Prudence and Madness

With the number of pretty journals/organizers coming out, it’s more than tough trying to pick which ones to buy and use (and sometimes from the ones bought, even hard to pick just one to constantly use).  And actually, one of my guilty pleasures (or maybe vicious habits) is buying pretty notebooks/journals/organizers even though I don’t use all of them (yes, I am a tree-killer).  Usually it’s the nice covers that did me in, but of course, if I’m going to use it as a journal or an organizer, I need more than just a pretty cover to inspire me to write and the actual space to write the words in.  The notebook in question should also be as functional as I need it to be.

For the most part, I’ve used Starbucks planners for my organizing my disorganized (and still disorganized) self.  I consider it my standard, and so when I come across something new, I’ve to compare it to my standard.

And this time, I’m going to compare the new journal from FreeSpeech Publications called “This Journal Will Actually Change Your Life.”

First stop, of course, is the cover.

It’s the first thing that will catch your attention so this is one of those important factors which will make you buy a product.  It should appeal to your sense of beauty.  Personally, covers are important for me, especially when I’m writing creatively because it’s a source of inspiration; it can encourage me more to write especially when I feel too lazy to do it.

I love the Starbucks 2008 Planner’s soft leather cover.  I know some people are a bit puzzled by the garterized clasp, but I do see it as practical.  I don’t need a planner that’s too bulky and going soft  is definitely a plus in this case.  It looks like something you’d buy in a specialty store and not just in any other regular bookstore (though, of course, most people, at the sight of it, knew already that it’s a Starbucks planner.  But that’s another matter).  I also love that there’s a pen holder right on the inside of the soft leather binder.  That’s the right place for a pen specifically assigned to writing in my journal.

I love that FreeSpeech’s journal is in black, but I absolutely hate that “this journal will actually change your life!!! 2009″ has to be written in such big letters all over the front cover.  I know it’s their products byline.  But it would have been prettier if they chose to print it in smaller letters in the middle or even in one of the corners of the cover.  Also, I find that there’s nothing wrong in just having “My Journal 2009″ on the cover, whenever it may be written, as long as it’s not distracting.  If there’s something that I absolutely hate about this journal, it’s the letters on the cover.  Seriously.  I think they overdid the “being different” in this part.

The next most important part for me is the space alloted for jotting down schedules.

I like that Starbucks stuck with the weekly schedule.  Month schedules are handy, of course, and useful in seeing the over-all “busyness” picture for that particular month.  But there are just so much more than just writing “events here” and “X’s birthday”.  So many things happen everyday, and there should be a lot of space dedicated for writing the different stuff that happens on a daily basis.  I, for one, sort of mix the work and the personal type of notes and it’s common that I’d be jotting down some brief notes on what I’m thinking during that day, together with my meeting and other project dates.

FreeSpeech’s journal also used the weekly schedule but I find the spaces not enough for all my notes.  It would have been better if there are only two dates to a page.  Even my saturdays and sundays can get busy too, you know!

Third most important is the space for the extraneous notes.

I, for one, like to jot down random things I find in my everyday life in the notes section of my planner, like URLs I see in magazines, quotes I like which I get from the books I read, and even names of persons I meet, whom I can’t just place yet in my addressbook.  It’s also the place for my doodles.  So I really need a lot of space.

I liked that Starbucks planner is ringbound and that I could add more pages to it when I want to.  Usually I gather old loose leaf pages from my other notebooks and then place them in my Starbucks planner for more space.  The ringbind lets me to customize my planner in any which way I want.  I could even insert a plastic envelope!  See what I did to my planner:

The envelope is for the other stuff I need to keep in the planner, like blank prescription papers, business cards, coins, some P20 bills (as extra money in case my wallet gets stolen), and important receipts.

But I can’t do this to the FreeSpeech’s journal.  Though it is neatly bound and the paper is of good enough quality, still I miss being able to insert papers in sections I feel needed more space.

FreeSpeech’s journal, though, has its own unique pages:

I like that neat little hourglass cartoon.  It says the number of days left in the year!

Fun pages filled with trivia!  This can help you get through a boring hour

A phone/addressbook!  I do need a hardcopy one, and not just rely on my cellphone’s

Pretty handy, of course

Overall, I still like Starbucks planner as it contains most of the functions that I need, except for the phonebook, which the FreeSpeech journal has.  The distinct advantage of Starbucks planner, for me, is that I can add pages to it.  The advantage of the FreeSpeech journal is that it’s full of fun pages one will never get bored.  But what makes me not want it is that I didn’t like the cover being splattered with the loud letters.  It could have been done in a less obtrusive way.

I still like the Starbucks planner, though.  But still, thanks for FreeSpeech Publications for sending over their journal for review.  Also, I’d encourage others who like the FreeSpeech’s journal format to actually buy it because proceeds of the planner sales will go to building schools and wells and planting of trees all over the world.  At least, you’d be able to help, while, at the same time, have a journal to suit your needs.

How about you?  What do you think about the Starbucks planner and the new FreeSpeech’s journal?  Please leave your thoughts in the comments section!