Seeking Novelty vs. Finding Tried and True: What's Your Style in Life?

This week when I was buying yet another planner (the Ban.do Agenda in the photo), I had that moment of "you're being ridiculous." And maybe I was. I don't need another planner. And do I think I'll use that planner for the next 18 months? Hell, no. I doubt I'll use any one planner for more than three months in a row. 

But then I decided the hell with it because a) planners have become my hobby, b) I recently posted about not apologizing for the "silly" things you're into if it's not hurting you or someone else (or spending money you can't afford to spend), and C) This is a personality quirk. I like variety. The variety is what keeps me interested and motivated to continue planning.

I get bored easily. And that's when I saw that this is an overall pattern in many areas of my life.

Some examples:

1. I rarely cook the same recipe twice because what keeps me excited about cooking is testing out new recipes.

2. I have trouble reading books in a series back to back (unless it's a cliffhanger book.) I need to read something else in between.

3. I never reread books, even my favorites.

4. The books I write don't follow a standard pattern even though they are in a series. I need a new concept, conflict, taboo topic, trope, setting, whatever it is to hook me into writing it. 

5. Vacations - I don't want to go back to the same places all the time. The world is too big and I want to see as much as I can. But my parents love going back to the same spots and I know a lot of other people love that idea of having their same summer getaway each year. 

The only areas I could think of that I don't seek variety and prefer tried and true are:

1. The hubs - Which is a good one to be tried and true about obviously, lol. We've been together 17 years and it still feels new every day. :)

2. Favorite movies and TV shows - I enjoy watching my favorite movies or TV shows over and over again. Every few years, I'll pull out my Dawson's Creek or Friends boxed set and watch them from start to finish.

3. My car - I'm on my third Hyundai Sante Fe. I found the vehicle I like and I'm good. And I keep my car long after it's paid off. 

But anyway, all this got me to wondering how other people are when it comes to this. So I want to hear from you. Do you tend to seek out variety? Or do you like finding the thing that works and sticking with it? Or does it vary depending on what area of your life?

The Collecting of Things and a Little Enabling #ListifyLife

Happy Monday, everyone! Yeah, I know that's an oxymoron. :) So first, before we get to the Listify post, I thought I'd do a little enabling for those of you who love pretty notebooks and planners like I do. (None of these are affiliate links. I'm just passing along the info.)

First, May Designs is having a 50% off sitewide sale today for a Good Morning America promotion. If you're not familiar with them, it's a company that makes lovely custom notebooks and stationary. You can get your notebook covers personalized and even pick from all kinds of layouts, including meal planners, fitness planners, weekly agendas, graph paper, or just regular lined paper. Have fun!

Next, for those watching all the mid-year planner releases, Ban.do is launching their planner today. I wasn't familiar with these at the beginning of the year, but I've since seen some people instagramming them. These are really adorable and fun. Quirky artwork, silly sayings, fun holidays listed. It's a really stylish, modern looking planner. And even though I'm currently working with both my Happy Planner and Day Designer, I ordered one of the Ban.do to try. I've been wanting to try a horizontal layout and the price is reasonable. Plus, they have really great stickers. (Yes, I'm a planner addict. I will freely admit. :) At least it's cheaper than being addicted to designer shoes or purses or something, right?)

Next up, the #ListifyLife challenge. This week is Thing I Collect. I have a feeling my answers will be of no surprise to anyone, lol.

Things I Collect

1. Books - This is both print and ebooks. My TBR pile is somewhere in the 700 range last I checked. Yeah. 

2. Planners - I have two Happy Planners, a Day Designer, a Hobonichi Weeks, and just ordered a Ban.do agenda. I think my perfect planning system would involve changing planners every quarter so I don't get bored, lol.

3. Stickers - This is directly related to the planner addiction right now, but I've always loved stickers since my years of Trapper Keepers and Lisa Frank. :)

4. Pens

5. Cookbooks - I've been doing this since I got married. I cull them every year but still maintain two full bookshelves of them. I love trying out new recipes.

6. Story Ideas - I have way more ideas than I have time to write. But I always keep good ideas in a file because I never know when I might get a chance to write them. 

So that's my collects (*cough* addictions) laid bare. Now I'd love to hear yours. What do you collect?

Finding Your Happy Place on the (Often Negative) Internet

The internet and social media can be a lot of things. Work. Information. Distraction. Fun. A place to keep up with distant friends and family. But, as we all know, it can also often be a negative place. Ugly stuff. Trolls. Arguments. Hate. 

That's nothing new. It's been there from the start. But lately, I've found that some of my "happy" places on the internet--the places I go for a break from work or stress--are becoming more and more unhappy, tense, or negative. And instead of finding an escape from stress, I'm finding more of it.

For me, Twitter used to be my watercooler where I'd "hang out" while working from home. Fun pics. Book recommendations. Funny comments. Chatting with friends. There was a lightness to it. And there is still a lot of that aspect there, but lately, there's also been so much heavy stuff. Heated debates. People calling out others. Arguing. Ugly comments. Facebook can be the same, especially around election time. 

And I'm not saying those type of things shouldn't be talked about on social media. Everyone should use their platform how they see fit. And a lot of those topics are important ones, things that should be discussed. But being exposed to it every day sometimes feels like an avalanche of ugh feelings, makes the world feel like an impossibly dark place. Kind of like watching the news all day. It can affect your mood and weigh on you.

I write romance for a reason. It offers a temporary respite, a safe place to escape. I think we all need places to escape sometimes, places where we focus on the bright parts of the world, the things that make us smile or laugh or get excited. It's good self-care. It helps balance things out.

Sometimes we just need fluffy kitten and puppy pictures, dammit. :) 

kitten massage in #cat

So though I always have books to provide a happy place for me, I've also found myself yearning for my happy place on the internet. Somewhere that I can go and just chat about nothing too heavy or look at pretty/silly/funny things or make new friends. And lately, I'm finding that I gravitate to a few specific places:

1. Instagram - I'm still kind of a newbie to Instagram, but it's quickly become one of my favorite places to take a "mind break." Cute pictures of friend's pets, funny pictures, planner p0rn, gorgeous landscapes. It's a place where people post things to make you smile, where they share the best little things in their day. (Come find me on Instagram if you want to join me in my happy place.)

2. Facebook groups - My solution to FB being kind of negative has been finding (or creating) FB groups. There's my Fearless Romantics Reader group, which is a happy place to talk about books. And then I'm in a planner group of publishing/writer people. We nerd out about planners, notebooks, pens. It's silly and fun and I've met new friends through it. It is such a happy place.

3. YouTube - Okay, this one isn't overly social for me. But since I've gotten into planners, I've spent way too much time watching people's videos on how they decorate their planners and such. it's also become my go to place when I'm researching products I might by, like when I was on the search for my mechanical keyboard.

4. Etsy - So this one can get expensive, lol. But I love seeing people (particularly women) open up their own businesses and sharing their creativity with the world. There are so many beautiful things there. And you feel good about buying there because you're supporting peoples' passions and small businesses.

There are a few others like Pinterest, but their interface often annoys me, so I don't spend as much time there as I would if I could adjust how things work, lol. But in general, those are my main go to places when I need a break.

So, I'm curious. What's your happy place on the internet? Or maybe just your happy place in general? When the worlds gets too stressful, what's your go to "brain break"?

Planner Peek: The Hobonichi Weeks and a Fauxbonichi Journal

Today is going to be a quick post because I have to get myself together for the RT Convention next week, but I wanted to pass along a little planner p0rn. :)

So y'all know that I have a planner and journal obsession. And the journey to "planner peace" is an ongoing one, which means I'm always poking around the internet and looking at all the options. Well, recently, I came across the world of Hobonichis and Fauxbonichis. What the heck is that?

Well, the Hobonichi is a Japanese planner that has a cult following because of the clever layout and the amazing paper--Tomoe River paper. This paper is very thin but can take fountain pens, watercolors, etc. without bleed through, which means that a lot of people use these planners as art journals. Just go on Instagram or Pinterest and search Hobonichi to see. It's amazing what some people do in them. And even if you don't use it for art, the layout is great. The Techo and Cousin versions offer monthly, weekly, and daily layouts all in the same planner. Hard to find. I'm strongly considering buying the Hobonichi Cousin (which is an A5 size) next year. But right now I'm sticking to my modified Happy Planner for my planning (I've put the Day Designer aside for a while because I missed my weekly view.).

However, Hobonichi has a wallet-sized weekly version. And when I saw that, I knew I wanted one. I don't travel with my planner because it's too big. But I needed something to have with me in my purse for when I make appointments and such. Yes, I could use my phone. But I don't work well with electronic calendars. This Hobonichi Weeks would be the perfect size. Plus, I get the Tomoe River paper and they offer an April start version. So I ordered one, and I have to say, it is really lovely. The paper is almost Bible page thin but they weren't lying about the no bleed through. That's impressive. And bonus, the travel wallet/passport keeper I bought fits the Hobonichi Weeks perfectly so I don't have to get another cover. Yay! Isn't it pretty?

If you want to check it out, Amazon still has a few Hobonichi Weeks left last I checked, though I think pink is sold out. You can also get them directly from the Hobonichi store, but you do have to use a yen to dollars converter to figure out your costs. And here's the wallet. I did a lot of research trying to find one that would be the right size since there aren't a lot of options for covers for the Weeks version. This wallet comes in a number of different cute colors, is well made, and has the RFID blocking to protect your cards and passports from scanning. I was really pleased with it.

On to Fauxbonichis...

But after doing so much research on the Hobonichis, I discovered that people are doing DIY versions called Fauxbonichis to do their art journaling. (MissVickiBee seems to be the one who came up with this idea. Here's a link to her video about it.) This intrigued me because it would give me a chance to try out art journaling before committing to a pricier Hobonichi Cousin. I am notorious for giving up on journals and diaries. I've never been able to stick with one. But the idea of doodling in a journal and using it more as a memory keeper than a introspective diary type thing appealed to me. So I watched some YouTube videos (as you do) and decided to give it a try in a Leuchtturm journal I already had. (This is the one I have if you want to check it out.)

Well, I have been having so much fun with it! I'm hooked. I think it's serving as a relaxation tool like some people use coloring books. I get to draw and doodle and color, but at the same time, I'm keeping a record of memories and making a keepsake. This is also a nice lesson in fighting against my perfectionism because I CAN'T DRAW, lol. I have to accept that it's not going to look like those beautiful art journals I see on Instagram or Pinterest. And that's okay. The process is fun and I get a little thrill when what I draw actually resembles what I was attempting, lol.

So here are a few pages from my journal. The top sort of resembles the layout of a Hobonichi Techo, but I altered it to fit my own needs, including a place for a mood doodle. He's my favorite part. I've named him Moody Milton. :) I also record the weather for the day and use a little washi tape to brighten it up.

The pens I'm using are the Faber Castell PITT Artist pens to make the black lines and the Stabilos for colored drawing. Then I fill in with Steadtler colored pencils. Go ahead and judge me for having all those pens, lol. You can really use any pens you want. Just check for bleed through first because though the paper is very nice, it's not the Tomoe River. Some pens and markers will bleed through.

I use this stencil to make my lines and draw my little suns. 

I've been having way too much fun with it and so far. And if you're intimidated by the drawing thing like I was, I've found that the easiest thing for me is to google, "how to draw (blank)" and once I see simple images, I can reproduce them somewhat. I have a hard time just drawing something from scratch without inspiration to look at. You may have no trouble at all, but if you're drawing-impaired like me that might help. :)

Well, this post turned out longer than I thought, lol. But I hope I've maybe given you some ideas and inspiration. Let me know if you decide to give any of this a try!

Also, I won't be blogging next week because I'll be at the RT Booklovers Convention, so see you in a week! :)

Note: Amazon links are affiliate links. I haven't been asked to feature any of these products. These are things I've bought with my own money and enthusiastically recommend. :) 

Don't Apologize for the "Silly" Things You Like

Last week I talked about the importance of hobbies and how they're often more necessary for our mental well-being than we give them credit for. And then Monday I did the #ListifyLife challenge and the topic was Little Things Things That Make You Happy. Those two posts were knocking around in my head yesterday, when a friend of a friend gave me a WTF look after I told her I was into paper planners. "But we have PHONES with CALENDARS."  I briefly explained that it was a crafting type hobby and community. There are stickers and drawing and artsy stuff. But I could tell she'd already dismissed the whole thing as "silly" or a waste of time. And that's cool that it's not something she'd be interested in, but the dismissal got me thinking because it gave me the knee jerk instinct to say, "I know it's silly, but..."

oh, bless your heart. in #bless

Then I stopped myself. Swallowed the words right back, gave her a "bless your heart" smile, and changed the subject.

Why? Because why the hell should I apologize for something I enjoy? It seems like we're put into this position way too often--particularly as women. It's the same way people often make us feel about reading romance novels. "I know it's silly but..." "I know they're not 'important' books, but..."

No. I'm done with that kind of bull. I've been done with it regarding people's opinion about romance for a loooooong time. But I realized I was about to do it with my newfound love of planners and art journaling. If it's fun for me, doesn't hurt me or anyone else, and doesn't interfere with the other stuff I need to get done in my life, then who cares what I like? Nobody gets to make that call for me or make me apologize for it in some way. It's my thing. Mine. No one else gets a vote. So I will say what my son has been saying every time I tell him something this week. "Okay, Beyonce." (No idea where he gets this stuff.)

beyonce in #hairflip

So, like the the things you like, do the hobbies you get excited about, read the books you want, watch the shows you enjoy, and own that. Don't let anyone dismiss it as silly. You're not silly. You're in touch with what you enjoy and are passionate about. That's more than a lot of people can say. And oftentimes, those "silly" things or "geeky" things are what keep us sane in a stressful world. I had a particularly stressful week this week with some curve balls and on the worse night, I found myself drawing in my fauxbonichi (more on what that is tomorrow), and I realized--wow, this is like my glass of wine. I was able to zone out a little, let the day go, and just worry about how to draw a boat instead of getting wrapped up in what had happened that day.

So, yeah, I'm not going to apologize. Once upon a time, writing stories was my "silly" hobby. That worked out okay. ;)

What thing have you been tempted to apologize for or dismiss to others as "that silly thing" you like to do? What's the thing you "geek out" about? Own it in the comments!