"What is essential is invisible to the eye."

A wink and a sigh, and it's almost goodbye.

As the end of the year looms near, I started my search for the perfect planner. I know most people wouldn't bother with having one – what with smartphones and the various organizer apps available – while some would excitedly use theirs for the first couple of months and then neglect it for the rest of 2013. Well, let's just say I'm one of those people who still find comfort in putting pen to paper and in the knowledge that there's no way you can reformat information that has been written down.

There are a lot of planners available in the market that choosing for the perfect one can be a daunting task, so I figured I should decide by checking which one meets my preferences: it should have enough space for me to write on, and I must be able to personalize it.

I've always dreamt of having a Moleskine but the price has always put me off, although it cannot be denied that its quality and branding are really remarkable. When they released the Le Petit Prince limited edition planners, I was sold! I knew I wanted one pronto! It's a classic book that I have always loved, and even now when I am feeling a little sad and insignificant, I read it and feel better. My friends, I am happy to tell you that this dream (and I know I sound like I'm over-reacting here but I don't care) came true today. That's one item crossed off my Christmas 2012 wish list!

My new Le Petit Prince 2013 Weekly Notebook and my old and battered copy of
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I got it for P1,150 at Fully Booked in Greenbelt using my Ayala e-gift card. It was the last remaining copy and thankfully the sales assistant kindly reserved it for me yesterday after I called to inquire. It took me this long to buy one because I wanted to hold out for the Moonleaf Tea Shop planner first as I really liked their first edition that came out this year. Too bad I didn't like their 2013 planner that much because the new format gave little room for my need to customize and personalize, plus there are lots of pictures of people they wanted to feature – people I don't know. I'm sorry Moonleaf, you're still my favorite milk tea place but I don't really want pictures of people I don't know in my planner. It's well and good that you are featuring people and groups that helped the brand, but I think those are better suited for newsletters, brand bulletins, or company calendars. Having said that, this is also the reason why I stopped buying Belle de Jour power planners after getting my 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 planners from them.

This is the reason why I think I will be in a starry mood at least until New Year's. Case in point, have you noticed my blog's new banner and color scheme? Inspired by my two favorites The Little Prince and  Neil Gaiman's Stardust, I hope you like it.

For me, 2012 is the Year of Living Bravely. This year has been nothing short of amazing, and I feel really blessed and grateful. I don't know what 2013 holds but the promise of new possibilities excites, scares, and exhilarates me, all at the same time.

As closing, here's another quote from the book, "All grown-ups were once children – but only few of them remember it." Here's to wishing that we never forget we were children once. Cheers! ♥