In Ink We Do Obligate

It sneaks up on you, this time of year.  You lollygag through summer, and just when you are getting used to the warm caress of the season the crispness in the air arrives, the leaves begin to change and the calendars for the new-year come out.  Technically speaking we still need to get through three more months of this year before glimpsing at the fresh new calendar and its array of dates.  These are significant months with some pretty important things including baseball playoffs (this IS the year for my Cubbies), major holidays, anniversaries, birthdays and a host of normal days.  Ninety some days that should be lived to the fullest and not fretted away.

But who can resist peeking into that fresh new date-book with nary a mark?  Can anyone refrain perusing the months and stopping to see what day their birthday will fall and secretly thanking the calendar god if it falls on a Friday or Saturday?  The opportunity to fill open dates, to plan ahead is titillating.  The ability to arrange vacation without 17 other obligations before it overwhelms my senses.  My hand is itching to get started to satiate the innocence of the blank pages.

This new agenda book represents a fresh start where I vow to be better organized, more aware of my commitments and try not to overbook every day.  I prepare the family central calendar data by gathering school calendars, sport schedules, husband’s work agenda, volunteer obligations, orthodontists yearly plan, vet timetable (for each of three dogs) and the current year calendar.  These are items that since I am fairly confident in their happening I color code and transfer them onto the fresh, crisp leaf of the appropriate pristine page in ink.  Birthdays and anniversaries of family and friends are duly conveyed from previous year data along with the corresponding years to be celebrated (which, by the way, I used to laugh at my mom for doing and now, as she seems to be much smarter as I age, it a darn good idea).  For only a three person, three dog, one hamster and three fish family our next year is filling up and that is before the “penciled in” items infiltrate.

Calendars can be your friend and persistent reminder of significant occurrences.  Each year, February is the month to plan all my doctor, dentist and mammogram things.  For some reason I find the middle of winter to be the perfect time for my annual 20,000 mile check up on myself; to make sure everything is in working order, have my oil changed and be ready for action.  A woman has to take care of herself, plus if you arrange the day correctly and in advance you can be out of the mandatory appointment by 10:00AM – conveniently when the stores open – and really make it a day for yourself (for both your body and soul).  Remember to mark the whole day off (in ink) when scheduling so you don’t need to be stressed and rush back for another engagement.

I know already that there are days, next March, when three things are happening simultaneously.  There will be weeknights where dinner will be KFC because my husband and child will be going 10 different directions and it is just easier to grab something quickly to eat before the nighttime obligation.  Not that you want to plan your life away for the next year, but there is a certain feeling of attainment when you fill out and up those simply numbered pages for 365 days.  Maybe there are events to look forward to, to plan and to dream for.  Perhaps this is why calendars go on sale when they do, they inspire us to live each new day.  Take a look back at a past years notations and you can see that is exactly what you have done and most likely to its fullest.  And if I can wish you one thing with your new calendar - may this year bring you lots of penciled in surprises!  Now, go forth in confidence and in ink to get those commitments jotted down and then settle in to enjoy the rest of this year.  Go Cubs!

Cynthia A. McClelland, curious observer of the obvious with interpretations of the oddities of daily life. Mother, wife and lover of the furry, resides in the north Lake Tahoe area.

Cynthia A. McClelland © 2003-