My Life by the Book



I used to be a Franklin-Covey Day Planner person. A subscriber to 7 Basic Habits for Highly Effective People. I carried the day planner into my life after corporate America. Every year about this time I would be buying the yearly fillers for my book. And on particularly nice years a new binder that said success. Then I tried Palm Pilot. And calendars on line. I came to the conclusion I am a paper person. I have to write (not key) things down. So in 2008 due to finances I went with the engagement calendar instead of the Day Planner.

The fact that I chose the Old Farmer's Almanac Engagement Calendar says a great deal about my life these days. It lays flat on my computer desk - generally right in front of the screen - and it includes all sorts of little wives' tales trivia, tips and quotes, as well as the phases of the moon. It allows two inches for each day for notes. I clearly no longer have a life style that requires two pages for each day. Nor does it need to be broken down into 30 minute segments. But I have learned the habit of making notes and lists. I like a record of my comings and goings just in case I get called as a witness to some crime! LOL.

Well, perhaps not that funny. It was that habit of making notes (and the new habit of writing blogs) that stood me well during this last round with the contractor from hell. I have written backup of things. He does not.

So here I sit at the computer with the 2009 engagement calendar open before me. And the 2010 underneath one flap. We are in that time of year where forward plans require both. This morning I will be entering some dates of importance in my Google online calendar so I can get e-mail reminders. Important these days are pet sitting engagements, arrival dates of guests and maids at the house I am sitting for the winter, gallery receptions, and MVAC board meetings. A bit different from my high powered days as a project control engineer for a major construction management firm.

But I am about to begin a lobby effort to change the Mechanic's lien laws in New Mexico. Can I show up at the office of a state legislator with my Farmer's Almanac Engagement Calendar? Any thoughts?

Comments

  1. BekkieannDecember 13, 2009 at 5:57 AM

    I'd say it depends on what you need the calendar for. If you need to refer to information in the calendar, by all means take it. I think many people have abandoned the old method looking for something more simple and practical. You need not apologize for your method. It's your message that counts.

    For reminders, I use my Outlook at work - I add personal reminders like hair appointments, dentist appointments, reminders to renew my driver's license. This works for me as I already have to use Outlook for work purposes and I get all my reminders in one place.

    Even when I was a busy exec in a corporate setting, I alway resisted the Franklin Day Planner as I thought it was too much effort to use properly, and it was mostly to impress others than it was any real help to me. I tried it one year and gave it up for a simple desk calendar--usually something pretty with each page decorated with art, or photos, or thoughts. I found it worked best for me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. JBinford-BellDecember 13, 2009 at 6:03 AM

    When I was a professional person my company purchased the Day Planners for me. It is a Mormon firm and the company I worked for was one of the "boys of Boise" with a strong Mormon leadership. To have switched to something else would have branded me a traitor. So I was very firmly indoctrinated into the method.

    I loathed Outlook when I was a court clerk. So I never load it on to any personal computer. I do like Google calendar because my sister and I both load our schedules on it and it will "marry" them so I can see days we both have free.

    ReplyDelete
  3. mzbiglynnDecember 13, 2009 at 6:18 AM

    l went shopping for my diary last friday..
    l was hoping someone wasnt watching me as l was making my decision on which one, a little one or a big one..l ended up getting a page a day one, cos l had the two inch one last year, and it wasnt enough, so l guess that says a lot about me lol...
    l have to say that the blogs have helped me considerably with managing everything.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Recovering TeacherDecember 13, 2009 at 11:54 AM

    I am definitely a paper-and-pencil type when it comes ot calendars. I did try using a Palm Pilot for a while, but it was frustrating not being able to easily see several days and times at once. I prefer a large one that shows a week at a time and plenty of space to write things down. The one I use fits nicely in my zipper notebook, so I can take it easily wherever I go.

    ReplyDelete
  5. IntelliblogDecember 15, 2009 at 3:58 PM

    Ever since my palm pilot DIED (dead-as-doornail-dead, no-recovery-of-data-dead) and I lost all of my contacts, notes, passwords etc, I have mistrusted the electronic calendar. I have an iPhone now, but also paper-based calendars and diaries.

    I have always produced a wall calendar for myself and my friends every year, and so it is this year. I also like wall year planners.

    ReplyDelete

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