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06 July 2012

Free For All Friday No 190

I was thinking the other day, how funny it is that a particular design or colour of Filofax personal organiser suddenly becomes the 'must buy' purchase just as it is being discontinued.

It happened with the Finchley and more recently with the Chameleon. Twitter has been alive with people looking for different Chameleons yet it has been around a couple of years. Why is this?

But it's also Friday so feel free to discuss anything Filofax related. Have a good weekend.

41 comments:

  1. I am thinking about a Personal Osterley in Plum for my next big purchase. I was wondering if anyone who has one - in any colour - can tell me what they think of it. Is is a nice FIlofax? Is it user friendly and practical? And the rings - are they 23-25mm or are they an inch? I have seen different specs in different places. It is the only model Filofax that I really like at the moment - nothing else really catches my eye, but I am not able to get my hands on one before I buy.

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    1. It's on my wish list too :)

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    2. I've done a blog post on it, which is due to go live on Tuesday if you're still interested :) I have one and it really is lovely. The rings, I'm pretty sure (though I haven't measured), are 23mm.

      Basically: the Osterley personal in Plum is lush. The leather is so soft and supple (but I gave it a Nivea Creme facial a few weeks after getting it so don't know if that has had any impact on the leather) and I love the colour. :)

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    3. @Angela I will definitely still be interested on Tuesday so I will be sure to check out your blog. I will keep in mind the Nivea Creme idea - do you use Nivea Soft cream or is there another kind?

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    4. My Personal Osterly (brown)just arrived a couple of weeks ago and I love it! The leather is soft and beautiful, it lays flat immediately, and it seems to be more lightweight than the Cuban. The rings are an inch. Check out my blog entitled "My Filofax Birthday" from last week's Web Finds.I tried to be economical and find something cheaper, honest, I did. But sometimes there's that one thing that just grabs you and you know you have to have IT, and nothing else.

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    5. I am also thinking about the osterley in plum, though the compact size. I've been thinking about it for a while but I just can't seem to make the purchase and I'm not sure why, probably because I really do love the compact regency so much and it's working so well for me. The question is why am I compelled to purchase the osterley? I do want a splash of color now and then, so that is the reasoning behind it. Some pictures have shown the osterley not laying flat but maybe that's just because it was too new. I'm glad to hear that it does indeed lay flat. This may sway my decision. ;-)

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  2. In the words of Joni Mitchell: 'Don't it always seem to go / That you don't know what you've got till it's gone?'

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    1. To continue this theme...

      U2 - 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For' << Big Ring, Small Ring, Personal, A5 etc etc.
      Yes - 'I would have waited forever' << Slim A5 in Purple
      Gerry Rafferty - 'Already Gone' << Baroque
      Alanis Morissette - 'All I really want' << Chameleon, Finchley etc
      Human League - 'Don't you want me' << Apex!


      Steve

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    2. Rolling Stones - You can't always get what you want
      Joe Jackson - You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want) << Purple Maldens in the USA

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    3. Slim A5 in Purple: I feel like I HAVE been waiting forever!!

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    4. Isn't it great how you can find a song for every situation in life? Great picks, Steve!

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    5. And as I read on, everyone else, too!

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    6. That is a PERFECT song for the Apex, Steve!

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  3. The way people chop and change with their set-ups and binders, it surely has to be '(I can't get no) Satisfaction' by The Rolling Stones!

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  4. Don't forget 'another one bites the dust' (by Queen) for planner fail :)

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  5. I'm investigating getting a FF (or two) in an attempt to organise myself and my family and am looking for some suggestions and advice please!

    Issue 1
    I have heard of a family organiser lifestyle pack which sounds like it is just what I need but I cannot find a UK 2012 version? I can find a US version on the filofax us website but no uk equivalent? Am I just missing something of has this been discontinued?

    Issue 2
    I need to organise my life both at work and home - what do people here find is the best approach? A combined ff that allows you to see the whole picture or a separate ff for each which allows more focus?

    Issue 3
    Most of my work schedule is already in my outlook calendar however is not portable which is why I am debating filofaxes. Any suggestions as to incorporating outlook calendar print outs rather than handwriting all the details into a ff? E.g. what size ff, success stories or otherwise...?

    Thanks all.

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  6. @fayk. I am single and not a mum, but I find it impossible to keep separate work and home diaries. I find it is so easy to double book a social event, when there is a work event otherwise.Major planner fail for me that way. One life one diary works. I personally need to see the whole picture. I use an A5 planner with 30mm rings and the Steve and Ray Time Management 5 line diary.... works perfectly for me. With a family the A5 Dodopad may work for you, a column for each member of the family plus an events column??

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    1. PS I don't know the size of your family, but it is possible to combine several people's appointments into the one column. I use a dodopad for my work overview,as I teach, playground duties, homework set, clubs,etc etc during the working day... but it can be useful for a family diary overview. Their website gives examples of how to use your Dodopad.xx

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  7. Thanks Butanben- the dodopad looks promising because yes, it's not just my life I need to see but everyone else's appointments too. I think I'm probably going to end up with one as not having any whole picture view is probably one of the reasons why I'm struggling to stay on top of things at the mo.

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  8. Issue 1 - Filofax introduced the Lifestyle Packs in Summer 2009. There was Family Organiser, City Dweller and Travel Journal. They were not a success. Only the Travel Journal is still listed in the UK (in Pocket and Personal) http://www.filofax.co.uk/lifestyle but you may find old stock around and if you wait - maybe on eBay.

    Search "Lifestyle" here on Philofaxy for past posts.

    Issue 2 - You'll find lots on this topic here! Many people have one Filofax for work (say an A5) and another for their private life (say a Personal or pocket size). Others believe in "one life, one Filofax". I work for myself in a hospitality - so not a 9 to 5 lifestyle with work and non-work all mixed up. So one organiser is the only way for me!

    Issue 3 - Microsoft Outlook printouts in A5 are absolutely straightforward in daily, weekly or monthly format. Tweak the font size and page margins to fit best. Again, this topic has cropped up many times on Philofaxy.

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  9. @Fayak- I am sure that the Dodopad will work for you. It may take a bit of tweaking until you get it "Your way." I use the back pages for notes and I have a second A5 Dodo for my weekly menu planner for the upcoming week.I am trying hard to avoid any fridge waste whatsoever......my major ongoing yearly goal and resolution this year.

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  10. Thanks Tim :)

    Very sad to hear that the family organiser was not a success as I'd kind of been hoping I was overlooking it being listed on the UK website what with being able to still find a US version. Butanben's suggestion of the dodopad is a good one though and I've been looking through their offerings. I found the perfect content for my 'family' content in a family diary by mums office but its bound and not customisable at all :(

    Yeah, my job and my home life resolutely refuse to compartmentalise neatly so I think its taken all of two posts to convince me of the need to have it all in one! I guess I was thinking that I separating them would reduce how much I was carrying around with me as I travel lots so will be lugging it around constantly...

    Ok, I shall play with Outlook when I get into the office and see what I can do - its not worked very well for me before when trying to print at anything smaller than A4 but I am armed with lots more info now...

    Cheers!

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    1. Hi Fayk - as long as your printer will take A5 paper (A4 spliced into two sheets), just alter your page size on MS Outlook. For example: File> Page Setup> Weekly style> paper > Type = A5. Tweak margins to add a bit to the left and take a bit off the right, et voila! Good luck! Tim

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    2. Jotje was talking about hacking an Organised Mum diary soon and using that in a Filofax I believe.

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  11. I've been looking for a compact Pennybridge for a wallet and can only find on Filofax UK. Does anyone know another source for purchasing? I've tried all the usual suspects: pens and leather, etc.

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    1. Erin
      Our friends at City Organiser in London have them in all colours. Here's the purple one... http://www.cityorganiser.co.uk/acatalog/Compact-Pennybridge-Purple-by-Filofax.html

      Steve

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    2. Hello Filofreak,

      I purchased a compact pennybridge in red on filofax.dk (or .se ?) and I find it didn't suit my needs. The zip was a bit annoying for me, I prefer non-zip versions. Other than that, worked great as a filofax-wallet combo, but I went back to my slimline and I like it better there.

      I have recently thought of letting go of two or three of my filofax, as I don't use them, perhaps you would be interested in purchasing my pennybridge ?

      You can find pictures of the actual color on filofax.se.

      Please contact me at 702723@gmail.com if you are interested, and I will send pictures !

      I have lots of accessories and am willing to ship worlwide; and I will offer a very reasonable price, as long as you pay for shipping to your destination.

      For others who might be interested, I have also a red personal Journey, the "big brother" of the pennybridge, and a red personal metropol (for which the price will be almost free, I think).

      Philofaxy or "how to jump on opportunities" :)

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    3. There is a Pennybridge for sale in our Ad Spot page!

      Steve

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  12. Attention Pocket and Mini owners:
    I am looking for a Mini with the biggest ring size possible.
    According to the Filfaxusa website, all mini's only have a 1/2 inch (I think 19 mm) ring size. But on this website, they all are listed with a 3/4 (I think 23 mm) ring size.
    However, I also want a mini that is as compact as possible, so I actually don't want the wallet pocket/zippered part.
    Is there a Filofax that has a 3/4 inch ring size that actually fits in a pocket? If so, could you list it's name? I'm assuming this is going to be a 'vintage' version or a Domino.
    Thanks in advance for your help!

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    1. I think we need to give Filofax USA a lesson in converting from metric (mm) to inches.. or just tell them to not bother because they are always getting the sizes wrong!

      For a more definitive answer look here:

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

      Steve

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    2. Steve thanks for posting this!
      So now the question is...what does PU stand for?!?

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    3. See this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PU_leather

      and of course this post

      http://philofaxy.blogspot.com/2012/07/real-leather.html

      Steve

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  13. I think I might be going back into the mists of time, but I'll ask this one anyway. Does anyone have any info on the 'Pimlico' binders? I have just received a mint, opened-but-never-used, red Pimlico A5. All its inserts are dated 2002 - I can't believe it's really that old! But interestingly, the leather feels really thick and solid, much more like the leather on my old Winchester from about 20 years ago. Can an old filo really be dated by the copyright dates on its inserts?

    The other really amazing thing is that all the paper is fountain-pen friendly - I have one particular pen and ink combination which is lovely but writes so wet that the result feathers on any but the highest quality paper, yet that combo writes beautiful clean lines on the presumably 2002-vintage jotta pad at the back of my 'new' filo. When did the paper quality go so badly wrong?

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    1. Just to say that I had a blue mini Pimlico back in around 2002, so they really are from around that era. I found the leather too stiff and sold it on ebay..... (slightly wish I hadn't now that I have tips and tricks for softening it!)

      My only comment about paper is that I use the Quo Vadis "Timer Prestige" diary insert range whenever possible because it is lovely paper.

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    2. I have a pocket pimlico in apple green from that period. It's a stiff binder, especially with the wallet pocket. I don't recall paper particularly, although I know I was using the cotton cream week on two pages. I hadn't used it in a number of years due to its weight.

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    3. Filofax.de is having a 50% sale on Mini Pimlicos, black and blue, for 28,50€ instead of 59€.

      Just saying :)

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  14. Yes, I love the Osterley but not the pocket arrangement. My ideal internal pocket arrangement would be the notepad slot at the back chameleon credit card slots at the front. Baroque and Malden are the closest but a much prefer the rigid leather of an Osterley.

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  15. Ring issues!

    Just got a new to me Ranger, didn't notice any issues on opening it, but after opening and closing the rings several times while setting it up, the bottom three rings have gaps!
    Is there anything I can do?

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    1. Good Lord where did you get your Ranger? I've been looking for one (Personal size) but I'm in the US and the UK ebay had some but not everyone shipped to the US or some of the products had something wrong with them.

      I've heard people say they've been able to fix their binder rings with pliers but carefully do so. I did this once with a FC binder once and it worked pretty good, but not perfect. Hopefully it will work for you!

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  16. "... a particular design or colour of Filofax personal organiser suddenly becomes the 'must buy' purchase just as it is being discontinued."

    Seeing it over and over again slowly makes it seem desirable (we all like to think this isn't true, but the fact is the multi-million £££/$$$ advertising industry doesn't subsist on a myth) and then suddenly the threat of imminent scarctiy of this desirable thing - bang, trap closed! ;o)

    That's how e-Bay auctions also work, the longer you watch and more often you put in intermediate bids, the more your mind values the item and the more you're likely to fork out more than you'd planned in those closing minutes.

    Marketing works by going from the initial presentation of the product (and your brain is saying "so what?") to making you invest in thinking how ownership of, or especially lack of, the product will affect your life - that's why good advertising is mainly about the viewer, and only secondarily about the product - think, investment ad showing man relaxing on beach, while the actual info is in tiny print at the bottom of the screen.

    We're too busy tasting the sun, sand, sea and surf to give careful attention to the APR!

    Source of my opinion: marketing classes, and psychology textbooks.

    Btw, if you only read one pop psychology book this year, make it "Flipnosis - The Art of Split-Second Persuasion" by Kevin Dutton, which is pretty fascinating stuff...

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  17. Absolutely! I love my Domino but am not particularly enthusiastic about the pocket layout and wish the rings were bigger. And I love my Success Choice binder but find the lack of real card slots very discouraging! I liked the pocket layout in my Malden but could not get on with the floppy covers or the funny leather feel....

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