Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Love letter to Levenger

I don't have fine china, I have everyday dishes (Fiestaware), but I know that there are people who have china that they love, but they keep it put away for special occasions. Maybe that's a good idea, I think it does make special occasions just that much more special when you get out things that you don't use all the time, like silver. I have my grandmother's silver, but the only time I ever use it is on Thanksgiving.

But that's one of the things that I've tried to get over--not with china or silver, but all of the beautiful, everyday things that are maybe too beautiful to use. Like paper. One of the guys at work came to me yesterday and said that we were out of legal pads, and did I know if we had any more. I told him that I would order some, but in the meantime, I had one that I would give him. He asked, didn't I need it myself, and I said no, I buy my own paper because I like the really expensive stuff. I think he thought that was kind of dumb, and it is, to an extent, but as we're fond of saying at work, it is what it is.

I enjoy writing by hand. It's a different thing than typing, writing makes your brain work in a different way, I think. It flexes different muscles. So if I'm going to write, I'm going to use tools that make it a pleasure. In my case, it's Levenger Circa paper (letter sized shaded annotation ruled paper, $16 for 100 sheets or Action Method Dot Grid Refills) and a Pilot Precise V5 Extra Fine Rollerball pen. Bob sometimes makes fun of me for having "special" pens; if he needs a pen, any old pen will do. If I'm just scribbling down a phone number or something, sure, any old pen and a sticky note will do. But if I'm taking extensive notes, or writing a to-do list, I want a pen that is a pleasure to use, and that makes the notes a pleasure to read later.

He has also made fun of me for having favorite eating utensils and favorite/special juice glasses. I don't care. Everyone has favorite things, and if using them makes the day better, why not? I'm always reminded of a quote I heard once--I don't remember who it was attributed to--on the order of, if you're going to eat chocolate, eat the good stuff. I apply that to just a few things in my life--sock yarn, candles, purses, and office supplies are the ones that come to mind.

While I was perusing the Levenger website, I ran across this review of their Circa Task Pads:
When I originally purchased these pads, I used them sparingly because of the cost. At some point, I realized that whatever it was that I wanted to address at a different time had a value that for me was far in excess of the 9 to 11 cents of each sheet.

I have some of those task pads (you can see one in the top photo, in a Compact-size notebook), and I, too, have felt like I needed to conserve them, but how dumb is that? If something is useful to you, use it. When I die I'm going to leave a houseful of pens and notebooks anyway, I might as well use some of them up. I stick a half dozen of these list pages in the front of my larger notebook. Then, if I'm in a meeting and think of something that I need to do, I can jot it there and move on. It's easy to remove it from the big notebook and stick it in the notebook that I keep in my purse.

I'm a big fan of Levenger Circa, if you can't tell. Everything is interchangeable, and I have a portable punch that I can use to make any paper fit into a Circa notebook, or make custom flyleaves out of scrapbook paper. It's very exciting. (I know, I'm weird.) There are three sizes--Letter (8-1/2 x 11), Junior (5-1/2 x 8-1/2), and Compact (3-3/4 x 6-3/4). The picture above shows two notebooks, a Junior size and a Compact. I switch between a Junior and a Letter size one for notes at work, and the Compact one is the one I keep in my purse. They don't really make that one anymore, or at least, they don't make much in the way of accessories for it. I just ordered 300 refill sheets in case they stop making those, too. I also keep knitting and sewing patterns in a letter-size one at home.

Oh, and you can buy 3x5 card ones, or punch your own 3x5 cards . . . This is a "swatch book" I made using a Circa 3x5 Jotlet notebook. I can drop it in my purse if I'm going to the fabric store and need to match something.

Here's a deal: Buy the Levenger Simply Irresistible Sampling Kit for $40, and get a $40 Levenger gift card that you can spend for more Circa stuff (or anything, really). Virtually free!

And here's a great article about lists and notebooks: James Altucher - How a Waiter's Pad Saved My Life