skyring

Fort Worth, 2005, BookCrossing convention, and I received a gift from BookCzuk, who languished in Charleston while we had Texas fun.

A couple of Levenger Circa notebooks, in response to my quest for the perfect travel journal.

Since then, I've become a huge Levenger fan. I've created travel journals, bought paper punches, spare disks, used the system to organise my tax records, and most recently I've bought a Bomber Jacket zip folio for the Circa Agenda system I'm replacing my Day-Timer with.

It arrived a few days ago (along with a bunch of accessories and refills), and I love it. Personalised, of course, with "Skyring" lettered into the pebbled leather and contrast stitching. It's gorgeous.

But too big to fit into the pocket of the cargo pants I wear when travelling. Maybe I should have got the compact size.

This is a problem, as I used my Day-Timer as a wallet, with the licence and the notes and the credit cards and stuff. I can't really carry something about the size of a hardcover novel everywhere in my hand. Especially when travelling and going through security checkpoints. In addition, the Levenger folio doesn't have an external pocket, which was handy for boarding passes.

So I returned to the Levenger site - stationer porn of the worst sort - and ordered a "Road Scholar" travel wallet, which has pockets everywhere. Handy and convenient. And beautiful.

More accessories for the Agenda. A zip pocket, a page finder.

And some 3x5 cards. Sometimes I need to jot down notes, or write stuff down when I don't have my notebook handy. They will live in a "shirtpocket briefcase", which will double as an every day wallet. I also ordered a bunch of cards with my name, website and email on, which I can hand out to passengers. Sometimes I get passengers who are interested in my travels or my photographs. Or a return trip and want my phone number to call me back later.

And all this is one of the reasons why I'm perpetually broke. But hey, I'd rather have beautiful things in my life than lots of numbers in the bank book. I only get one chance at life, and I'm beginning to appreciate that I've only got so many years left. I intend to enjoy them, and at least try to be organised in how I spend my time.

And try to be more creative. Jotting down little things that happen along the way, writing them up in full later. Making lists of things to do...

Bookczuk, I can never give enough thanks to introducing me to Levenger and Circa. I love this stuff, I love the way I'm enjoying life, and I love you.