It took one paper agenda, and I'm back into the agenda dependance. What was I doing before? Yes, I had a palm pilot. Not like those matter anymore, since palm's got out of the market and the closest thing for them is a smartphone such as a Blackberry, which I don't have and about which I've been thinking quite some. I still have my Sony Ericsson Vivaz (and a Nokia with full QWERTZ keyboard. QWERTZ because it's Hungarian, mind you), and though it still works, I'm seriously considering - after experiencing my QWERTZ keyboarded phone - getting a different type of phone. So really, how did I do it before I've got myself an agenda again?
I remember that the thing that slowly lead me to transition towards the electronic devices - and later on to my mobile phone was basically a matter of space. From day planner to day planner, to finally a filofax-like small planner, I've got to my palm, which I loved because it didn't entail the annyoing routine of transfering your contact info from one agenda to the other, or noting birthdays and other cyclic data all over again. Palms and phones basically take care of that, just by entering the data ONCE and then telling them that it's a recurring something. As result I also included all the TV shows and movies I wanted to check on. Yes, you can do that on your paper agenda as well, but we hardly do it, right? Right. On your phone, on the other hand, it's not only there, not only can you note that The Big Bang Theory starts on Warner Brothers at 18.00h, but it also beeps to remind you. That you would remember by your own to watch White Collar by your own every Tuesday? Good for you! I might remember, White Collar, but I'd most likely forget watching shows I'm interested in but which don't feature such prominently handsome lead actors. :-)
However, as I moved back to paper agendas, basically because I've got one as present from someone I love very much, I suddenly found myself doing more with my agenda. Noting astrological and meteorogical notes, keeping track of stuff, adding all sorts of lists, pasting loose notes for blog posts and so on, not to mention the space to pick any fairly empty past day page and fill it up with notes for whatever project or jot down and so on. How do you do that on a phone?
I'm two months away from the next year, even less if we consider the Decemberian chaos that overtakes stores, so as I look around Filofax, Day Runner and other online stores for a new agenda that will suit my taste and needs, and think about what shall we do with 2013.
2 comments:
I love paper agendas. People have been trying to get me to switch over to phone agendas forever... and then I hear them complain when a phone goes dead (and can't notify them of anything), or info gets lost or deleted, or something happens... while I just flip mine open and there it is. I don't even need a charger if the electricity goes out. I know where I'm going, so long as I keep it away from water and remember to have it on me with a pen that works.
My current favourite agenda that I've used so far was found at the Dollar Store. Unusual for me, since I tend to like the more expensive, larger ones from places like Staples. But lately, I've been wanting a very narrow, small one that isn't heavy to carry. And I'm never without it! The trick is to find one you actually like and will use. Then get in the habit of keeping it with you.
Dear Bebe Taian,
You indeed make an excellent point in this matter. Actually water is also a threat to your smartphone, except that there were water would destroy part of your entries in your paper planner, with the electronical planners you loose everything. Usually.
I loved my palm because it synched with my laptop, so I always had a backup for my notes, and I must admit that I loved how small it could be, how well it fit into even my smallest clutch, and how things needed to be noted only once, and repetitions were handled by a simple click. But that was my palm and the era of PDA's has long gone, replaced by smartphones, which somehow aren't just as great as PDA's used to be.
My only concerns with paper are their bulky size, and having to single handedly write down every repetition to some cyclic activity or program. Space can also be a matter, as pages and spaces are only so big, while digital agendas expand to fit all you need to note down.
However paper is flexible about colors, about the freedom of quickly joting something down - which can't be often done with digital calendars where you have to go throught the whole process of typing with one or two fingers, maybe even open the keyboard first - but also to draw. I'm not talking about a work of art, but I mean stuff like drawing a flow chart to connect ideas for an activity, or even a simple road map to find the place for a meeting.
Then there's the copying, the pasting, leaving IN your agenda the tickets of the concert for a given day, the card of the person you need to call, the map for a trip you are taking, the reservation documents for a weekend and so on.
All in all, I'm thining you are right, ^_^ It's time to go back to paper.
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