Filofax Organization Tote

If any of you are on the Philofaxy website or facebook pages, you've probably seen the newly popular organization tote for Filofaxes. If you are into Filofaxes (like REALLY into them) like I am, you enjoy decorating them and having fun with them. Sometimes that obsession leads to other obsessions--washi tape, stamps, sticky notes, etc.--that prompt the need for an organization tote so you can organize your Filofax anywhere!! So, I went on a hunt to find one. I travelled through the seven levels of the Candy Cane Forest--wait, wrong journey... Ok, so I went to Hobby Lobby, Michaels (which is an hour away from me), and both Wal-marts in my town. I finally found it at the LAST Wal-Mart I went to, which is actually the closest store to me--go figure.  Anyway, I bought this great tote for $17 there, and immediately went home to set it up.  It really works great and I've actually got it next to me on the couch now.  I decided to make a video, which you can see below, about the tote and how I organize it.  Enjoy!

 

What's in my Personal Regency?

It's here!!  My first "official" filofax post on Coffee & Literature.  So exciting!!!  I know you are just as excited as I am, right???  Thought so!  :)  For my first "official" post I wanted to do a sort of introductory filofax/what's in my filofax post.  I just got a new Personal Regency in Brown, and I LOVE it.  But it does have a small ring issue on the third top ring, so sadly, I think it may be going back next week (Filofax, please work on quality control of rings!!!).  But I do have a Compact Regency I can use until I get a replacement. Anyway...here's how I'm using my filofax at the moment.

Here's my beauty! I really love this filofax.  The leather is so soft and has an ostrich type pattern on it.  It lies COMPLETELY flat out of the box, which is one of my ideal filofax qualities.

Here's what you see  when you first open her up:  I keep my student ID (grad school), a cute panda gift card, some sticky tabs, a modeS4U business card, some random gift cards, and some of my business cards are tucked in the long pocket.  On the clear flyleaf I've decorated it with some stickers--pandas (my favorite!!), sock monkeys, Bambi, Pooh Bear, etc.  The pink glitter behind it is just a piece of card I cut into a divider.

Moving on...I've got some cute colorful star stickers and the personal filofax organizer stickers.  I use the stars for blog posts and the organizer stickers for, well, what they're intended for.  You can also see my sheet where I keep up with my washi tape to see what I've bought.


For my diary, I use month to view and week to view in 2 pages per week, cotton cream.  I love the paper quality on the cotton cream.  I use stickers and stamps and washi tape to decorate the inside of my diary.  I love my Hello Kitty stamps!


I also keep a few A4 size sheets in my filofax for necessary purposes and I just fold and punch holes in these so they fit.  Easy as pie!



And finally (I do have other stuff in there but it's rather boring) I have a clear envelope in the back where I keep vouchers, receipts, tickets, stickers, everything.  Here is what is currently in the back pocket: neon arrows, Spongebob stickers, metallic star stickers, colored dots, a voucher for an Etsy seller, my ticket from Condoleezza Rice's speech at my university, and my Aerosmith/Cheap Trick ticket from last week (so much fun!!).



I hope you've enjoyed my little filofax tour!  Let me know in the comments what you thought and also any other posts you'd like to see.  I also have a YouTube channel that only has one or two non-filofax related videos on it now, so let me know if there are any videos you'd like to see, too!  Happy planning!
-Kristy

On Writing by Stephen King

After taking what seems like forever to finish this book, I finally did. No, it didn't take me three days short of forever to finish it because it was boring, nor did it take me a long time to finish it because it was tedious reading. I simply took too long to read it; I blame NaNoWriMo since I basically took an entire month off of reading to write a novel, which I did finish! Now back to reviewing...

Being an aspiring writer, I am always looking for tips and books to help me make my stories, poems, and novels even better. King's memoir does just that. I call it a memoir because, first of all, he does in the title of his book, and also because he has kindly included different stories from his own life to help the reader understand how to become a better writer. The first part of the book, in fact, is completely dedicated to this, and it was very enjoyable. The reader learns the different ways he sort of "began" writing some of his best known books such as Carrie, The Stand, Misery, and others. The end of the book is also a memoir of sorts as it details the horrific incident in which he was hit by a van while he was taking a walk near his home. Despite the accident, he finished the book he was working on--the book happened to be On Writing.

Now, what about the "stuff" in the middle now that I've told you about the beginning and the end. Well, it is good, too. I'll admit that I was hesitant to even pick up this book. It is, believe it or not, the very first book I've ever read by Stephen King, but it has inspired me to read some of his others simply because when reading this, you really see just how brilliant of a writer he is.

The pages between the two "memoir" parts consist of many helpful tips and tricks for writers. The first part, aptly named "What Writing Is" is King basically telling the reader if he or she isn't going to take writing seriously, then this isn't the book for them. I would agree. King, in his way, basically tells the reader "how it is" and doesn't sugar coat things. That is part of the charm of the book.

We are then given the "Toolbox." This is the vocabulary, grammar, and basics section, if you will. Obviously tools that all writers need, King helps this section not be the typical boring "ok, a comma goes here, period here, adverb here, etc." He really shows the reader what needs to be in his or her own writing "toolbox."

The meat of the book consists of different sections under the "On Writing" name. King uses this section to talk about everything from where you should put your desk to the theme of your book or story to characterization to editing to agents. When reading this section, you truly understand why King is considered to be a brilliant writer. He, in my opinion, really does know it all when it comes to writing.

So, what does On Writing receive from Coffee & Literature. I give it a B. There were a few things that I didn't really like from a writer's perspective, but overall I thought it was a good book that I would recommend to anyone who is serious about writing.

The eReader Wars Part 2

I knew it would happen eventually, and this week it did.  Barnes & Noble officially released the much anticipated new version of the Nook--the NOOKColor.  And I have to say, the preview of it on the B&N website is quite mouthwatering.  With a 7" color touchscreen (yes, it is a backlit screen) and 8GB 6,000 book capacity (expandable up to 32GB), the newest eReader has infiltrated both the eReader market and tablet market.  Built on Google's Android technology, you know this one will be a hit.  But how does it compare to the current eReader competition, the newest Amazon Kindle? Since the new Nook doesn't have 3G capabilities (which, in my opinion, isn't really a big deal for an eReader or even a tablet--Wi-Fi is everywhere), I'm comparing it to the regular Kindle.  This isn't an actual review of the NOOKColor, nor of the Kindle since I don't yet own either, so I'm going on the specs and what I've seen on the 'Net.  So how does NOOKColor fare?  Let's see...


Amazon Kindle:

• E-Ink® display (claim of 50% better contrast than other eReaders)
• 8.5 ounces
• Stores up to 3,500 books
• Download books via Wi-Fi in 60 seconds
• Web-Kit based browser
• Over 1.8 million free, out-of-copyright books
• Wi-Fi connects to AT&T hotspots
• Share passages via built-in Twitter and Facebook
• Free 3G wireless
• 4GB internal storage (3G available for user content)
• Price: $139, available at Amazon.com and Target

The Barnes & Noble NookColor :

• 7" VividView™ Color Touchscreen
• Claim of Reduced Glare & optimum brightness for any reading condition
• 8GB (up to 6,000 eBooks) storage, expandable up to 32GB
• Holds 100 hours of audio music, watch videos in MP4 format
• Read for up to 8 hours (wireless off)
• Built-in Wireless
• Personalized wallpaper
• Pandora® internet radio
• Games
• Media Gallery
• Over 2 million titles available
• Newspapers & magazines in color
• Enjoy kids' picture books in color
• LendMe™ Technology
• NOOKfriends™
• NOOKbook Personal Shopping™
• Read NOOKbooks for free in-store
• Color web surfing
• NOOKextras™ (think Andriod apps; NOOKdeveloper™ develops the extras)
• Variety of covers & accessories
• Create, edit and view Microsoft® Office files including Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Also transfer PDF and ePub files to NOOKcolor and JPG photos for your own personalized wallpaper.
• Price: $249; available for pre-order on Barnes & Noble; will be available soon at Walmart & BestBuy

So, which one wins in my opinion?  You guessed it (especially if you read the first post on The eReaders Wars)....the NOOKColor!  NOOKColor is modern, sleek, and overall the most impressive eReader out there for 2010 and probably for 2011, too.  It is easily the new leader of the eReader market, in my opinion.  Obviously Barnes & Noble took their time developing it in order to be able to compete with both the growing tablet market & the shrinking eReader market.  Even with the introduction of the new Kindle and with it being available to actually see now (at Target), the Nook is clearly winning, I think, with the new version.  Having tried the original Nook in store, I was always a fan of it over the Kindle simply for that reason.  Having gotten to "try" the Kindle at Target, I was not impressed.  Now with the NOOKColor, I say Barnes & Noble has the hold on the eReader market at the moment, and I don't expect it fall from the top any time soon.  Bravo, B & N!

Now...if only I can get one!!!

Monday Musings: Reviews, Writing, & Resolutions

I've been able to finally relax a little this weekend with the short "fall break" that I had from work.  I was able to finish both Ariel and To Kill a Mockingbird and post reviews on them.  I slacked off a bit on the two books I'm reading that I'm also teaching to my students, Into Thin Air and Pride & Prejudice.  I had hoped to finish them this weekend and then go back and skim to make notes to use in class.  If any of you are teachers, do you agree that it is much harder to read and make notes on a book at the same time than to read simply for the sake of reading or for pleasure?  I love both Into Thin Air and Pride & Prejudice, but re-reading them in order to teach them makes it so much harder!  Maybe it's just me!

On another note, I'm hoping to being work on a short story or two soon.  I'm hoping I will eventually be able to get them published, but I will just be glad to get one written that I deem presentable in my own mind.  I've got several good ideas for some stories, so I hope they turn out well.  We shall see!

Change of pace for a second here...  I want to talk a bit about resolutions.  I, like so many others, always make New Years resolutions.  Losing weight, being more organized, reading more, etc.  How many of us actually stick to those?  How many times have I said, "Yep, this is it.  I'm going to lose those pounds" or "I'm going to read X books this year"?  Of course, I didn't stick to them like I wish I had.  But I'm also one to make resolutions in the middle of the year or late in the year, too.  Right now, I've got several that I'm sharing with you...(1)  To read more, review more, and post more.  This one is actually three meshed into one.  I feel as if I slack off on my reading because I am too busy or I feel too stressed, when, in reality, reading helps me calm down and relax a bit.  You'd think I would learn! (2) To write more.  I'm a self-declared writer and journalist, so why don't I write more?  Even better...why don't I try to get stuff actually published?  Good questions, right?  I thought so. (3)  The never-ending resolution:  To lose weight and exercise more.  I'm not what you'd call a good-bodied person.  Nope, not at all.  I've tried many times to get with the program, but I'm trying a bit harder this time.

So, those are my three mid/end year resolutions.  I hope they make me a better reader, critic, writer, and person.  What are some resolutions you'd like to make?

7 Essentials for the Reader & Writer

A while back I read a post on what is "essential" for a writer.  Since I am both an avid reader/reviewer as well as a writer/internet journalist, I thought I'd sort of merge together what I think is essential for those of us who fall into both categories.   Since it is Banned Books Week, both readers & writers are affected, so in an untraditional BBW post, I thought this would be interesting to some.  Here we go:

1.  Pens - Seriously, can either readers or writers have enough of them?  I think not.  Pens are essential to daily reading and writing in my opinion.  Writing notes in margins, writing reviews before posting them, journaling, etc.--all of this requires the use of pens!  I tend to lean towards fine or extra fine point rollerball, gel, or ballpoint pens, usually in that order.  The Pilot Precise V7 Rolling Ball Pen is possibly my favorite.  What are some of the pens you like to use?

2.  Notebooks - Well, specifically Moleskine Notebooks.  You can't go wrong with the notebook that is basically the same as the ones used by Hemingway, right?  I am slightly addicted to Moleskines to be quite honest.  I have Moleskine planners, notebooks, mini-notebooks, big notebooks...ok, you get my drift.  But a good notebook that can go with you everywhere is essential.  If you happen to finish a book while traveling and are planning to review it, you need somewhere to jot down ideas.  If you are working on a story or novel, you need somewhere to write down inspirations.

3.  Books - This one is more for the writers since by putting books on the list, I mean books that you can use to help become a more effective writer.  As a reader, too, you will no doubt acquire tons and tons of books in your collection.  I know I have.  Books, to me, are a simply essential part of life in general.

4.  Laptop, Netbook, Computer - If you are a writer or reader in today's world, you need technology in the form of some type of computer that you can work on.  If you write, you can write your books, stories, poems, etc. on here.  This is especially important if you plan to try to get published since manuscripts must be typed.  For you readers, mainly the book reviewers or bloggers, you MUST have some type of computer.  It is required for daily life these days to have some sort of technology.  Hey, we wouldn't have Coffee & Literature if I didn't have a computer!

5.  Dictionary - Dictionaries are so underrated.  People think that simply because "spell-check" is on word processing software, there is no need to check the meaning or spelling of words.  WRONG!!!  Spell-check isn't always right, and it never hurts to know how to use a dictionary.  Technology is great, but you can get too spoiled, and that is never a good thing.  So, invest in a good dictionary.

6.  Coffee, tea, energy - Ok.  If you have ever been in college, if you work, or if you simply stay up late at night reading, blogging, or writing, you know that some sort of energy is required.  Sometimes it is coffee, sometimes it is a good herbal tea, sometimes it is your own adrenaline that keeps you going, but whatever you use, it is a necessity.  My personal choice is coffee or tea.  My own adrenaline is usually used up on exercise when I decide to get on the treadmill or on work, so coffee or tea it is.  I'm partial to Earl Grey hot tea and Starbucks coffee (Sugar Free non-fat caramel latte with an extra shot).  What keeps you going?

7.  A Good Bag - Many of you know I've also got a slight addiction to purses and bags, too.  I am always swapping bags, carrying more than one, etc.  But I always make sure they are good quality bags that can usually hold at least one Moleskine and my current read.  The Roots Small School Bag has to be my all-time favorite because it just looks like a writer's bag.  My bag is always with me so I have to have one that has room for all my junk. Roots Canada makes great leather bags that look great for readers and writers of any age or gender.  A great bag is necessary for any avid bookish person.

So, that's my list.  The 7 Essentials for Readers & Writers.  What are some of the essentials that you must have with you?