M.J. Scott's Blog, page 16

PLAYING HARD has a cover!

We likey.

You can pre-order the lovely Oliver here.

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Minions rule

I do like a good animated movie. The best ones are clever and heartwarming (and beautiful). I don’t think I ever saw Despicable Me at the cinema but I watched it one night on iTunes and liked it a lot. And while I am a fan of Gru (gotta love a wannabe supervillain with a heart of gold), it was the minions that I fell for. Not sure why. They are oddly shaped little yellow creatures. Maybe their sense of fun despite wanting to serve a supervillain. Maybe their love of bananas. Anyway, I am Team Minion. So naturally I took myself off to the Minion movie the other day. Which was very silly but in a good and entertaining way. There is little not to like in a movie that has rocket ship dress wearing villains, Queen Elizabeth, Bob, corgis, T-Rex, abominable snowmen and Dracula plus a supervillain convention. Yay for minions. If you haven’t seen it and want a giggle, I recommend.

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Random thoughts for a Monday

This was meant to be a bit of a big writing weekend but life decided that instead I should be granted a stomach bug on Saturday night. Which sort of knocked out Sunday and left me still feeling pretty lacking in oomph today. So lots of sleeping, a few movies watched (Jupiter Ascending and Wild which are kind of polar opposites though both somewhat trippy) and not many words achieved. Le sigh. Still, I am starting to feel better and managed a short walk this afternoon which had some pretty light going on.

The next few weeks are going to be getting ready for my jaunt to NY and much writing. And hopefully no more barfing. (Sorry, TMI). So onwards and upwards…tomorrow is the last day of the financial year which seems kind of crazy. Another year half done. Here’s to the next six months being great!

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Music fix: Kacey Musgraves

I’m a big believer in doing the stuff you like and being yourself. So is Kacey. This song makes me smile. Enjoy!

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Fave things: Bullet journal

I had dinner with a some writer friends last week and somehow we got to talking about notebooks (writers and stationery is a thing) and organisation came up and either I or Kate said we used the bullet journal method and loved it. A couple of the gals hadn’t heard of it before and were quite interested so I sent them some links and one of them suggested I should do a blog about it. I’ve mentioned bullet journals before here but never gone into much detail about how I use mine. So here goes.

The backstory

First a little bit about my planner/notebook/to-do/attempted organisation history. I’ve generally used some sort of calendar/planner to keep track of things to varying degrees. I did in the last few years of high school (where we had to) and in uni. When I started work, I kept up the habit. I had a small (personal sized) filofax for a number of years but there are a couple of things that bug me about filofaxes (they work for many people).

1. In the smaller sizes, a week on a page is too small to write stuff down and if you use a page a day, you can only fit a few months in at a time and have to store the pages afterwards (I needed to be able to refer back to things in my diary for work at times).

2. Keeping the pages at work meant I couldn’t look up stuff when at home and vice versa. Plus I never liked writing with the rings, so more often than not, pulled out the pages to write which is kind of time consuming.

3. I always hated the fact that if I missed a few days or a week, I had all these blank pages glaring at me.

So eventually I gave up on the filofax. I think I used the small diary work gave us for a year but never  liked that either. Sometime in the mid-2000’s (I think) I saw Levenger’s disc bound books and thought they looked awesome. Eventually I shelled out the dollars (Levenger’s shipping anywhere but the US back then was (and maybe still is) STUPIDLY expensive to get a book and the punch. Disc bound notebooks are faster to move pages around etc. For a couple of years I used that but eventually got tired of printing off my own pages and still had issues with storage and wasted pages and finding nice feeling paper etc.

The next thing I tried was the almost fully digital solution. I had a notebook at work for taking notes and keeping a vague to-do list but started trying various online to-do programs like Things etc and kept my appointments in my home and work computer (once I had a smart phone this got easier. I also tended to carry around a small 8 by 5ish sized notebook for writing book notes and snippets and other non work stuff down as I needed to. But I found I spent more time trying to find the perfect way to break a project down into tasks and setting things up in my computer than I did actually doing stuff (Virgo procrastination heaven)

So all of this was never quite the right answer. But I soldiered on feeling organised some of the time but usually not as organised as I would like, especially after I got published and had more stuff to juggle and deadlines etc. Then in 2012 I changed jobs and wound up working full time while facing quite the crazy publishing schedule as I sold to a second publisher not long after I started my new job. I was still using a notebook for writing stuff and personal stuff and my phone for appointments and had a work notebook which I kept a to-do list on. I figured there had to be a better solution.

Then in 2013 (wow, this is turning into a novel) at some point I stumbled across Leo Barbauta’s Zen To Done and that really helped me at least get a bit more organised in keeping my work lists and priorities straight. I was still keeping a writing notebook and had other notebooks for house stuff etc and things got busy and that was about as far as I got. By the end of 2013 I was working part time again (yay) and was planning to do a big declutter during my Christmas break (I used the Apartment Therapy January Cure which is great) and knew the only way I’d do it was if I had good lists to keep track of things. I don’t know when exactly I stumbled across the bullet journal site (I suspect I saw someone tweet something about it) but it must have been toward the end of 2013. It’s bookmarked in my Evernote as 31 December 2013 but I suspect I’d seen it earlier as my 2014 notebook is set up as a bullet journal from the start. I can’t find the notebook I was using in 2013 for writing notes etc to see if I started any earlier but if I did it would have only been for a month or two at most.

How I bullet journal

The bullet journal was invented by Ryder Carroll and its designed for capturing info all in one place in a notebook and helping you keep track and organise fairly organically but with some structure. His site and video are great, They will give you a good overview of the system and how it works. There’s more info on the web and on Pinterest but I’d suggest starting simple and not trying too many variations up front until you’ve got the hang of it. The very basics of bullet journaling are classifying things as events, tasks or note/ideas/other and using symbols to signify what each piece of info you write down is along with a bit of organisation like an index and some monthly events/tasks.

Things I immediately liked about bullet journalling when I saw the system:

It lets you keep everything in one notebook
It can be done in any notebook (I had/have quite the notebook stash)
It uses to-do lists sort of as the basic unit and encourages ticking things off. I love ticking things off. I sometimes write things down after I’ve done them to tick them off.
I understood the system immediately (as opposed to say GTD)
It seemed flexible if I wanted to tweak it a bit.

So I decided to give it a go. And it immediately worked for me. Now, I don’t do everything Ryder suggests (which is the beauty of the system) and I have added some things of my own. This is how I do it (Last year I used a Moleskin Evernote notebook, this year I’m used a Leuchturm 1917 purely because I’ve started to get back into fountain pens more over the last year or so and Moleskine paper just isn’t that great for fountain pens but you can use any notebook you have/like. I like dot grid notebooks.)

First up. I have a day job semi-bullet journal and a everything else bullet journal. The day job one stays at work unless I’m traveling for the day job. I’ve used spirax notebooks. I’m currently using Rhodiarama’s as I had some lined ones I got cheap and lined is okay for my work stuff as I take lots of meeting notes etc. I also still use my iPhone calendar and Outlook at work to keep track of my appointments. I need the little pop up reminders of things and I have lots of work meetings etc that move around. Fully analogue is never going to work for me either at work or for everything else. I also use Pinterest and Evernote to bookmark/save interesting stuff I see online. So I guess I’m a hybrid planner

So firstly, the proper bullet journal. My everything book. This one:

This is how I’m currently using it.

1. I have an index at the front. I don’t write everything in the index as I go but every so often I flick through and get my index up to date.

2. Next I have some yearly goals and my word of the year (I did this last year too). If you want to know more about yearly words, check out Ali Edward’s One Little Word. I like the idea, YMMV.

3. Next up is the future log. My future log is 3 pages, each divided into four months with horizontal lines (actually no, it’s four pages so it goes to April 2016, as by the time I get to the end of the year, I’m going to want to write things down for next year). I didn’t do this last year as I think Ryder only came up with the future log idea sometime during 2014. He did a kickstarter last year and refined the system a bit (and some people found that bullet journal didn’t cater well for writing down future events – which it didn’t but that never bothered me due to using my phone calendar). In my future log I only write ‘big’ events. Birthdays. Days when I have an event like the ballet or a concert or an appointment I really want to remember or a deadline. It all goes in the phone too but the future log gives me a place to write stuff down if I don’t want to pull out the phone and a place to look at as I start each month to remember big things that are happening.

4. Next up, the first monthly pages. I have a monthly events (again, just the key ‘big’ events and dates). I don’t number the dates down the side of the page, I just add the events and write the day next to each one. As I said, my main calendar/appointment management tool is my phone) so this list is usually only about 10 items long for any given month. Some people who don’t use a digital calendar do a more elaborate monthly on a page or on two pages type calendar. This year I put a bit of washi tape around the edge of the first page of the month as a flag that this is the start of the month as this makes it easier to find a month when I flip back.

The other monthly page is my monthly tasks pages (which is more like a list of tasks and goals for me so I’m going to start calling it that).

5. The next page is something that’s a me thing. I have been trying to do a 30 day challenge each month to varying degrees of success so the next page is that month’s challenge with numbered boxes for checking off each day and what the challenge is.

6. The next page is also a me thing I’ve been experimenting with which is a monthly page/wordcount tracker. But to be honest, I often forget to fill it in so I’m thinking I’m going to stop with that and add more a reflective/lessons learned/things to think about for the month page instead.

7. After those set-up the month pages, the months pages start. I just write the date at the top of the page then that day’s events/and tasks (I use a check box for task and a circle for events, I think the new bullet journals system is using a dot for a task but I like my check box so I can tick it off). I use an exclamation mark for an idea (though I’m more likely to just start a new page and make notes about it for ideas or a project or a related list like stuff I need to organise for a book coming out or trip planning etc). Depending  on how much space that takes up, I start the next day underneath or on a new page. In between daily pages I keep notes, ideas, other lists, quotes I like, doodles, the odd picture, weekly goals, try out pens and art supplies (I haven’t tried watercolor in the 1917 but have done watercolor pencils with very light water and that was okay) and random thoughts. So it’s a to-do list, commonplace book, sketch/doodle book, writing notes and whatever else all rolled into one. This to me, is the genius of the bullet journal. You just use each page as you need to (no waste, no blank dates) and index it later. If you miss a few days, you just pick up where you left off. Perfect.

For example, here’s a pic from January last year (the left page is some art for the house stuff from The January Cure and the right is my daily lists for Jan 8-11).

This year, I’ll confess, having fallen more down the rabbit hole of art and stationery and pens and project life etc than ever last year, I’ve start using a bit more decoration in my notebook but that’s not necessary (see the above page…good old blue ballpoint for miles (A 0.7mm uniball Jetstream if you’re interested which is my fave ballpoint pen ever). My 2014 page has the odd doodle and the occasional radical use of black pen and I think I stuck in my boarding pass from my trip to NZ in December but that’s about it. This year I’ve used stickers and washi and different colour pens and tried out the odd stamp and art supplies like watercolour pencils and the odd picture I’ve cut out but purely when I want to. There’s a whole other rabbit hole of “pretty planning” which is really more like planning as an art form and creative outlet. Google that one at your peril if you’re a stationery addict. I don’t have time to be that full on but I admit, I enjoy the bits and pieces I do and having more colour in my notebook.

Here’s an example of a spread from this year.

 

One side is some quotes I liked (I was listening to the audiobook of “Better Than Before” by Gretchen Rubin which I also highly recommend if you’re interested in habits) and the other is some daily lists and what looks like notes for a craft day I was having with friends and a couple more quotes/ideas from Better than Before.  Different coloured inks, some stamps (added later when I was trying some out) and some washi add very basic colour. The two pages before that are some notes I made when I was reorganising my Pinterest boards. So that’s kind of how I use it. Based on my current number of pages for month which seems to have gone up from last year, I’m going to run out of notebook before I get to the end of the year. I think I might use my Midori Traveler’s Notebook when that happens (another stationery acquisition, let’s not go there as I’m still figuring out how I want to use it..am contemplating separating out a couple of elements of the bullet journal into separate Midori notebooks but who knows) and try that for a few months before I decide what I’m going to use next year. But whatever notebook I use, I’d be very surprised if it’s not a bullet journal. Because of the flexibility etc, this is the longest time I’ve used something this consistently and had it actually be helpful in getting stuff done and capturing things.

Things I don’t do.

I do minimal task migration. I sometimes move a task from day to day if I didn’t finish it (more often I just tick it off on whatever day I originally wrote it down) but rarely move things between months (or if I do, I don’t use an arrow signifier, just treat it as a new task.  I don’t use all the signifiers that Ryder does. Mine are pretty much check box for tasks, circle for event, exclamation mark for an idea (if I remember or don’t start a new page) and the occasional asterisk to say something is a priority (I use this more at work) or an arrow if I migrate things (see the start of this paragraph) and remember to use the arrow.

My day job version

You’ve probably all wandered off due to length by now but very quickly, before I go, here’s how I use the work semi bullet journal. Again, I use outlook for appointments and meetings and to remind me to do tasks on a specific date. In my notebook I:

At the end of each week (I work part time so on whatever the last work day of the week is, usually Friday). I write down next week’s list of things I have to do in bullet journal check box style, moving stuff from the week before that wasn’t done and adding any new stuff from my calendar (I don’t generally put meetings on the list) or meeting notes etc. I also check my calendar for the next week. This helps me finish off the week and make sure I’m organised for next week and know things like do I have a meeting first up on my first day in the office that I need to have printed stuff for or be at work early for (for that I create a calendar reminder in my iPhone which doesn’t sync to my work calendar so I remember. I try not to check my work email/calendar on my days off as a rule though will sometimes if there’s stuff going on).

During the week, I work from that to-do list and add to it. I sometimes make a separate daily list if I want to break a to-do down further or want to prioritise stuff for a specific day. In between the weekly lists and daily lists I have meeting notes and any other notes I take from stuff I’m reading or researching and things like outlines for articles or documents I’m writing. Whatever is needed. I don’t index as I don’t often need to refer back to stuff once it’s done. I’m not usually working on super huge or long term projects and ideas tend to get discussed with the boss and turned into to-dos and tasks pretty quickly. I just date the front or inside cover of the notebook when I’m finished (I use up work notebooks faster than my overall notebook due to meeting notes…I have many meeetings) so I can find the right one if I need it. So it’s a very simplified version of the bullet journal but it works for me. My everything else notebook comes to work with me too so I can use that as I need to on work days.

And now you know more than you ever needed to know about how I organise my life. Hopefully some of you will find it useful and give it a go. Just remember, start simple, work out the bits that work for you, ignore the bits that don’t and others if you want to. Happy bullet journalling! And happy to answer any questions you might have. Hit me up here or on Twitter/Facebook.

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Art every day…the end result

Early in May I blogged about doing a draw/paint every day in May challenge. Well, I’m happy to report that I did make it the full 31 days. It was kind of fun to have to come up with something that matched the prompt each day and sometimes have to dash out something quickly when I didn’t have much time. Things like this show us that we can always find room for doing stuff we love if we prioritise it.  And it’s definitely important to do creative things for fun and that are unrelated to the creating I do for money.

Some paintings I liked, some I loved and some I wasn’t happy with but hey, there’s always another piece of paper. Here’s a overview of the paintings I did. I popped them into collages using the Project Life app (love)…you can’t see the full pic of each one but you get the idea.

 

 

Now I need to find another challenge…

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Vale to my microwave

I’m due a cooking post but I haven’t really made any new recipes this month that really wowed me. But I did finally retire my old faithful microwave after being forced to admit it just wasn’t working how it should…taking longer to cook things, heating unevenly. All bad news for a microwave. I bought it when I was a student living in a share house about twenty three years ago. At the time it cost me nearly $400 which was a LOT of money out of my budget back then. And since then it has faithfully cooked vegies and defrosted meat and nuked frozen stuff and made the odd microwave mug cake and bag of microwave popcorn with no fuss at all other than the door getting a bit temperamental.

So I can’t say I didn’t get my monies worth. Can’t imagine the new one will last one anywhere near as long.

So vale, old faithful Sharp Carousel. It’s sad to see you go.

And hello shiny new black Darth Vader-like Panasonic (which I keep catching out sight of out of the corner of my eye as I past the fridge (it sits on my fridge) and thinking “what is that black thing”). Hopefully I can figure out how you work quickly.

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Movie fix – Spy

I am in Sydney for work, so not too much exciting to report life wise, so here, have a movie recommendation. Last week I saw Spy with Melissa McCarthy, Miranda Hart, Jude Law and Jason Statham and it was hilarious.

Now I saw the trailer for this a while back and thought to myself that it would either be great or they’d go for the easy, she’s-a-fat-gal-ha-ha jokes and it would be terrible. But then a friend saw it and said it was good and I kept seeing other very positive reviews so I hot footed it to the cinema. I’ve liked Melissa since Gilmore Girls and I’ve liked most of her movies (with some reservations as US comedy is still on it’s let’s go for the gross-out moment comedy kick which isn’t really my thing) and I love Miranda Hart (USians, if you get a chance to see Miranda, her sit-com, it’s lovely. And also hilarious.)

I’m happy to report that Spy was great. Very funny. I can’t remember the last movie I went to where people were laughing so much. And happily, they let Melissa get out there and look gorgeous and kick butt in an awesome way. Generally rescuing the guys in the process. Plus she and Miranda have a great friendship. Love a good female friendship on screen. Will definitely be getting this one on DVD for the “movies that make you feel good” shelf. And I think there should be more Miranda and Melissa movies!

Here’s the trailer if you haven’t seen it.

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Romance and fantasy at Dymocks

A quick whiz by post as a reminder that Keri Arthur, Anne Gracie, C.S. Pacat and I are doing a panel/talk/event on romance and fantasy on Thursday the 18th at Dymocks in Collins Street, Melbourne. It’s at 6.30pm. So come along if you are in town, it’ll be fun and lovely to see you.

Details on Dymocks’ FB event. The event is free but they have asked that you RSVP by booking through the Try booking link on that page or here.

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Story fix: Uprooted

Go buy this book.

Seriously. I liked Naomi’s Temeraire series (Napleonic wars with dragons…what’s not to like?) and I knew she had a new book coming out. I’d even read the blurb but had sort of made a note to self to buy it when it came out. Then the other day I saw someone on Twitter post a rave and mention it was Mckinley-esque. Now, Robin McKinley is one of my favourite fantasy authors. Sunshine is one of my all time favourite books but I love her more high fantasy stuff like Chalice and Spindle’s End and Pegasus etc as well. Her style is what I think of as Intimate High Fantasy. So there’s fantasy stuff and high stakes etc but the focus of the story is usually quite tight on a place and group of people…as opposed to your sprawling epic wars and armies and journeys across the world type fantasies. Not sure how exactly to describe it. So if you tell me something is Mckinley-esque I’m likely to prick up my ears. So I downloaded Uprooted and boom, there went many hours until I finished reading it. Loved it. Loooovvvveeeeddd it. Many thumbs up. I hope she does more in this world.

And the alternate cover is gorgeous too. This is the one I got on my kindle version which makes me suspect it’s the UK/Commonwealth cover.

I am tempted to buy the hardcopy just because of the pretty and so I can wave it in people’s faces when I’m pimping it out. Which I will be. Like now. McKinley fans, go buy it. Everyone else, go buy it too.

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