Bujo Revisions

I haven’t touched on the bujo in a while, so it’s time.

First a bit of refresher.  back in June,  I got the bright idea that I could streamline my efforts and go with a weekly spread. this was a bad idea. Not only did I feel stifled just like using those premade planners that eventually find their way to the trash bin, I didn’t stay on task and  was easily distracted. Oh, I made an effort to use it.  I  tried to convince myself that this was efficient. LIAR!

This was the first week.  I made an effort, really I did. but as you see, there is mostly blank space on this spread. The next week was just as bad. Then I decided, I know, it just needs to be jazzed up. So, I added a few  doodles and tried to make it work.  I ended up with more blank space and not using my bullet journal at all. The only thing salvageable for the month was my graph for word count. I liked a couple of the doodles I did, but overall I will give the idea a big fat F for failure. Check out my zodiac sign and the birdcage –  not too shabby.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In August I went back to my daily spread. I expanded the level 10 life a bit, setting a goal towards each part. It was in August that I did the one artistic page that I really liked how it turned out:

I needed a little self-motivational talk,  some encouragement, and a means for a little artistic leeway. I’m never going to be a graphic artist,  but for my limited skill level, I thought it turned out well. Some days I managed to use my bujo, others I did not.  There are parts that seem like a redundant repeating  todo list. It’s all good, though.  After all, the main thing I need is to keep myself on task, and tackling my todo list. September’s Level 10 Life spread has noticeable improvement from the previous month. September dailies tracked my diet and water intake. I was diligent. By the end of the month, I had lost 7 pounds. It’s not record-breaking,  but it’s better progress than I have had in a long while.

My daily todo lists revolve around getting prepared for Penned Con. The last few days before the event, my bujo kept me from going into a full panic mode. The days after were jotting down note on the event, things that worked thing that didn’t,  things to remember for other events and a wish list for the future.

Which brings us up to October. I found some of my rubber stamps  that are fall and Halloween related and I’m having fun!  A two-stage stamp  of a pumpkin is replacing my usual banner shape for the day. My mini cube ink pads are adding some pizzazz to my pages. On my month at a glance,  I have  a stamp of a seashell that I absolutely love across the week that we are going on vacation. Yes, I’ve been counting down the days!  It’s strange, last year after my debut at Kentuckiana with Red Wine & Roses, we went on a cruise for a milestone anniversary. When we left Freeport Bahamas,  a hurricane was fast on our tail making for a rocking time on the trip home.  I won’t say it was a rocking good time because if I  would not have had that little patch behind my ear,  I would have been medivacked to shore.

So this year,  our vacation plans  post Penned Con  where Quotidiandose: 30 Days of Sass debuted are to Florida and guess what? Matthew is going double live GONZO terrorizing the Florida and eastern coast. What is the deal?  My heart and prayers go out to all of the folks own there and in the path, whichever path  it ends up taking.

I am mentally going through statements that I have made in the past of surviving a tornado, a flood, earthquakes, and wondering if I ever  said out loud any comment of a hurricane. Someone come give me a beat down if I ever say anything about a tsunami!

So, back to the bujo.  I  have made progress from things that everyone else was doing that sounded practical to making my own method that truly works for me.  I’ve kept the little weekly chart for tracking my word count. I like that much better than the app that used to be on Facebook.

A bullet journal aka bujo is a tool.   Mine is customized to me.  That’s the beauty of this,  you make it your own, make it work for you. If you are a minimalist then the weekly spread might be your thing.  If you tend to journal a lot then a lined journal might be your best bet. I need change. (You know, the thing yesterday that I was accused of not being able to handle?)  I need variety. There’s a bit of this and that in mine.  It’s not perfect, but it’s perfectly me.

By the way, it’s going with me to Florida.  We are both in need of some R&R. The plans consist of  wearing as little clothes as possible while not getting arrested or terrifying small children. Walking from the hotel to the beach ( A istance of about 20 feet), staring out across the ocean, listening to the waves, collecting shells, and drinking margaritas at sunset.

But before then,  I have several items still on my todo list.   You can go over to Youtube and follow me there. I would appreciate it. There isn’t much there yet,   but I will have more eventually. I better go check what else I have left to do.

Write on my friends,  write on!

Ellie