Horrendous Blogging Habits and New Filofaxes

I discussed this in one of my first posts, yes? I'm a horrendously irregular blogger. There are days when the effort of typing up and adding pictures to a blog post is just too much. I know that sounds pitiful, but it's true. Then, there are times when I jones for blogging...

Maybe I should change my blog name to "Random Rori"?

Any hoo, onto today's post!

For my birthday, I ordered myself a new Filofax (after MUCH cussing and discussing with the Enabler Club about different options).  It is a light blue Topaz, which is an older design much like Amazona, only with lizard print leather (cowhide).  The insides are the same as the Amazona, though.

Here it is! It really is the most delicious shade of blue, and matches the bag (Vera Bradley pleated tote in Hope Garden) my kids got me for Mother's Day perfectly:

 When I first got the Topaz, I didn't like it. I was SO disappointed.  I still can't figure out if that was because I just loved my Cuban zip so much, or I really didn't like the Topaz.  I'm still not sure what my problem was, but I've made peace with it.  Also, it had the weirdest smell when I got it...almost like  a leather/chemical mix.  I don't know if that was the dye or what, but it has dissipated; it still doesn't smell like delicious leather, but at least it doesn't reek.

I did move right back into the Cuban after I first got the Topaz and moved into it, but then I decided that if I paid for it, I needed to be using it.  So I moved out of the Cuban again, and into the Topaz and made myself start using it.  It did correct the problems I had with the Cuban, which were 1. It didn't lie flat (the Topaz did right away) 2. The rings were SO huge they were hard to write over (the Topaz has standard size FF personal size rings, 23mm I think)

Here are some pictures of the comparison between the Topaz and the Cuban.  As you can see, the Cuban Zip (also personal size) is WAY bigger.

And here's the inside of the Topaz:

Here's some more random pictures including a "What's In My Bag" photo:

I carry from left to right:
*a pen case full of Le Pens and some random gel pens
*a Vera Bradley cosmetic bag with band aids, sanitizer gel, those tooth pick thingies with dental floss on one end, Advil, my inhaler, a reusable bag, a sewing kit, eye drops, and a small penknife in it
*another reusable bag
*Vera Bradley (no, I don't have a VB problem, why?) eyeglass holder
*Vera Bradley wallet (my kids got this for me for my birthday this year)
*my Filofax
And in the inside zipper pocket of the bag I carry various lip glosses, lipsticks, maybe a pen or two for easy access, and sometimes my Canon A2000IS point & shoot camera

I absolutely ADORE the bag, by the way, as I do all of my VB bags.

Here's a picture of the Topaz in one of the two outside pockets of my new bag, I can't believe how much smaller this is than the Cuban Zip. (Although I should have realized, because it is the same size as my Domino, duh!)

So, I'm still using the Topaz, and as far as Filofaxes go, I do like it. The color is just amazing, and the fact that it lies flat is spectacular.  I also like the configuration of business card pockets and the secretarial flap in the front.  I would make one change though, I would rather have a note pad pocket in the back than a zipper pocket.  I just don't use the zipper pockets in the back, so it's wasted space for me.

However, I am having MAJOR issues with Filofax right now, and it's trying my patience.  While that's certainly not difficult as I am not a particularly patient person by nature, I just don't have the tolerance for things that don't work well, and am ready to chuck the whole damned thing out the window.  (But this is an issue for another post. I promise it won't be so long between posts!)

Also, I fell for a Baroque on eBay, and I'm using that as something else, but that's a whole 'nother story (that I haven't taken pictures for) so I guess that's toodles for now y'all!

"To Be Continued..."

P.S. I got the Topaz at Pens and Leather, and their service was outstanding. I can totally recommend them as a source for Filofax in the US. Their prices are great to boot!

Blog Me

So, in order to share my rants and raves with people who couldn't care less others, I decided that the best platform for that would be blogging (?).  There's one big problem though (and a whole host of smaller ones), while I am reasonably proficient with my computer, and I can do what I need to do with it (mostly), I've been an epic fail at blogging.  Before I explain, you should know that I have ZERO patience for things that don't work. None.

Ok, so here we go:

In my quest to be a successful marginally adept blogger, I have now tried almost every blogging platform available. {"I've been everywhere man"} I started with WordPress.com, and I was frustrated with the templates or something, I don't really remember. (Might have been all the "extra" stuff they want you to pay for...how is that a "free" platform??)

Then I decided that I would try TypePad because they had a free trial, and what did I have to lose? They have proper tech support, so I thought that would be really helpful considering my seemingly infinite capacity to arse things up.  I moved everything to TypePad, and there was just something about TypePad that bugged me, (yes, besides the glaring lack of any decent themes.  I mean honestly, you pay for the service, you should at least get themes as nice as the ones on Blogger!)

Next,  I read a lot of online articles and bought a few books (love Dummies guides!)  and most of them said that if you really want to blog the "only" real  platform is WordPress.org.  These lying bastards folks even said that WP was really easy to install and use! Yay! So--(and this was really pitifully hilarious)--one weekend I tried to do a manual install. (I know, you see the red flashing lights and hear the sirens here right? I didn't...) It took 3 books, 6 hours, much cursing, much help form HostGator, and I got exactly nowhere.

Ultimately, I had to undo all the damage I had done, and then I did the smart(er) thing--the one-click install. Voila! Instablog. Great! Except...my pictures won't load, the plug-ins are a pain in the ass, and I HATE blogging! So I cancel my hosting, get rid of my blog, and go back to TypePad!

I hear you--I know you're questioning my mental stability...'s'ok, sometimes I do too. Ok, so meanwhile back at the ranch, the TypePad blog back up...it still bugs me, and the themes are still bloody ugly.  So I move on to Blogger. Whiz Bang! I install 2 blogs, buy one of them a domain, and they look great! Except...my pictures take FOREVER to load, every time I go back in my settings are changed, and I hate blogging again...

You'd think I'd get it, right? BUT WAIT! *Poof*  I conveniently ignore forget how much I hated WordPress.org the first time, so I buy hosting again, and install (One Click the FIRST time this time! See? I can be taught!) WP again. That's this blog.  UPDATE: AND when I put pictures into my blog post, the formatting is all screwy when you go to my blog. WHY??? I just don't get it. I don't get why you need an IT degree to use WP, or why I'm the only one that thinks it's complete crap! I cut and pasted the Filofax post into both WP.com and Blogger, and even with cut and paste, BOTH of them had the formatting of the pictures/post correct. So, now I'm back with Blogger, and unless someone offers me completely free site maintenance for life, I'm not leaving again.  At least when/if things go wrong, it's not costing me any money.

Maybe I should just give up on this whole blogging thing-- except--this time...I REALLY LIKE DOING IT!! So, I guess I'll keep working and learning and re-reading that "Blogger for Dummies" guide.