January is right around the corner, which means you’ve got to come up with a list of bullshit resolutions and go buy a calendar! Oh, how we love rituals.
Marking the passage of time is a valuable way to stay connected to our ephemerality, which is a fancy word to say that we won’t last forever.
Flipping back in our calendars gives us a view to what we’ve accomplished and lived through — on those precious days we were lucky to have been alive (even the cruddy ones).
Looking forward at the days still-to-be lived in our calendars ignites that potent excitement of wonder: what might be in store for us in the remaining squares of days we’ve yet to check off? What potential might be reached? Will we make it to December 31st, and assuming so, how do we want those days to be?
Measuring the increments of our time, like grains of sand in an hourglass, gives us the perspective we often need to not take the rest of the grains of sand for granted.
So let’s have fun with these grains of sand, shall we?
12 cool calendars to consider marking your time…
The Four Thousand Mondays “Un-Dead Your Life” 2022 Calendar
Back by popular demand for 2022! (Well, my friend Beth asked for it again so I assumed you all wanted an updated version this year, too.) How else are you going to keep track of important ways to un-dead you life, like National Nachos Day (on November 6th) without the help of a calendar like this? I doodled my cholesterol-filled heart out for you to get this puppy done, so download this free, fun, and utterly ridiculous calendar immediately! Share it liberally! Go forth and enjoy No Pants Day (on May 6th; something to look forward to)!
Poppin’ the New Year Bubble Wrap Calendar
Guys, it’s bubble wrap. Aren’t you pre-sold? Could there possibly be a better way to welcome each day than by bursting a bubble? (The real answer would be to drink a glass of bubbly to kick each day off, but that’s stating the obvious.)
I’ve used a bubble wrap calendar before, and if I’m being honest, it was fun for the first 16 days and then it lost some of its charm… but guys. Bubbles.
Your Life in Weeks – Life Calendar
I get unreasonably giddy seeing all 4,000-ish weeks of my life all laid out in pretty colored squares. I get to see how many weeks have passed me by and how many weeks I have left (if I don’t die of colon cancer or whatever else might kill me first). Reflecting on how many weeks I’ve squandered along the way motivates me to not mess up a vast majority of the remaining squares — so it’s a good old fashioned memento mori (Latin for “remember you’re going to die”) kick in the pants.
If you plan on being around for more than 52 weeks into the future, maybe invest in this durable wood version.
As an aside, I bought this version of a “Your Life in Weeks” years ago as a holiday gift for many of my clients and it went over like a lead balloon. The good news is that you can buy 100 of them for a 70% discount! Nothing like giving 100 people the blues over the holidays. (Moral of the story: buy this one for yourself.)
With 400 emoji stickers, this calendar is jam-packed with feelings. Wouldn’t it be fun to document your mood swings with stickers all year long? (And is it just me who’s curious about what happened to April in the photo below? And most of May, except for that one fury-filled day? So many unanswered questions.)
This one is for the creative types who have pencil crayons or markers at home. Want to track your moods by color throughout the year, 365 squares at a time? Go for it! (Gentle warning: if you’re prone to a lot of dark blue, gray, black, and red rage days… this might not put a pep in your step.)
I want to prevent sticker shock, so I’ll just tell you upfront this one is $365 — but it’s from the MoMa Design Store, so you should expect nothing less. And here is why it’s worth it: it’s “an interactive personal gold star system that does not require an internet connection—so there’s no need for apps, Wifi, Bluetooth or computer programs. The Every Day Calendar encourages you to set a goal that you want to achieve each day. Track your achievements by tapping on the day to light it up when a goal is accomplished.” I WANT A GOLD STAR EVERY DAY, DON’T YOU?
I love everything at despair.com, and if you’re evil, you will too. You can even build your own demotivating calendar, which means you’ll have 12 long months of snarky doom and gloom. Perfect.
This one is as pure as the fresh-driven snow; it comes in five ultra-designey colors and YOU GET TO PUT YOUR VERY OWN NAME ON IT. This almost makes me want to organize my life in 2022!
Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings Day-to-Day Calendar
Based on this extraordinarily fantastic article by Sarah Cooper. Don’t think about this one; just buy it already. (Case in point… Tip #6: Ask “Will this scale” no matter what it is.)
Build anticipation for upcoming events by setting up countdown timers. If you’re feeling frisky, you can set up this Google lifetime countdown timer, too.
Passport Stamp Travel Scratch Off Poster
Okay this one isn’t a calendar, but since we’re chronicling the passing of your time, why not scratch off your travels in a visual way? “Featuring 232 authentic passport stamps from around the world, this 18″x24″ poster does what your tiny passport cannot: showcase your adventures around the globe in banner style.” This one hurts my heart a bit right now (because of our global Plague where international travel doesn’t feel so fresh), but when Omicron and all his friends die their own slow death, this one’s a must-buy. (If you’re not interested in scratching off Kyrgyzstan, maybe the Personalized National Parks Scratch Off Poster is more up your alley?)
Best for Last: The Chuck Norris Day-at-a-Time Box Calendar
I was in at “Chuck Norris can squeeze orange juice out of a lemon” and I know that will get you, too. Let’s all just buy this for an inside joke we’ll all be in on together for 2022.
