(NOTE to all the picture people...pretend...)
As most of my posts (and many of my comments on your
blogs/videos) have shown, I have been struggling with the “A5 or Personal?” question.
I am not alone in this. Someone ought to do a study of the percentage of blogs
that touch on this all-consuming dilemma. (Really, this is not my fault. I
blame you. Every time I watch your videos/read your blogs, I want what you
have.)
In my last FF-related post, I had the brilliant idea
to take the diary out of my Personal since it wouldn’t be needed when at work
or out ‘n about. I was committed to sticking with this for the month of July.
Well, I should BE committed for even thinking that was possible. You foolish
girl! In the first 4 days I needed the calendar three (!) times.
So while I was adding the diary pages back into the
Personal, I had another brilliant thought. (because I’m full of ‘em.)
It occurred to me that for all of my whining about how much
I love the A5, “but it’s just too big, it’s just too heavy”…I had never
actually carried my A5 out of the house. What? How can you make assumptions
then? That’s right, into my handbag went the A5. I was very good. I actually
did carry it everywhere for the whole week.
A funny thing happened, tho. I didn’t like carrying it with me. But not because it’s big. I carry big
bags, so that’s not a problem. And, believe it or not, not because it’s heavy
(2 lbs. vs. 1 lb. for my Personal). I mean, really. If you’re carrying a 6 lb.
bag, what’s another lb.? (Why can’t I say that when I step on the scale?!)
I wish I could describe this in a way that won’t piss off
all the A5 lovers. The A5 just felt cumbersome and…uncool. It was like pulling a textbook out of my bag. It was like
it didn’t belong there. It was like…pulling out a flip phone instead of a
smartphone. (If you’re keeping track, that’s 2 groups I have now pissed off.)
Now the Personal…a completely different feeling. When it is stuffed,
it’s like the Pillsbury Doughboy of Filofaxes…it’s small and happy and it’s got
that cute little belly.
So I will keep my A5 at home as a home management binder.
Sitting on my desk is where it should live…it looks right at home there. I do
love it and plan on using it every day. (More on that next time.)
I have made the decision!! I am committed to the Personal FF
being the everyday FF that I carry with me. “Uh huh. Sure, Allee.”
To be fair the A5 is large and heavy. But is it heavy because people just put too much in them purely because they can.. Personally I'm tall with very large man size hands so for me it not a big problem but I can understand it could be for others..
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point. I'm 5'2" (at least that's what I say...the nurse that took my vitals last visit seems to think I am shorter than that) so it probably does feel larger to me than to you.
DeleteI'm a big A5 fan, but then I'm a teacher, so really just schlepping it from class to class along with a heap of books/papers/folders etc. and then I only have a 10 minute walk from home, so I'm not the perfect test subject for being annoyed at having to carry stuff! My teaching planner is not overstuffed so I really don't notice the bulk/weight.
ReplyDeleteI've just started using a personal size as a wallet (moving up from the mini) but the real test will be if I can cope with BOTH in my bag after the summer break!
Yes, I can see where a teacher would need an A5. I don't use any of my planners for work. I keep that stuff on my work computer and don't need it when I leave the office. So my dilemma has been on the personal info, notes, lists, etc.
DeleteI used a slimline as a wallet for awhile and liked it, room-wise. But when I was going back and forth on the A5 vs Personal, I switched to a mini and that works even better for me. All I carried in my wallet were cards (credit, debit, gift, insurance) anyway, so the mini is a nice size for that. Although, I don't have a pocket yet...hmmm...
I carry a pocket as a wallet and have to keep the diary updated as I need to make appointments when out and about BUT then I have to remember to synch that diary with my big old A5 at home. I am considering using a personal as a wallet and swopping the personal diary in and out of my A5 depending on whether I am at home or not. Not sure....
ReplyDeleteOh, THAT"S an interesting idea! I'm doing the sync thing between the A5 and Personal. I will have to think on that...swapping vs syncing, that's a good one. Thanks!
DeleteOh, my gosh! That's exactly how I feel about the A5 - that it's uncool. I just said that to my husband a couple of days ago. I told him I was embarrassed to pull it out of my purse because it's so giant. It's like everyone's looking at me and thinking what a nerd I am. Now, I am a nerd so I don't mind being thought of as a nerd but this is different. It doesn't feel right. I don't like being the center of attention over my planner.
ReplyDeleteBut when I pull out my personal FF or FC Compact, it seems appropriate and wise and smart. People are impressed with how organized I am. Again, I'm not one to care what people think but I don't like how I look pulling out an A5.
At the same time, when someone has an A5, I don't judge them or think they look uncool. It's just me.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It's nice to know I'm not the only one.
Oh, and I loved this line: (Really, this is not my fault. I blame you. Every time I watch your videos/read your blogs, I want what you have.) So true!
Thanks Patty! I am so glad you understood what I was trying to say. I actually took out that word "uncool" because I didn't want to offend anyone. But it does describe the feeling so I ended up going with it.
Delete"Appropriate and wise and smart"...exactly! The A5 made me feel old-fashioned. The Personal makes me feel like I've got it all together (obviously, I don't...but at least I look that way!)
I have both an A5 & a personal, & my A5 stays at home for for when I need more space for writing or planning projects. When I last went abroad, I used my personal as a wallet & for all my essential paperwork. It felt like just the right size & one day when I was out & about, someone asked me where I'd got my cute clutch bag from!
ReplyDeleteWas it a zipped Personal? I bet that would look like a clutch. I haven't been drawn to the zipped ones YET, but using one as a clutch sounds like a great idea.
DeleteI LOVE the way you described the planner as being "uncool" to pull out its true. i have a backpack that i use for work and at the end of the day carrying an a5 won't be a huge issue, i spend most of my time in my desk and i love my a5 space but really i try to use just one planner and taking that a5 out to check dates in meetings, doctors office of just everyday seems so bizarre and awkward
ReplyDelete