Myndology Notebook

I've just begun trying out a new notebook - the Myndology Journal (in the swish neon blue), and the Myndology Index (in the red). I got these because I had been interested in Levenger's Circa Notebooks, but when I tried to order from their site, the $12 or so starter pack was going to cost me $48 or so in shipping to the Frozen North of Canada. (WAKE UP, LEVENGER! We're a market the size of California, with 90% of us living within an hour of the border! Make it easy to buy from you and guess what - I will. Hose me, and I will rant about it on a blog!)

Anyway, I dropped by Stylus, a very cool fountain pen and ink store in Edmonton. I discovered it after becoming the proud owner of a set of Levenger True Writer pens, one fountain, one ballpoint, scooped from e-bay. Hmmm... an individual can figure out it costs only $8 to ship to Canada. Levenger, you listening yet? Stylus happens to be the local carrier of the Myndology products, which I discovered totally by accident. After paying $16, I walked out with the Journal and Index size. Very nice, if a little more than what our U.S. friends would pay. Still cheap to play with interesting technology.

Overall, the quality of the paper is great. It is better quality than my Blueline A9C, which I have used for several years. I'm not sure how I'm going to archive it, but then again, maybe the fact that the pages are removable, I will be better off trying to file the information than store it in a linear book that I'm too afraid to tear the pages out of. Maybe it was the fact that I was tabbing each month in the Blueline... and referring back to it. I want to start filing my notes properly, not linearly in a book I rarely reference.

The great thing about these is that the pages are removable - you can move them around, put them back in, etc. Look at this video from youtube:



This shows how easy it is. The other great thing is that for left-handers like me, this sort of notebook is actually very comfortable to write with. The rings aren't as harsh as an aluminum spiral of any type, and are definitely easier to write on the front / right side of the page than using a ring binder.

I plan on using the 3M Post-It Durable Index Tabs to organize it into different sections. Right now, it will be:

1. A call sheet - voicemails to return.
2. Tasks - things I need to get into my task list.
3. Notes - the notes I take all the time.
4. Projects
5. A separate section for an organization I'm involved with.

It will be interesting to see how the use of this notebook evolves. I'm quite looking forward to putting it through it's paces.

Index Cards - Results!

Well, after over 90 days of using both a Levenger Pocket Briefcase and some generic horizontal index cards on my desktop, I love them. I write on them, toss them, process them - they are a total success.

Highly recommended.

Index Cards

Well, I decided I needed to add another tweak to my far-from-perfect GTD system, so a couple of weeks ago I bought a cheap index card box and some basic ruled index cards. I thought I could use them, while at my desk to, you know, capture stuff.

This has changed the way I capture things. I have a notebook that I keep meeting notes, calls I need to make in the car (as in, clearing my voicemail), notes from some phone calls, etc. I'm hesitant to ever tear pages out of it. It's chronological and I've got a list of what is where, and it works for me. But this 3x5 index stuff is the greatest!

I can't believe how much easier life is - no more having to try and put it in my system immediately - I just jot, throw it in the inbox, and poof. It gets in there! I should have listened to all of the hipster PDA guys from 43 Folders a long time ago.

I've even gone so far as to purchase a Levenger Shirt Pocket Briefcase. I will let you know how it works out with that item as a helper. (I will warn any other Canucks, though - the folks at Levenger want $40 for the item, plus $33 for the shipping. Candian Dollar be darned - I've purchased one off of e-bay, and it was shipped for 9 bucks. I don't get my choice of colours or the nifty monograming, but hey - I can get my initials put on it once I have it, if I choose.)

Have a great week!