing style. Do you notice patterns? What do they do when a character is experiencing an emotional moment? Do they remain surface level or dive deep into the sea of feelings? What sentence variation do they have? What vocabulary do they use? How do they shift the tone? Apply your findings to your writing!

I hope this was helpful!

XOXO,

lovewashed doll ♡

[slashingdisneypasta]

Horror Villains and: What They Would Put in the Hat

(The 7 Minutes in Heaven hat)

This was pretty much inspired by This post by @your-mxnd-is-mxne ! ^^

Warnings: Cursing and gore (As in limbs being put in the hat)

Animal the Cannibal: A potato peeler. BE CAREFUL.

Baby Firefly: A cute scrunchie. Put it in your hair!! She thinks you'll look so cute ^^ If you don't have hair/its too short, you can put it in hers! ^^ (So basically you win everything)

Billy Loomis: A folded up poster for the local cinema's horror night. They're playing Psycho, The Birds and then Psycho 2 Back-To-Back.

Bo Sinclair: Little plyers. he never leaves home without them, so you better give them back! Play nice and he may use them on you *cough*

Bubba Sawyer: A pig femur... its not clean...

Candyman: A little leather bound journal with his poetry in it. If he likes you, maybe he'll read you some!!

Captain Spaulding: A pamphlet for his shop! He'd just fucken love to show you around.

Carrie White: A pencil. She wasn't sure and she didn't have a whole lot on her! she hopes that's okay ^^

Chop Top Sawyer: His sunnies! Not his wig, that's special. But you got his glasses! He even wants to see you put them on.

Chucky Lee Ray: He put his whole damn shoe in there. I mean, he's a doll. Why not? // If he's in his human form, though, maybe... a... condom...

BONUS for @your-mxnd-is-mxne because its their idea in the first place ^^ Daddy Hall- *cough* I mean Doc Halloran!: Bullet casing. Its, oddly enough, the only thing that was in his pockets?? 😅 After all he is only here to hunt Leslie- see if you can distract him, though.

Dr Suave: A pack of tooth floss from his pocket. He's a dentist, what do you expect from him?

Drayton Sawyer: The keys to the chilly van (Its all he had on him). He's gonna want them back.

Freddy Krueger: A scrap oh his sweater and it turns to dirty brown dust as soon as you see what it is.

Granny Boone: Buckman's initialed handkerchief.

Harper Alexander: A twig that's been widdled a whole bunch. It may snap in your hand- don't you worry, he don't mind ^^

Inkubus: Ripped piece of paper with a backwards K scribbled into it. You get ink stains on your fingers.

Jack Dante: An action figure! Probably He-Man or something. You can play with it for now but you're gonna give it back when he goes home.

Jason Voorhees: A chunk of moss. Its squishy and fresh.

Jedidiah Sawyer: A tie! He's a well dressed man and always brings an extra XD

Jennifer Check: Cherry Coke Chapstick! You know she's that super cool person who had all the branded soda flavours. And she may even apply some to you~

Jerry Dandridge: His scarf. And its cold- why don't you wear it for a while?~ He's very charming. And this is the man you're gonna get stuck in a closet alone with for nearly 10 minutes! Goodluck-

Leslie Vernon: His mask. He's gotta spread the word!! Make sure people know who he is! This felt like a marketing opportunity.

Lester Sinclair: That grizzly lookin' knife of his. Listen to him chat about it and he'll love you forever.

Luda Mae Hewitt: Wooden spoon. Her logic? If she goes in there with someone iffy she can beat them with it.

Max Grief: Cassette tape out of his car. He wasnt sure what to really put in, so, *shrug*

Mayor Buckman: Boone's initialed handkerchief (Yeahhhh, they're cute like that XD).

Mental Manny: Straw twisted and bent into the shape of some satanic symbol. You feel uncomfortable holding it. But oh, he wants you to have it now~~ A gift.

Michael Myers: Someone's ear.

Mickey Altieri: A snack. Like a cookie from a vending machine or a pack of 2 minute noodles. You can have it, no worries.

Midnight Man: The page with the names on it. ... wanna play a game?

Miss Quinn: Her hand mirror. Come on now, sweetheart!!~ We'll make you look pretty.

Monty Hewitt: A screwdriver. You got anything he can fix up rela quick? He doesn't mind, if it means he can get away from Hoyt for a bit.

Otis B. Driftwood: You don't wanna know. I'm not telling you. Put it down.

Pamela Voorhees: Her drivers licence. She was looking in her wallet and thought it was logical- plus she sure as hell wasn't putting in her polaroid of Jason.

Patrick Bateman: His card, of course. Its so damn crisp- you get a paper cut.

Pennywise: A horn! Honk honk!

Rocco the Clown: Some poor bastard's kneecap. Yes. A kneecap. And I still won't tell you what Otis put in the hat.

Roman Bridger: A very fancy pen. The kind thats like 50 dollars for one. It's for signing contracts but he likes to show off that he has it.

Sheriff Hoyt / Charlie Hewitt Jr: 'His' sheriff's badge! He wants you to comment on it, too- call him Sheriff Hoyt- stroke his ego. That's all he wants.

Stu Macher: A lollipop! You can have it, he's already sucking one. You two can have matching blue tongues!

Stuart Lloyd: Someone forced him to chuck in the USB that his little movie is on- he's terribly anxious about it and hope that you'll just give it right back and don't play it. Its not done...

DBD! The Clown: A little travel bottle with a suspicious liquid inside. He suggests that you drink it... I suggest you do not. Unless, you know, you're into it-

DBD! The Deathslinger: A wrench. He's a handy man and never leaves the house without his handy wrench!

The Djinn: ... the jewel...

DBD! The Huntress: A bunny ear from a bunny doll. She can do it herself but if you sew it back onto her dolly then you have a friend for life.

The Man (Hush): A switchblade. He's gonna want it back but (; you can keep it while you're in the closet with him if it makes you feel safer.

Taxidermist: Some kind taxidermists tool. Maybe a fleshing cone or a necker knife.

Thomas Hewitt: A pretty rock. 🪨

Vincent Sinclair: A notepad so he can talk to you if you don't know sign language ^^

Winslow Foxworth Coltrane: A crushed can of coke. He doesn't carry shit around with him and he sure as fuck is not handing over his knife.

[rabbitindisguise]

Something I've learned is that if I'm having a problem doing something consistently (bullet journaling, cross stitch, etc), the (ADHD) solution is frequently to spend more money on it to remove barriers to entry which makes it easier to complete the task

Which is like. When I was a kid this was impossible to articulate and caused a lot of problems when met with a "you can't play if you don't go to school" mindset that I had to earn the right to spend money on new things

Of course this has to be tempered a bit by only buying a small . . . investment? in something new. Hate that word, but basically I'm getting at the idea of not getting ahead of myself and buying ultra budget yarn to last me a year if I don't even know if I'll like it, or if I'll like making the things that yarn can make. With that in mind the key part of evaluating it relies on understanding my emotions and if it's a "there's something in the way" problem or a "I actually hate this honestly" problem.

[gemmahale]

Hiii! For the writers ask my question for you is: what keeps you on track when working out a story? Especially a story with intricate details that will pan out way later in the game?

Talk Shop Tuesday!

Ooh. This is a convoluted answer.

I have a summary at the top of my working document. Sometimes this has 2-3 iterations in bullet points, sometimes it's a few paragraphs, it kind of depends on what mood I'm in while I'm drafting. Sometimes it's a scribbled 3 sentence clusterfuck I have to decode.

All my key info is kept in the summary/character profiles near the top of the document for easy reference.

If I have a conversation about it in Discord or DM's I'll try and screengrab/summarize the takes from there too (or I'll search them if I need to.)

I also probably rely far too much on my own memory too. 😅 Does that mean I've lost some things? Sure, but it also means that I have new ideas that integrate much more smoothly. (Tagging things on Tumblr with the specific WIP tag and #Insipration or #Reference helps too.)

Now, if I were writing by hand, and not digitally? A lot of post-it notes, a journal with too many highlighters, and a corkboard with a lot of yarn. 😅

Spoilers below the cut. Pass at your own risk. Includes Reference to:

Museum Muse + Righteous Fury

Feylands

Bury the Lede

Headers in Google Docs has been (and continues to be) the easiest way for me to navigate a story.

Take Museum Muse/Righteous Fury for Example. This is in my "Working Document" where I keep important information to reference later. V1 and V2 have two different POV's in it, for example.

And this is in the working document for Righteous Fury. Chapters, then scenes, and scraps at the end.

In Feylands, in contrast:

But I have key info about all of the characters (though this has now changed and needs to be revised - oops) under their names. I have a direct line to the setting to make sure I get my information straight if I need to make a reference. (Tbh, this is a shoddy example because I need to clean it up and streamline the thoughts - but that's neither here nor there. It's a mess in my head and on paper until I write lol.)

Now, when it comes to long-term planning? Ehhhh...there's a reason I don't publish work until I'm happy with the whole story for the most part. That gives me the chance to go back, nudge details, account for something that'll pay off in spades later, make sure that my clues are set in the right place, etc.

With some stories, I'm running on vibes alone and I don't really have a plot sorted out. I spend time exploring the characters (Feylands has little blurbs for every character that I tweak as I find things out about them, for example), until a story begins to develop. Or I'll write as far as I can and then noodle on it for a while. (Sorry, Bury the Lede, I just can't figure out how to get into the next part yet.)

Usually I have the general plot (What if x happens? Shenanigans. is my go to.) figured out though. Specific details don't pay off until I'm writing and then it's a matter of rereading what I have and relying on my (sometimes questionable) memory/notes.

I told you it was convoluted, lol.

[sitepathos]

Their Favorite Magical Subject

Price

Charms

He remembers the first spell you used when you first joined 141: Windgardium Leviosa, which you used on a tank and made it float like it was a balloon instead of a 55 ton war machine. The sight of his boys’ eyes nearly popping out of their sockets still makes him chuckle.

His favorite use of your charms has to be after a particularly long and gruesome mission, him and his boys wanted nothing more than a cold drink, but all the bars were either closed are were clearing out to clean up after a night of rowdy customers. You then had the genius idea of using the Refilling Charm on the half-decent case of beer they were able to buy, which allowed them to drink as much as they want and the bottle would refill itself.

Needless to say, you made a lot of friends that night.

Your charms have come in handy in the field countless times, such as Alohomora, which has allowed them to quietly breach a building without setting off alarms and alerting hostile (also when he’s lost his office key for the umpteenth time and really doesn’t want anyone to know).

Gaz

Flying Class

The first time you showed up on your broomstick was the moment he knew you and him were going to be friends.

He always wants to go for a ride with you, no matter how hard a mission he was on was. In fact, the thought of soaring through the sky and feeling the wind on his face is what motivates him to power through the mission.

When you introduce him to Quidditch, he instantly falls in love. You show him your monthly copy of Quidditch Times and go over every article inside, from interviews of famous players to announcements of new broomstick models.

Please take him to a Quidditch match. A Hogwarts match, the Quidditch World Cup, he doesn’t care. All he wants is to see people play on broomsticks.

He’s tried many times to convince Price to let you fly them into missions on your broom, but the captain’s said no every time. Still, he’s sure he’ll wear the man down and get his wish one day.

Ghost

Defense Against the Dark Arts

This man is focused on the offensive and defensive aspects of magic since that’s what you’ll be using while in the field.

He may act like he doesn’t care, but he loves it when you go over every spell that’s taught in the class. His favorite spell is the Disarming Charm, Expelliarmus, as it knocks the target’s weapon out of their hands, allowing them to be apprehended or taken out.

Of course, this man would obsess over the Unforgivable Curses when you tell him about them; being able to control a man, inflict unbearable pain upon him without drawing blood, and then killing him in a single blow. Of course, he’d never ask you you cast them. To him, you’re pure and innocent; leave the heinous acts of violence to him.

And if you ever ask him to help you brush up on your charms and curses, he’ll happily agree to be your test dummy. Of course, if you want to practice blocking bullets, he’ll insist on rubber bullets and the moment you get hit, he’ll drag you to the infirmary and call it a day.

Soap

Care of Magical Creatures

While all forms of magic, no matter how dull, blow him away, this man is amazed when you tell him all the magical creatures he’s heard about in stories are real.

Especially dragons. He absolutely loses his shit when you tell him dragons are real and reside in reserves scattered around the world.

Will ask you for lessons on magical creatures and records everything in his journal, sketching creatures in great detail and listing characteristics, how to care for them, and his personal thoughts about them.

If you have any magical creatures you care for, he’ll help you with them. From feeding, grooming, and walking, he’s there with abundant energy and a bright smile. And if you ever need to leave the base for a few days, he will totally babysit.

Alejandro

Charms.

Like Price, he’s in love with your charms, but his reasons are more personal.

When you volunteered to help him rebuild Las Almos, you used what would become his favorite spell: Repairo. The sight of seeing his home being repaired in a matter of minutes before his eyes is something that will stick with him for the rest of his life.

Not only did you repair the town, you cast a spell that brought rain to help them through their summer drought and healed the hurt townspeople with healing charms, like Episkey, the Bandaging Charm, and Vulnera Sanentur.

After Las Almos was repaired and was back on its feet, you became an honorary member of Los Vaqueros and the towns people built a statue of you in the the town plaza so that your deeds would always be remembered.

König

Potions.

After you gave him the first Calming Drought, he became fascinated at the art of brewing potions and always asks to watch you whenever you have to brew a potion.

On multiple occasions, both the core members of 141 and Alejandro have walked in on you two sitting on the floor of your room, the giant sniper sitting crisscross and watching you with undivided attention as you brew a potion.

Also asks you to give him potion lessons, and you do; he keeps detailed notes on everything you do in a little notebook and studies it as he gets ready for bed. It also helps calm him down from the day’s chaos.

When he shows promise in potion-making, you allow him to help you with large orders. You also trust him to use your cauldron and personal supplies when you’re unavailable. He keeps his potion notes on him at all times and whips it out every time he brews, no matter how many times he’s made a specific potion.

[art-of-manliness]

What to Do When You Don’t Feel Like Doing Anything

Every now and then I have days where I just don’t feel like doing a damn thing. The idea of being productive makes my brain hurt. These little funks can be extremely frustrating, especially when there’s a lot I need to accomplish. I haven’t quite figured out why I get hit with these bouts of “don’t-want-to-do-anything-itis.” Maybe it’s burnout. Maybe it’s the vagaries of fluctuating mood. Maybe it’s the stars. It’s a mystery. While it might be nice to lean into the feeling and take the day off, I typically don’t have that luxury. So, over the years, I’ve developed a toolkit for myself to help me get through those days when I feel like doing nuthin’. There’s no single silver bullet in my bag of tricks. Some days, one tactic works; other days, it doesn’t. Sometimes I have to put together a cocktail of different approaches to get myself going. Also, the goal on these days when I don’t feel like doing anything isn’t to heroically overcome my inertia and knock the day out of the park; rather, my expectations are much lower. I’ll take a metaphorical ground ball that dribbles into the outfield for a single. I’m just trying to keep the gears of life greased and moving while my motivational faculties come back online. Go Through the Motions “Going through the motions” gets a bad rap. There’s this idea that if your actions aren’t imbued with passion and excitement, then you shouldn’t do them at all. But based on my experience, going through the motions is completely fine on those days you don’t feel like doing anything. Going through the motions keeps you consistent. Consistency in the long term is the key to success in life. Going through the motions when you don’t feel like doing the thing helps keep the habit in place. I’ll have days when I don’t feel like working out, but I go through the motions of working out anyway. My workout isn’t super awesome on these days. In fact, I’ll lower the weight and even shorten the workout. But I get the workout done. I keep up the identity of a dedicated exerciser. In addition to maintaining and strengthening a habit, going through the motions might also catalyze a resurgence of motivation. We’ve talked about this idea before: Feelings often follow action. You might not initially feel like working on your taxes, but once you begin, you might start feeling more dialed in because you see yourself getting closer to being done with them. Go for a Walk Outside Solvitur ambulando. It is solved by walking. Yes, just about anything can be solved by a walk. Even a lack of motivation to clean out the garage. When you feel stuck, head out the door and take a stroll around the neighborhood. Physical activity can increase neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine, which play crucial roles in motivation. Change Your Surroundings Sometimes, a change of scenery is all it takes to reignite your motivation. This could be as simple as moving to a different room in your house or finding a new workspace altogether. On days when I don’t feel like doing anything, I’ll sometimes take my laptop to a coffee shop or the public library. Something about the change in environment scrapes off the barnacles of psychic lethargy and helps me get working again. Leverage Positive Peer Pressure Humans are inherently social creatures, and we can use this to our advantage when motivation wanes. Setting up accountability partnerships or joining group challenges can provide external motivation when internal drive is lacking. Just working around other people who are working can be motivating. I think this may be one reason why I find working in a public library helpful: I’m around other people who are working. I’ve also seen students who will join a virtual study group — a Zoom call — with strangers. Just the feeling that there are other eyes on them (whether or not other people on the call are really paying attention to them) helps them get to work and stay focused.   Journal and Goal Review I gave up on daily journaling several years ago. But I… http://dlvr.it/TDRnds

[queen-of-deans-booty]

Slumber Party: Final Part

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~2.2k

Warnings: canon angst and violence

Summary: Dorothy and the Wicked Witch of the West making an appearance, Charlie coming to visit, and Castiel getting used to being human, oh my! Ding Dong, the witch is dead!

Author’s Note: I do not own anything from Supernatural. All credit goes to their respective owners. Any and all comments on these are appreciated.

x

You make it to the kitchen, but you stop short when you see how destroyed it is. Sam and Dean are standing there with their backs turned to you, and when they hear you, they swiftly turn with their guns raised.

"Whoa, it's just us!" They lower their guns, but they are still on alert. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"What do you think?"

"We raided your gun range and made us some poppy bullets. They won't kill the witch, but they will stun the shit out of her. There was only enough for two bullets each, so make each shot count."

Charlie hands over the two guns to the brothers before handing one to Dorothy.

"Now we just have to find her before she finds whatever the hell she's looking for."

"She's looking for a key," Sam reveals. "Ring any bells, Dorothy?"

"Unfortunately. It's the key to Oz. There are magical ways into Oz—tornado, the eye of a hurricane, whirlpool—but this key will turn any locked door into a portal to Oz."

"How did the Men of Letters get the key?"

"I have no idea, but if she finds it, she'll go back and finish what she started. She'll destroy all that is good in Oz. She's got armies of witches and flying monkeys. Many will die."

"What does this key look like?" you ask.

Dorothy pulls out a journal from her jacket and flips to a picture inside. It's a key you've seen before somewhere inside the Bunker.

"I've seen that key. I found it when I was doing inventory," Dean immediately recognizes it.

"Where is it now?"

"My room. We got to get to that key. Alright, Charlie, Y/N, and I will go look in my room. Why don't you guys buy us some time?" Sam and Dorothy leave, and Dean turns to Charlie. "Charlie? The safest place in this joint is the dungeon."

"You have a dungeon in this place? Of course, you do," she chuckles. "I am not hiding, especially in a dungeon. Wicked Witch, a key, and a quest? Let's do this."

She bounces out of the kitchen, and Dean turns to you with concerned eyes.

"She's safer with me than in a dungeon alone. She's eager and curious. If she's going to hunt, then she should learn from the best. I can't wait to see how you'll react when Joanna says she wants to hunt."

"Not a chance in hell," Dean says as he follows you out of the kitchen.

"Okay," you nod and roll your eyes slightly.

You two meet up with Charlie inside Dean's room, and you immediately start to look for the key. Dean knows exactly where it is, and he cheers when he finds it.

"Yahtzee," he grins.

You turn to leave when you spot the witch in the doorframe. Before you can do something, she uses her powers and flings Dean against the wall. The key drops on the ground, but you're not focused on that. Green magic electrifies her body, and she raises both her arms out toward him, but you're quick to your feet.

"Dean!" you yell and jump on your bed to get to him faster.

You land on your feet and turn to the witch with bright blue eyes. Her magic reaches you, but instead of attacking you, you catch her magic with your own. Your magic combines with hers, creating a turquoise mixture. You throw this new magic back at her, slamming her back into the wall behind her.

Charlie raises her gun and shoots at the witch, hitting her in the arm. She screeches out in pain, grabs the key, and mists away through the vent.

"Dean, are you okay?" you ask him and help him to his feet.

"Yeah, thanks to you."

Sam comes rushing in with Dorothy once they hear the commotion.

"What the hell happened?"

"The witch was about to kill me, but Y/N took care of her. Charlie shot her, and she vanished into the vents. Y/N are our kids safe?"

"Yeah, she can't get in their rooms," you confirm. "Did those bullets kill her?"

"No. She's wounded. We should still have some time. She could still be in the air vents," Dorothy says. "You three go, we'll catch up."

You know you can stand up to the witch if she resurfaces again, so you and Dean leave with Sam to try and find her.

"Why haven't you moved in?" Dean asks to pass the time.

"Is now really the time for this, Dean?"

"I'm just asking."

"Look, I never had what you had with Mom and Dad, okay? I don't have any memories of home, and whenever I've tried to make a home of my own, it really hasn't ended well. You grew up with your mom, Y/N. You two know what it's like... I don't."

"You have a chance now," you say quietly. "You have two nieces. They're going to grow up here, and they're not going anywhere, no matter how hard you try. This is our home now, and now you'll finally know what it's like to be in one."

No matter how many times you comb the Bunker, you can't seem to find the witch. Either she's really gone, or she's moving as fast as you three.

"Maybe she's gone. She's nowhere to be found," you sigh.

You turn to leave the room when you spot the witch behind Sam and Dean. You tackle the brothers to the ground right as she shoots green lightning at them. You blast the witch back with your own powers, but she mists away and appears right behind the brothers. She places both of her hands on their heads, and their eyes flash the same green as her magic.

"Shit," you mutter and start to back up.

"Find the girls," Sam smirks.

"And kill them all," Dean finishes.

They both look at you with rageful eyes, and you know you can't stay here. You turn and book it out of the room, using your magic to find the other two ladies. Charlie and Dorothy are located in the garage, admiring the cars in there. They jump at your sudden arrival, and you bend over to catch your breath.

"Breathe, Y/N," Charlie says.

"What happened?" Dorothy asks seriously.

"The witch... got to... Sam and... Dean. Possessed," you pant.

"This isn't good." Dorothy walks over to an old-timey motorcycle and digs through the saddle bag attached to the seat. "Please be here. Please be here. Yes!"

She pulls out a pair of ruby red slippers, and Charlie lights up in excitement.

"I don't believe it. Did you really walk down a brick road in these?"

"No. I've never actually worn them. It seemed kind of tacky wearing a dead woman's shoes. Plus, I'm no good in heels, you know?"

"I don't suppose we could just wish her away?" you ask and catch your breath.

"Sorry," she shrugs. "That's another thing the books got wrong, but like the poppies, these shoes have magic from Oz."

"There you are," Dean says from the door to the garage. He and Sam stand there with threatening looks. "I missed you, my pretty."

"Killing you a second time will be just as sweet as the first," Sam grins at Dorothy.

"Guys, I know you're in there. Dean, you can't let the witch do this. If she opens the door, she's going to destroy Oz," Charlie tries to convince.

"I have no intention of escaping to Oz. I'm going to bring my armies here. Don't worry. You'll join Dorothy right after you watch her die."

"Sorry about the nards, Dean," Charlie winces.

Before he has a chance to react, she knees him in the dick, and he goes down without a second thought. You're more than okay with her doing this if it keeps them away from you. Dorothy tosses you the ruby slippers and steps in between you and the brothers.

"Go. I'll buy you some time."

"Come on," you urge.

You and Charlie leave with the slippers while Dorothy takes care of Sam and Dean. You run over to the war room to see the witch on the metal landing where the front door is. She painted her spell on the door and used the key to transform the front door into a door to Oz. You can clearly see her flying monkeys coming at full speed from her castle.

"When you get a chance, you stab her," you say and hand Charlie the shoes.

The witch is distracted, so you take this opportunity to sneak up behind her. When you get behind her, you tap her on the shoulder. She turns to you with green eyes, but your blue ones are brighter.

"Why don't you go to hell?"

You grab her shoulders and fling her over the railing, sending her crashing down to Charlie. The hunter-in-training raises one of the shoes and stabs her in the chest, and the other one into her head.

Ding dong, the witch is dead.

The only problem is closing the door to Oz or else these flying monkeys will invade your world and kill a lot of people. You use your magic to close the heavy metal door right before they can get to it, and you sigh in relief. You open the door again and make sure they are gone before turning to Charlie. Sam and Dean walk into the room, but by the looks of it, the witch's spell wore off on them as soon as she died.

"Ding-dong bitches," Charlie chuckles.

With the witch taken care of, Dorothy is free to go back to Oz and take care of her business. The key is back in Dorothy's hand, and she is ready to get back to her own world. You all meet in the garage, and you admire the old cars that have been there for seventy years. One of them is a Chevy Carryall that has two back seats. This is perfect for your growing family. The Impala is amazing, but you need more space.

"Dean, check this out," you call him over. "This car would be perfect for our growing family. We'd have space."

"Not my baby?" he pouts.

"You're a baby," you roll your eyes playfully.

"Dorothy, I found something in the archives. Pretty sure it belongs to you."

Sam hands her a copy of "The Wonderful World of Oz".

"You have no idea how odd it is having a series of books written about you," she chuckles and takes it.

"Actually, I do know, and it is definitely weird. You know what? At the end of the day, it's our story, so we get to write it."

"Not bad for a bunch of librarians. Do you mind keeping an eye on my bike for me?" Dorothy asks Dean.

"Yeah, as long as you don't mind me taking it for a spin once in a while."

"Deal."

"Dean, I'm telling you right now the image of you on a motorcycle will result in another child."

"Really? We have company," Sam sighs, and you just shrug.

"Thank you four for everything. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a rebellion to finish." She turns to Charlie with a smile. "So, are you coming or what?"

"What? With you? To Oz?"

"Yeah. You said you were looking for adventure. Well, here it is, Red. Come help me find my damn dog."

"This about this, Charlie. You have no idea what's in Oz. I mean, there are flying monkeys and armies of witches. There's all kinds of danger."

"Promise?" her eyes light up.

"Charlie, I am happy for you, but we still need to have Joanna's birthday party. You have to be here for it. Dorothy, you can come too. You two can leave after."

"What's a few more hours?" Dorothy shrugs.

All throughout this commotion, Joanna and Maryann were unaffected. While Sam and Dean got ready, you grabbed the Amazon packages that were dropped off for you at the P.O. Box you had set up. It wouldn't do anyone any good if you gave out the address of the Bunker when it's supposed to be the safest place.

With your magic, the decorating process only took a few minutes. The bunker used to look so boring and plain, but now it's decorated with a bunch of balloons, streamers, princess decals, and a few games. Sam came out first with the presents and set them up on the table you set aside for that. On the other library table is where the food and everything else go, and you work overtime to get those out.

You didn't have a lot of time to plan this, but you feel like you did good for what you had available.

"Are you ready?" Dean asks.

"Yeah, bring her in."

Dean walks in carrying Maryann while he holds Joanna's hand. She has her other hand over her eyes so she doesn't peek, and when she finally opens her eyes, she lets out the loudest scream possible. She bounces around the room excitedly, and you can't help but chuckle at her behavior.

"I want to open presents!" she squeals.

Sam takes Maryann into his arms so that Dean can open presents with Joanna, and you stay in the background to film her reaction to them. You and Dean got her all kinds of different dolls. When you two went to the store, he basically shoved every different doll into the basket. He didn't know what to get her, so he got her everything. Barbie dolls, Disney Princess dolls, and Bratz dolls.

Sam got her a doll head that is large enough to where she can do her hair with a bunch of different hair pins, bows, and even a brush. He claims that she can stop playing with his hair, but you know he secretly loves it.

This isn't the birthday party you wished Joanna would have, but it's the birthday party she loves.

This is what it means to have a home.

x

Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary​ where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)

[bzedan]

Shout out to three years of the same modified planner/bullet journal system. I would have so little idea of what I’ve done/made needed to do/what I was doing if it weren’t for you.

ID: A stack of three flexible plastic cover binders in neon green, pink, and orange, sitting on top of a plastic file bin packed with files and papers. The binders are filled with paper of various colours. The cover of the top green binder is partly visible and has large cute animal stickers on it. End ID.

Probably my key adaptive? accessibility? thing is writing things down, something I never would have learned without impulse buying a Hello Kitty planner at a year-round calendar store in an outlet mall years and years ago. (Between that and now is a couple years of more Sanario planners and a run of Clever Fox planners, which helped me learn what is Not For Me in journaling)

Anyway my focus is on removing as many steps between doing it (writing it down) as possible and all aesthetics are either pre-printed, thanks to colourful pens, or added when reviewing months/weeks/a year.

Cute though, in the end.

[sunscreenstudies]

Summer Study Challenge!

If you’re like me and have a thesis due at the end of this month yet have no motivation whatsoever to complete it - then this is the post for you! I’ve created this vey adaptible and casual summer study challenge to give you an opportunity to set goals, stay motivated, and make significant progress in your academic pursuits during the sunny season (as well as hold myself accountible for my thesis!)

🌟 Setting Goals: Start by setting specific and achievable goals for the summer. What subjects do you want to focus on? Are there specific skills you wish to develop? Whether it's mastering a difficult concept, improving your writing skills, or completing a challenging project, define your objectives to give direction to your summer study journey. My Goal: Completing my Master’s thesis a week before the deadline.

📆 Time Frame: Determine the duration of your Summer Study Challenge. It could be a week, a month, or the entire summer break. Consider your availability, commitments, and the level of intensity you want to dedicate to this challenge. Remember, the key is to find a balance that keeps you engaged and motivated without overwhelming yourself. My Time Frame: July

📚 Choose Your Focus: Select the areas of study you want to prioritize during the challenge. It could be a specific subject, a series of textbooks, or a set of skills you want to master. Ensure your chosen focus aligns with your goals and interests, making your study sessions engaging and rewarding. My Focus: My thesis topic

🗓️ Study Schedule: Create a study schedule that outlines your daily or weekly study sessions. Set aside dedicated blocks of time for studying, reviewing, and completing assignments. Structure your schedule in a way that fits your lifestyle and commitments, and be sure to include breaks for rest and rejuvenation. My Schedule: 10am to 5pm Monday to Saturday, with Sunday’s free

📌 Track Your Progress: Keep track of your progress throughout the challenge. This can be done using a study journal, a digital tracker, or even a dedicated bullet journal spread. Record completed tasks, milestones achieved, and any insights or reflections you have along the way. Tracking your progress serves as a motivating visual reminder of your accomplishments. My Progress: Tracking each chapter of my thesis that I complete e.g. Intro, State of the Art, Methodology, etc.

🤝 Accountability and Support: Share your participation in the Summer Study Challenge with the studyblr community or a study buddy. Engage in conversations, ask for advice, and offer support to others embarking on their own challenges. Creating a sense of accountability and camaraderie can keep you motivated, inspire new ideas, and provide encouragement during moments of self-doubt. My Accountability: My lovely followers (no pressure guys!)

🌈 Bonus Challenges: Consider incorporating bonus challenges or themes into your study journey. It could involve studying in unique locations, exploring different study techniques, or engaging in interdisciplinary projects. These challenges add a fun and adventurous element to your summer study experience. My Bonus Challenge: Study in at least three places that are not my campus library

🎉 Celebrate Your Achievements: Celebrate your accomplishments throughout the Summer Study Challenge. Recognize and reward yourself for reaching milestones, completing challenging tasks, or making significant progress. Treat yourself to something you enjoy, whether it's a day off, a special meal, or an outing to celebrate your hard work and dedication. My Achievements: Graduating with a master’s degree (I hope!)

Remember, the Summer Study Challenge is about personal growth, self-discovery, and enjoying the process of learning. Embrace the opportunity to expand your knowledge, develop valuable skills, and make lasting memories during this sunny season!

[holofoiltowercard]

The Journey of The Tarot Haiku

IV: The Emperor - Structure and Order

Today I thought I would talk about structure with regard to how the book came about.

First, the structure of the poems: believe it or not, I was first considering limericks just because I really love the structure and flow of the limerick, and I enjoy a good challenge. At the same time, I don't think I have ever written a single limerick in my life - this is a case of "I love to eat it but I never cook it for myself" I suppose. Haikus, however, are a different story: I have written them on and off in the past, usually on the spur of the moment and mostly for the fun of it as I was chatting with friends. When the Eight of Swords card inspired me, that first ever haiku came very naturally, fully formed: the poem you will find in the book is that very first poem just as it had come to my head. Of course, this doesn't mean that all of them were so easy to write - as evidenced by the fact that I still had about forty poems or so to go when I first burned out.

Speaking of writing the poems: as I chose to use Scrivener to assemble the book's contents, that was the same place where I kept track of the poems, and I kept tallies of them. Not to overwhelm myself, I always set goals like, "for your next milestone, write 20 new poems". I wish I still had an in progress picture for Scrivener, but I kept editing the page where I kept track of everything. I do, however, have evidence of keeping score in various bullet journals!

I loved making these, and by now I'm also glad that they show an incomplete state of things, because it gives you an idea of how hard I was trying to motivate myself with colorful tallies.

Just for comparison, this was the progress page in my Scrivener:

See the sidebar? I was not kidding about being meticulous about the structure and squirreling those poems away.

Speaking of which, a bit about the structure of the book: in it you first find some fundamentals, such as poems about the Tarot in general, some key concepts like context and reversals, and then the number system and Court Card personalities. I originally wondered if I should include the latter two with the Minor Arcana section, and have it precede the Suit of Cups (I went in the order of Cups, Pentacles, Swords and Wands because it seems to be the customary order, but now I wonder if people have any preferences about the order of the suits) - but I decided against it because I thought it might break up the flow too much, so even though the number system and the Court Card personalities are strictly about the Minor Arcana, they form part of the first section. This way you basically have two major sections in the book: the first one providing basic information and featuring all digital illustrations, and the second one is a handful of digital illustrations to introduce the cards, followed by the traditional Rider Waite card illustrations.

I'm really happy with the final structure(s), I think they all worked out for the best!

Buy the ebook

Buy the paperback

Buy the hardcover

[the---hermit]

Could someone use journals for work? Like to take notes of meeting and stuff like that?

Absolutely! As I talked a bit about in the journaling 101 series, journals are meant to be useful so you can structure one depending on whatever you need. You could have a work journal structured similarly to a bullet journal, so with a monthly calendar page to schedule things for example, a page with your monthly to do lists and tasks and then specific sections for meeting notes. That could be useful to keep everything in one single place so that you know where to find what. (If you have a lot of meetings and therefore a lot of notes I might suggest adding an index at the end of your journal, in there you can write key words regarding whatever set of notes and that way you can find everythig as quickly as possible). You can create specific spreads for everything, projects you need to work on, random ideas that might be useful. The cool thing about a journal is that it gives you a place to put all your thoughts, ideas, and plans on paper. So you know everything is in one specific place and you have less mental weight.

If you have specific things you need to keep track of in a work journal and need help figuring things out, my inbox is always open, and I am more than happy to help!

[inherhouseshewaitsdreaming]

Techo Kaigi 2023

2023 is drawing to a close and the new planners are sitting in my drawer, calling to me in all their pristine loveliness. But before I talk about 2024, how did 2023 go?

Pretty well, actually.

I started 2023 with the following planners:

Daily personal journal: Hobonichi Cousin

Daily carry: Hobonichi Weeks Mega

Commonplace book: Hobonichi A5 notebook

Writing journal: Hobonichi A5 notebook

Health journal: Hobonichi Weeks

Work journal: Hobonichi A6 Techo

Overflow/bullet journal: Midori Codex A5

By the end of 2023 (actually, by about mid-2023) only two of those got switched out for something else and one got added. Which is pretty good. There are, however, a few other changes I am making next year. I’m going to go through each in detail.

Were these the right journals for me?

Actually, yes. Although there is some reconfiguring, the basic principles of the journals above is going to remain consistent. I need a place to write personal journal entries that stays at home and a place to track things and make notes on the go. I enjoy both writing and commonplacing. If I want to focus on my health, having a dedicated journal helps. And I keep a separate journal for work because it may contain information that shouldn’t really go outside of work. And then sometimes I overflow into another space because I want to deep dive on something that doesn’t really fit in the others. None of this is changing.

Daily Personal Journal

The 2023 Hobonichi Cousin is going to move into … the 2024 Hobonichi Cousin. This book works really well for me. The finder details of how I use it did evolve a bit over the year, but I think I’m happy with where I ended up. I did consider moving into the Avec as my Cousin is fairly chonky at this point, but I prefer to have the book in English. I will use this in mostly the same way as last year as well:

3 months to a page view: I have no idea what I will do with this next year, but I had no idea last year either.

Monthly pages: I write a daily highlight on each day.

Weekly pages: I currently use these for planning, but this will move to the daily carry. So I am expecting this to become a space for gratitude/manifestation.

Daily pages: personal daily journal entries.

Daily Carry + Bullet Journal

Although the Weeks was nice, I found I ended up feeling things got a bit lost in the weekly view. I pretty much only used it for key dates. I had a Midori Codex as a bullet journal (briefly) but it never worked well for me as I really don’t like Midori paper (a discovery from this year) and it wasn’t something I could carry around. So I tried a Traveller’s Notebook, and again, the paper (which is the same, so I should have realised this would happen) was not to my taste. I solved both by getting a 240 page Sterling Ink TN notebook. This has worked well.

For next year, I wanted to consolidate these into one book. Although the weeks and the TN are smaller dimensionally, carrying both is quite bulky! I decided to get a Sterling Ink Common Planner (2 part book) in A5. I expect it to be used as follows:

3 months to a page view: seriously, I never know what to do with these pages.

Monthly pages: key dates and events

Weekly pages: time based daily planning - what do I do when. This will double as time tracking.

Blank pages: bullet journal which for me acts as a place to work when I’m out and about, as well as an overflow journal. I expect to also use it to write consolidated to do lists.

Creativity + Commonplace Journal

Last year was the first time I kept a commonplace book and this really suits my way of working. I have just about filled it. I did add a separate journal for writing learning, a Weeks Sterling Ink, but this is too small really.

I need somewhere to plan my creative activities, and also to plan this website! Especially as I have a lot of pre-planned content for next year that will need some serious planning to fully prep. So this will be moving into a Sterling Ink Common Planner (2 part book) along with my commonplace book. I originally brought this journal for work, but that ended up being the wrong choice. However, it ends up working out just fine as a combined creativity planner and commonplace book.

3 months to a page view: index.

Monthly pages: website and social media posting schedule. I want to be able to look back and see what got planned and what got posted.

Weekly pages: day to day creative planning - writing, the website, reading, etc.

Blank pages: commonplace book and creative ideas.

Bonus journal: A5 Sterling Ink 520 page learning journal

I will keep the learning separate. It makes it easier for me to re-read it and finding all my notes is going to be increasingly important next year for the content I have planned here.

Writing Journal

The Hobonichi notebook worked well last year as the smoothness of the tomoe river paper makes it a joy to write in. I really need the low feedback paper to write without my hands hurting. But, this year I want to focus on a daily writing habit, so I wanted a daily journal. And I wanted to use the new A5 Hobonichi Hon, but was a bit worried about how it would bulk up as my daily journal. So my new writing journal is the Hobonichi Hon A5.

3 months to a page view: actual daily ‘wordcount’. I want to be able to see the patterns of writing I manage to complete.

Monthly pages: I wanted a place to do mini doodle/zentangle art every day. As I don’t really need the monthlies for anything writing wise, I am going to use this space for that.

Weekly pages: responses to prompts, ideas - anything I feel the need to capture. This won’t really be ‘weekly’.

Daily pages: writing

Bonus journal: A5 Sterling Ink 520 page worldbuilding project journal

As my days vary quite a lot, I know I might not actually write every day. But I can write the equivalent of every day. The idea is to try and keep up with the days and that is why I am also recording the actual daily pages written. I also have a worldbuilding project planned and this will be kept in its own journal. Its an alternative history world so I will need to do a lot of research and then ‘adjust’ reality.

Health Journal

The Hobonichi Weeks was perfect for this. I recorded calories and activity against each day and then used the back pages for planning food shops. I am going to switch to the Sterling Ink Common Planner Weeks Compact for 2024 only because I think the vertical weeklies will be better than the horizontal ones (if I’m wrong, I can always get a Hobonichi Weeks).

Work Journal

It turns out I hate A6. I also think having a weekly overview is better. As is being able to keep my notes in the same book. I changed to a an Undated Sterling Ink Common Planner and I plan to stick with that. I got the ‘half year’ size so I can carry it around more easily.

Is everything Sterling Ink or Hobonichi?

Pretty much. There are two reasons for this that I can now articulate pretty clearly:

Tomoe River paper. I love this paper. Fountain pen inks never feather, even the wetter ones. Its incredibly smooth, and reduces feedback, which in turn reduces pain in my hands.

The grid size. This is perfect for me.

There are other companies out there who can meet this need. I did consider the Wonderland planner for a work planner. I also looked at Aura Estelle and I may get an Undated from here when my current work journal runs out (it depends how many of the note pages I end up using).

That is a lot of journals!

Its only 8. Well, 9 because I expect to use another journal as a record of a big trip I am taking next year. I know it seems a lot, but with the exception of the Worldbuilding Project journal, all of these were things I used last year. And most were filled (or will be full either by the end of the month, or when they come to their natural end). That being said, no one should feel like they have to have this many journals. I started with one - a single bullet journal. I ended up filling it very quickly, which is when I started to have more than one. You have too many journals if:

They are the ‘right’ journal, but you can’t fill them/keep up with them.

Keeping up with them is causing you stress.

Other than this, the correct number of journals is the number that help you function day to day, in all areas of your life. That bring you joy when you use them. I would find trying to cram everything into one book and running out of space stressful. This is what works for me, and in 2024, I will be sticking with it.