It's That Time of Year Again

It's time to buy a calendar. Actually it's past time. This is an October chore. What? You don't have things to put on calendars already for next year? No 6-month-out dentist appointments? No school events? I have all these little notes in my filing that I need put on my 2008 calendar, and quite frankly they're driving me crazy.

But purchasing a calendar is not as easy as it sounds. I am a calendar fanatic. My sister is the only one who can feel me on this. My husband is pretty certain that I'm demented. There are some pretty strict guidelines that must be met before a calendar can hang out in my home.

First you've got the pictures. Most people choose their calendars solely based on this issue. And it's a biggie. But we're not talking "do I like lighthouses over outhouses" here. Besides having to love the entire theme of the calendar, I've gotta love every single picture. I'm forced to look at each page for a whole month, and I've been known to put a calendar back because there was just one picture that I simply didn't care for.

Then you've got the actual calendar page. This is a make or break asset. I need very large squares with perfect numbers. The actual font used for the number is of little value to me, but the size and placement are key. It's gotta be a large enough number to be able to see what date it is across the room, but not so large as to leave no writing space. And if it's not jammed tightly into a corner to maximize the block around it, you may as well put it back now. I know I'm not the only one in America who writes the family's daily life on that piece of art on the wall. We've got doctor & vet appointments, sports schedules, 4-H meetings, church outings, the school holidays and everything else that a family needs to function. There are some days that the large white square isn't big enough to hold all the family's happenings. And I write small! So imagine a calendar page with small white squares, or a number that isn't strategically located. I couldn't live like that.

Up until this year I thought these were the only two issues that mattered. And although it sounds easy, I haunt the calendar kiosks in the mall for weeks before making a final decision. I made my purchase after just two trips this year and am regretting it. After bringing home my newest piece of wall art and transcribing birthdays onto it, I realized that the paper and/or ink used was of poor quality and the writing bled through onto the next page. This is highly unacceptable. My birthday is in January, not the 20th of every month. I may be getting older, but I'm not aging that fast!

I'm simply going to have to purchase another one. My husband will not be happy about this.

7 comments:

Cecily R said...

I think you'd hate mine, but I love it. The days each have their own line and the month goes all the way down the page, not in a grid. I can't explain it right. But it totally works for me and I have a lot more room to write all my crap.

You're funny! Oh, and yippee, now I know your birthday!!!!

frog ponds rock... said...

I am so with you.. If it isn't written on the calendar. It may as well not exist...cheers kim..

Aimee said...

You are not alone my friend! I just spent three weeks deliberating between two calendars. I went back and forth so many times that my husband was thinking he may have to medicate me - or himself! But he doesn't spend all his time writing stuff on the calendar, so he knows to keep his opinion to himself! :)

Karen said...

Cecily - I've never seen your kind of calendar but it would work well for all the writing. You're right, though. I wouldn't like it because I'd never know what date we were on. A sad fact of SAHMism.

Burgh Baby said...

It might be time to make your own calendar on Zazzle. You pick your own pictures, calendar layout, font, etc. Every grandparent is getting one this year for Christmas from Alexis.

I will forever remember your birthday--it's 3 days before mine and 7 days before Alexis'!

Karen said...

Oooh, Zazzle sounds great. Since I need a new calendar I might have to check it out.

January is a good month, isn't it? Well not weather-wise, but some wonderful people share it as their birthday month.

tj said...

...Oh, I can so relate to this post! I just recently ordered our calendar and it came just today...I love everything about it except for the size of the numbers. I'm like you, I've got to be able to see it from across the room. Oh well, I'll know better for 2009's calendar (*sigh*)... lol... ;o)

...Blessings... :o)