Thursday, January 06, 2011

The Mole: a short-lived love affair

So, I guess it's time for another update from my part, especially considering that we just started a new year and how important that is for us planner addicts.


Last month saw me trying out my Moleskine Planner, and quite enjoying it. I even had moments when I would daydream about just sticking with it all year long.
But just like when you are fantasizing about someone, finally get to make out with them, you don't want them anymore, I stopped enjoying the Mole. I simply realised it was no match to my always loyal and submissive Filofax!


I'm not saying that I now dislike the Mole, I just stopped being blinded by its novelty and noticed all it was lacking.
Here is the list of all the requirements it just didn't met, in order to be 'Favourite planner of the year'

- it was a 'Week on a page' format, with the next page being ruled. I extended the days horizontally across the lined page in order to make my day spaces bigger, but even so,
- the small daily space had me cramming all info in a very tiny handwriting. This ended up mixing stuff to do and stuff done, thus creating confusion.
- Not having a Notes section meant I had to write them on the daily space I had created, and it also intermingled with my other stuff... so I couldn't figure out my Notes from my Done things.
- there was absolutely no place for keeping my Financial Tracking, so I still had to use my Filofax for that. Planner redundancy!
- No Pockets for me to keep my post-its, my receipts, nail file, small sketchbook, forced me to carry all these separately, so my bag was messier and I didn't even use the sketchbook.
- Without a pen loop I had to carry my pen in my bag pocket, which sometimes I would forget.


These are  all specific features,easy to pinpoint and describe.


But how do I explain the feeling I got when I pulled the Mole out in the train, for instance, and just felt like yet another person using a Mole, which I didn't feel with my Filofax?
Or that 'chill-out' mood of a Mole against the more serious and professional approach of the Filofax? I mean 'chill-out guy' is cool for strolls along the beach, in the summer, without a care in the world, but let's face it. My life isn't like that. Especially in this lousy weather, and the hustle and bustle of a big city. So yes, the Filofax's reliability and professionalism is what suits me best here. (Even though my Filofax is rasperry coloured, with quite a lot of pictures of my cats, and cat stickers, and drawings inside the notes section, etc.).


I have not archived the Mole though. I still have it at home and write in it occasionally depending on my mood. And when I do, I really like it!


(Note: I will add pictures later on, as I'm writing this during my lunch break at work.)

1 comment:

Laurie said...

Oni, I know exactly what you mean about feeling like "just another person using a Moleskine!" They are so ubiquitous, they do lack that personal feeling a Filofax has.

I'm glad you tried the Mole, even if only to realize your Filofax is best for you! :)

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