A confession: for journal writing, I've left behind my Filofax Personal because of the poor quality of the paper when used with fountain pens. For 2014, I've downsized to just carrying my calendar (as that's written in ballpoint) in a pocket slim Guildford which doubles as a minimal wallet.
That's frustrating to me. I get oustanding fountain pen performance from modest cahiers like Field Notes, and I'm currently using a Leuchtturm1917 pocket notebook (80gsm paper) with great satisfaction.
Unfortunately, I live in two small an apartment for a paper-trimming and punching workshop. How much I would wish FF would partner with some _real_ paper manufacturers. I could then see better justification in the refill sticker price.
John the Quo Vadis Timer pages use the FP-friendly Clairefontaine paper and are available for worldwide shipping from QV UK: http://www.quovadis-diaries.co.uk/acatalog/QUO_VADIS_FRENCH_TIMERS.html
The Timer 17 size is equivalent to Filofax Personal size with the same hole configuration. Timer 21 is A5 size but a different hole configuration than Filofax A5.
I have an Exatime 17 diary insert that I am yet to review on Plannerisms, but I can highly recommend the paper!!
Laurie, the Timer17 paper is great, but it is *not* the same size as FF Personal, as I found out to my cost. The *height* is identical but the Timer17 are 4mm wider per page.....big problem if you don't want it to overlap the dividers.
I totally get your frustration. I'm a fountain pen fan myself, and the Filofax paper is awful. I do trim and punch all my own paper though, and all of it happens on my small coffee table in my small living room. I wish I had an office, but even the kitchen corner where the computer desk lives is covered in hubby's hobbies. One day, when the kids have cleared out maybe :) For now, my Filofax on the kitchen or coffee table is my office ;)
Same issue here, too. I happen to like the paper in Rhodia's dot pad, but cannot stand the way they are staple-bound at the top. So, I tear out the paper and punch it for my Filofaxes. No workshop here either, just a drawer with my paper and small handheld hole punch device.
Slightly off-topic (if there is, indeed, one for today!), but I saw this report on the BBC website today, on the decline of handwriting, and thought it would be of interest to fellow Filofaxers: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7907888.stm One of the things I would really love to do is to spend time with one of the various and excellent books, learning to improve my script. Looking at old letters and documents, its sad how low the standard of handwriting has sank to. I found an amazing photo on Flickr (can't remember where) of some handwritten French script, inside a Filofax, and it made an amazing wallpaper for the PC. Still, as long as there are people using planners, there will always be handwriting :)
One of the joys of being a homeschool mom is I get to pick the handwriting curriculum. My oldest son had the worst print and for cursive I chose Spencerian handwriting, bam! Worked like a charm and now two of my boys have beautiful handwriting. My mother's parents were taught the same, it was very hard to tell which obe was writing because their letters were exact. Wish we still had such discipline! "Dr. Slop" is what I all it nowadays, people could care less if it's legible.
Paul, as a romantic old-timer, I write 4 - 10 pages on my Slimline, daily, in addition to handwritten business notes. Tablets and laptops for meeting notes are a disgrace.
I'm 100% with you on this Govanni - devices should be banned from business meetings, just as they are banned from being turned on in cinemas (which of course doesn't entirely deter people from using them before, after and even during the film). I constantly see people 'sneaking a peek' at their mobiles during business meetings, and i think, where is your attention? With whom would you rather be? If there is something more important (to you) that you would rather be doing, go and do it, but don't pretend to be interested in the subject of *this* meeting, when you're obviously not.
If I'm in a meeting with a client and that client is paying for my time (= attention) then my phone should be, and is, turned off. If I'm in a general meeting that I have chosen (or have) to attend, my phone is again off until that meeting is over.
Tablets add a whole new level of distraction. I was at dinner with my brother a couple of weeks ago and observed three guys at the next table, two of whom were watching what appeared to be YouTube videos on Tablets. Disgraceful. Can't you stay home and do that? How important to you is the company of your dinner guests?
I think the problem is that technology has evolved much faster than our rules and mores for dealing with it. These 'device bores' need to be given some firm guidance on how, and when, to use their gadgets. handwriting, whether for meeting notes or letters, will always, I hope, be 'in fashion', especially with a fountain pen on good quality paper, such as Clairefontaine (as used in Rhodia pads and notebooks and Quo Vadis diaries. That's the current direction in which I find my attention going. Cassandra, that's fantastic that you have taught your boys proper handwriting. I wish I had worked harder (or at all!) on mine at school. My print is OK, but my cursive is, and always has been, an embarrassment to me. Both my parents, and especially my um, had beautiful handwriting despite both leaving school at 14 (those were the days!), but I didn't 'get the gene', which is a polite way of saying i was too lazy to work at it!
I don't think this is romantic old-timer-ism - I think it is upholding standards in the face of their widespread erosion.
A confession: for journal writing, I've left behind my Filofax Personal because of the poor quality of the paper when used with fountain pens. For 2014, I've downsized to just carrying my calendar (as that's written in ballpoint) in a pocket slim Guildford which doubles as a minimal wallet.
ReplyDeleteThat's frustrating to me. I get oustanding fountain pen performance from modest cahiers like Field Notes, and I'm currently using a Leuchtturm1917 pocket notebook (80gsm paper) with great satisfaction.
Unfortunately, I live in two small an apartment for a paper-trimming and punching workshop. How much I would wish FF would partner with some _real_ paper manufacturers. I could then see better justification in the refill sticker price.
There are some etsy stores, qimmis and piaric to name a few who do ready made inserts at quite a reasonable cost.
DeleteJohn the Quo Vadis Timer pages use the FP-friendly Clairefontaine paper and are available for worldwide shipping from QV UK: http://www.quovadis-diaries.co.uk/acatalog/QUO_VADIS_FRENCH_TIMERS.html
DeleteThe Timer 17 size is equivalent to Filofax Personal size with the same hole configuration. Timer 21 is A5 size but a different hole configuration than Filofax A5.
I have an Exatime 17 diary insert that I am yet to review on Plannerisms, but I can highly recommend the paper!!
Laurie, the Timer17 paper is great, but it is *not* the same size as FF Personal, as I found out to my cost. The *height* is identical but the Timer17 are 4mm wider per page.....big problem if you don't want it to overlap the dividers.
DeleteGood to point out David. I'm not bothered by the width but I know some people are.
DeleteMany thanks to Mstraat for this link, here is the US ordering site for the Exatime inserts:
http://www.paperbistro.com/6-Ring-Organizers-Inserts-Dept/1622/
I totally get your frustration. I'm a fountain pen fan myself, and the Filofax paper is awful. I do trim and punch all my own paper though, and all of it happens on my small coffee table in my small living room. I wish I had an office, but even the kitchen corner where the computer desk lives is covered in hubby's hobbies. One day, when the kids have cleared out maybe :) For now, my Filofax on the kitchen or coffee table is my office ;)
ReplyDeleteSame issue here, too. I happen to like the paper in Rhodia's dot pad, but cannot stand the way they are staple-bound at the top. So, I tear out the paper and punch it for my Filofaxes. No workshop here either, just a drawer with my paper and small handheld hole punch device.
DeleteSlightly off-topic (if there is, indeed, one for today!), but I saw this report on the BBC website today, on the decline of handwriting, and thought it would be of interest to fellow Filofaxers: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7907888.stm One of the things I would really love to do is to spend time with one of the various and excellent books, learning to improve my script. Looking at old letters and documents, its sad how low the standard of handwriting has sank to. I found an amazing photo on Flickr (can't remember where) of some handwritten French script, inside a Filofax, and it made an amazing wallpaper for the PC. Still, as long as there are people using planners, there will always be handwriting :)
ReplyDeleteOne of the joys of being a homeschool mom is I get to pick the handwriting curriculum. My oldest son had the worst print and for cursive I chose Spencerian handwriting, bam! Worked like a charm and now two of my boys have beautiful handwriting. My mother's parents were taught the same, it was very hard to tell which obe was writing because their letters were exact. Wish we still had such discipline! "Dr. Slop" is what I all it nowadays, people could care less if it's legible.
DeletePaul, as a romantic old-timer, I write 4 - 10 pages on my Slimline, daily, in addition to handwritten business notes. Tablets and laptops for meeting notes are a disgrace.
DeleteI'm 100% with you on this Govanni - devices should be banned from business meetings, just as they are banned from being turned on in cinemas (which of course doesn't entirely deter people from using them before, after and even during the film). I constantly see people 'sneaking a peek' at their mobiles during business meetings, and i think, where is your attention? With whom would you rather be? If there is something more important (to you) that you would rather be doing, go and do it, but don't pretend to be interested in the subject of *this* meeting, when you're obviously not.
DeleteIf I'm in a meeting with a client and that client is paying for my time (= attention) then my phone should be, and is, turned off. If I'm in a general meeting that I have chosen (or have) to attend, my phone is again off until that meeting is over.
Tablets add a whole new level of distraction. I was at dinner with my brother a couple of weeks ago and observed three guys at the next table, two of whom were watching what appeared to be YouTube videos on Tablets. Disgraceful. Can't you stay home and do that? How important to you is the company of your dinner guests?
I think the problem is that technology has evolved much faster than our rules and mores for dealing with it. These 'device bores' need to be given some firm guidance on how, and when, to use their gadgets. handwriting, whether for meeting notes or letters, will always, I hope, be 'in fashion', especially with a fountain pen on good quality paper, such as Clairefontaine (as used in Rhodia pads and notebooks and Quo Vadis diaries. That's the current direction in which I find my attention going. Cassandra, that's fantastic that you have taught your boys proper handwriting. I wish I had worked harder (or at all!) on mine at school. My print is OK, but my cursive is, and always has been, an embarrassment to me. Both my parents, and especially my um, had beautiful handwriting despite both leaving school at 14 (those were the days!), but I didn't 'get the gene', which is a polite way of saying i was too lazy to work at it!
I don't think this is romantic old-timer-ism - I think it is upholding standards in the face of their widespread erosion.