Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Git Yerself a really BIG Calendar


hmmmm.............
I wonder if I had a calendar that actually spanned the broad side of a freight truck, would I manage to keep better track of everything?
Life and unpaid bills (meant to pay that on time, but shoved said item in drawer on friday afternoon of tapas and didn't see it again in a fortnight...)
Appointments and kid schedules... (WHAT? A basketball game tonight?! At Red River College Campus at, like... THE OTHER END OF THE CITY AND YOU HAVE TO BE THERE TEN MINUTES AFTER THE END OF MY WORKDAY?!
Physio? Neurology? Family birthday?
Parents. Darn. forgot about them for a couple days weeks there. They are super important to me. I value that I still have them. Should they get pencilled in?!
Cat. Needed neutering about a year ago...
When did the kids get bathed?
Honey Nut cheerios.
Milk.
People get their lawn mowers tuned up?!
Bags.
Books.
Deposits.
Allowance.
Simplify?? *Enter maniacal laughter*
I have a fridge calendar, but I find that the squares are a little too small to write in the names of the children that I'm expecting; the appointments for the kids that I ought not to forget; the nights one or the other of the girls are baby-sitting; what's up at youth; what bills are due; birthdays that I'll forget anyway, even if I write them out a thousand times; voice lessons, swimming lessons, soccer season, bag pick-ups, fabric drop-offs, family reunions, arrivals.... departures....
So I bought a daybook.
A nice, pricey full page one from Chapters. I was so excited I could hardly breathe.
But here's the thing. You can see only one or two days at a time, and somehow that makes me feel claustrophic. I need to see a week, at least. How else am I going to know what to start worrying and procrastinating about?? If I look at one day, then the next day turn the page and see something like: Cardiac Surgery, 2:00 pm. How on earth am I going to prepare for that?!
So, I bought a bigger calendar for my fridge. The Mom's Ultimate Family Fridge Calendar.
For all its pomp and promise; stickers and recipes.... It's deceitful! My too small fridge calendar has squares that are 4x4 cm. This one is 6 x 3.5cm. Inadequate.
Inadequate, I tell thee!
So, what do I do.
Have one fridge calendar for all the daycare stuff, and the Mom's Ultimate for all the other stuff? Do I hire help? Get smarter? Sleep less?
Maybe Martha with her staff of several billion was onto something when she published a complicated magazine about the wisdom of simplifying one's life .
I suppose I'll have to spend more money and time on that so that I can learn how to exist with fewer than three calendars...

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

quo vadis trinote 2009
agenda planning diary
your week planned at a 'single glance'
they also have a minister weekly?
that is ... divine
you need your week on one page.
trust me.
BB

gophercheeks said...

You nailed it!! I have that Mom's Ultimate Family Fridge Monstrosity covering the wall on the side of my pantry and each member of my house has their activity highlighted with a different color.... just to make my madness look all neon and cheerful!!!
It's probably good to have your dayhome schedule separate... though I'm sure it feels like everybody is a part of your goulash. Bon Appetit!!

Anonymous said...

Too Funny! Good luck with trying to stay organized.....and sane! MK

Anonymous said...

Oh Joyce,
I SOOO hear you. I am right there with you. Except we don't have a cat. Otherwise, bang on.
Vanilla Bean

Anonymous said...

Hey Joyce!

The Mom's Ultimate Family Fridge Calendar hey? Got that too - still not enough room - I'm so with you on INADEQUATE!!! Lemme know if you find a real ultimate calendar one day that can really handle life! Hey - maybe you should create something - you're amazing! And I'd pay dearly for something that is really "Ultimate"! Good Luck! Pam B :)

perrygirl :) said...

1. organization is highly over-rated.
2. organization is for people too lazy to run around looking for things at the last minute.
3. organization stunts your creativity for coming up with excuses for why you missed something.

Jennie C. said...

"Organization is for people too lazy to run around looking for things at the last minute."

I LOVE this. I want it on a t-shirt.

Anonymous said...

I remember back when the calendar squares weren't big enough...you what that's passed too...I don't say this to make light of your busy life or too small calendar only to say that itall seems so long ago when my life was like that, cousin.

joyce said...

I love these comments.
pg, those lines are brilliant. they would look great on a t-shirt.

xo love you guys.