bulletjournal.md

Python script to create a bullet journal in an plain textfile with Markdown formatting

This project is not about software in the first place. It is about the idea of using the concept of a bulletjournal in a plain textfile. The second idea is to use markdown-formatting. Thus, the bulletjournal-file could be used with a markdown-editor or copied into a CMS like yellow. In addition to templates, there is a python script to create templates on your own.

TOC

• Keys
• Views
• Templates
• Python Script bjmd.py
• FAQ
• Tipps And Tricks

Keys

Keys need 4 spaces prefix to be formatted

.  task [2]
x  done
>  postponed
o  event
a  abandoned
w  waiting for [person | circumstance]
!  adds priority

Example: daily tasklist:

.  check yesterday's list
>  call webmaster
x  [1] Write README.md for bulletjournal.md
x! Buy present for Peter
o  Peter's birthday party
a  Wash car
w  Mary: telephone call

Views

view	templates	script
future log	no	no
year	yes	yes
month	yes	yes
daily tasklist	yes	yes
projects	no	no
indexnumbers: [1]	no	no

Templates

See templates/

Python Script bjmd.py

Use the script in a terminal like this:

$> python bjmd.py > mybulletjournal.txt

• Use this script to create a bullet journal textfile for a whole year.
• The Language of textfile follows the locale of your OS.
• See standard-output.md of bjmd.py when options are unaltered on a system with locale EN.
• Settings (that you may change in the script, of course):
  • prefix = 4 blanks before day in shortlist
  • suffix = 2 blanks after weekday list
  • this year or specified year
  • include keys and their meaning on top
  • include calendarmatrix (off, needs manual correction)
  • reversemonth = list order is December to January
  • reverseday = list order is last day of week to first day of week
  • set first day of week (MONDAY)

FAQ

• Why is the default list order descending? It's because Soren Kierkegaard said, that life must be lived forwards, but can only be understood backwards. Moreover, in a textfile it seems easier to work upwards. But you may change the script easily.
• What are the advantages of bulletjournaling in a textfile? You may: search the full text, copy and paste, replace, delete. Moreover, you don't have to estimate how many pages you need to spare for a project or list.
• What are the limitations of bulletjournaling in a textfile? Obviously, you need a laptop or smartphone. Then, in a file there are no pagenumbers for an index. And there is no color-coding.

Tipps And Tricks

• Use linux command 'cal' to create calendars as text