Leuchttrum1917 Bullet Journal Honest Review

As someone who follows numerous BuJo instagram accounts and is a member of a million bullet journaling groups, I feel like I have a very good grasp of what people in the BuJo community like and dislike. And one thing a huge majority of people are fans of is the LT1917.
There's the odd Moleskine or "just a normal notebook" lover, or, the very odd teNeues Green Journal lover (that's me), but I feel like everyone has felt the pressure to want the famous LT. Well, I gave in, and went out of my way to get my hands on an emerald LT Bullet Journal. Now, I can't really say what any other of their notebooks are like, and I am pretty sure that if I got a "normal" version of it, I wouldn't have as many comments, but, all the same, this is their most popular piece and the one everyone uses, recommends and praises oh so highly.

At first glance, it looks pretty good, the cover is great quality and the colors are nice and bright, and I like the fact that the cover is (besides a "bullet journal" imprint) completely plain and 100% customizable. That's the whole point of bullet journaling, right? Make it yourself so that it fits your style and what you need. Unfortunately, the cover is where that policy ends in the LT1917 BuJo.

On the inside of the cover, the first thing you see is a premade key. Now this got me especially mad, because not only did it not leave it to me to make my own key page however I want it to look, it also assumes that I want to use the system they shove down my throat. Sorry, LT, I don't use your dots and arrows, I have my own system, and I definitely don't want it sitting at the bottom of the page under your "required" key segments.
And if that wasn't bad enough, the very next page is - TIPS. Seriously?? Tips?!

Now I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea, this might be okay for some beginners, someone who is now for the first time diving into the wonderful world of BuJoing, but I don't know a single self-respecting BuJo veteran who would ever stand to use a notebook full of premade tips. Again, if I had this when I was first starting out a few years ago, I maybe would have liked it, but I feel like it kills the entire creative side of bullet journaling.
LT continues its assault on your freedom of creativity by demanding you to have an index (which works for me, personally, but I know many people who don't like using an index) and then also writes down in it your future log and the tips that are at the end of the notebook (Yes, there are more tips at the end, 8 pages full of them. And yes, they wrote "future log 1-4" and right under it "instructions 241-248", and I know a lot more than a few people who would have a problem with that).
Speaking of a future log, they took the liberty to title 4 full pages as a "future log". Because apparently that's something that everyone is required to do.

Now I'm not made of stone and of course there were some positive sides to this notebook:
The dot grid is excellent. It has very good spacing, the dots are just the right opacity and the lines are consistent throughout.
All the pages are numbered, which is always a HUGE plus in my book.
It has three pagemarkers, for easy organization and I already gave my love to the cover.

But that's about all the things I like about it. The pages are a thousand times thiner than what I expected (and that I'm used to, since my green journal has amazing pages) and they don't have the perforated pages in the back (which I expected, and know some other LT notebooks have)

To sum it up: This is a beginners BuJo notebook, and I think while it may be good at explaining what a bullet journal is, I very strongly believe that that is not the right way to teach someone bullet journaling. I think that there is a limited number of people who like to use the "standard" bullet journaling method, without adapting it, and this can be great for them, but I think for $21 that this notebook costs, it's a huge investment for a beginner and it doesn't conform to a veteran.

Soooo.... What am I going to do with it?
I might give it away to someone who I think will find it helpful, or I'm going to cut out or glue together the pages that bother me (the key, future log, tips, etc) and just use it as a plain old notebook like any other. Let no notebook got to waste!
But as far as my BuJoing goes, for now and the foreseeable future, I am going to stick with my green journal, because it has all the things that I need, without limiting my creativity.
Sorry Leuchttrum, I was disappointed.

Cicmila

Cicmila's Golden Rules Of Travel

I like to say that, for my age and financial status, I travel quite a bit. And for those two reasons, I've gotten quite nifty when it comes to my travels, and I'd like to share with you today my golden rules for traveling!
(All the tips I'm about to share are for shorter travels, up to two or three weeks, for longer trips, well.. I'll make another post for that!)

1. The sooner you start, the better
Preparing for a trip may seem like a simple buy ticket-pack bags-go deal, but actually there is more planning than people think! The sooner you start, the bigger advantage you will have - cheaper tickets, more time to find the perfect accommodation, plan activities and take care of things at home!

2. Don't be hasty
If you found out that you are about to have some vacation days, or if you got an unexpected sum of money - don't book your vacation the same day! Many airline companies (especially low-cost), as well as hotels and hostels have certain days when they will give you special discounts if you book on that particular day. You can get a good chunk off those prices if you wait till the right moment to book, but if you wait too long, the prices might get higher - another reason why you should start planning on time. *Top tip: follow airlines and favorite hotels on Facebook and other social media to be notified of the deals!

3. Budget??
Budget planning (and sticking to it!) is the most important part of any trip plan. I like to determine how much I can set aside for that trip, then I divide it in quarters (roughly). Now this is a bit fidgety, because every destination is different, as well as people's wishes. But this is how I go about it:
1st quarter: Tickets. If you're going somewhere nearby, then you might need less than a quarter, but it also depends on your favorite way of traveling. I, for example, don't mind the lowcost conditions, 16 hour layovers and spending the night at the airport waiting for a plane. But if you enjoy a bit more lux life, you might not get that far with your budget. Remember that a plane ticket isn't the only thing that you need to get to your destination. Calculate all the cost of coming to and from the airport/station!
2nd quarter: Accommodation. Now this is the one that varies drastically. I try to stick to traveling to destinations where I have friends or family that I can stay with, so my accommodation costs are low to nonexistent. But, if you don't have anyone you know in the place where you're traveling, there are several options:
Hotel - the most expensive (usually), and to some, the most comfortable.
Hostel - if you don't mind the lack of privacy, you can get a good price for a shared room, but if sharing is not your thing, many hostels offer private rooms, too! Also, they're a great place to meet new people.
AirBnB - if you want a private apartment or room, to be able to experience the place as a true local, you can get apartments and rooms to rent for excellent prices. If it's a bigger group that's going, you can also rent entire houses.
Couch-surf - if you're not alone, or if you're brave - you can try couch surfing! It's a great way to meet new people and your hosts will usually show you around the city or recommend places to visit.
Camping - if the weather allows it, and if you have the required equipment, camping is a great way to be accommodated during a trip. You might need to pay a small fee for the campsite, but apart from that, you can bring everything yourself.

3rd quarter: Spending money. Things to include in this group: food, attraction tickets, souvenirs, local transport, nights out, and any other thing you might want to spend your money on.

4th quarter: Emergency. If there is one thing all trips have in common, it's that they are unpredictable. There will always be something: a baggage fee you forgot about, a lost suitcase, a stolen phone, or any of the million other emergencies that can mess up your budget completely and cut your trip short if you don't have this emergency stash.

Of course, all the parts of this budget can be mixed and matched to suit your trip, in my example, the accommodation pile goes to the tickets!

4. Packing

Look at what you planned to bring, then discard a third. Honestly, I don't know what makes me think that on a trip, I'm gonna feel like changing clothes three times more than I do at home. No, you don't need a different pair of jeans for each day, nor do you need two shirts per day, because "you never know what can happen". Plan whole outfits at home (with as much mix and matching you can), take pictured of them and save them on your phone, for easier dressing during your trip. Make sure you check the weather forecast and dress/pack accordingly. Also consider your activities: if you're going on a fancy dinner, make sure you have a fancy outfit, just like if you're planning on doing sports, bring gym clothes. Bring two pairs of shoes - I like to bring one more classy and one more sporty, to match different outfits and occasions. Make sure you check do you have to bring your own shampoo/towels/etc, or if they're provided at your accommodation.

5. Take care of things at home

Make sure there's someone to feed/walk your pets, water your plants, or anything else you need done regularly.

6. Chill

Nothing will ever go exactly the way you planned. You will have to adjust at every step, so being chill and not overplanning things will help you get over that a lot better. You can't predict a flight delay, a baggage misplace or any other of the million things that can happen. So just relax, don't take it too seriously and go with the flow!

Happy travels!

xoxo

Cicmila 

My Bullet Journal Must-Have Pages

Let's not kid ourselves, we could all use a little extra organization in our life, some meditation time and some creative chaos. For me, that's what a bullet journal is.
I'll write more about my actual bujo when I complete the spreads (still waiting for the notebook!), but for now, here's what my bujo just has to have in order for it to work for me!

The basics:
Yearly overview
Monthly spread
Weekly spread

The once-and-forever:
Key & Index
Staples grocery list
Couple pages of motivating messages
Last year memories
This year goals
Books to read
Movies to watch
Card games/party games
Quote pages
Brain dumps/Brainstorming pages


The weekly/monthly reoccurrences (included in my weekly/monthly spread or on a new page): 
Habit tracker / Daily routine
Financial tracker
To-do list / Things done list (for more motivation)
Goals
Food log
Rant pages
Gratitude pages
Wishlists/ want-need lists
Doodle pages

Other:
The wonderful thing about a journal is that you can customize it for your own personal needs. If you're taking some medication, you can have a med tracker, or if you work on projects, have a six page projects spread!

Hope this helps!
Happy holidays and happy journaling! :)

Cicmila

What I Learned From Moving Out

Okay, I'll admit it.
Moving away to live on my own wasn't as easy as I thought it'd be. In fact... It's much, MUCH harder than I thought.
The dream was to just go in one day get all the old stuff the previous tenants left out and come back the day after and put my own stuff in. Easy, right?
Wrong.

After two weeks of cleaning, moving heavy objects to the fourth floor (without an elevator, mind you), not having Wi-Fi, sleeping on a mattress on the floor, going back home to your parents to sleep over because it just doesn't feel right...
I realized that it's not easy.

The first week was the worst. I would go to a nearby McDonald's and steal their Wi-Fi to talk to my boyfriend. I remember on the third night I was so depressed and I didn't know what to do. I was afraid that if I go back home to sleep over, that it would make me look weak and that I should just suck it up and persevere. But I couldn't. I looked up when the next bus was and ran to catch it. I came home crying and told my dad that I just can't be in the apartment right now, that I don't feel comfortable there.
He told me that it's normal and that I'm always welcome home. That helped a lot.

When all of the previous tenant's stuff was out and the first time my bff came to sleep over was the first time I felt like I could actually feel happy there. The feeling went away after she left, but just for a little while. The thing that was the hardest was accepting that now my normal state in the apartment is "alone" and every occasion when there are others there is exactly that - an occasion. Moving from a house with 5 people was hard.

Once I realized all of this, things started getting better. Three important things happened that finally made me sleep soundly in my new bed (then still mattress on the floor, I just got the bed three weeks after moving in):
1) University started. Having that routine of getting up in the morning, going to class and then coming home gave my days some structure and made me feel a lot more grounded and in control.

2) A very pleasant visit. My friend came over from Sweden and spent five days with me. We both slept on the floor and were still figuring out the heating and damaged furniture, but having to be a host to someone really made me feel like this is my apartment and hey, if I can be a host to someone here, that must mean that I know my way around the place well enough!

3) I finally got internet. During my friend's visit, we went and picked up the router and finally, I had internet. Now this might not sound super-important to someone, but for me, who spend most (no seriously, around 90%) of my time awake on the web, it was important. Not to mention my boyfriend who lives on the other side of the world.

The combination of these three things happening in the same few days made this place feel more like home. The crowning jewels were a bathroom renovation and (soon) new kitchen cabinets. But for now, I have my bed and my bakeware and as ar as I'm concerned that's all a girl needs.
I won't lie, this still feels very temporary, and I keep trying to talk people into coming over, because having people here with me feels a lot more natural and comfortable. But for now, I gotta live with myself and if you're wondering how I made the place feel more like home, well, you're gonna have to wait for the next post.

Hugs and kisses (from my oh-so-comfortable new bed)

Cicmila

Summer Styles

Every year, summer surprises us just a moment too soon, leaving us thinking why we didn't start working on our “beach bodies” just a few weeks earlier. But with every new season, fashion keeps up with the heat and brings us exactly what we need. Whether it’s a retro 80’s look, perfect for a festival, or a new bikini for the beach, everyone wonders what’s gonna hit the shelves this season.

It’s a no-brainer that summer is the festival season, and with having to choose only a handful to attend, you have to make sure your outfits are on fleek! A budget-friendly  option is the H&M’s Coachella line, with a range of tops, bottoms and dresses that are guaranteed to keep you comfy and stylish for the wild raves, or the afternoon acoustics. If you’re not keen on spending money to get that perfect outfit, then DIY is your best friend. Grab some old T-shirts and jeans and give them a makeover with the supplies you probably already have in your house. There are so many YouTube videos and Instructables tutorials to search through, and you will not be left disappointed!

But when the heat really hits, there’s just one thing we want to do: Get in the water! Whether it’s the beach or the pool, a good swimsuit is a must for every summer. There are so many styles to choose from, that everyone can find the perfect fit for that gorgeous silhouette. If you’ve been working out hard or want to show off what your mamma gave you, classic two-pieces are great for soaking up the sun an having fun. If two-pieces aren't your thing, no stress! One-pieces are coming back with a bang, and there are so many amazing styles to choose from. For all the girls with the right curves, it can often be tricky to find that perfect piece, but with fashion opening it’s doors to all shapes and sizes, companies like Rebdolls will become your new favorites!

Afraid of the sun damage? I've got good news! The trend of big floppy hats and beach cover-ups is continuing into this year, and doesn't seem to be going away any time soon! So get your beach bag ready, and fill it up with all your essentials! Sunglasses and sunscreen, a towel and a spare bathing suit, wallet, keys and phone (if you’re scared of it being stolen while you’re in the water, just hide them in an old shampoo bottle!). Make sure you stay hydrated and take a lot of selfies!

#beachselfie

Solo Queue

**This post is about gaming. If you're not into that kind of thing, I didn't feel like explaining the whole game in this post, so this probably isn't for you.**

So I play a lot of League of Legends. I am most certainly nowhere near a professional player, but I do spend a number of hours every day on the Rift. I consider LoL a very team-oriented game, and I would never do the "get into solo queue and mute everyone on the team" move. I like to communicate with my team, but more than that, I like to know my team. So since season four I haven't been on the Rift alone not one time.
Until yesterday.

So playing ranked isn't something I do a lot. In season 4 I played my first ranked match a week before the season ended, and it was just because my usual teammate wanted to play only ranked in those last few days. But I did end up liking it, being a naturally competitive person, and I told myself that in season five I will play more ranked and see how far I can get. So season five started, and as many New Years resolutions, I didn't start mine. I put ranked in the back seat and just played normal, fun games with my team. None of them were(or are) interested in ranked, so I didn't push.

Still, the idea of going on to the Rift without someone talking to me on Skype was enough to put me of completely. Solo queue is a mean place, full of trolls, ragers and afkers. Not knowing anyone on the team or their playstyles, I don't like that.

So I finally got one of my fiends to play ranked, and I started the always-so-important first ten matches. You want to start strong, right? So we got on the Rift and played the first three ranked matches in season five. It went pretty awesome and we won two of those games with disconnects on our team. After the second 11/2 jinx game, I was pretty much hooked on ranked.
My problem? My duo queue partner wasn't. So the next day, he refused ranked matches and I was left alone with a thirst for ranked blood. There was just one thing left to do:
Solo queue.

I was never so wrong in my life, thinking that solo queue is hell. Yes, I played just two games as I am writing this, but I am still so surprised! Everyone on my team was open for communication, we were supporting each other, helping with build suggestions, shot-calling and correcting someone else's shot calling. We worked as a team and I am still to lose a ranked game in Season 5.

So solo queue ended up an amazing place for me, and, as I am sure there will be trolls in my future, I am looking forward to seeing how far I get in this season.

Now, A DISCLAIMER, because I know one of you will post this and go "omg bronze V scrub talking about solo queue omg what and attention whore she doesn't know shit about the game" etc. etc. Now, I am in no way saying I am better than anyone, that I have above awesome skills, or anything similar. This post has nothing to even do with skill, it is simply about the prejudice about the "solo q hell" and my pleasant experience with it. So yeah, "kids stay cool, and flame is lame".

Much love, gl & hf!

Cicmila

aka.

Vinturion 

Belgrade Book Fair, part 2: What did I get?

Check out how I prepared: http://cicmila.blogspot.com/2013/10/belgrade-book-fair-part-1-preparation.html

All together I spent around 22€ and i got 15 books!
I call that a great deal.
So, without further delay, the books I got:

Miloš Crnjanski, "Lirika Itake" - some poetry, and the thing I love about this one is that he actually writes love poems that aren't cheesy and pathetic.

Kevin Brooks, "Lucas" - My favorite book of all time. Not because of the style, not because of the storyline, but because of one sentence. Can you guess witch one it is?

Kevin Brooks, "Candy", "Martyn Pig" and "Kissing the Rain" - Just because I wanted to read more from Brooks and I couldn't find those books in the library.

Rupert Holmes, "Swing: a Mystery" - I saw sheet music on the cover. I opened it and there was sheet music inside. I saw it comes with a CD. I saw the price was less than 1€.

Marcus Sedgwick, "The Book of Dead Days" and "The Dark Flight Down" - I read his "Floodland" several years ago, and I loved it, so when I saw these two, I had to buy them. They are a series, and I bought another one of his:
"The Forshadowing" - because I really wanted to get my hands on whatever book of his I can find.

Todora Škoro, "Senke i svici"(Shadows and fireflies) and "Umiranje srama"(The death of shame) - I said in the preparation blog that I want to get some short stories and these are the books I found and liked. I do hope I made the right choice because it means a lot to me if I get a good book because of my choice alone, not because of anyone's recommendation.

Tanja Adamović, "Zlati se zaborav" - I'm not really sure how to translate this, but it's a book of poetry I bought because I realized I have 1€ left in my pocket. I really don't know what to expect from this one.

Nick Flynn, "Another Bullshit Night in Suck City" - This is not the type of title I personally like(and yes, a judge a lot of books by their titles), but there was something about this one that just made me want to have it, and it was extremely low price, so I just got it. :)

Danica Nikolić Nikolić, "Kuća puna pukotina"(House full of cracks) - Saw it, loved the summary, flipped through a few pages and liked what I saw. I've never read anything from this author before and I'm really looking forward to exploring this one.

Dejan Katalina, "Košmarenje"(Nightmaring) - Exact same story like the previous one, I found them side by side.

So that's it. That's all I got, make sure to look for my haul video on my youtube channel:  http://www.youtube.com/storytimewithcicmila

Thank you so much for reading, if you have any recommendations, opinions, anything at all, make sure you leave a comment bellow. :)

Cicmila