exotic planners

do i stray?!
hmm. i’m torn! so i was all set to buy another space 24 from the daily planner, as i have been happy using this format (or the 24’s l’il sister, space 17) for the past few years.

however, my trusty planner is backordered, and i have seen some things recently that have me tempted to wander away from the tried-and-true. the exotic little pretties that caught my eye come from the far east (japan and korea) and they seem to play hard to get, making them even more attractive in my eyes.

it all started when i saw this post at the well-appointed desk (fellow paper/organization fiends: add this to your reader, stat!).

japanese monthly planner with clear storage cover, available at gingko papers
gingkopaper‘s view of the inside
from the same company (mark’s japan), a weekly 2011 planner that is supposed to be customized with decorative tape.

available here. cute concept, and i love the gingham spine.
inside shot
this, i’m afraid, seemed to be just a gateway for me. discovering the above beauties led to exploration of the more whimsical planner offerings from japanese designer shinzi katoh. i actually found the best selection of these on ebay (korean ebay retailer: everyday happy smile. yes, that’s what it’s called!). the photos below are from everyday happy smile‘s product description.

just a few of the varied cover options
close-up of the cover: looks pretty sturdy
monthly checklist!? don’t mind if i do!
the weekly planning area looks cute but functional
then, there is the gorgeous korean mm/mg line. this brand is such a tease, and almost cruel, since it only seems to be available in australia (read: outrageous shipping costs). one positive is that the products are undated — perfect for a fresh start at any time!

here is their “past, present, future” weekly diary:

available here from notemaker in australia
i love this shot of a (happy) person’s agenda in use
then, there is the much-less-minimal behemoth:

behold, the daily colour in all of its glory!
with daily, weekly AND monthly pages, this notebook is likely way more planner than i need. but it’s still tempting!

love the colors! can’t tell about paper quality, though . . .
well, after all that, i’m still undecided. but i’m having fun looking at all these options! anyone have any experience with these asian brands?

in others news
✔ i BIT IT on the pavement (ie, tripped over my feet and took a rather impressive spill) yesterday during the first mile of a 9-mile run. with a bloody knee and scraped hands, there was only one thing to do: run the next 8 miles, of course! (don’t worry, i assessed myself first and decided that it was okay since my tetanus was up to date and there didn’t seem to be major injuries). however, today i am really sore on one side with point tenderness and i suspect that i cracked a rib. ouch.

✔ i appreciated your grant-writing advice yesterday! angeliki, i especially loved hearing your plan of attack.

✔ a couple of you asked about where the notebook i wrote the ‘100 things’ list can be found — it’s old, but still available online!

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10.19.10

workout: 9ish miles at ~9:20/mi. i am SO much slower than i used to be lately! perhaps it’s the lack of speedwork/true ‘training’. i’m trying not to care since speed/racing really isn’t my goal right now, but i admit it can be hard.

a break from real simple i decided that this (short) week i would forgo our usual grocery trip and just focus on using what we have! spying a bag of local bok choy + a package of tofu on the refrigerator’s bottom shelf, last night’s meal came together instantly:

classic GC tofu, baked sweet potato, and sautéed bok choy with garlic
yum. if you have never tried miss gc‘s recipe, YOU SHOULD! it produces a slightly chewy/crispy golden tofu with a savory sweetness to it that has never let me down.