Speaking of Planners...

I figured this will be better noticed in a new post as opposed to the post I just made, hence the double-post. The blog Traveling with Baby is currently hosting a giveaway for a Quo Vadis Equology Minister planner! All you have to do is answer the question, "What works for you to keep track of your family’s schedule and your to-do list?" in the comments section to win. Detailed information about the planner is also in the blog post, so go check it out!

Signing out,

- Emily

On the Hunt for the Perfect Planner

For those who have seen my recent Twitter update, I am currently unsatisfied with my current, mundane and inadequate planner, and on the hunt for a better one. However, my mind works in strange and mysterious ways, so finding a planner is both a big deal and very difficult for me. Here is a list of planners that have caught my eye thus far (in no particular order):

1. Quo Vadis Trinote: What I especially like about this planner is that the layout is organized by time, which would allow me to write in each appointment in the appropriate time and better plan out my day. There is also room at the bottom of each column and at the end of the week for extra assignments and such.

2. Rhodia Weekly: A very fashionable layout, and contemporary design. However, the graph paper note section might make reading what you write more difficult.

3. Quo Vadis Notor: I really liked this daily planner when I saw it. However, I don't know how anyone is supposed to write in that tiny little header area at the top of each page where the hours are listed.

4. Moleskine 12 months Daily Planner: Really cute, and the layout is so simple that it might be just perfect - the thickness and the somewhat insane price tag turn me off, though.

5. Busy Body Book: I actually found this in a post on how parents can help kids be more organized in school. The different block areas, combined with a to-do list on the side, seem very appealing.

As of now, I have not decided on a planner to test out. If anyone has used any of these and has a recommendation, I would love to hear it.

Signing out,

- Emily

Hello Kitty Hi-Tec-C 0.3 mm

[Purchase]

Price: $27.00 (9-color set)

Overall: I am a HUGE Hello Kitty fan - plushies, stationery, bedspread, you name it, I've got it. So I was overjoyed when JetPens was kind enough to send me this pen for testing. Thanks, JetPens!

My thoughts? This pen is very bright, a sort of orange-y red (or reddish orange, I should say). Writing-wise it takes a little time to get started, and can be scratch-y when it first hits the paper. The Hello Kitty charm on the cap can apparently come off and be put on different pens in the Hi-Tec-C line, but I most likely won't do that.

I've never tried a Hi-Tec-C before, but other than the Hello Kitty cap, this pen isn't blowing me away. I think I'll stick with my Signo DX's.

Pros:

- adorable cap

- very fine point

Cons:

- ink is hard to read

- the charm on the cap throws off the weight of the pen

- tip is scratchy

Detail: As mentioned, this pen has a 0.3 mm. One thing I like is that the top is especially fine - finer than my 0.28 mm Signo DX - and the needle point makes it great for people trying to cram a lot of writing into a small space. The orange ink is sort of hard to see, making this particular pen best for discreet notes and such. However, if you want to purchase this pen, JetPens only sells it in a set along with all the other Hello Kitty Hi-Tec-C's, so you'd have a chance to experiment with all the different ink colors. Personally, I kind of wish I had requested the black pen so I could compare it alongside my Black Signo DX to really get a full evaluation.

Rating: 6.5/10

(to be fair, I was considering a higher rating, but I took into consideration the level of utility for this pen, which is not very high at all)

Note: What do you think of the new rating style? I thought the old format got overly rambling at times, so I am trying out this new format. Basically, if you want to read the overview in my handwriting from the photo, go ahead and you can skip right to the pros/cons afterwards. I only typed out the overview below the photo for those who don't want to read from a photo or for those with impairments that require screen readers to view web pages. I want to make sure this blog is as user-friendly and accessible as possible so please leave me your feedback if you have any! Thank you for reading!

Signing out,

- Emily

Uni-ball Alpha Gel Slim UPDATE

For those of you who are interested in the Uni-ball Alpha Gel Slim mechanical pencil I previously blogged about, but are not very interested in the 0.3 mm lead, Jetpens now has the black version of this pencil in 0.5 mm lead as well. Both versions retail for the same $12.00.

Just a brief update. Stick around for more pen reviews coming soon (I am currently proofreading one to be released in the near future and making another order from Jetpens soon).

Signing out,

Emily