14 February 2012

Free For All Tuesday No 54

Well last week was a very active week as far as FFAT was concerned. Let's hope we get some great questions and comments this week...

And Happy Valentines Day!

32 comments:

  1. First of all I have to say how much I love Philofaxy! So good to know I'm not the only one with a Filofax obsession out there...

    I just received my a5 Raspberry Finsbury in the post. So chuffed, and such a bargain ($36aud, brand new in the box from Ebay!)Happy Valentines Day me! (Better than the lotto ticket and box of chocolates I got from my manfriend).

    I have been using a personal domino that i received as a Christmas gift and have found it just a little bit small for me. I have been filofunking this domino all year (all 2 and half months of it!), and now am very sad that I cant think of a purpose for him (one that I will actually use).

    Then the next debacle, to start funking my Finsbury! I spend way too much time on Philofaxy, and making my filofax look pretty - it is ridiculous.

    Anyway, back to the purpose of this comment - what could I use my domino for? Any suggestions would be much appreciated - Im not a journal keeper and do prefer to have everything in one place. But I have grown so attached it!

    Also, Im sure there is a post on here somewhere, but the Finsbury came with week per view column planner with times. I'm not sure how I will go with it, but willing to give it a try. Does it work for anyone?

    First time commenter - sorry about that! and Thanks!

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  2. Hi there Skyepieintheskywithdiamonds! I use my personal Amazona as a dream diary. Whenever I wake with a particularly memorable dream, I write it down. I look back at what I've written later..... great believer that the sub-conscious speaks to us in dreamtime. Just a suggestion for your Domino! xx

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  3. Steve, my computer has been down for a few days, so I've just seen your post from 12th Feb on diary inserts. WOW is all I can say. You have worked so hard with Ray to get a selection up and going. Now know what my diary is going to be..... AND I can print it on my own cotton cream paper..... as Filofax don't offer this. What luxury!!!!

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  4. @skyepieintheskywithdiamonds, that vertical planner is the one I usually prefer in my desk A5, it works for me, though the times printed don't always have much relevance to my working day (and night).

    I'd written it off for years but then gave it a try, and it was great: I like the space above each day, which I use in various ways, and I write any big purpose or theme for the week along the top, then anything coming up early next week at the bottom right, under Sunday. I do use a ruler each week to create my own lines and stuff, and occasionally I print out my own version, though the hole-punching gets tedious.

    Because my handwriting's bad, I prefer using the lines on that design over the blank white field in the horizontal design, which just ends up looking messy.

    You could use the Domino to store computer passwords, and a printed backup of important e-mail addresses and mobile numbers, maybe - stuff you might need on hand at some point but not all the time, then it can sit on a shelf ready to help you out in times of need? :)

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  5. I know that some of you keep passwords etc in your filofax, well I would like to as I have a number of different sign in names/passwords and whatever else the website asks for, and never remember them all! However my lovely OH pointed out last night that if it gets stolen somone can hack into my emails/online banking etc etc.

    So my question is, how do you store this sort of information so that you remember but no one else can see it? Thanks for your help as always guys :)

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  6. Hi CatB
    I use these pages to store the info.

    http://www.philofaxy.com/files/a5www.pdf

    I place them in the A-Z section of my Filo, you can get them in personal size too.

    For the password I code mine in such a way that the 'middle section' of the password is always the same but the beginning is always different

    So given a password (not one I use) of say 1234frenchentreeJanuary

    In my Filo I just record
    1234******January

    I know it's frenchentree but that's never written down anywhere.

    Another site might be 7890frenchentreeMarch
    So I record 7890****March

    The number of **** isn't critical doesn't even need to match the number of letters in the hidden part of the phrase.

    Works for me....

    Steve

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  7. @CatB - I think the trick here is to have some common component to your password which you DON'T write down and just write the rest (for example some sequence of words or numbers that are meaningful to you). I'm just about to overhaul all mine as in general they are TOO simple and I tend to use the same ones over and over which is dangerous so this is a priority task for me.

    @skyepieintheskyindiamonds (phew that is one online name!) - You could use it as a book/film/music list, some sort of hobby binder, a home binder for meal planning and home maintenance, when you have a look around this blog the uses are endless - I'd probably choose something without a lot of printing our if it is a personal size.

    Perhaps we should have a blog post to list all the uses we all have for our filofaxes? I'm sure it would end up being very long!! Also I have a couple that I'm not using so it would be good to get more ideas!

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  8. Regarding passwords, I use codes for mine too. I use initials for certain reoccurring words and for numbers, I either just quote 'hubby's old extension number' or I multiply them by my Grandma's old phone number (she died years ago) so only family would be able to work it out. I also write some of them in shorthand, so hardly anybody can read that!

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  9. I have a question . . . does anyone that reads this blog use a Flex? I was looking at them online the other day and thought about getting one just to test it out. I can't imagine they can be better than a Filofax though but it got me thinking. I like the look of them because they look slimmer than Filofaxes, so I've decided to get a compact when they are released this year. More writing space than my pocket but not as bulky as a personal.

    I'm still interested to know though . . . does anyone use a Flex???

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  10. I'm bursting with excitement! My friend and fellow Fax-fan, who posts on here sometimes as Miss Charlie, just bought me a DELICIOUS retro Fax, called Filofax Active!

    She got it on e-Bay and I'm just about to take her out to lunch as a thanks, but I HAD to share that special joy with people who "get it"!! Does anyone here know what year this came out? The inserts left in it are copyright 1998.

    It's personal size and black, in a kind of rubbery fabric with a thick rubber spine with a Union Jack under the Filofax logo, and a vertical label on the front with the logo & flag as well, and zipped with a big chunky zip! (The flag also makes me think it was released around the "cool Brittania"/Britpop late '90s era...?)

    There are two pen loops inside and best of all, a zip pocket on the left that opens beside and parallel to the pen loop, meaning I can use it when the Fax is lying spine-down in my other hand...

    OH the bliss! (Okay, I'm outta here before my head asplodes!)

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  11. @Scoot. I don't mind telling you about my paper finds at all.I am currently using up some WH Smith cream paper, from a set of pastel shade paper I bought to jolly up my Filofax printing. It is A4 and I have trimmed it to fit
    A5. However, I am not too delighted with the paper quality, as it is thin...... but not as thin as Filofax. There is a great store near me in Poole, called The Market Gallery, which sells all kinds of paper and card, so I may try there next, or the local MR MINUTE store, which I think is a national chain sells better quality paper, including joy of joys, Conqueror paper in cream. Expensive ye olde Conqueror, but worth it sometimes, especially if you love fountain pens.

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  12. Thanks for all your replies guys, I particularly like including a phone number to disguise it somehow. I will think about how this could work. Whilst on this topic does anyone use a specific print out sheet for this info or do you just write it on the note paper? It just looks so scruffy on my note paper and I can't find an A5 'file' on here.

    On a completely different note, I bought a gorgeous A5 amazona last year which is working so much better for me than my personal malden was, not that I'm getting rid of her yet. But, the Amazona is stuffed to the rims and I don't even have everything I want in there yet. I'm sure I've seen somewhere a guide as to the filos with the larger ring sizes, can someone point me in the right direction? This is me hoping there is an A5 with larger than the amazona.

    Thanks again

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  13. @CatB: I use a Password landscape template that I made and punched myself. I'll email it to you if you want but it's pocket sized . . . I think I'm in the minority there . . .

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  14. Those of you interested in paper - you can get Clairfontaine paper on amazon which is amazing if you want nice paper that will take a fountain pen.http://ow.ly/93Kz7

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  15. @CatB: The Amazona has 25mm rings. If you like 30mm rings, you can choose from Malden (!), Finsbury, Sketch, Metropol, Graphic or Domino. Also Domino Snake btw.

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  16. @CatB, I type whatever text into a Word doc, then I have a page template with 2 text boxes, with the formatting inside them set so the text direction is vertical and not horizontal - I copy and paste in whatever I've typed, make sure it's all formatted right (turning my head on one side to do it sometimes) and then hit print. There are probably simpler ways but I don't do enough repeats of the same type of page to bother simplifying it any more.

    For Personal pages, I have 3 text boxes (2 upright so I can type and see the text horizontally, and one sideways at the bottom of the A4 page) and then cut them out with scissors... again, I'm sure there are quicker ways but I sometimes like to keep stuff on thin card and this works for me.

    If faffing about with text boxes, Word & PDFs isn't your cup of tea, you could create a template in Photoshop or something and save it as a JPG, rotated, then just insert 2 onto each page of a Word doc and print that.

    That sounds so ARDUOUS written out lol! I actually enjoy pottering about with these kinds of things...

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  17. Thanks everyone, that's a great help. I will look at creating something I think for A5, it shouldn't be too difficult as I have made other things in the past.

    @Jotje - what an excuse for the new purple Malden!

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  18. Hello all!

    Just wanted to publicly commend City Organiser for shipping my goodies within 8 hours of placing my order! That is insane but awesome! I used the code xxx to get 15% off---not sure when it expires.

    I think that is amazing, and I wish other companies would stand up and take notice. (Ahem)

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  19. Where can I still buy the Baroque model?

    How's Filofax France? The postage at 9 Euros is pretty cheap. What kind of postage do they use and is it trackable? In the order form there is a field for comments, can I request alternative postage there (and can I write in English)?

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  20. @Sandra: I've ordered from CityOrganiser before and there are really great. Very punctual and - gasp! - the rings are always exactly the way they should be ... hehe.

    So, .... what did you order????

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  21. @Nicole: Filofax.fr have the teal Baroque at half price at the moment ....

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  22. Just a quick question - does anyone know if either of the Filofax stores in London are open on a Sunday? I have discovered today that I need to go on a course in London next week and the only flight available lands at 11:50am, so unfortunately I have time to browse Filofaxes. As you can imagine - I am distraught :o)

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  23. @Jotje Since I traded my personal imperial purple Finchley for an A5 Malden (seemed like a good idea at the time--verdict still out as it is so floppy), I just had to pick up a replacement. I ordered two and plan to sell one on eBay.

    The price wasn't bad with the coupon--and shipping was reasonable. And while I could have waited on the purple Malden, I just couldn't help myself.

    Glad to hear the rings will be nice as they should be!

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  24. @LJ, sorry, they're closed on a Sunday, and so are City Organiser!

    http://www.filofax.co.uk/aboutus/stores.asp

    http://www.cityorganiser.co.uk/acatalog/The_Shop.html

    You could try the big WHSmith on Oxford St, at the Plaza - they'll be open, and might have something useful?

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  25. PS this is the Plaza's website:

    http://www.theplazaoxfordstreet.co.uk/stores/store-54.aspx

    And don't miss the flagship Paperchase store on Tottenham Court Road (nearest tube Goodge St, turn right out the station and walk to the crossing, it's across the road from there):

    http://www.paperchase.co.uk/london/tottenham-court-road/stry/w1t7ps/

    They carry some Filofax stuff, not a huge range, but their downstairs pen and card section is to die for, and there's a Ryman's stationer's right across the road as well.

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  26. Stationery Matters;
    Last week I went into Fred Aldous in Manchester city centre they have a web site, what an incredable place, there's loads of art things and the pens well I was staggered by the selection. I bought a Staedtler Pigment 0.1mm.
    On another topic has anyone noticed, I expect that someone has that on the Birthdays, Anniversaries and Special Occasions sheets when my Filo is open and two months are shown opposite one another the titles Birthdays, Anniversaries and Special Occasions are aligned at the outside edge in sheet. Why aren't the sheets laid out the same?

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  27. @LJ. What a darned nuisance that timing is for you! Sometimes the airport shops.... oddly enough.... can have the occasional Filofax bargain. Worth a look whilst passing by if you are landing at a major London Airport??? Just a fleeting thought.Have a wonderful time in London.

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  28. OOH @ LJ. A PS..... if you pass by a TK Maxx,or Home Sense, its sister store, they seem to have a lot of Filofax half price bargains at the moment. At least Home Sense in Poole (Branksome) does..... mostly those filos they are phasing out I think.

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  29. @Sandra--Sorry to hear the Malden isn't working for you! Did you see the pics I posted to Flickr of the Finchley?! I am loving it! Thanks again!
    As for the templates, I was super excited to see a time management layout (the one with the week on the left and todos/email etc on the right). Was hoping you guys can get that into a personal size soon. .
    and WHEN is the purple Malden going to be available to actually purchase?! I cannot WAIT!

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  30. @Jill: I'm working on one of those now. It should be ready next week.

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  31. @JillV I did see your pics! So glad you are happy with it. That A5 Malden is beautiful. Maybe I just need to embrace her floppiness. ;)

    @Ray I am looking forward to your personal size time management insert as well. Thank you for all that you do!

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  32. grawshwaOn a different note, I got a Levenger catalog in the mail today and noticed they are selling the filofax Flex system. Did anyone else notice that?

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