My 2023 Planners

It's been awhile since I posted anything here or my VM blog. Even on my art and photography blogs to. The past fue years have been a bit messy, I’m hoping that this year will be different and I can be more focussed on every thing.

So lets begin with my planners and journals for this year.

This year I will be using 3 planners. All are Hobonichi weeks mega. I got the mega weeks as at the time I got them the mega ones were the only ones that the journal shop had in stock.

Im not overly one for bright note books but for some reason I was drawn to these three bight colours.

The first on is the Tropical Yellow.

This one is my work planner. It's going to have my to do lists, job due dates meeting notes. I work in a film lab so in the back it's going to have chemical mix's. 

The yearly overview I will be using as a tracker, I'll only be taking two things days that I have a red ball and when spend my lunch time drawing - I have a A4 sketchbook at work that Ive started using, so I can spend my break drawing after I've eat rather then going for walk which then ends up with me buying stuff.  I want to stop drinking red ball and other energy drinks. So seeing this on the yearly spread will be encouraging.

As you can see so far I haven't been that good

On the yearly pages I'm write down when I've changed chemicals and when I need to re-make them, when any jobs are due.

The weekly pages I use to list any orders I need to place, jobs Ive taken in and there dead line things I need to do or done. 

This one I possible won't post too many photos of but it may post some a lot later in the year.

Next up is my personal planner which is the Fresh Green.

This will have todos for my home, things I've done, brought, and  journaling in the back.

The yearly overview will be used as a no spend tracker,  each day high lighting wen I don't buy anything (food and drink dose not count) if I do buy anything then how much.

The monthly overview I mark when I've watered my plants, days off appointments.

I have a tracker in the back for when I water and feed my plants

I'm using the Stalogy Forest dots to mark on my weekly and monthly pages when i have watered plants. 

The weekly pages I list what I need to do and anything that I or we have done

Again possible not one I will be sharing a lot of.

Last year I kept my weeks in side one of my traverlers notebooks, I may do the same thing this year.

The last one is my social media planner in the lagoon blue. 

I have it all tabbed up with the Kokuyo Jibun Tech Index Tabs From the journal shop. I like that these are nice and slim, I have found that as they are made so they can be repositioned easily that on occasions the thin toemoe river paper has court the corner of the tab and I've had pages stuck together.

Let's start at the front.

The yearly is going to be tracker each think that I want to track is on the top & bottom, each habit has a letter to represent it. At the end of each month I aim to count up how many days I spent on a habit and put it at the top.

The monthly views, at the bottom I'm putting goals - no more then 3 as I find that over whelming. On the calendar I'll be putting the post posted, if I've drafted one.

On the weekly pages I have things I need to to for a post, and when it's done, &things I've done. I'm not overly one for decorating my planners but this one I want to. To make it more encouraging to do more. - As of yet I have not done that much but I want to.

In the back pages I've got three sections.  The first one is to mark the stat of the note pages -the tab from the set is my news. The second is my goals, the tab - there wasn't a tab for goals so I'm using life plan.

The third I have a marked for the long reads that I have and am writing. - I may abandon some of these, so here I can write down the current word counts weather I am close to finishing so I can see if it's worth finishing.

The forth and final section is the last 26 pages. Space for me to look reflect on each month and finally the year. So I can see how and what I've done.

So...  These are my 3 planners for the year of 2023, I'm also going to be using sketchbooks and a travelers notebook as a creative journal through out the year as well as I have planners for some other journals / study journals, which I well post about as I start them.

As well as quite a bit of creative writing that I have been doing but have just not typed up and posted.

So happy new year - yes it maybe almost at the end of January, but still happy new year. xxx

Check out my Instagram to see more photos of planners and journals @ myconfusedworld 

The Exorcist: Behind The Fan Fiction Long Read. (A year in the making)

The Exorcist fan-fiction piece that I have wrote was inspired by the TV series 'The Exorcist' - which was inspired by the 1971 book by William Peter Blatty. Which was made In to a film in 1974.

Session 1 was aired in 2016 and after series 2 finished in December 2017 I had a random impulse to write something along the same lines. Which rapidly  became a fan fiction piece, as well the plan was for it to only be 1000 words 2000 at the most. 
But my imagination ran away with me and it ended on 43176 words -thats 88 pages, text size 13 in font Times.

I always date my notes weather they are in a paper notebook, on my phone or computer so looking back through my note book I know that I started the original idea on December 14th 2017, and I finished writing it on the 14th of December 2018.

The original idea.

The original idea was it to a short piece, written as an interview, talking about past events that lead to an exorcism. which burning present events turns out did not work. Leaving the end open for me to write the next piece later. 

I'm not even rely sure what turned it in to what it is. I did not go out to write a fan fictional piece, it just happened. 

I had watched season 1 and 2 of The Exorcist and really enjoyed it. 

In early 2018 they announced that Fox would not be picking it up for a 3rd season leaving fans disappoint. 

I had already themed my short piece in to fan fiction so I can not say that the cancellation was the reason for.

The writing proses 

The whole thing was write on an iPhone 4s, which has no SIM card making it a iPad / iPod. I was mostly using it for the camera, but when I start writing the exorcist I stated the notes on this and continued as it started drafting it, then I would send section by section to my computer. So as you reed though you will see (*) this marks a new note started on the iPhone, that's 18 notes. 

I'd work on it on the bus trip in to work, lunch breaks, and on the bus home. Which meant at least 2 and half hours a day, 5 days a week I was working on it. In by March I had written over 20,000 words, and I was planing to have it done my June, but in March I changed my job which meant I was walking to work and I end up only working on it for 1 hour day. 

Despite writing this all on the iPhone I still kept hand written notes in an insert in my Traveler's notebook. which just made it easier if I had an idea to add, create a timeline,  even some little sketches for events.

What I would edit.

I have thought about editing so that it is not a fan-fiction piece. Which would be quite easy to do. I would possible lose Mouse or Tomas's character. And make Marcus's a little more 'broken' I suppose.  

If it was to stay as a fan fiction it would be part of the time line moving it so that the reason Marcus left mouse in the hands of another priest to conduct her exorcism, was he a see his friends call for help. 

There are several things that I want to add, which I have list off. Which I will add it (and repost). It's just my mind and imagination works faster them the fingers and dyslexic head can type.

I had the idea to put extractions of the filmed interview with in the piece. thats why you may find ‘interview’, in random places. I might put it in when or if I do a better edit of this.

The images 

At different points through the piece I have put an images to break up the text. 

The pictures are of ink in water, which I took back in 2016, when I was work on some album cover work for a friend. Using the 'Phonto' app for iPhones and iPads. I used a mix of different filters and themes.

I know that some of the images are not that good, I don't have photo shop (and I only started using it 2 weeks ago at work, and do not yet have it my self.) I'm pretty sure that there are a lot of spelling mistakes and punctuation and grammar cock ups. I proof and edit myself so there are always going to be mistakes. (sorry xx)

You can read the compleat thing here:  The Exorcist (Inspired By The Tv Series)

Job Search Journal.

We have all been there. weather it be, looking for a new job while working or looking for a job while out of work (for what ever reason it may be).

Some times its easy to find to a new job and other times it can be a nightmare.

I wont lie my personal experience in finding a job has mostly been a long and painful proses.

I’ve always kept track of what I have applied for in my planer and in my email. But after randomly going though Pinterest I came across some images of Job application bullet journals. 

Which got me thinking about the whole proses of job hunting. but manly the way to track what you have applied for, what your priorities or values that you want in a job.

In a bullet journal you can track what ever you want. weather that be hobbies (painting/drawing, writing, knitting.), saving money (days when you don’t spend, taking a pack lunch to work, a Saving challenge). your moods. 

So having a notebook dedicated just to job searching could be a productive helpful way of seeing, were your going wrong in your search, what you want out of a job, and just adding a bit of positivity to the task (especially if you are out of work)

I am no professional recruiter or a guru in motivational speaking this is purely form personal experience and what I feel would work for me. And might help and inspire some one else.

I’m using a girded A5 notebook from Paperchase, (Its been sitting around with some random notes in it so I have repurposed it.)

Rather then just listing jobs that I have applied for and companies that I have emailed I have set up some pages which should help, encourage and inspire in away.

The first Pages are for my job history. so jobs that are on my CV and jobs that are not as well as any voluntary work.

this way if I’m  filling in an applications that dose not want my CV I can refer to these pages and put any other Information in to the application that might not be on my CV.

Hobbies and Interests. sometimes it is easy to forget about adding this to you CV. Personal I think Its important to show that you hobbies and intreats, it shows that you do things outside work, if you attend an art workshop or a class  pop it on there. It also shows a bit about your personality. 

What alwas sticks in my mind is being told not to put socialising with friends down, as a possible employer may see it as “you like going out clubbing”

For me this section will have my art and blogs, visiting galleries and museums. 

My next spread is for Strengths, Weaknesses and Areas of growth. (looking back on it now I should have giving it 3 pages. And yes have spelt strengths wrong but this book is just for me.)

The reason that I think these should be over three pages is that that they going to end up being a combination of person and professional, if not three pages then one page for each  heading and then divided in half. In the weaknesses section for me would be that I am dyslexic.

All these pages are to help you create an insight in to how work in work. and how you can improve 

The next two pages I feel are important to have. Personal values and Work values. 

(again these two cam from prettyprintsandpaper.com )

Personal values for me would be not working sundays, so I can spend the day as a family.

Where as work values, things like they don't expect me to take work home with me. I’ve been in jobs where it got to a point where they would Just be put down for over time with out asking and when I said I was unable to do it I was made to feel guilty for having a life out side of work. So a company that dose not expect me to do every bit of overtime offered.

Deal Breakers, this could be anything from the amount of travel needed to get to work, the type of job. for me bar work is not good for my anxiety.

Networking sites. 

these are sites that can be used, that have a one line chat groups or have an section where you can post projects (bit a portfolio part to it). This aloes you to show your creative side, with it be art or writing, such sites as The Dots and Stage 32. The dots is pretty much off any one where Stage 32 is for those in the Entertainment industry. (and yes I spelt sites wrong)

The last page is for the job sites to check. sometimes it is easy to forget what sites to check. Or even companies that you might want to work for that you want to check.

This book is not just for  listing what jobs have been applied for but also so for any notes from youtube videos or site posts with tips or advice on job searching, filling in applications and interviews. 

Try to keep it a positive place, with quotes and the occasional picture. 

 I hope that some of you might find this help. 

My Bullet Journal.

Last month- start of June I decided to start a bullet journal. If you don’t no what a bullet journal is, I wont going to it but you follow the link to the bullet Journal web sit you can check out the product and watch a video, or go over to Youtube and check out the 100s of videos over there.

BulletJournal.com

Despite my OCD angel screaming down my ear, as I really don’t like the idea of starting planners mid year. So after watching videos and looking through pintrest at peoples layouts and how they were using theres, I worked out how I was going to use mine. The main part of it is Habit trackers, personal and Blog tracking I also intend to keep notes on what I have done on my days off - this being because I can be a tad lazy sometimes and get distracted, so this way I can see what I have been doing through the day.

 Above: left hand page is my blog tracking  and on the right is June's Instagram challenge list.

Blank pages make good doodle pages

 I am trying to be good with what I eat and drink this month, but not snaking so much and eating chips and other junk food, so in the above image, the right page is my junk food tracker each day that I don't eat crap it gets a purple square, I am hoping that this page will be mostly Purple by the end of the month.

I have already decided how the below page will change in August. 

Blogging with a full time day job can be hard work, I say ‘can’ because when I started this blog I had no problem in posting something each week, I’d work on something during my Lunch breaks and tea breaks, then type it up when I got home. Now I get home I get distracted by Facebook Tumblr, Youtube. ( Last year I could understand as we had a very unpleasant little manager who destroyed every ones will to do anything and confidence and then left). Its not like I don’t have any content to post, in fact I have nearly two notebooks full of drafted posts and notes. Which brings me to the next lot of pages, Draft articles. Here I plane to each month list all the post that are drafted, weather that be still in my notebook, or typed up and ready to put on to on to my blog. The idea be hind it is to give me a kick to  get them posted.

Yes I draft 90% of my posts in long hand, I find it more inspiring then searching through files for notes and posts.

The almost last pages of the month is my shear tracker so I know where and what I have sheared where.

The way that I am using this book is not quit a bullet journal as I set out for it to be. but it is working for me.

Hello 2016

                                   

It is little over a week into 2016 and I have already managed to get myself back into old routine that for me over 2 years.

If I can keep this up,  I’ll be very happy. and hopefully I will succeed in achieving my goal’s for this year.

The past two years were not my friends, With distractions, bad vibes and people, and some big changes at work with a complete staff change with in two months, its been very much a mental and emotional roller coaster. 

So this new year is the all about keeping mind in a good place and not letting myself slip in to a dark rut with bad habits.

My Goals for 2016.

Clear mind and sole:

This may should like a strange title for this.

Its about creating a pleasant space to work and live in. tiding my home, clearing my desk from the pile of books and notebooks. My work space to work, my looker and my folders. 

Write books not Blogs:

Well maybe a bit of both. have notebooks full of ideas and posts just awing to be typed and published.

The plan is to post 3 time a month minimum. on my Vm post a new post at lest once month with a lot of past post editing 

Shout don’t whisper:

this is very much linked to the blogs, it is to be more active on social media, posting links to new posts and old posts. 

A book a day:

Well not really a book a day, a least to read every day on the bus home and on my break.

Art:

year before last (2014) I filled up 20 sketchbooks. Last year (2015) I filled up two. so this year I really want to do more drawing. 

I am thinking doing a sketch a day for one month then see if I can carry it on longer. I also have the “Anti Journal” which i want to work through.

52 Lists:

I found this book on Pintrest. each week you list things such as your goals for the year, your favourite books, music, I followed the like to amazon but found it was sold out. But I did found that i could view inside, and found that it had shots of the contents pages. So I took not of the lists and I am using a Moleskine sketchbook to create my own.

I have all my goals listed in my Midori along with a home made week to a view planer where I am writing a quote a day, or at least a note, its all inspiring.

I hope that i can keep up with the routine that I have got back in to so quickly and that I can complete my goals for this year and maybe even create more.

Wishing all a good 2016. Xx

My Notes: UpComing Posts

With an empty purse, little under a week till pay day and a few days off, it is all about writing, blogging, drawing, and creating. (May be a little window shopping on the internet.)
Having tied up my desk and I have sitting beside me my note books, Traveler's notebooks and sketchbooks siting beside me waiting to be filled, and content typed up.
It has been a while scene I had the mental energy to really writing anything. It has been as thought someone had put a sack over my head and rapped me in chains and put me in a box. But over the past week I have had an inspiration wave and energy, writing notes when ever I can, in cafe’s, on the bus, train. If I don't have a notebook to hand then I turn to my phone, My poor little Nokia phone I don't think has every been used so much, as it can only hold 30 notes the saved text's are quite high.
I have lists of future posts and projects to do and write about. I am just hoping that this enlightened energy lasts.

• Film reviews: I started with one at the beginning of this year with 'The Only Lovers Left Alive'. I have notes on more films, and after my last post on '100 Films By Female Directors', and with some of the ones I have already seen that have been directed by a woman now seams like know better time to writer about them.
• Closed doors: This is a short store that I have been writing. It tells the store of a glamorise relationship between an English actor and his University sweet heart. yet all the glamor dose not hide all the cracks. I have been working on this scene the end of last year Its not going to be a lengthy piece. around about the length of 'Diary of depression'. Planing to post the first draft at the start new year.
• Diary of depression: I am currently on the next draft working through changing and improving.
• Notebook of a girl: This is a continuing series of posts, which I have to admit I am not 100% sure were it is go to go. It is some what of a evolving peace that is mostly inspired by things that I see, Written through a fictional girl, who’s own life is still some what of a mystery to myself. This is more of an spontaneous series of posts to be honest.
• Bonnie: Ever scene I was a teenager I have always been interesting in Bonnie and Clyde and wanted to write a fictional story loosely based on these two character. Which I have now started to draft out. I think that I will be posting it along the same way that I have with Notebook of a girl. as a series.
• 50 blog posts ideas for when you have writers blog: I have read a lot of these lists over the past few months over Bloglovin’. All of which are very samey. ‘whats in your bag’ ‘shear your blog tips’ I have saved 10 lists and I am planing to create my own with a little of my originality (I hope).
• EarthBound: Another little short story, This has a little religious them to it, well an angelic theme. This was inspired by my Drama Monologue 'Lucifer’s Prayer'.
• Alone again: On the back Burner short story. I go back to it every now and then. Its a fair ground romance that I started in 2012
• Bethany: This is another on the back burner story. this one I stared in 2012. A vampire story with out to much lovey dovey romance. I not a fan of that with horrors or vampire stories.
• In depth post on; Closed doors, EarthBound, Alone again and Bethany: I’ll show you my note books with research and the drafts, and the random little sketch’s that I do when I get the idea of how I want something to look, It helps me to visualise and describe what I want.
• Scripts: These are form when I was in college studying Drama they go form witch’s, war poetry, classic children's stories, to some very weird and disturbing themes. This may take a little longer to type and publish as all I have left are some my notes. I will do the same as I did for 'Mad Hatters Last Tea Party' and change little bits and add some up to date references. 
• The occurrence of hating people: To be a slightly comical series of posts. I started drafting this out at the start of the year, but as of yet I have no stared to type it up.
• How I'm using my planers?: This will be an follow up at the end of the year, beginning of 2016 on my Filofax and Traveler's notebooks. A n up date on the posts which I have done 'My Traveler's NoteBooks' and 'My Filofax's'.

Along with these I also have some random other posts of creative writing.  I have been looking back over my post the last day and I have found that some have drifted off of the original concept for this blog. Even though at first it was not that clear to me when I started but as time went on it be came where I could post my writing, (weather good or not) For me I was and still is an out let. Over the past year I have found myself posting revues and trip posts. My art has its own place at 'My Theory Of The Crows BlogSpot', along with my photos. Then there is my Visual Merchandising blog, 'Visual Merchandising 101', Which holds my online Portfolio, CV and all my visual merchandising notes. Both of which have been a little slow, I'm hoping now that I can once more be more creative and productive with all them.

ParkLand Walk, London.

With some time off and the summer (hopefully on its way) Decided to go along the Parkland walk, which runs from Finsbruy Park to HighGate, then if you walk through the ajoining Hiahgate woods you come out at Alexarder palace, Such a beautafull and pieceful walk.

The parkland work is a national trust walk that that runs the lengh of an old rainway line, which used to run between Finsbry park to Edgeware (which opened in 1872) The branch to Alexandra Palace followed in 1873 when the Peoples' Palace opened . Its such a beautiful walk, the nosie of trafic scilenced by the tress. 

Part the way along the walk you come across the remains of the station platform, the reminders of a world forgotten. A lonesome lamp post, (making you wonder if you have step for the craziness of London in to the quite of Narnia.

Griffitted old tunnels and brick walls with artist tags and bright colourful art work line the path. As ugly as some of it is, it brake's up the greenness of the world around. As much as it would be nice to see it cleaned off, done right this modern dislike could be made to fit in with its surroundings if it artists went with the location. Creating colourful images of flowers, fairytales and Alice In Wonderland. Modern art within the art of nature.

I also went armed with my Olympus Trip 35mm film camera, with 400 iso Black and white film, Still have to finish the film off thenI shear them on here and on my art blog, www.MyTheoryOfTheCrows.BlogSpot.com

A Lonesome Lamp Post

End of the trail at Highgate.